3 Secrets to Promotion for Photographers

Here at Bizzia’s freelance category, we talk a lot about freelance writing – but that’s not the only type of freelance work you can do. If you’re a budding photographer, I highly recommend reading some awesome photography tips at Digital Photography School, but being a successful freelancer is about more than taking great pictures. You also have to promote yourself.

You can promote your freelance photography in the same way many people promote their freelance writing – building a website, Twitter, social bookmarking, etc. However, here are three secrets that are unique to freelance photography promotion:

1. Set up a Flickr account – and make your pictures available for use with a link. It may seem like you’re giving away work for free, but in actuality, you’ll get TONS of links if you have photographs of popular subjects that are available for bloggers to use. Don’t think flowers or sunsets – think about topics that are really popular for bloggers to use and that are lacking on Flickr under the free use license. For example, there are thousands of bloggers who write about parenting – so how about some basic pictures of toys, cradles, bottles, etc. That’s definitely not the only subject matter out there. Browse the blog-o-sphere and see what’s out there; then, take pictures with that in mind. Don’t forget to label/tag them well so people find them!

2. Create a photography blog. You aren’t a writer? So what? You can still start a blog featuring your photography, of course with tons of links back to your website (if the blog isn’t on your website) and information about how to hire you. You don’t actually have to write a lot – just focus on a short few sentences about the picture’s subject matter or the technique you used, and maybe link to some other photography blogs that go more in-depth about the process. Make the main feature your pictures – and watermark them or note that they can be freely used with a link back.

3. Do interviews to promote your work. If you commonly photograph a certain subject matter, find bloggers who may be interested in talking to you. For example, did you just get back from photographing natural sites around the West? A green blogger may be interested in interviewing you. Do you take unique bridal pictures? A wedding blogger would probably love to talk about your work.

I’m a writer, not a photographer, so help me out here – what do you do to promote your work as a photographer?

Image via Photos8.com.