There are many ways to utilize this isolation period well, but if you want to get more eyes on your photography, this could be one of the most effective.
Photography is difficult to do at the moment, but there are other avenues to improve how successful you are as a photographer that are worth considering. Whether you are looking to get more followers, likes, and eyes, or more money, clients, and opportunities, writing is a great method. Below are some tips on how to best use writing to further your photography while isolated.
1. Where to Write
Set up Your Own Blog
First thing's first, if you don't have a space you can write in place, now's the time. There are plenty of ways to do this. Many would argue, for SEO purposes, your best bet it to have the blog as part of your portfolio. Multiple portfolio platforms account for this, such as Zenfolio or Squarespace. If you can't, or simply do not want to attach a blog to your portfolio (there are good arguments for not doing it too,) then you have a wealth of options. Wordpress, Wix, and Medium are the most commonly used, but there are so many options it's worth going through some of the many dedicated articles on the subject.
Guest Write for Other Websites
This has to be one of the least utilized avenues for photographers. Writing for websites other than your own or your regular haunt is a superb way to get new eyes on what you do, network with other people in the industry, and spread your influence. Before I was editor here at Fstoppers, I guest wrote or featured on lots of other websites of all colors and creeds. If you can create content that is useful to people in any way, this is a fantastic route to go.
2. Build a War Chest of Articles
On average, I write at least a thousand words per day. Not all of these are photography related, though sometimes I write several thousand on photography alone. Central to writing with this sort of regularity and consistency, for me at least, is building a war chest of articles. I do this in two ways: Firstly, I have a document stuffed full of ideas for things to write about; concepts, titles, thoughts, inspiration, and so on. This file contains fully fleshed out concepts for articles that are ready to be written, through to mere strands that might lead somewhere. On days where I just can't think of anything to write, I'll fall back on this document for help (today wasn't one of those days.)
Secondly, I also write parts of articles when I think of something that has a little more meat on the bones. On occasion, this will be an entire first draft of an article, but more commonly it is a paragraph or two; just a little more than a title or fleeting thought. The importance of building a thriving bunker of resources cannot be overstated. It will see you through times of stagnation, lack of inspiration, and most importantly for me, highly busy periods. Regularity is key, but I've had days where I have come back from a 12 hour shoot and needed to write. Without being already off the mark thanks to the documents, the urge to be horizontal with Netflix would be too high.
What Should You Write?
There are myriad options for blog posts to write and the subject could fill a book, let alone a paragraph in one section of an article. However, there are some go-to, rich veins of material. These include:
- Tutorials for something you're good at (a certain technique, with the camera or retouching for example.)
- Opinion pieces (on the industry, equipment, trends, and so on.)
- Reviews (of equipment or software.)
- News (about equipment, manufacturers, or current affairs.)
- Business practices (how to generate leads, get clients, price effectively etc.)
3. Promote Your Writing
Getting people through the door to read your writing can initially be difficult. If you don't already have a following, it takes time and effort to acquire even modest views. I started a blog while I was at university and I had to wade through months of demoralizing returns on my efforts before I started making headway. In retrospect, I didn't do as much as I could have to raise awareness for my writing, which in turn raised awareness for my photography. I generally relied on word of mouth and the sharing of posts by friends and family. This will almost never be a route to success with a blog.
Firstly, make sure you are writing regularly, or promotion is tantamount to pointless. If you are, then promoting can be done through a number of channels and I'll offer three of the most common. Share your articles on all of your social media channels, both as posts with a relevant image and in stories. Make it as easy as possible to view the article with as few steps necessary. If you can put a direct, clickable link in the post, put it somewhere obvious. Number two I have already mentioned, but guest write for other websites. It may feel like you're cannibalizing views and traffic for your own site but you aren't; you're introducing yourself to a new audience that in all likelihood, would never find you otherwise. Finally, you have the option of paid advertising. If you properly split test (look up how to effectively advertise before you get your wallet out; there are many free tutorials) you can drive more traffic to your blog than almost any other way.
Summary
The benefits of writing regularly alongside your photography are numerous and not to be underestimated. Whether your goal is commercial success or simply just furthering you work's views, writing can do both. If you're new to writing about photography, take it slow and aim at doing one or two articles per week. Beware of that shiny new thing syndrome where you feel you can write an article every day. While it's possible, it takes practice and you'd be better off building up that war chest of articles and releasing one or two per week to start with.
Not only can writing help you as a photographer, if sustained, it will eventually start affording you opportunities. From event invitations and travel, to review units of gear and freebies, a lot can come of your writing. Now is the perfect time to get started, work out a feasible routine, practice the craft, and add another dimension to your identity as a photographer.
All such articles recommend something like "Guest Write for Other Websites". No website with a decent enough audience is accepting blog posts from total strangers, unless you have something really oh so very special to say. Writing for a website that receives 10 visitors a month is a waste of time.
I've found that any website will happily publish a guest article if it is well written and covers a topic that is unique or helpful. No one is going to ask you to write or give you direction, but if you write a solid 1500-2000 word piece that is both well written and interesting, it will be easy to find a home for it with a handful of emails.
Great read. I came across another interesting article about photographers in isolation - https://bit.ly/3cTY2eE
Thought others would want to read!