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The best way to present your work?

MMPhoto

Member
Back in the days of conventional photography it was simple. Mont a 4x5 or 120 transparency on a black board, plus I would have tear sheet to show the used image along side.

Now with the digital work. I have made some slide shows of my work and burn on lightscibe CD, print a background photo cover for the case and hand them the package after the meeting.

I don't put music on the presentation just by fear of not having the proper music, plus I don't know if they want to hear any music. I must say that I keep the presentation short, maybe 20 to 30 images plus they are chosen for the type of client.

Still I am not sure if this is the right way to present myself?
Maybe a small printed book might be proper to?

I would like your idea on how to sell your work to clients.
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Depends who I suppose, who are the clients, what are their expectation. A wedding client is going to want to see a completed album, and art director will want to see a website or presentation and a gallery is going to want to see prints.
 
V

veronicacarter

Guest
I am new to this photography field I passionate about this but honestly said I had no vest knowledge about it and here you provide very nice concept I like it , and I agree with Ben Rubinstein .
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Back in the days of conventional photography it was simple. Mont a 4x5 or 120 transparency on a black board, plus I would have tear sheet to show the used image along side.

Now with the digital work. I have made some slide shows of my work and burn on lightscibe CD, print a background photo cover for the case and hand them the package after the meeting.

I don't put music on the presentation just by fear of not having the proper music, plus I don't know if they want to hear any music. I must say that I keep the presentation short, maybe 20 to 30 images plus they are chosen for the type of client.

Still I am not sure if this is the right way to present myself?
Maybe a small printed book might be proper to?

I would like your idea on how to sell your work to clients.
Let me give you the flip side of your request.

I am a recently retired Executive Creative Director, and before that an Art Director. I still do some freelance work and consultation. Just today I advised a promotion agency on local photographers, and selected 3 for their consideration.

During all my years as an art director, I sat through thousands of studio presentations ... sometimes two a week. We had a separate room stacked with DVDs from photographers, special effects houses and TV production studios ... and rows of photo books and portfolios. Unless something really struck us as directly germane to our immediate business needs, any given cold-call photographer's work was lost in the blizzard of stuff piled up all over the place ... no one had the time or energy to organize anything. Most of the time we just tossed it out after a while.

This was the same in every ad agency I've ever work at ... from giant Young & Rubicam to my own smaller partnership agency.

In the past 10 years or so, we found every photographer by looking on the internet and googling the category of work we needed (food, kids, lifestyle, industrial, etc.).

When we met with a photographer he/she was usually one of up to five photographers we had contacted based on their website and/or word of mouth from other art directors. Usually 5 because most agency client companies require a three bid process, and we had to allow for the possibility that a photographer would get booked on our shoot dates.

We then requested a portfolio from each photographer to provide to the client. Clients never liked DVDs (unless it was a cinematographer or film director) ... always a hard copy for still photography, which we would FedEx to them prior to the full bidding process. Then we would have a pre-bid meeting involving a number of client and agency people and hash out which photographers were to do the bidding ... and sometimes we had to hunt for more photographers if the clients didn't feel right about ones we had initially selected.

That is pretty much the real world, unless you deal directly with smaller companies that do not have an ad agency.

-Marc
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Marc's real-world take sounds right. I would only add (since you haven't specified what your objectives/markets are) that Fine Art can be different than what he describes. I am only peripherally familiar with it, but have seen/heard of a variety of ways that serious Fine Art photographers try to attract the attention of galleries/museums/collectors/publishers. It's a market unto itself with everything from dedicated reps that you can hire to represent and guide you to events that resemble a form of "speed dating" portfolio revue by the movers and shakers.

One place to start if this resonates with you is here: http://marketingphotos.wordpress.com/ But there are lots of directions.

Good luck!
Tim
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I assumed by the MMPhoto's indication of "tear sheets" that it was commercial advertising photography assignments being sought.

I'd also add that most of the more successful commercial shooters had a sales rep organization working for them. But in this economy that may have changed somewhat in the past 1-2 years.

I have often thought to do a seminar, or some sort of teaching platform for commercial photographers ... so many are clueless about how advertising is done and what goes on when making advertising. I have a somewhat unique background because I have been both a commercial photographer and an advertising executive. The more you know your audience, the better you can offer your talents.

-Marc
 

MMPhoto

Member
Morning All,

Marc you put the finger on the problem, being a Photographer it is hard to find the best way to advertise our self to advertising agencies.

The Web-site is to me a great intro when making a cold call to a Senior or Junior Art Director. It is the after when they want to meet you. How to show your work? Transparencies with tear sheets where to me the best tool, since transparencies where what you see is what you get.

Now with the digital what kind of presentation is the best?
A special prepared slide show on dvd or cd, handed over in person or those printed books?

Michel
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Morning All,

Marc you put the finger on the problem, being a Photographer it is hard to find the best way to advertise our self to advertising agencies.

The Web-site is to me a great intro when making a cold call to a Senior or Junior Art Director. It is the after when they want to meet you. How to show your work? Transparencies with tear sheets where to me the best tool, since transparencies where what you see is what you get.

Now with the digital what kind of presentation is the best?
A special prepared slide show on dvd or cd, handed over in person or those printed books?

Michel
For a face-to-face interview, I always preferred a book of some sort, or a slick looking portfolio of prints. The bigger in size the better. Enough quantity to show consistency. An in-hand piece allows an across the table discourse, rather than a dark room or huddled around a laptop screen. If it's a big meeting with lots of viewers at a larger agency, then maybe a projected slide show.

A cool leave behind poster for the AD's office is always welcome, something that is a signature piece of your style, but with an idea behind it.

-Marc
 

MMPhoto

Member
A printed book of about 20 images would be the best tool. There as to be a product advertising for agencies Art Directors another industrial location work for corporate clients .

There is also a calendar, there must be a photo according for each month. To handed to new meeting of new agencies, here must pay attention that the logo or id to just right in the design.

And how about this place for their products http://www.mpix.com/

Michel
 

vb_vmb

Member
hi, on this topic , i will also like to know( or invite suggestions from Sr.members), how keep/manage 10X12 or larger prints for presentation like portfolio, where i can travel with it and keep them safe from spoiling
 

Abnilo

New member
Its a nice discussion regarding the presentation and i think if we adopt this pattern than it will be good for all of us. Thanks for sharing such a good topic here.
 
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