Articles from Walid Azami

Do you charge for your photography? For the photographers who want to use their passion as a revenue opportunity, you will have to figure out what works best for you.

For years, we've heard clients ask photographers for a few images. The client would pay for all types of usage rights and then they'd ask for a few images as freebies, for social media. And that trend continued for several years. We'd throw in a few for social media and make the client happy. As social media grew, the budgets stayed small.

Even though I grew up listening to top 40 music, the sound of Perry Farrell's voice from Jane's Addiction was something I could easily recognize within seconds of hearing his voice. Then, I went to Lollapalooza, not knowing the impact this man had on one of the most successful music festivals of all time. Then, well over a decade later, his team called me about photographing Perry with his wife, Etty. 

For the bulk of my career, I’ve operated on single-light photography for my projects while many others relied on multiple heads. This video is for the photographer eager to start and they think it requires a stockpile of gear. It’s to remind them they can operate on a lot less and start sooner if you have a clear direction with your concept.

In my 10th-grade drama class, my teacher would usually hand me a detention slip for "toilet humor" for breaking her rules with my drama productions. I was immature and found humor in pushing her buttons.

The top question that I get from new photographers is "how do I start charging?" This video tackles that!

Recessions are rough on nearly everyone, especially the businesses without a store front because we miss out on the community drives to save a business from going under. That's OK, we'll survive and here are 6 of my favorite tips to help you have a bigger punch during the pandemic.

I'm fairly certain this one might light up the comments: If you don't act on your photography business goals, you're selfish. 

I'm tired of Instagram, and I'm guessing you walk a similar path. The platform that was built on photography and promoting good imagery is exhausting for photographers. While I'm not certain what the end-game of Instagram is, it seems user experience for the creators is not at the top of the list. That's why I created a method that heightens my own user experience, and I'm sharing it with you.

Location scouting is a job you do, whether you know it or not. In this video, I discuss the four methods that I often use for finding the perfect photoshoot location. 

Why do you feel it's OK to work without pay? Other occupations charge, and they charge handsomely for their expertise, but photographers are seemingly shy when it comes to money. Knowing this crowd, I'll need an obligatory qualifier: Not all photographers are shy, but a lot of them are.

You'll often hear people talking about your photography style, but what does that mean? Does it matter in how you book jobs or how much you can charge? How does one even find their photography style, and why is it important?

I recently used one of my quarantine nights to create an art project for myself. A few weeks ago the rules were stricter about staying home and I used it as an opportunity to expand my own skills and vision.  I encourage photographers who are stuck at home either because of the quarantine or protest curfews to push their limits and try new things.

You bought a camera, lenses, and gear that you're not convinced was essential. Many photographers feel that's all you need and the clients come walking in through your door. You've been fooled because the majority of your success depends on the business aspect of your operation. Let's do an exercise that better prepares you for success.

I've seen people learn photography and lighting from a technical standpoint and for me, it always went over my head. What!? There is a mathematical calculation to getting good light? I always went for what "felt good" and for the longest time I felt insecure about my process, even though I booked often.

Crazy click-bait title or truly the missing piece? It could very well be the missing piece for your photography account because ultimately it comes down to making Zuckerberg and the Instagram/Facebook empire happier.

Freelancers, we're no different than anyone else suffering because of the pandemic and associated economic setbacks. Maybe that's not correct, because we've probably become more resilient to uncertainty just by our job description alone. Lucky for us, some brands are paying attention and doing what they can do soften the hit. This is how I received three months free from Adobe Creative Cloud.

Hard times ahead? It's likely and while no one knows for sure, it's inevitable that the current quarantines will affect everyone's business in the coming months. How will you change your marketing methods? Here's something that worked for me and I want to share it with you.

When I picked up the camera a little over a decade ago, I decided that I'd cut out magazine photographs and make a journal of images that had closeups of the eyes. It was the only access that I had to see the reflection that showed me a little moment behind the scenes of the photoshoot. It's the "lighting hack" that I tell everyone about, because it is the first clue to what type of lighting modifiers were used to achieve an image. 

Many visual artists have extreme talent, but no idea how to even charge. What's too much? What's too little? In too many cases, they stop the debate and don't charge for their services altogether. My goal is to start the wheel and get your business in motion. This post and video will give you a starting point.

Photographers: if you're looking to have a smoother shoot, you might want to try these few tips that really contribute to my photography sessions. Remember, it's how you manage a shoot that really contributes to someone's opinion of you, assuming the photography is already done well.

You can have unbelievable landscape photographs ,but it might be difficult to make money. You can have a stunning artistic shot, but if there isn't a celebrity or product in the photograph, it's difficult to make money. If you love to take pictures for purely personal enjoyment, this article won't add much to your life. This is for the people who want to make money from their work. 

You need balance as a photographer, and that means addressing the business side as well. We are creative beings, and running the day to day is something we're so great at avoiding.

The video title alone should make you want to come and dispute this claim, but give it a couple of minutes of your time. The majority of people won’t support you or appreciate your work. You’re not alone, and here is an example.

Booking clients is easy once you understand how you can be their solution. If a potential client made it from a search engine to your "About Me" page, they've somehow pre-qualified themselves as a client.

There will always be paid advertisement, and you can explore that. Do not forget about the possibility of free advertisement from people in your lives. Your friends and family are there to help. Getting a recommendation from your close circle serves as a powerful tool for the new photographer.

We've both heard statements like "I just need a few shots, that's it. I don't need it retouched" and it's frustrating.

Photographers, with another 10-15 seconds per Instagram post, you can enjoy the benefits of stronger SEO. Here are the steps that you need to take get a boost within Instagram and on search engines.

Photographers have a long history of finding things unique and affordable for their photography needs. I'm no different, and that's why I just wanted another top-of-the-year reminder. The goodness of the dollar store cannot be overestimated, because they can carry many similar items found at higher-priced outlets. It seems in the past few years, the quality of goods at the discount stores has increased. Am I correct in that assessment? 

Last week someone asked what I did to have a strong photography career and be able to photograph some of the most legendary people? For the end of the year, I thought it was great to list some of my favorites habits which I am hopeful will also help you. Watch the video to see me break down some of my favorites.

In this article, you will learn about shooting a lookbook for your retail clients. For those looking to expand on their photography, shooting for lookbooks and e-commerce can be profitable and should keep you busy.

It took roughly five years to learn the lesson the lesson that helped increase my bookings. That lesson was show fewer styles to book more.

There are three questions that I ask each new potential client, and those answers will determine the entire creative direction of the project. 

Sierra Skye is one of the most known models that came from the rise of Instagram and has a fruitful career working for numerous brands. I photographed her last January, and finally, we are releasing the images.  

I get many viewer questions, but this is one of the most asked. What if the model wants the photographer to pay for the shoot? Before anyone raises concern, this is a photo shoot to build the model's portfolio, not for an ad campaign.