When starting or growing your photo biz, it’s hard to really invest money into education to create the camera hustle of your dreams! The good news is there’s so many ways to learn and grow for free! We at Unscripted firmly believe in community over competition and want to show you how to connect with other people in the industry to grow your photo biz and make new friends along the way!
Host Styled Shoots
The easiest way to grow your portfolio is by putting on styled shoots. This gives you the opportunity to create something for your ideal client and works for any niche! Find someone to model for you by posting on your instagram stories, facebook groups, or asking friends that will model for you. In return, send them the finished gallery so they can post the photos or print them out! If you are interested in weddings, reaching out to more vendors for decor, florals, dresses, etc may bring your vision to life more! Expect to at least cover the cost of materials for something like florals. Styled shoots are a great way to get new content to post on your instagram and add to your portfolio. You can connect with vendors and models in our facebook group!
Connect with like minded creatives
Working with photographers you admire is a great way to grow your business! If you head to our directory, we have heaps of photographers you can connect with! When you find a photographer that has work you love, or a niche you’re wanting to get into, send them a message. When assisting photographers, it’s important to remember how you will benefit them and their biz! Touch on these topics when sending a message: A little about you, your personality, and what you shoot with. Skills you have (making sure dresses are perfect, taking BTS videos of them shooting, getting second angles.) How you can benefit their business (taking BTS videos of them so they can use it in reels!) If you really want to learn from a photographer, but they don’t need the assistance, you can look into mentorships with them! These usually cost money, but they’re such a beneficial investment for your photography education!
Meet online
The easiest way to learn is through online photography communities! Many photographers have education platforms that specialize in certain areas of the industry you may want to deep dive into! There are also so many facebook groups you can join for free! In these groups, you can ask questions, get advice, share your work, and connect with others in your community to help each other grow! In our Facebook group, hundreds of posts come through everyday, and yours can be one of them! If you’re traveling and need a model, make a post! If a client sent you an email that you need help responding to, make a post! If you wrap up a session and you’re head over heels in love with the results, come share it with us! Our Facebook group is a massive resource to answer questions and make new friends!
Assist Photographers with Their Photo Biz!
When breaking into the photo world, full time photographers often need to offload their tasks to focus on taking photos! Some of these tasks create great foundations to aid you in skills to grow your biz as well. Frequent tasks photographers hire out for include: blog writing, social media management, editing photos, culling pictures, and bookkeeping! If you thrive in a certain area, or want to get better at any of these skills, you can assist a photographer and make a little extra cash on the side.
lead your photography
sessions with confidence.
FAQs
How do I reach out to photographers for a collaboration?
How do I start second shooting?
Are photography directories free to join?