The word “professional” in photography is often used to describe those whose primary job is photography. But for me, this has a far greater meaning in this day and age. The reality is that very few photographers make enough money from photography alone to support them. The vast majority of photographers will either have other jobs or they will have other revenue streams aside from just taking photos. For example, some might give talks or lectures. Others may run photography workshops or tours and some may be a writer, filmmaker or even dabble in design and art direction.

So for me, the words “professional photographer” mean more than just the number of hours spent on photography. It’s about how a photographer works and conducts themselves. So here are 5 mistakes to avoid if you want clients to view you as a professional photographer.

Respond to emails

There is nothing more frustrating for a client than when they don’t hear from you or can’t get a hold of you. That doesn’t mean that you need to respond in minutes, but set yourself a system whereby you can respond to potential queries in a timely manner. If it’s a new client it pays to respond quickly as they may move on to someone else if you take too long to respond. If it’s an existing client that you have a working relationship with, gauge the importance of the email and respond accordingly. For example, if I find that an email response requires a long reply I would send a quick email to the sender to say I have received the email and will respond properly tomorrow/day after etc.

When you are dealing with busy picture editors who often have looming deadlines to adhere to, they will really appreciate being kept up-to-date quickly rather than having to constantly chase. All it would mean is that they will be less likely to use you again in the future.

Don’t miss deadlines

There really isn’t an excuse for missing a deadline that you have agreed to. If you want to be seen as a professional photographer you should be professional enough to be able to manage your time. This includes everything from supplying photos on time to responding to queries and invoicing. If you do find that you are going to miss a deadline, then let the client know as soon as possible. It is much easier for them to give you an extension if you tell them early rather than the night before. Never, ever miss a deadline without communicating with the client well beforehand. It will erode their confidence in you and probably mean them not working with you again.

Spell check everything

Just because you are a photographer doesn’t mean you should forego other parts of your business. If you received an email from a company trying to sell you something and it was littered with typos and bad grammar you would be less likely to trust them. While editors, buyers and clients can be forgiving for the odd typo here and there, why not eradicate as much of it as possible by simply using a spell checker or even a free version of Grammarly which can help avoid these types of errors.

Go above and beyond

One thing that is for certain is that in today’s world, the competition between photographers for work is fierce. So if you are lucky enough to build a connection with a potential client through being hired for a job, the best thing you can do is to deliver the best possible work that you can. But not only the work itself but also the way you present or send the work can make a huge difference. It goes without saying that you should check your photos are perfect terms of sharpness and colours but also free of dust blemishes. But beyond this, if there is an opportunity to make the client’s job easier then do so even if it means a bit of extra work.

For example, I recently did a shoot for a client to accompany a written piece that I also wrote. As well as providing them with the images and word document, I also provided another word document indicating which images were relating to which part of the copy. I received the following email from the client:

“Hi Kav, just a quick email to say a huge thank you for dropping in the images into the word document. Our designer was so grateful as he usually has to re-read copy several times to try to match up images to copy…”

The email then went on to commission me on another piece and has since led to 13 jobs from this particular client. In total dropping in images in the word document took me about 15 minutes, but might have saved the designer hours of work.

Don’t be afraid to say no

Even with all of the competition these days, sometimes you have to turn down jobs. This could be for a variety of reasons like for example the fee being paid isn’t enough for the job you would be agreeing to. Whether you decide to go down this road will also depend on future work that might come from it. For example, over the years I have often agreed to take on work that might pay lower than I would charge normally because it was an exciting and interesting project that I really wanted to work on. Or sometimes because I felt there was potential for a better deal down the line. Sometimes I was proven right and sometimes not. But even during uncertain times I sometimes turn down work that I feel isn’t paying enough.

On other occasions, I may turn down work because it’s not a speciality of mine and I don’t feel I would do a good enough job. So I explain that to the client and suggest someone (if I know anyone) who might be suitable. Not only will the client respect you for this but you also leave a good impression which might mean they come back to you when something more suitable to your skillset comes up.

These are just some of the things that I have learned over the years through my experience of working with clients but also photographers who I sometimes commission to work for me. The key thing to remember is that once you have got your foot in the door with the client through a commission, it’s just as important to make sure you impress them enough so that they will continuously want to work with you. Try to avoid making the mistakes above and you’ll immediately put yourself in a better place with them.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission. Dreamstime.