Make the Choice!

Photographers' portfolios and websites often show a wide range of commissioned and freelance work. Too many styles for too many clients and genres. They show a lot instead of focusing on a few things. To position yourself wisely in the photo business, you should not only ask yourself who you really want to work for and what topics you are really interested in, but also show exactly that. Your positioning is the key to a promising acquisition and a good customer relationship.

Sure, there are plenty of customers who just need ordinary pictures for their everyday business needs. But why are photographers happy with that instead of aiming for an exciting portfolio and a meaningful positioning? It's obvious that positioning alone won't solve all the problems photographers face. But it also makes photographers more credible and shows customers what they're all about with their portfolios. To do this, focus on one or at most two fields within your areas of expertise and become the best at it. That way, your customers will think of you first when they want to plan a photo production in that certain style. It's not easy, because there is currently a lot of competition in almost every field of professional photography, but it's still worth it.

I often find that the portfolios or websites I see in my consultations are not as effective as they could be. Photographers tend to play it safe and show as much as possible. Images from different areas that don't have a unified visual style and aren't selected or presented well. Some photographers don't just lack the courage to leave something out or get rid of it, but also the determination to push certain images or topics. And let's not forget the desire for economic success. Photographers ask themselves what the market needs and what they should do to be successful with their work. Some overcrowd their portfolio because they assume that it will help them to be interesting to as many customers as possible. But that's the wrong approach because customers don't want to choose from a catalog; they are looking for something very specific: credibility and expertise.

David Ogilvy, legendary copywriter and founder of a New York advertising agency, defined positioning like this: "Positioning is about understanding what your product or service can do for your customers." He believes it's about understanding your customers' needs and knowing which service is going to be useful to them. In this case, that's professional photography.

To find the answer for you and your photography, it's a good idea to look at things from a different angle. Often, photographers get too caught up in themselves and end up going in circles. But it's true that the first step to smart positioning is to clearly define what you're offering and who you're targeting. Think about who you want to work with and what kind of jobs you want to do. Do you want to work with advertising agencies and brands or with organizations and companies? Do you want to work with freelancers or private clients? You can't be an expert for all of them. You can still take on any job you want, but you should make a clear offer to your target group.

I was recently asked why some photographers have become famous and successful, while others haven't. I think these photographers have managed to make a name for themselves in the market by being true to themselves and sticking to their guns.

Robert Paulman said, "Positioning is not about figuring out what the market needs or where the market wants you to be. It's about figuring out where you are and owning that position." I like that quote because it shows that good positioning is based on passion and determination, in addition to skill.