Advice on collaboration?
I’ve been doing photography properly for about half a year - a year now, so am still focused on creating content for my portfolio & trying new things. I’ve decided I want to focus on a career in fashion photography - but in order to progress in this field I’m being told from left and right that I need to work with more stylists / brands, and to get as much published as possible. This is all stuff I’d love to do - but the downside is I do not have the funds to pay people for their time or involvement. I am not a full time creative as I’m on disability benefits for my chronic illnesses and can’t work ‘normally’.
And so, the natural resolution to this is to ask for collaboration. Yet, most times I do so I am faced with disappointment, or the understandable anger of those on this app who have hatred towards the concept.
I work for free 99% of the time, so I truly understand the turmoil of not being paid… but I just don’t know how to move forward properly without money.
Replies4
- @Scott Morrison S
- Hi LauraCollaboration = win win.I’d never advocate working for free. It rips out you undoubted value and perpetuates a struggle that in the end becomes the focus of your work vs doing the work itself.So, find likeminded people via your networks.The win win is to find someone, somewhere who is looking to solve for the puzzle you’re uniquely able to deliver against.If it’s a style of photography, access to a community, a particularly hard to reach story.Then, propose to collaborate with the brand/agency/magazine/person to make it happen.Focus on finding the puzzle to solve first - as much as we’d always love to do the things we want to creatively, sometimes shaping those around something someone needs is a powerful way of bringing them out.And, you’ll find, once you’ve done it a few times, your work will speak for itself and you’ll have a great set of collaborators who are also bringing win win opportunities to you too.Hope that helps.Stay Boom!A
- let me know if I can help. have great connections in that world!
- I’m in a similar boat tbf, as a student I don’t have the funds to pay models for their time. I also have a disability which limits my interactions with others. It’s difficult being an artist and not being able to pay people for their time, but at the same time needing models to practice and refine your own practice with. It’s a catch 22 really…But for the record, I’m willing to collaborate with you, either as a photographer or a model (but I have no experience in the latter).Anything that I can do to help a fellow artist!
You must sign up or log in before you
add a comment.