How to get a photography agent?

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LGP

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Wannabe Geek

Topic # 225710 1-Dec-2017 16:13

Does anyone out there have an agent for their photography? or has some experience with getting/having one?

I have my own studio and list of clients but I'm looking to get an agent to get more jobs coming in. Not had much luck so far.

timmmay

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Reply # 1911768 1-Dec-2017 18:29

I've been a professional photographer for many years, on and off, and I've heard this kind of thing only a couple of times. I assume you're in the top 5% of professionals, good portfolio of commercial images? What kind of photography?

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LGP

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 1911905 2-Dec-2017 09:52

This is good to know, I did not realise that 5% was the criteria that agency's look for. I would certainly not class myself in the top 5% but I do own one of the biggest cyclorama's in the country. The Studio has only been in operation for the past few months but it's building a reputation through some newspaper/online articles etc and NZIPP asked me to join on the strength of it. Hence why i thought i would look into an agent.

www.lewisgardnerphotography.com

timmmay

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Reply # 1911915 2-Dec-2017 10:16

That's not their criteria, that's just what I figure it takes to make it as a full time professional photographer in a very competitive industry. What area do you want an agent for? Commercial and advertising is the main area I've heard of agents being used, and the photographers who get those gigs are AMAZING, and you might not believe the effort some go to. I was at one presentation where they built an entire garden in a studio, grass and all. I saw http://www.peter-coulson.com.au/ at NZIPP InFocus one year and check out https://tanyazouev.com/ as an example. Look at Peters videos, particularly #2 (skeleton) and #7 (guy in orange).

I find it a bit odd that there's no commercial or advertising section of your portfolio when your page says you're a commercial photographer. What do you get paid to shoot other than cars?

Few website comments:

Pricing page: remove the word in: "(the only one in outside of Auckland and Wellington"

With the quite strong zooming on cars I see weird artifacts, particularly on the lights. I don't much like the zooming either.

Your home page needs more text to explain what you do, for SEO.

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kiwi_64

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Reply # 1911938 2-Dec-2017 10:51

ooh .. if it's going to be a website critique, I'd also offer that you may want to revisit your "about us" page:

"makes professional quality photograph’s in a digital format" ... that apostrophe :-)

Geektastic

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Reply # 1911960 2-Dec-2017 13:27

IME photographers don't get agents. Agents get photographers.

If your work catches someone's eye they'll be in touch but it's a seriously competitive thing.

You might want to reach out to a lady called Christina Force who started NZs first agency (she sold it) and knows more about agencies than most people have forgotten.