I often hear from other creators, “I don’t have time for personal work” or “I will just build my portfolio from paid projects”… I get it, I have said it many times myself and often have found it difficult to set aside time to work on personal projects and create just for the sake of creating. Part of that is because the majority of what I shoot requires assistance from others such as models, make-up artists, food stylists, videographers, and more. With that said, all of those contractors should also be setting time aside to work on personal projects for their own portfolio and they all need you to do that with them. So this article is really for all creators who heavily rely on their portfolios to land jobs.
Why Should I Shoot Personal Work?
You design your portfolio for the work you want, not the work you currently have
As the expression goes, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have” in this case, the way you dress, is your portfolio. Of course, if you are getting the work you want then cool but, there are more reasons to do personal work.
Only doing client work often leaves holes in your portfolio. You may not land a project because it looks like you’ve never shot anything like it. That can be a good and bad thing. Good, because you don’t want to shoot anything and everything. Bad, because you will often miss out on shooting stuff that you want to because the client thinks you aren’t experienced or can’t do what they want. Clients always look through your portfolio and consider their product or subject with your visuals.
In the earlier days of my career, I had shot several portraits of people and products on white backgrounds. I later found out I had missed client opportunities, they assumed I couldn’t do what they needed because it wasn’t something I felt needed to be displayed in my portfolio. Now, I still choose to minimize that kind of work in my portfolio because it isn’t my primary focus and it really doesn’t elevate my overall look. But, in the earlier days, I really wanted more projects that consisted of that work to grow my business and generate a more consistent income.
You get to develop your skills
A lot of my client shoots result in similar setups. On occasion, I may have a unique scenario needing to mount a light or camera in an unusual spot. But, for the most part, I don’t get to experiment as much with lighting, rigging, propping, etc. My favorite food work has come from doing personal projects with my food stylist. We pick a dish, a loose concept, and then build the shots over a half-day shoot. I often pick something unique when it comes to lighting, this allows me to explore new ways of light modification without the pressure of having to deliver to a client. There is no pressure to work quickly, you are simply able to play! Who as a kid didn’t enjoy playtime? Through play, we were able to be carefree, more imaginative, and always came up with the most creative ideas to pass the time. Bring back your inner child and play with new ideas, like you did before there were clients and money on the table.
Through personal work, you can build new relationships with contractors
As I said, they need portfolio work too so it’s a win-win for everyone. It helps to build a rapport with the people you work with or would like to work with in the future. I don’t test out a new stylist on a big shoot, I prefer to not “Test” at all with a client involved but, sometimes situations come up and you have to do what you can. By doing consistent personal projects together you build stronger communication, understanding of their craft, comfort in challenging each other to do better. Like any relationship, it takes time to grow, and the stronger you are together the better the product and experience you can provide to your future clients.
Photo agents and buyers often care more about your personal projects
Larger agencies, creative directors, art buyers, marketing directors, in general, more experienced clients, all like to look at your personal work. Feedback from many of the photo agents I have talked with has suggested that most of these buyers will actually go to view your personal work first and client work later. The reasoning behind this is these quality buyers aren’t hiring you strictly based on price, they are hiring based on what you are most passionate about, your creativity, and your skill. Your passion and true style will always come out in your personal work and these buyers know that no client or agency influenced the work. This is the most transparent version of you and why you do what you do. If it fits what they are looking for, then you will have more negotiation power. Do yourself and your client a favor and be honest about your love for this industry. Honesty will always lead to a stronger working relationship and then you don’t have to pretend to be something you aren’t. Do what you do best.
Getting hired based on your style and not price
Not only will you develop a niche of what you like to shoot but, your style will help you stand out more. Maybe your shots are light, airy, and neutral or maybe they are dark, colorful, and contrasty. You will have some characteristics that define your style and the way you naturally see things. You could be like me who enjoys shooting a combination of both or one who hates one style over the other. When I am asked to shoot “natural light only” I do not excel. The work is harder for me and I have limited control. So I don’t want to get hired for that style of work. Can I make a natural light style image? The answer is yes, but I will still use artificial light or a blend of the two to get there. But, being limited by a client on how I can get there is not something I have any interest in.
We have to market ourselves
What better way to do that than to provide a behind-the-scenes look into what we do! I don’t know about you but, I find that very difficult to do on client shoots. Unless there is time for my assistant to document the process it doesn’t get done. Through my personal work, I have created high-performing behind-the-scenes content for social because I can take the time to post and shoot other content that would otherwise not always be appreciated by a paying client. I have a different marketing message to communicate than my client but, they are the ones paying so my marketing material needs to come from my time and investments. Personal projects allow you the flexibility to create timelapse, more creative views, shoot video, walk your audience through what you are doing and so much more.
In conclusion, the choice is always yours but, I would encourage you all to schedule time for personal projects. If you need a paycheck in order to create, you are probably in the wrong industry. Bring back the passion of when you first picked up a camera and start building a portfolio that tells your client who you really are and not the version that is curated by your clients.
