It’s official, The Beard & Lens has moved to its own space! For branding, marketing, small business, and more, visit www.ideodyssey.com
We have a new blog designed to help small businesses and content providers!
MAKE YOUR SIDE HUSTLE A BUSINESS.
MAKE YOUR BUSINESS A LIFESTYLE.
Having worked in and with the music industry for the last 22 years, I can tell you opera is no different from every other division of show business when it comes to its artists. Artist branding is nothing new but it’s one of the least taught concepts to young singers, and far too few management firms understand it, much less teach it/apply it correctly. A big part of artist branding (though only a portion of what branding truly is) is promotional media. Opera singers need headshots and promotional images refreshed regularly to maintain a standard of professionalism, as well as to brand them clearly online. This means 21st-century singers need to be more media-savvy than their predecessors and would do well to understand and apply self-branding.
J’Nai Bridges knows exactly what this is all about. Her decade of experience in front of the camera has given her a wealth of wisdom and advice for those who looking to capture promotional media for their careers.
“Self-branding is incredibly important. I’m looking for my spirit and my personality to shine through.” - J’Nai Bridges
Check out the video for an open dialogue about everything from style to poses to tips, and even behind the scenes footage!
No matter what you want pictures of or for, you have to choose a photographer. Amateur, semi-pro, pro, self…it doesn’t matter. Someone has to take the picture. Much of my work involves portraits, so choosing a portrait photographer is what we’ll cover today, though many of the concepts apply to product and commercial as well.
I’m asked this question by friends all over, “How do I choose the right photographer??” and I always recommend they consider these 4 points:
First and foremost, above all, the most important factor when it comes to choosing a photographer is PORTFOLIO. The photographer is going to use their perspective to take your persona and represent it in a single image…which means you need to love their existing portfolio, or the chances of you not being happy with your images are just too high.
Look through their produced work. If it speaks to you, if you think their work can represent you well, or if you think the photographer will bring out a part of you that hasn’t been captured before or needs to be highlighted…if you think that shooter can do it, that photographer is for you.
If you look through a shooter’s work and you’re underwhelmed, annoyed, put off, or just don’t see images you envision yourself in, that photographer is not for you. Move on. Keep looking. I rarely shoot weddings, and I rarely shoot family portraits. Not never. But you won’t see those in my portfolio, because I want my portfolio to represent me as an artist. My voice through image. If you want to see weddings I’ve done, I’ll show you…but the vibe and style is still going to align with my commercial style.
Secondly TRUST: this comes in a couple different forms. Do you trust this photographer will represent your image in the best possible light? (no pun intended) Do you trust that they will work hard for your product? Do you trust they won’t hit you with hidden fee structures? Do you trust they won’t shoot you and then not deliver a product? This last one is big when it comes to wedding photographers. VET YOUR SHOOTERS. Google them. If there’s a review out there that makes you uneasy, find a different photographer.
Third COMFORT: Shooting portraits is a remarkably intimate situation. In order to get the best image, the subject has to be open and vulnerable. They have to be willing to take instruction on facial expression and pose and body language. I prefer to sit down and have consultations with my clients in person, even if it’s just a headshot session. If it’s a big shoot, we will meet on a separate day. If it’s a test shoot with a model, or a headshot session, I make sure we’ve got time to hang out, have coffee or a beer, and make sure our vibe is right. The BEST shots reveal a chemistry between the subject and the photographer. When you shoot the same person repeatedly, or you work with someone who is regularly professionally camera-ready, there’s almost a dance between photographer and subject. I have several clients that I gel with so well, we crank out in 30 minutes shoots that would take 2 to 3 hours with other people. You want your photographer to make you feel at home, at ease, and comfortable enough you’ll open up and be vulnerable enough to get the shot.
Lastly, ROI: Not cost, not investment, but RETURN on investment. Is a professional photographer worth the cost? People who have not done professional shoots before tend to put Cost at the top of this list, and that can be damaging to the images you’re trying to produce, because you’re stuck thinking about the bottom line. You might need to save up for the shooter you want, but it’ll be worth it when you have the images you love. This being said, do your research. I live and work in New York City. If I wanted to go out tomorrow and spend $12,000 on portraits, I can find those shooters. Are they worth it? It depends. Is the Return on Investment high enough? If I’m going to be on the cover of Opera News, or Rolling Stone, or GQ or New York Magazine, then yes. It might very well be worth it. But if I’m looking for headshots, I’m going to get what I need and what I like for $1000 instead of $10,000.
This also means that the return on investment for a cheap photographer may be low. If you go to a guy because he’s cheap and fast and you “just need 1 pic,” and those are your determining factors, there’s a very real chance you’ll end up having booked and paid for an image you truly dislike. Or, you may get lucky. But if you take the time to do your research, look at the portfolios, and put forth the investment of both funds and time, the chances are you’ll get images you want to show off and if planned right, will have longevity.