What Is A Photographer's Most Valuable Trait

To become a successful photographer, it’s not enough to have just an advanced technical knowledge – your personality traits matter a lot. In a way, you need to be a businessperson too, and you have to know how to sell your photography to your target audience.

It’s hard (maybe impossible!) to select one key trait that makes a photographer truly successful, so we’ll cover a couple of different traits and skills that are equally important for everyone who wants to make it in the world of photography.

1. Keep Yourself Organized

Your schedule needs to be well-organized, especially if you’re into portrait photography, such as wedding and fashion photography. Portrait sessions tend to be very demanding, and you need to have plenty of time for each session as well as for editing and networking. If you don’t dedicate enough time to each of your clients, chances are you’ll never have repeat customers.

In case you have to deal with demanding customers that require too much of your time, always be considerate and polite and explain to them what is your work ethic and what are your limitations. Don’t quarrel with your clients because that can be seriously detrimental for your business.

2. Be Creative And Spontaneous

Being creative doesn’t necessarily mean doing things in an entirely new way. The majority of clients will want their photos to match a specific preconceived idea they have, and your task is to make this idea even stronger and more appealing. Don’t alter the original intentions of your clients too much –show them some interesting additional options that can match their aesthetics. You should definitely put some effort into getting to know your clients and their taste. Don’t assume that their visual preferences match yours.

Being creative and spontaneous in photography involves walking the fine line between your style and your client’s requirements. It takes time to learn how to channel your individuality into every shot you take.

3. Make Sure To Spot Details

Being able to notice various details in photography and alter them is an essential ingredient of success. You should learn how to quickly spot and change subtleties in different elements of photography, such as lighting, composition, colors, emotions, body posture of your subjects, and so on. All these elements should work together, harmoniously to convey the right message and atmosphere. Sometimes, even a minor change in lighting or composition can alter the general mood.

For instance, if your clients are unhappy about colors in a particular photograph, make sure to understand why. Do they prefer colder or warmer tones? You can always ask simple questions to your clients – they don’t have to be photography experts to explain what kind of detail should be changed.

4. Have A Good Deal Of Technical Knowledge

You can’t be a successful photographer if you don’t have a solid knowledge of your equipment, camera settings and post-processing. You should take time to practice all aspects of photography before you start working with clients and earning money. If you aren’t confident about your skills, you shouldn’t do any serious commercial shoots – it can be quite stressful.

For instance, if you’re interested in wedding photography, you can start your career as a second shooter – you will be able to learn a lot if you decide to help a senior wedding photographer.

When it comes to post-processing, there are many tutorials available online. Even if you didn’t attend photography school, there are plenty of opportunities to learn various editing techniques, both basic and elaborate ones.

5. Improve Your Communication Skills

Once you become a professional photographer, you will have to spend equal amounts of time on shooting photos and on talking to your clients. This means that your communications skills have to be great. You need to be a careful listener, and you have to be able to share your ideas and ask for feedback in a friendly yet concise way.

Sometimes, it can be quite tricky to understand your client’s demands. Some people are naturally indecisive, and it’s not easy to work with them. You should bear in mind that clear communication matters a lot – always take time to understand your client’s expectations and ask many questions if it’s necessary. Every photoshoot should be a positive experience for both photographer and client.