Is it time to grow your skills?  We all know that in order to be successful we can’t just copy our competitors. We have to set ourselves apart from the crowd.  What makes your photography different from everyone else in your market area?  Is it your lighting?  Your use of locations or backgrounds? Is it the types of pets that you photograph? Your products?

I can guarantee that since we’ve been teaching pet photography (2009) we have seen lots of trends fall by the wayside.  And every market area is different.  There are also a lot more photographers specializing in pets. In short, if your skills don’t set you apart you won’t last. So how are your skills?

We all know that our clients buy what they see — so show them the type of photography you want to shoot. Do it well and stand your ground.  Use those techniques creatively and consistently and YOU will be the trendsetter the others are copying.  But before you become the trendsetter, you have really know the game.  You need to master manual shooting, and know what your equipment can do. Our belief is that you can’t call yourself a professional if you only know one trick!   So if this is your slow time of year, use this time to create a new slant on something and perfect what you do.  Take a workshop, shoot in an unexpected place, visit some museums, shoot with a friend — in other words, invest in yourself.

Why not develop a LOOK BOOK like fashion photographers use to illustrate a brand?  Even if all the shots in your look book are the same dog, why not get down to it and really explore your style.  Create a book or an album of all the variations (and depth) of your style and show it to a prospective client.  If you ONLY want to shoot on seamless paper in a studio setting then really explore what you can create.

This little pep talk is only the beginning. We’re going to be sharing more this year, both with online video and via our facebook page — and through workshops. We’ll post details here, first. Online learning is great,  but workshops build community and give us both friendship and a safe way to learn and grow.  Learn with us and we’ll all get better, together.