Unfortunately, photography is very a much a case of who you know. You could be the best photographer in the world, but if no one knows you, it won't get you very far.
Coming from a very lower working class background, I didn't know a single agent, director, art buyer, or professional photographer growing up. By the time I had decided that photography would be my profession, I was already into my mid-20s, and all of the contacts that I had made to date were in the science field.
After going through the phase of thinking I was great and actually being useless, I finally started to take some good images, but I couldn't get in with any of the big agents or agencies. I felt at the time like my work was on par with others who were getting these opportunities, but I just didn't have the contacts to get myself in front of the right people.
In this video, I go over what I have since learned and discuss how to make contacts in the world of commercial photography. This is no quick fix, but thankfully, it has finally paid off for me and others around me who did similar things at the same time.
Great advice, Scott. It is like planting seeds, it takes a long time, and many seeds never sprout. But some will. Being one who has a little teeny tiny IG presence I think I will take your advice and see what happens
I went to art school, which may or not have been the best idea I've ever had, and lot of people dismiss going to to school and say they can learn whatever they need by themselves or using youtoob or going to workshops. Maybe you can but I went to art school a long time ago and ended up doing jobs with the people I met at school (or people who knew the people I knew) for like 15 years.
During the pandemic a lot has changed so I need to make new contacts
Just to show that nothing is so easy as it is in UK or US. Here in CZech republic are cold-calls/cold-emails considered as SPAM and there are huge fines for spreading SPAM!
My advice: take these ideas and make sure that it is legal in your country.