Re-Inventing Yourself

[LarissaPhotography]

How often do you find that you have to reinvent yourself as a photographer to stay competitive? I know a number of photographers who have missed the boat by continuing to do things in a way that worked 20 years ago, but no longer is effective.

 

[TwoRails]

Are you referring to 'professional' photographers? I'm not a pro, and don't even want to be, but it has to be like other things: 1) if you have a 'formula' and it works, you use it as long as it works, or 2) you be cutting edge and hope it works.

What kinds of things are they doing that you don't think are effective?

 

[skieur]

How often do you find that you have to reinvent yourself as a photographer to stay competitive? I know a number of photographers who have missed the boat by continuing to do things in a way that worked 20 years ago, but no longer is effective.

Very often and it is much like surfing. Stay ahead of the wave and when it starts to run out move into something else. I started in film photography, moved to video and colour when it first began in the 70s, then multi-screen large scale photo productions, actually making presentations to large and small audiences using multi-media, graphics, advertising, and computer animation, digital photography, and multimedia digital productions and presentations. newspaper journalism and editing, politics and public relations photography and media management.

It was not so much any need to stay competitive but moving into areas where I had little or no competition. I did it because I enjoyed it and it was fun.

skieur

 

[eyelookok2blindgurls]

How often do you find that you have to reinvent yourself as a photographer to stay competitive? I know a number of photographers who have missed the boat by continuing to do things in a way that worked 20 years ago, but no longer is effective.

Never been working the same way for 26 years , if you need to reinvent yourself as a photographer your obviously doing something wrong .

 

[CrimsonFoxPhotography]

Never been working the same way for 26 years , if you need to reinvent yourself as a photographer your obviously doing something wrong .

I completely disagree with you on that one. The most general thing to take from this thread is that anyone who takes no interest in growing will eventually be passed by. The basis of the original post was that the person has been doing quite well up until some time..all because they didn't consider the value in keeping up with the times.

There are some things that remain timeless, but in Photography, as with many things, there is a such thing as trends that come and go. For, let's say, a decade style X is all the rage but then style Y comes along; as the trend for style Y builds, more and more prospective customers turn their heads away from the businesses that can't offer it.

 

[Bthornton]

I have been doing this for more than 20 years and yes for portraits and weddings my style has changed to what people are looking for as fresh and new. 20 years ago weddings for the most part were very posed and we all know that's not how it is now.
I think change is good. It keeps things fresh. I keep learning things and I know when I think there is nothing left to learn it will be time for me to retire because I must be burnt out.
Everything for my marketing to the actual photography changes and "morphs" as times and tastes change.
The cool part is sometimes you can bring some style from way back and it's fresh for the younger customers because they have not seen it before.

 

[marcus_manolo]

i think it's the same as fashion, one day you're in and the other day, you're out. we always need to keep up with trends, styles, marketing practices, etc.