From Clicks to Clients: The Journey of Photographer Wayne Mitchell
Can you please share a brief history about your photography business? What motivated you to start this venture?
Photography was a big hobby from the age of about 13, mostly in the form of family snaps taken with a Ricoh rangefinder I received as a birthday present. I enjoyed the challenge of trying different things, different angles and getting up closer to subjects. The quality of family photo albums increased a lot after I took over! I ventured into black-and-white photography with a dark room set up in the bathroom, where I spent hours creating the perfect image.
As a young adult, I had a career in the film industry working in the Camera department as a grip. I had some amazing experiences with this, but ultimately I grew bored of the long hours and waiting around for others to do their thing.
I initially ventured into portraits and weddings on a part time basis with limited success. When I noticed an increasing number of glossy images showcasing properties for sale in the local newspaper, I saw this as a way in – a way to make some money from photography.
I practiced the art of property photography using family and friend’s properties as a subject. I also met another photographer whom I assisted doing a few property shoots and portrait sessions. During this time, I learnt a lot about the technical and business side of things.
At this stage, Real Estate photography was in its infancy, the competition not too strong, and I managed to pull in a local client: A real estate agency who had previously been doing their own photography. After this, my client numbers increased by way of word of mouth.
What kind of challenges did you face when building up your portfolio or setting up your studio? How did you overcome these challenges?
Initially I used 35mm, but found that medium format was needed more often, especially when newspaper ads were “full-page”. The expense and learning curve of medium format gear was initially quite steep. I used to carry around a lot of equipment.
Two 35mm cameras (on with film and one with transparencies) as well as the medium format gear. I also had a bag of props that I carried around (this was before property styling was a big thing).
There were lots of little things I had to manage, such as:
- Finding a lab that could produce consistent results
- Invoicing and dealing with tight deadlines (agents usually want their photos delivered urgently)
- Not having enough battery power
- Time management (allowing enough time to get to next shoot)
- And believe it or not, not putting film in the camera! I learned from mistakes!
Practice also brought about better results. Like finding when to use flash as opposed to just ambient light and finding the right mixture between the two.
Could you describe the early days of your business? What were the initial reactions and feedback you received?
In the days before styling, I often needed to move things (I still do, if needed). Once an agent let me know his displeasure when I failed to remove some bathroom mats before shooting!
The main feedback I received from agents was that they wanted light/bright internals. I managed this by way of longer exposures and flash (harder to achieve with film, compared to digital). Apart from this, agents generally don’t pinpoint what they liked from a good photo. It was up to me to make personal improvements.
My framing got better slowly over the years. I better understood the huge importance of foreground with a wide-angle lens. It’s a fine line between showing too much foreground interest (which may be too distracting), or using none at all, which can make an image appear flat.
How did you manage to grow and expand your business? What strategies did you use to attract more clients?
I managed to slowly grow my real estate photography business. I did email marketing (with limited success) and some cold-calling (both phone calls and in-person). In person cold-calling involved walking into agent offices with a ready made brochure and asking to speak with either the principal or a sales person. The most often asked question regarded a price-list, so I would have one ready to go.
This brought about more success, though ultimately most of my new work has come from word of mouth. I grew to understand the importance of looking after existing clients, because they were the ones that would recommend my services to other people.
My website, wmphotography, has not brought in many new clients though often I am asked to share it so vendors or potential clients can view my portfolio.
My clients often asked me to supply headshots. Initially, I’d take lots of shots – different angles, positions etc. In the end they only need one good image. The quality of my portrait got better with practice and this became another source of income. I found portrait customers via email marketing and of course, word of mouth.
How has your business performed financially over the years? Can you share some milestones or achievements in terms of revenue?
At the suggestion of an agent, I ventured into drone photography. I got my licence and with this new skill I was able to offer more and make more income. I also started to offer video and floor plans as part of my service. Floor plans, though not as artistically challenging or enjoyable as photography, was a necessity, in order to compete with competition who were supplying both images and floor plans. The learning curve for this was fairly high for me as it is a completely different skill set.
As my business increased, I started using the services of a couple of contract photographers (found via Airtasker). This way other photographers could work in areas that would normally have taken a long time to travel to. This freed up my time and brought about an increase in revenue.
What are some key lessons you've learned along your entrepreneurial journey? Is there anything you would do differently if given a chance?
Over the years, I have lost a few clients. Sometimes real estate agencies change hands or agents just want to try something new (via competing photographers).
Therefore, I’ve learned the importance of looking after existing clients by way of supplying the best service possible. That means, being punctual, supplying quick turnover of images, remaining affable (even if you might be feeling a bit tired or cranky) and basically never saying “no” to a request.
When using other photographers, it’s also important to look after them and offer good feedback. Let them know what they are doing well and if they need improvement in some things, I’ve found it best to mark up points of photos they have supplied. Images say a lot more than words alone!
Are there any tools or software that have been particularly useful in managing and growing your business? Give us a list of what you use in your kit.
Digital mirrorless cameras have certainly lightened my load a lot. I currently use a Nikon Z6 with a 16-30mm f4 lens. This lens is perfect for internals.
I met a few photographers who prefer something a bit wider, though I’ll always shoot with as long as possible (not too wide), so distant objects aren’t too small in the frame. I also have a 50mm and 85mm lenses, which can come in handy for views, street shots and lifestyle (like a local cafe).
I use a good sturdy tripod. It doesn’t need to be too heavy to support a mirrorless camera. I have a couple of Godox AD220 flashes. They can be fired off camera which can be a great way to light a room with a bright window. For headshots (with a white background, I have several stands, softboxes and a reflector.
For video, I shoot with natural light and use a Manfrotto fluid head and a Feiyu-Tech AK2000S gimbal.
The software I use most often include Photoshop and Final Cut Pro.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who wish to start their own photography business?
When just starting out, it’s important to get the quality right. That means practices – take lots of photos and try different things. In real estate, word of mouth goes a long way, so work hard at finding that first client.
Wayne Mitchell’s passion for photography began at age 14 with a Ricoh rangefinder, transforming his family’s bathroom into a darkroom for developing black & white images. After gaining extensive experience in various fields at TV production company Crawfords, Wayne transitioned his love for photography into a successful career, specializing in portraiture, weddings, real estate, and predominantly commercial property.
About Wayne
- Country: Australia
Specializes in
- Aerial Photography, Corporate photography, Headshot photography, Interior Photography, Real Estate Photography
Quote
When just starting out, it’s important to get the quality right. That means practice.
