Photography and social media is a big topic now. There are multiple social media platforms but none divide option amongst photographers more than Instagram.
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Social media photography
There is no denying that social media photography and Instagram have done some great things for photographers. But I also wonder, is it destroying the art of photography?
Some of the best photography social media offers can be quickly and easily enjoyed via photography social media apps such as Instagram, Facebook and even Vero social on a smaller scale.
Photography businesses have been given a potentially free marketing strategy that could be viewed by lots of people from all over the globe. You won’t find many photographers who don’t believe at least some sort of social media presence is required as part of any photography business owners marketing strategy.
The downside
The downside is the impact of social media on photography as an art. It is no longer real life. The ease with which content has been made available means that there is a real lack of creativity amongst these platforms.
Locations and angles are replicated and sometimes even include a multitude of fake elements created via a camera app. Editing tools such as photoshop that work fine as social media photography but in the real world of photography just don’t cut it.
Getting caught up in this isn’t so much of a problem for the older generations who grew up without social media. But for the younger generations coming through being heavily engaged with social media photography, it will stifle their creativity and originality. What do you think? Is social media destroying the art of photography?
The horrible truth
Social media vs. real-life photography are two very different things. I believe it is important to be aware of this fact. Not just on the photography world but life in general.
I know that I only put good news on my social media channels. I never mention the times I am overlooked for a job, a shoot went horribly wrong or just being plain ghosted by a client. That’s the negative side of social media photography.
Now let’s talk about a more interesting topic. Like how to promote your photography business on social media. There many photography business avenues that can be used to promote your work and attract clients.
Social media branding photography
One angle I have found to be very effective over the years has been to approach brands that sell products and offer my product photography services. Instagram is a great tool for reaching out to people as you can send a direct message to anyone on the platform. Granted they may not always reply but you don’t need them all. Social media product photography and social media content photography is in huge demand right now as the world quickly moves over to more virtual and direct methods of marketing tools.
Social media portrait photography
People are always looking for a good local portrait photographer. This could be a family shoot or just a new profile photo. A simple and successful approach to attracting clients is to simply search hashtags in your local area and politely approach the influencers, models, fashion industry professionals and offer your services.
I offer a range of photography packages that can encapsulate everything I have previously mentioned. My packages include my personal branding photography under one social media campaign.
Social media marketing for photography
This is probably the topic we get asked most about whenever we are talking about this area. Everyone wants to get that image that gets them thousands of followers. But it just doesn’t happen like that anymore. Here are a few of the most common questions we hear and we feel need debunking.
How to advertise photography on social media?
Quite simply, don’t! Not paid anyway. Photography just doesn’t have the draw to produce results. So you end up shovelling a load of money into an ad that won’t gain the results you are after.
The way to combine photography and advertising is to post fairly regularly and only your best work. Then take your time to think about the caption to get engagement. It won’t improve sales but it is quick access to your portfolio and an invaluable marketing tool.
Photography social media campaigns, are they worth it?
Social media photography campaigns are a great way to keep your brand in front of your audience all the time. There are tools available such as Facebook Pixel to track visitors to your site and re-target these people on Facebook. The downside is that it’s not cheap and to really make a success of this we would suggest employing a professional.
How much to charge for social media photography?
This is a tough one as product images and portraits will be a lot cheaper than say a full location shoot or social media content photography. There is no real answer to this question other than more than you think. Young or new photographers are usually so eager to work or have their work featured that they massively undervalue themselves.
Social Media for photography business tips
So there you have it. As my final thoughts on this topic here are some helpful social media photography tips:
- Feel free and let your creativity flow
- Create a fresh new perspective
- Pay attention to lighting
- Find your style
- Don’t listen to the negative noise around you
Follow Us:
YouTube – Why not take this opportunity to check out our brand new YouTube channel for tips, advice and some inspiration.
Instagram – Check out our photos on Instagram.
Facebook – Join our Facebook group and share your photos and chat with other beginner photographers.
Even though we may not be able to travel right now, we are already planning our trips for 2021. Check out our workshops or photography holidays to see where you may want to visit with us in the future.
Jordan Banks is a travel photographer with almost 20 years of experience shooting assignments and campaigns for some of the worlds leading brands and companies including many Iceland images. Jordan is well versed on social media photography and knows all the little tricks to up your social media photography game.
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