So, you've bought the camera and lights, you've watched hours of tutorials and done lots of shoots with friends to get your technique up to speed, and you've printed up business cards. Now, it's time to get the clients you want. Check out this quick video that'll set you on the right path.
In this great video from Mango Street, you'll be given some helpful tips for booking the clients you'd like to shoot with. We talk a lot about the importance of personal projects here at Fstoppers, and as they also mention, they're huge for building a portfolio representative of the type of client you'd like to attract. Just don't confuse them with working for "exposure." The difference is that you control every aspect of the shoot and it's set up exclusively to go into your portfolio. The other tip that has worked most for me in the past few years is being extra selective with what I put in my portfolio. There's a tendency to overfill our websites and albums, but clients don't need dozens of images to make a decision. What's worse is that if you have 20 top-notch images, but one mediocre sneaks in there, you've already planted a seed of doubt in their mind. Only show the best of the best.
The biggest advice I got out of this is only show your A-level work on social media. It's something I've never really thought of. I'm always looking to show off something from every shoot. I don't show bad work, but maybe it's not some of my best work ever.
Think I might go through my Instagram this weekend and start mass-deleting things that don't belong.