Verification on Instagram has been an elusive badge to secure. While verification has started out as a coveted badge for celebrities, brand accounts and newsworthy individuals, it's often felt out of reach for many photographers.

Still, with photographers as their own personal brands and also acting as photojournalists and otherwise specific sources of content in this age, verification makes sense for us as creative professionals.

After years of applying every so often, I was recently verified. Here's the approach that worked for me and the key differences that helped me get verified.

The Important Difference in Approach:

We'll do a step by step walkthrough for how to apply to be verified, but before we get into that, I'll cut to the chase. The main difference that helped me get verified was providing external sources where I was credited as a professional photographer by editorial outlets.

That's it. Nothing else about my application has really changed. Not my work or clients or professional status. It's simply the materials that I submitted that were slightly different.

However, previously when I applied, I focused on content that was more about highlighting me as an individual. Interviews, prominent features or mentions from brands, and so forth. This may still help, but I think the photo credits as a published photographer ultimately are most important.

So, before the actual process of applying, take a the time to compile up to five links that would support this approach. I looked for prominent photo credits at the top of an article by known publications.

Step 1: Settings and privacy

Go to the the menu in the upper right from your Instagram profile page. Go to the “Settings and privacy” at the top of the menu. Do not click “Meta Verified” — this is Meta's paid verification service that is a premium fee for verification.

Go down to the “For professionals” section and click on “Account type and tools.”

Step 2: Choose “Request verification”

In the account type and tools menu, click on “Request verification” This is take you to a form where you can provide information for verification and provide supporting material for your case of notability.

Step 3: Confirm authenticity

After entering your full name, you'll be asked to upload a government document to confirm your identity.

I uploaded a drivers license — you can take a photo from the app or upload an existing image. You can also upload a passport, identity card, tax filing or a recent utility bill.

Step 4: Confirm notability

You'll be asked to identify a category for your notability.

I chose the category of “Digital creator/blogger/influencer” as a photographer. It's possible that other categories could be appropriate, but I feel digital creator is pretty accurate for photographers and this is what worked for me.

I did not specify an audience when I requested verification, but this is an optional field.

Step 5: Add links supporting notability

I added five links to support my request of verification. Three fields exist by default, and you can choose to add up to two additional links. Adding links is an optional step, but I feel this is an important area to provide proof of notability for photographers.

I chose to link to five “news” articles. More details on this.

Two of the links were editorial articles that featured my image as the lead photo with credit to me in the following publications, while three were features or pieces including me as a photographer.

• Rolling Stone editorial placement
• Vogue editorial placement
• Live Nation feature
• My Nikon Ambassador page for Nikon USA
• Whalebone Magazine editorial

I did not link any social posts (ie, posts on Instagram from a verified account like the Tonight Show or a celebrity with a tag/mention in the caption).

I approach was to use a couple of the larger editorial publications that I could think of where my work has been published. I feel using entirely editorial publications would be fine if it clearly shows your work and a photo credit.

The intent is to prove notability, so with that intent, the more notable the publications, the more this may support your own individual case.

Verification Timeline

I requested verification in the morning, maybe around 9am. I was noticed a priority message under my notifications in Instagram around 9pm that evening that I'd been verified. So, the turnaround time was relatively fast in this case, which was a nice surprise.

End Notes

Overall, the one thing that I've changed has been including editorial placements instead of just features on me (interviews, profiles, etc). It's hard to say for certain, but photo credits in editorial publications seem to hold the most value here. In the past, I'd included associations with prominent brands in the form of features or interviews, but it's the inclusion of editorial features with a clear photo credit to me that made the biggest difference in being verified.

In addition, my feeling is that Meta is broadening the scope of who can be verified. It is possible that they're loosening the standards for who is verified. I'm certainly far from very notable in the grand scheme of things. I don't have that many followers. But I'm a working photographer and my images are in wide circulation, especially in my work as the staff photographer for the Tonight Show.

If they verified me, why not you?

If you're not approved for verification, you can re-apply to be verified very 30 days. This was my approach, I hope something similar can work for you.

The post How to Get Instagram Verified as a Photographer appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Cold emailing can be an efficient method for reaching new clients as a music photographer. It may be possible to reach dozens or hundreds of potential new clients. What cold emails lack in effectiveness, they make up for in relative ease and reach.

In this article, we'll cover a common mistake many photographers (and in particular music photographers) make when trying to pitch their services.

Effective cold emails should do a few things well. Ideally, your cold emails should:

• Clearly understand the reader/audience and their potential needs
• They should very clearly state your value
• You should establish credibility
• There should be a clear ask that prompts a response

One common problem with music photographers emailing clients occurs with this last point.

Avoid the Trap of Vague Wording

It's best to be as clear as possible in a cold email. All too often, I hear from music photographers who are asking bands or management if they “need a photographer” or they are generally stating how they'd “love to photograph the show.”

Even the wording “I'd love to work with you” may a little too ambiguous for our purposes here.

When asking if a band “needs a photographer,” it can easily be confused with offering to shoot for free (which is a common occurrence) or asking for access in exchange for photos. Generally wanting to “shoot the show” or “shoot with you” is similarly vague. What comes across at most is a request for access.

None of these requests are what you want to communicate if you're actually inquiring about being paid as a professional. And if you're cold emailing prospective clients to be paid as a music photographer, this is exactly what you want to do.

At best, vague language is only inefficient — and there are situations that are perfectly suited to diction open to interpretation. But at worst, when using vague language you fail to communicate clearly and you won't get the result you want.

Using Specific Business Language

If you want to clear, use business language that is specific as possible if the goal is avoiding any possible confusion. Here are a couple phrases that can help avoid confusion:

“Hire a photographer”

The use of the business specific action of hiring is very clear. You're not volunteering, you're not asking for a photo pass, you're not hoping to trade photos for access, you're not giving away your work. Aside from some willful misunderstanding, asking if they're looking to hire a professional is about as clear as it gets.

“Happy to discuss rates”

This is a great follow up to the above use of “hire,” which may be used well in a follow up. You're reinforcing that you're offering a service, and if they have need of it, you can get into the details. The use of “rates” here isn't jumping the gun with more info than is needed, but floats the discussion of pricing as part of the natural flow of conversation.

End Notes

There's no single magic cold email template that will work 100% of the time. Using cold emails is a numbers game — it's about creating opportunities and forging new connections. Cold emails might have a very low success rate, maybe 10% for a positive response, and an even much smaller percentage for actually booking a job.

Given all the challenges of generating business, using clear language can be a huge asset to the best results when cold emailing as a music photographer.

The post Writing Better Cold Emails for Music Photographers appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Earlier this year, Vogue published an interview with Lloyd Wakefield, tour photographer for Harry Styles Love On Tour. This has been one of the most massive arena tours in recent memory, with Harry Styles at the pinnacle of his career and stardom. Wakefield's images for this tour are among the most viewed and shared in the history of music photography.

_{An important note: This article is not a critique of any specific photographer or artist. We love Harry in this House. Furthermore, Harry Styles’s previous tour photographers include acclaimed photographers Helene Pambrum and Anthony Pham. Harry has a record of supporting diverse talent, not only for his choice of photographer but more largely in his touring crew. The aforementioned interview was a catalyst discussion within the music photography community and I feel we must acknowledge it as a touchpoint.}

In the interview, Wakefield mentions, “I’d never actually shot a live show before Harry. He was the first concert that I’ve ever shot.”

This article sparked tremendous discussion in the music photography community at the time of its publication, and this single quote was at the heart of it.

Acknowledging Gender Inequity*

For many music photographers, it highlighted the reality that circumstance, character and opportunity matter more than experience or honing one's skills with years in the game. 

For many women in music photography, it spoke to so much more. Specifically, the fact the institutional bias and sexism of our industry that continually challenge their experience and opportunities.

A man having an opportunity doesn’t take away from his story or his talent. But it does mean that he didn’t have to fight the sexism, misogyny and double standards women experience to get it.

Acknowledging the challenges of women is not an admission that men in this industry are not talented, hard working or deserving of success. Just as the success of others doesn't take away from our own accomplishments.

As a man, it feels important to understand that regardless of my own personal challenges, hard work and opportunities, there are subtle, persistent factors that work against women in this industry that I have had the privilege of never experiencing.

The Insidiousness of Institutional Sexism

Music photography is hard. The simple truth is that there are not the opportunities available to match the talent, the dreams and the passions of us who pour our lives into this pursuit. We don't question this reality.

But neither should we shy away from the specific and very real challenges faced by women that plainly men never fear or experience.

I've heard first hand stories from women music photographers about being rejected from opportunities specifically because of their gender, appearance or how band members or their significant others would feel “uncomfortable” with a woman as part of the crew.

I've been asked for a referral for a touring photographer when the client is specifically requesting a man to fill the role, due to “tour dynamics.” Even at the very least offensive, these insidious requests come under the guise of simplifying logistics, such as tight budgets for crew accommodations and the assumption that crew will share rooms or even beds.

While decisions like these may not be rooted in sexism or specific prejudice, what it represents is a systematic bias in the music industry where men are all too often considered as the default of convenience. The result of a patriarchy dictating the status quo is that women are denied space or forced to justify their qualifications based on their gender alone. 

To refute these gender specific biases — unconscious or not, malicious or not — feels like refuting fundamental facts of reality, like a round earth or the force of gravity.

Micro Aggressions, Harassment and Assault

Beyond barriers for equal opportunity, women working in music photography are met with further negative experiences that few men share to the same widespread degree. These range from gender-based micro aggressions and verbal harassment to physical violence and sexual assault.

My friends and colleagues tell me about being introduced to venue security by the tour manager as the tour photographer with full and unrestricted access, only to be immediately questioned or hassled once the TM leaves.

From press photographers, I hear of women having their credentials scrutinized, while male colleagues walk past them to enter photo pits without questioning. From others working on productions or on set, hearing of women photographers being paid half the rate of a man for doing the the same job.

All too often, we hear about women photographers being accused of being a girlfriend, a fangirl or a groupie by staff, fans or even fellow photographers — accusations men rarely face in the photo pit while simply trying to do their job. All while other men in the same space stand by in silence.

Colleagues have been physically assaulted, being violently shoved against the stage by security as they pass for no reason, while the same security personnel leaves men working without harassment.

Most harrowingly, women are at dramatically higher levels of risk for sexual harassment and sexual assault in the music industry when compared to men. From crowded live events and working in close quarters of touring to navigating power dynamics often controlled by men, music photography is not free from sexual violence perpetrated by men.

These are events no one should go through in any context, let alone our peers in music photography, but their instances are far too familiar among so many women in our space. What we see is that even when women succeed in the world of touring and live music, with access, opportunities and work, the same spaces that are safest for men have no such guarantee for women.

Tour Photography and Gender Bias

In the world of music photography, touring is held up as the pinnacle of the profession in many ways. Working closely with an artist or band, with unfettered access and a romanticized life on the road have their clear appeal. Because of this coveted position and the rarity of it — there’s so often only one tour photographer or even a single creator doing both photo and video on a tour — it’s all that more elusive for so many.

While women represent a huge proportion of music photographers, what do we see in touring? Particularly at the highest levels?

Consider the iHeartRadio Music Awards, which is one of the few if not the only honors for tour photography. For the 2023 category of “Favorite Tour Photographer,” out of eleven total spots, three women were nominated: Yasi, Ashley Osborn and Elizabeth Miranda.

To be clear, this evidence is not a slight against any photographer nominated. But it does raise a simple question: Is this what our music photography community looks like? Is this what our talent looks like?

Since the addition of the tour photographer category in 2019, we have seen similar or worse levels of representation, with white men dominating the nominations. In 2020, we saw no women nominated in this category. 

Acknowledging Our Challenges to Overcome Them

Why does this matter? The iHeartRadio nominations show us how the biggest artists hire. These are tours that have the budget for touring women-only crew rooms. Without the need to share beds or the entire crew to sleep in a van together.

These are the most successful artists who should be in the best position to skip past the inequity of this industry to hire diversely and to seek out the best talent. And yet even here, we see a sampling of photographers that doesn’t match the breakdown of talent in the music photography community. 

Why is that?

The reality is that the upper levels of tour photography skew heavily towards men because they are a reflection of a system that positions men as a default. Of what is easy, what is convenience. Of who has time and time been referred to as a “good hang.” This fact is why we must acknowledge our challenges as a whole. 

In numerous aspects of photography, we see women dramatically under represented, despite reporting that globally women make up 75% of photography students. Shifting our industry and community must start at the lowest levels, so that we can see this change at the highest, most visible levels.

The Fallacy of the Good Hang

In touring, there's the common understanding that being a “good hang” or someone who can “vibe” with the band or artist is essential to joining a tour. When it comes to tour photography, we implicitly understand that this aspect is as important if not more important than the quality of one’s work.

This vague signaling of personality fit is essentially one of comfort and trust. An understandable and reasonable expectation for artists and crews, where the boundaries of personal space and intimacy can be nearly non-existent. But when the norms of what is comfortable and who is trusted are shaped predominantly by men, the connotation of what constitutes a “good hang” cannot be taken at face value.

What this simple truth belies is the systemic gender bias, sexism and misogyny present in our society, where men cannot universally welcome women without qualification or as equals. That at worst, in a patriarchy, a woman must choose between being “one of the guys” or being their true authentic selves.

When we point out inequality, no one is asking for women to be considered based solely on their gender. This is not equity. We are striving for the day when gender is simply not a limiting factor to the opportunities women have. 

Smashing the Patriarchy in Music Photography

So, you're a man reading this. Ask yourself: Who are you referring for jobs when you have the position and opportunity? Who do you choose to associate with, lift up and champion? What do they stand for, and who are they supporting?

If you've witnessed sexism and misogyny in the photo pit, or backstage or on a tour bus, are you speaking up? Are you advocating for pay transparency with your peers?

We must do better. This change starts with our community. And it starts with you.

* A few notes: 

First, women are not the only group that faces inequity in music photography, but they are the largest single group facing discrimination. Women of color, trans women, queer and non-binary or gender non-conforming people face even more inequality. While this article focuses on the experience of women and the inequality they experience, we are fighting for all groups that face forms of underrepresentation, discrimination and unequal access to opportunities despite the ability, talent and drive to succeed.

Second, this post is directed primarily at men. Simply put, men are in positions of power at every level of the music industry and as a result, the burden is on men to change a horribly flawed system.

The post Institutional Gender Bias, Sexism and Misogyny in Music Photography appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Customizing your Nikon Z 8 settings will enable you to get the highest performance out of this flagship mirrorless camera. Customization for me means going beyond the basic adjustments and really fine-tuning the camera to your needs.

I just received my Nikon Z 8 and I wanted to share some of the things that I choose to change when I'm doing my initial setup in the Nikon Z 8 settings.

Very First Nikon Z 8 Settings

Language: English

The first thing that camera asks you to do when you turn on the Z 8 is to choose a language preference if it is not already set. Easy.

Time and Date: Current location

From there, I set the time and date immediately. My preferred date format is YYYY/MM/DD, while the standard is D/M/Y (Day / Month / Year).

Image Quality: RAW

This is an important step. One of the very first things I do immediately with a new camera is to set the image quality level to RAW. And then I leave it there for the rest of the life of the camera as far as I own it. This is the very next step I took in changing my Nikon Z 8 settings aside from setting the language and date.

At the the time of writing, Adobe Lightroom already recognizes the Z 8 and “camera standard” color profiles. This is great news! It makes sense, as the Nikon Z 9 has been out for a while and the Z 8 should be essentially identical in terms of sensor data.

Setup Menu

Sensor shield behavior at power off: ON

The Z 8 is equipped with a sensor shield, just like the Z 9. This is a physical barrier that expands to cover the sensor when needed. By default, the sensor shield is off. Turning on this setting will have the camera's sensor shield come down whenever you power off the camera.

Copyright Information: ON

Always a good thing to write copyright info to your files in-camera. As a bonus, add in your relevant ITCP metadata, but at the very least adding your name as the copyright holder by default is a good step for all photographers.

Viewfinder Brightness: Manual

For general photography, using auto viewfinder brightness may be fine and beneficial. For my work and particularly using manual exposure mode, manual viewfinder brightness is ideal and my preference. The reason behind this is that I've found that the viewfinder will compensate for the relative brightness of the scene itself based on the image, even if you're in manual mode.

So for example, viewing a very dark scene, the camera will increase viewfinder brightness or otherwise show more detail in the shadows. Using manual exposure mode, I prefer to have the viewfinder not make these corrections and to present a consistent viewfinder experience as I'm making rough exposure judgements based on the presentation of the scene in the EVF.

As an aside, I've written why I feel the Z 9's EVF experience is the best yet out of any camera I've used, all of which apply to the Z 8's EVF.

Photo Shooting Menu

File naming: Custom

I use multiple cameras, and custom file naming helps me avoid potential confusion there. I also like to name the files by camera model for archival purposes, so I'm naming this Z 8's filenaming to start with “Z8.” I also use two Nikon Z 9 currently, which I have set as Z9A and Z9B, so for this Z 8 I have the filenaming set as Z8C.

Color Space: Adobe RGB

Adobe RGB will give you the widest colorspace. While the output of your images will likely be sRGB (the default), setting the camera default to Adobe RGB is a must have for me.

ISO Sensitivity: Auto ISO OFF

I prefer to use manual exposure mode and have full control. As such, I also turn auto ISO off. For my photography, I find that auto ISO is essentially another program mode that changes the ISO instead of other exposure variables. Due to the variability of concert photography, I prefer to have control over that as I'm already weary of auto modes for this type of photography.

Set Picture Control: Standard

The default picture control is auto. While I'm using RAW as a default, I still want to have a consistent baseline for image review in camera. I'm setting the picture control to standard with the assumption that the built-in JPG used for fast previewing in programs like Photo Mechanic may have the picture control baked in (along with other variables related to in-camera processing like noise reduction).

High ISO NR: Off

The high ISO noise reduction is set to high by default. Due to the image smoothing behavior of noise reduction, I prefer to see a little more detail when I check focus at 100%, so I prefer to set noise reduction to off. When I process images in Adobe Lightroom, my default setting is zero luminance noise reduction, so this is a more parallel experience for me (I do use a small amount of chroma noise reduction in LR).

Active D-Lighting: OFF

Similar to the above, I prefer to see the image without additional processing, so I opt to have Active D-Lighting turned off by default.

Focus Mode: AF-C

I use AF-C (continuous autofocus) mode essentially 100% for my work. The only time I switch to AF-S (single) is working in the studio for portraiture with still models.

AF-area mode: 3D

3D Tracking is my favorite AF mode of all time. It was present in the Nikon D750 and D850, and I have used it extensively with the Nikon Z 9 With the Z 8, it's going to be my go-to focusing mode. Read more about the Autofocus modes of the Z 9 in detail, of which the Z 8 shares all essential modes.

Custom Settings Menu

a12: Built-in AF-Assist illuminator: OFF

As a music photographer, I am generally trying to be as discrete as possible, whether I'm photographing a concert or doing back stage reportage. So, while the built-in AF assist lamp is handy, I always turn it off to be able to work as invisibly as possible.

d11: LCD Illumination: ON

Working in dark environments like a photo pit at a concert, I'm happy to use the illuminated button function of the Z 8. The backlit buttons are a welcome feature to have in a flagship like the Z 9, but also great to have them in the Z 8.

d18: Custom shooting viewfinder display

For my work, I rarely need the virtual horizon, so I've customized my EVF display options to remove the virtual horizon from Display 3 under this setting.

f2 Custom Controls — Shooting

• Fn1: Playback
• Fn2: 100% (1:1) Magnification
• AF-ON: Preset focus point
• Video record button: Live view info display off

My shooting mode customization is largely setup to enable quick image review and rating, which aids me in faster processing.

Otherwise, the AF-ON button resets my focus point to center in my preferred 3D Tracking mode.

f2 Custom Controls — Playback

• Fn1: Rating
• Fn2: Filtered Playback

For playback, my very few custom settings at this time are dedicated to in-camera rating and filtering to accommodate that view. This is part of my own workflow, where I can add star ratings to images as I shoot to dramatically cut down on editing time.

Other Controls:

• Exposure Mode: Manual
• Drive mode: Continuous Low (5fps)
• AF-Area mode/subject detection: People only (turning animal and vehicle detection off)

These are not customizations so much as my preferred settings. I use manual mode 100% of the time and always use continuous high with AF-C. I find it's better to have the option for speed when I need it, rather than need to change settings back and forth.

I default to 5 FPS for general shooting. In real world shooting, this will generally result in 1-2 frames for any light, short shutter press. I find, for my own work, it's manageable to shoot on continuous drive mode 100% of the time. The only exception is when I'm shooting with studio strobes, at which point I'll switch to single mode.

With my music photography work, I am limited to just people, so that's my default for subject detection.

Nikon Z 8 Settings Summary

There you have it. These are the customizations I've made to the Nikon Z 8 settings, which setup up the camera in my preferred way of use.

I'm sure that I'll continue to tweak the custom button assignments and to explore the features of the Z 8. If you're configuring your own Nikon Z 8 settings, I hope the above helps!

The post Best Nikon Z 8 Settings — Setup & Customization appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Most photographers I know struggle to put a price on their work. This is especially true for newer photographers who haven't found a peer group that can tap into experience on rates for photography.

Talking about money can feel taboo generally, but especially for photographers and when it feels directly tied to our success. But I'd argue that talking about money and business literacy is essential in the music photography world if we want to create and sustain value for our work in the music industry.

Sharing rates as photographers

Recently, I launched a Photography Rate Spreadsheet focused on music photography. The intent was for fellow music photographers to self report rates across editorial, brand, in-house, festival and tour clients so that we can get more clear and transparent idea of rates in our industry.

It's expanded to sports photography and film and television thanks to Heather Barry and Leigha Jenkins, respectively. And hopefully this is just the start. Why? Read on.

What is pay transparency?

Pay transparency is the act of sharing pay, rates, fees and other forms of compensation in an open manner. Some fields such as tech jobs make transparency a standard component of employment, via salary bands. Other fields may have compensation tiers, minimum wage, and so forth.

Photography has no such protections or standards in place.

Why is pay transparency necessary?

For freelance creatives and photographers in particular, transparency about rates has been historically almost non-existent. The general reasons for this are ego, fear of competition, and jealousy or feelings of doubt.

I would argue that pay transparency is essential for fields like photography. Why? Because we don't live in a vacuum. We don't work in isolation nor do our clients and prospective clients.

Pay transparency helps us all for several reasons.

Pay transparency helps create standard rates

First, pay transparency removes one of the essential hurdles that newer photographers face: not knowing market rate of what to charge for their services.

Veteran photographers often lament that newer photographers undercut them and cite this as a reason for declining value in their craft. Being transparent about rates addresses this by giving newer photographers the knowledge of what fair rates are, allowing them to make informed decisions about their worth.

This sharing of rates helps establish a standard when pay transparency is widespread community knowledge.

Standardized rates help all photographers

I've always been as open as I can about rates and giving advice about what I would charge for photography jobs. The reason is half altruistic and half selfish.

The altruistic aspect is self evident. Helping people is good.

The self serving part? I give out pay info and help with rates because the next time the client needs photography, I want my full rate. By sharing information about I would charge, I'm betting on making a more sustainable future for myself and all photographers by encouraging others to charge what I feel I'm worth. This act helps prevent inadvertent undercutting. I want you to get paid so I can get paid.

This is precisely why photographers should be open, even when it comes to competition. We should all be advocating for the highest rates possible that respect our talents and value.

Here's a recent note from a photographer on the Music Photography Discord.

This is a direct example of the kind of empowerment and confidence that rate transparency instills when it's normalized in a community.

The fear and fallacy of undercutting

A major fear of photographers being closed about what they charge is a fear of undercutting. When this reason is cited as a reason not to share rates, a few considerations come to mind.

If your rate is all that keeps you valued by clients, you're already dispensable

Rate transparency doesn't change a client's emphasis. If all they're concerned about is saving money, there's always someone cheaper — including those who are willing to work for free. You don't need pay transparency or a spreadsheet to see that.

Pay transparency isn't the enemy with cheap clients

Being transparent about certainly won't save you from the people working for free or cheap and it never has. You're already in a compromised position with low value clients and this has nothing to do with being transparent about pay with the larger photo community.

In fact, being closed about pay only helps clients who would take advantage of photographers who feel like coming in low for jobs is necessary to secure a job.

The best clients equate a low price with low quality

There will always be budget clients, and this is perfectly fine. But I'd argue that for the best clients, a low price is viewed with concern and suspicion. There's a Goldilocks effect for pricing and viewing services. Very often, you don't want to be at the extremes, especially if you're very low or very high compared to other rates.

When you undercut, not only are you leaving money on the table, you're making yourself a target for doubt, being viewed as inexperienced and low quality.

Being just cheaper won't matter to the clients you want

Cheap photographers don't have a unique value proposition. The photographers do are the ones who often find they can leverage their talents more than just a competitive price. More importantly, simply being the cheaper option isn't going to get one very far with the clients most photographers actually want.

Individual vision, skill, talent, ease of collaboration — these are the qualities the best clients value in those they choose as partners.

Client-photographer relationships are build on trust and unique value propositions. Reliability, consistency, rapport and so more. When budget cuts truly constrain, clients that one has built a relationship will almost always be up front about it. Undercutting isn't something that magically turns good clients into cheap clients.

Summary

If you were on the fence about pay transparency, I hope that this article has given some considerations as to its value. The Photography Rate Spreadsheet is open to all and I hope will serve as reference. We're looking to expand beyond music photography and sports photography, so if you have a specialty — particularly for event/live photography — let's make it happen.

Photography can feel like a lonely endeavor until you find your community, and even then, it can be a struggle to find openness of knowledge and generous peers. Not everyone has that solid group chat or friends with experience. The goal of this spreadsheet is to give everyone a resource, regardless of experience, clique or social following.

Whether it's locally, among your peers, in your specific genres or at any scale, the future of photography will only be strengthened by rate transparency.

The post The Importance of Pay Transparency in Photography appeared first on ishootshows.com.