Jordan Banks
Getting paid to travel the globe and take photos for commercial clients or editorial assignments sounds like a dream. Travel pro Jordan Banks explains how you can make those dreams a reality…
Travel photographer Jordan tells how he gets paid to trot the globe, undertaking all manner of commercial shoots for clients.
Most travel, lifestyle and landscape photographers dream of getting an assignment to a beautiful and idyllic far-flung destination to shoot for a magazine, tourist board or brand, but it’s not always that easy. There is no sure-fire way to nab this sort of assignment, but there are a few tips and tricks I’ve learnt over the years that may just help swing the scales in your favour – not just to get that dream assignment in the first place, but to keep them coming, by working smart before you set off and while on location.
You have to put yourself in the minds of your clients and viewers to produce high-quality, unique and engaging images that will keep you busier than you thought possible. If you can produce the required imagery that is both original and effective for a campaign, advert or editorial, there is no reason your client won’t come back to you for their next project. There are no shortcuts to knowledge and experience, but it’s always good to set off on the right foot.
Here’s how I go about obtaining commissions, from pitching the initial idea to ensuring I deliver not only what’s asked for, but something that exceeds expectations…
MAKE YOUR PITCH
I find a lot of photographers are too scared to pitch ideas to editors or picture buyers. The primary reasons are fear of rejection and lack of confidence, but I always give photographers the same advice: ‘Yes, you have to have the confidence in your skill level as a photographer to undertake the assignment, but the only way to gain assignment experience is by going on assignments.’
As for the fear of rejection; my advice is to just brush it off and get on with more important things, and to keep on trying. I am constantly getting pitches rejected or even ignored altogether. This used to really sting, but the more it happens the less important it has become, and the same will happen for you if you keep trying.
By default, the more you try, the more you will succeed, so the jobs I do get definitely help to soften the blow on those that I don’t.
Pitch perfect
Before you make your pitch you need to get the right idea. Don’t just pick a holiday destination that you would like to visit. While it’s important that you are invested in the location, try to look for unique angles that make the location special. This could be festivals, food, culture, art – anything really – but it remains imperative that it captures the interest of the viewer and/or reader.
There are two primary methods of pitching. The first is to go out and produce the content before preparing your pitch. This is great for editors and picture buyers, as they take absolutely no risk and have a finished article that they can use immediately – or reject without consequence. Needless to say, however, this is far from ideal for the photographer, as you have invested your time and money, with absolutely no guarantee of a return on your investment.
The second – and my preferred – method is to have the idea and put together a detailed proposal of what, how and when you plan to shoot. If accepted, then you have the best of both worlds: the commission and the budget to fund the trip.
The right outlet
Once you are ready to pitch, it’s important to pair the right idea to the right publication or client, so having a good knowledge of their style, goals, and audience is crucial. This is easily achieved by being an active follower of their content.
Even if your idea seems unique it is imperative that you make sure your angle, location, or similar, haven’t been covered in the previous 12 to 18 months, ideally longer. If your idea has already been covered, or is unoriginal, I’d bet good money that you won’t get a reply, let alone a job from your pitch.
Pitching is a tough process, but there is some good news. Once you have undertaken your first assignment with a magazine or brand – and assuming they are happy with the job you did – you will often find the picture editor/buyer will keep you updated on any future angles they may wish to undertake. This is perfect as it takes away the pitching process, which, let’s face it, is not what we really want to be doing!
It’s important to pair the right idea to the right publication or client, so having a good knowledge of their style, goals, and audience is crucial
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Before I get anywhere near a plane I will have spent time researching locations, working out a primary and secondary plan, arranging models and getting access to potentially restricted areas. Not all my assignments have a huge lead time but, more often than not, I will have at least a few weeks to prepare.
I’ll have a good idea of the spots I want to shoot and in what light, so this would set the base of my plan. My first port of call in research is often Instagram and other social platforms to try and unearth some of that local knowledge and locations that are a little less known. I’ll follow relevant hashtags to keep myself updated and adjust my shoot plan if needed. I find my Instagram research can make for great backup locations in case of bad weather, or as fillers that can be shot out of the peak periods of early morning and late afternoon.
Make light work
My final shoot plan will include a sunrise and sunset in one location, before moving on to a new spot for the following day’s sunrise, sunset, and so on. The morning and afternoon light can be used to capture portraits and scenes that don’t warrant, or require, the best light. The middle of the day will normally consist of shooting interiors, details, or markets, where the lighting conditions are only improved by getting away from the harsh midday light.
Be a people person
Where possible, it’s always great to include people in your shots. People add a real sense of place and editors love that relatability factor. If I am travelling with anyone, I’ll make sure to include them in shots and will bring items of clothing that will suit the area. I want the image to look natural, so don’t go over the top! If I’m travelling alone, I’ll politely ask anyone that’s around to pose for me. Nine times out of ten, people are more than happy to help out – especially if they get a copy of the photograph.
I’ll often arrange models specifically for a shoot, as it not only adds context to a location, but brands and editors are keen to include people in images. A good example of this would be a shoot I had in Buenos Aires. I wanted to capture some photos of the tango dancers that frequent the streets and plazas throughout the city. But I needed more control over the location and their movements. I contacted a tango school who put me in contact with a couple who were more than happy to spend a few hours with me shooting at the right time, in the right location, while taking direction.
If I want to shoot from a location that I know exists, but isn’t accessible to the public, I’ll look into how I can get access. In Paris I stayed in a hotel that had a killer view of the Eiffel Tower. In New York I contacted an influencer from Instagram who had some images from unique angles of the skyline on his feed. After getting in touch, he agreed to be my guide to terraces and rooftops of buildings that were only accessible via his connections.
Phone research
Apps such as Photopills and Sun Surveyor are useful in determining the best time of day and year to shoot a location. The apps also come in handy on location to confirm angles and weather conditions.
Make sure you have a continually updated shoot plan. I find so many interesting locations during my research, so it’s essential I have them jotted down. I also find it useful to accompany my notes with reference images. The greatest asset of modern smartphones is that all this information is easily accessible to me wherever I am, and doesn’t require an internet connection to view it.
Before I get anywhere near a plane I will have spent time researching locations, working out a primary and secondary plan
THE RIGHT TOOLS
I like to travel as light as possible but I also always like to have two camera bodies, just in case one of them happens to fail. In almost 20 years this has only ever happened once, and it was a shutter failure on a camera that had over half a million shutter actuations. Fortunately I had my backup, so the shoot continued seamlessly.
It’s all done without mirrors
I have recently made the move over from the Nikon D850 to the Z 7. I still own the D850, and I love it, but my last assignment was the first time I relied solely on the Z 7. The Nikon Z 7 is the perfect solution for a travel and destination photographer. There is no image or resolution compromise from the D850, and they are so much smaller and lighter.
I made the switch to mirrorless for two main reasons and never looked back. Firstly, the compact size of the bodies means I can now carry two Z 7s and the holy trinity of zoom lenses, filters, and a drone in my 40-litre Lowepro daypack, all without any struggles or back issues.
Secondly, the quality of the new S-line lenses is incredible! The new Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S is a phenomenal piece of glass and also my most used focal length, which is a massive plus for Nikon’s slender mirrorless system. On top of the two Z bodies I will also carry the Z 14-30mm f/4 S for those wide landscape images, and my 70-200mm f/4g with the FTZ adapter.
Essential accessories
The one piece of kit I can’t live without is my LEE Filters – several pieces, really. There aren’t many shots where I don’t at least have a polarizer on the front of my lens. I hear lots of arguments for blending images, but I’m a big believer in getting
the shot right in-camera – and you can’t always slow down the shutter enough to get those clouds and water looking silky smooth without the need for an ND filter. The majority of my sunrise and sunset images will be shot with a graduated neutral density filter and a polarizer.
A good-quality tripod is essential for my work and something I like to have with me at all times, so it has to be lightweight without forgoing stability. I use a K&F Concept carbon fibre tripod topped with an Arca-swiss ball head.
Odds and sods
A few other items have recently found their way into my bag, which I have found really useful. The Smallrig L-plate for the Z 7 works really well, is ergonomically designed and adds an extra centimetre of grip to the Z 7, which is useful for us photographers with large hands. It enables me to switch from horizontal to vertical compositions.
I have also invested in a Peak Design wrist strap. I like to keep my camera out and on hand at all times, and was always wrapping traditional camera straps around my wrist, but these can be cumbersome in the hand, flap about on the tripod and get tangled up in my bag. This cheap piece of kit has made all the difference to my assignments!
I like to travel as light as possible but I also always like to have two camera bodies, just in case one of them happens to fail