There was a time when I lived vicariously through the lives of successful photographers. I would spend hours on their blogs and websites, wishing with all my heart, that I would one day have a thriving business, like them. The photographers I looked up to were Jasmine Star, Amy Wenzel and Justin & Mary Marantz. What I didn’t realize at the time, despite trying to figure out what drew me to them in the first place, was that they had defined their niche in the industry. They were Specialists.
At this time in my business, I was a full-blown Generalist. I lacked focus and direction, photographing everything from engagements to weddings, bellies to babies, toddlers to teens and anything in-between. My style & voice on my blog, website & Facebook was all over the place- depending on what I was promoting at that moment. Being a generalist caged me into a role as a chameleon, when asked, I couldn’t define the type of photography I offered. This made branding authentically almost impossible for me, which also prevented me from being able to move forward in my photography career.
In 2009, everything changed for me. While on vacation with my hubby in Las Vegas, I wanted to take advantage of my new surroundings and scheduled two trade shoot with two high school girls. I had a few ideas of some poses I wanted to try and even put together an Urban Ballerina concept shoot for one of the girls, who was a dancer. This was my first attempt at designing a concept and the feeling of turning my vision into a reality was unlike any other feeling I had ever experienced. For the first time in years, I wasn’t overwhelmed by photography, I was excited about it again. As my hubby and I walked back to our hotel after the shoots, we couldn’t stop talking about how amazing our afternoon had been. I discovered a passion for senior portraits that I never knew existed within me and there was no way I could ignore it.
I redesigned my entire business model that week in Vegas. When I returned home, I wiped out my entire website and dedicated my business to Weddings & Senior Girls- two demographics I was extremely passionate about. Since then, I have narrowed my focus even further and no longer market for weddings, our business is solely Senior Girls. Once I made the decision to specialize, I didn’t hesitate to jump in with both feet. I will admit, I took the extreme route, but I knew what I wanted and dragging my feet to get there would only prolong the process, which was the last thing I wanted. In Oregon, Senior Photography has been happening here for a very long time, so I knew I had to do something to make my photography stand-out. Making my business all about the girls gave me the edge in my market that I was looking for and it was the best decision I have ever made.
As a Specialist, you can be as broad or as specific as you choose to be. There is a misconception that specializing means you have to narrow it down to one very small demographic- this isn’t true. The choice is yours. The key is having a focus and knowing who you are as a photographer, who your ideal market is, who you want to have in front of your lens. Keep in mind, if you choose to narrow your business down to only one demographic, be certain that you live in a market that will support this decision and that you will have the clientele to maintain a profitable business.
Word to the wise, don’t specialize too early. Had I not taken the time to dabble in all areas of photography, I don’t know that I ever would have discovered my passions for Seniors. When I started in photography, I envisioned myself as a Child Photographer. A year or two in, I had my sights set on being a Wedding Photographer. Now I am here, happier than ever, working with teen girls. Becoming a Specialist should be an organic process. Take the time and consideration to ensure you are setting a strong foundation to build your dream empire upon. Above all else, listen to your dreams and follow your heart, they will never lead you astray.
