I am a marketing consultant working with clients to develop their brand. So I manage the creation of websites, campaigns, etc. Past clients have noticed that I do photography as a hobby and so I have been hired many times for low stakes, low-paying gigs like shooting corporate picnics and such. This client is a successful winery in the midst of a re-brand/re-launch. We quickly determined that they needed new imagery, so we needed to get a photographer .

I felt I had progressed to the point where I could and should be considered for the assignment. Even though I could not point to past assignments that were similar, I had already developed a trusted relationship with the client and, in my opinion, a strong portfolio on my website (patgarvey.com). I offered my services but also bid the job out to other photographers so the client could make an informed decision.

I won the job partly because my bid was lower than the more experienced photographers in the mix. But I believe the main reason was because the client liked my work and felt confident that I knew what they needed. After all, I had helped them figure out what they needed! They didn’t need to brief me or worry that I didn’t understand the assignment. I was a low-maintenance option.

I was paid $4k, and did three days of shooting to create a set of shots in the vineyards, some pure landscape and some with people working/farming.