While I don't suggest going out and duplicating someone's shoot, take what you see other people are doing, what's working in their photos, and learn from it. Whether it's a certain pose you liked, a neat prop idea, a feeling or concept they communicated well. Use it to get inspired about your own work! This is a great way to get out of a rut when you don't feel your creative juices flowing.
Even better, work on a shoot together. You'll both bring something to the table, and create a better product in the end.
2. Learn From Each OtherRunning a business goes FAR beyond taking photographs. Since I've become a photographer I have learned a lot about communication, customer service, legal contracts, SEO, website building, marketing, social media marketing, graphic design, and taxes just to name a FEW. Having photographer friends to help each other out is so much better than having to totally recreate the wheel by yourself. That's another reason TheYoungTog is here, I want to give you the wheel so you can go somewhere with it.
3. Celebrating Each Other Helps Eliminate Stress
Running a business can be stressful, and you don't need the extra stress of being in competition with the photographers around you. When you are friends with people, you can be happy and celebrate their accomplishments with them, rather than feeling threatened by those accomplishments. And hopefully when you've got something to celebrate, they'll be right there. A group cheering you on is a lot more fun than a party of 1.
4. Photographers are Great Networking Connections
When you've got a community of photographers, it's a great way to get other jobs and clients. Most photographers running a successful business can take all of the inquires they get. And when they have a trusted friend and photographer to recommend, they will usually happily do that. It comes off well for their business to be helpful, even if they can't shoot a client themselves. And it's nice to know that someone else they like is getting the job.
5. You've Got a Support System
5. You've Got a Support System
With any business where you are dealing with people you can end up in strange situations. Photography is no different. As hard as you try, there are always going to be crazy people and weird circumstances that you'll find yourself dealing with. And sometimes due to the nature of photography, other people just don't get it. Knowing other photographers though provides you a support system in a different way, because we all get it. And more often than not have dealt with a similar situation and probably have some sort of advice or feedback to help.
With that, I know sometimes these things are easier said than done. So I'll be back on how to build community.
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