Jordan’s 6 top tips
Don’t give up
You are almost certainly going to experience a large rate of rejection, especially in the early days as you’re finding your feet. A lot of photographers that have made it aren’t always the best photographers, but they are the ones who kept at it and never gave up.
Think about narrative
Think about what you’re shooting and why. If these things are clear in your mind, then your work will have a certain level of consistency and emotional connection with the viewer that massively aids in creating powerful imagery.
Be adaptable
No travel photography job ever runs smoothly or goes exactly to plan. Time is often limited so it’s important that you have a backup plan and be fully adaptable. Despite the obstacles, the job needs to be completed and there is almost always no chance of a re-shoot.
Build relationships
If you start asking what you can do for others and take the time to build real and lasting relationships even when there maybe isn’t an immediate financial gain, you will reap the rewards. The key to success in any business is in who you know, and photography is no different.
Always be on the lookout for the next opportunity
The world is constantly evolving, and new opportunities are always presenting themselves if you’re paying attention. Make sure to keep up with the latest industry news and trends – connecting with the photography community and attending events are all ways to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Take a fresh approach
Look for fresh and unique approaches in how you go about selecting locations and shooting your subjects. This could be searching out completely new spots or finding a different angle on a well-shot location. Picture buyers see a lot of images, so if you are able to make your style stand out and highlight your creativity then this will help to pique their interest and get their attention.
Developing your style
In an ever-oversaturated market it is more important than ever to stand out. My advice is to spend some time developing a consistent photographic genre and style that is immediately recognisable to picture buyers. You will then find photography commissions much easier to come by. This consistency will give your editorial and commercial shoots a uniform feel to them which is important for the overall aesthetics of a feature.
With regards to print sales or image licensing you will find over time that picture buyers start to take note of your style and actively search out your work.
Licensing images
Licensing images is a great way to earn a little extra cash from your photography without too much effort whilst also capturing the attention of editors and art buyers. Not only will this be useful for your latest images but also your back catalogue of work. There are multiple ways in which you can license images, but my suggestion would be to find a travel-specific stock library such as 4Corners Images or AWL Images. These two agencies are wellconnected in the travel photography world with clients globally. In my experience they really value the work of their contributors. They also attach a higher value to the work than larger bulk agencies would, whilst also providing a much more competitive sale percentage to the photographer.
Digital art/NFTs
The new kid on the block! Over the past couple of years, photography has emerged as a serious contender in the digital art space, most specifically in the form of NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain. Getting your work picked up by a gallery is incredibly hard and getting connected with photography buyers even harder. For the first time in history, artists can use blockchain technology to sell their photography. Platform fees are at a minimum and you can easily connect directly with your collectors.
The digital art space is very much in its infancy for now, but it won’t be for much longer. The opportunity to make a real name for yourself in this arena is very real and one that I believe would be a mistake to ignore.