Trouble Finding Work

Paolo,

Wedding photography is an over saturated market. Competition is brutal.

You have some great images, but I think your style is not something most b&g's are going to want. They are very artistic and even edgy. The type of clients that are going want your style are going to be limited, making it even harder to find work.

Thats my 2 cents.

Hello Paolo,

when I saw your name I remembered your posts back in December last year. Welcome to the US and I sincerely hope that someone will finally realize the big potential of your work. I am not a pro photographer and have no advice for your New York situation, but I do wish you all the best.

Juergen

Thank you Juergen and Jon!

I agree what you say Jon, it is possible that the problem is a different style, what I don't understand is the absolute muteness on the other side...

Paolo

The situation of not being able to find work as a second shooter or assistant for a seasoned wedding pro has led to many venturing out on their own. You may be in the same situation. I have responded to many craigslit ads asking for assistants only to never ever hear a reply back. I believe it reflects the huge number of emails that that particular posting receives.

Dan

I think the best bet is to advertise yourself as the primary photographer. Forget about assisting, just go and do it yourself. You are abviously very talented and have fantastic shots, but maybe you need to "dumb it down" a bit for the market you are in. In other words, a bit more conventional may attract more business. All the best!

First, the wedding photography market in the US is, in general, pretty bad right now due to the economy and technology. Second, if you didn't send the 48 emails to the absolute top wedding photographers in New York, perhaps the reason you didn't hear back, besides the reason above, is because your level of photography is already at a higher level.

Your biggest problem and your biggest advantage at the same time, in my opinion, is that you are not American, and have no American samples to show. The ideal thing would be to get just one job from a high end client, do a super job, and then get referrals. Jobs at that level are pretty much referral. After getting that one job, I'd put it on your website and hopefully, it should grow from there.

Getting that one, first job is the hard part. You might consider getting some friends to help you out and at least shoot some bridal images around New York to put on your website. In the meantime, try to figure out how you can get that first job--maybe go to some high end bridal shops and offer to do fashion shots in exchange for referrals or displying your images. You will be rejected a lot, but you have to keep trying. I am not in New York, so I don't know what other kinds of things you can do, or who is influential there.

While I would get some New York wedding images on the website as soon as possible, I would not get rid of the Italian shots, and I would actually emphasize the Italian aspect to some degree. Italian design is highly regarded in the US, so your whole persona can be a big advantage in marketing.

Re Bella--I'm not surprised they haven't responded because, as I said above, your style is at a different level than what they market to their clients. Personally, I wouldn't pursue that avenue anyway.

I think Nadine has got it in one.

Get off craigslist - it's totally the wrong place for you. You've probably had no replies because people are scared stiff of working with you. I'd try contacting some of the well known names in fashion/lifestyle weddings and sending them a link to your portfolio. You may or may not get work, but at least you'll start making contacts in the right areas.

Some people may find it controversial, but I would suggest that you apply for membership in the WPJA.

http://www.wpja.com

I would suggest hooking up (getting to know) the florists, talk to the priests, ask to post some shots at hotels and reception halls, tux shops, bridal shops, join networking groups like the Chambers. Zero in on the Italian sections of New York. There is a lot of loyalty, and a lot of Italians!

I like your work, give yourself time to promote yourself. Most of your efforts and time should be about 30 hours a week promoting your work.

Maybe you can pick up work working for newspapers. Your style will work for for other mediums, not just weddings.

Take a chance and go at it alone. I was in the same sitution never hearing back from established photogs but if you have good work to show, customers will come your way. Yes, it may be a huge learning experience with some mistakes along the way but if you wait for some one to respond to you offers, you'll go hungry. I believe there's plenty of work for everyone so don't be shy and take a chance. Try advertising on craigslist to start and things will go from there. I will caution however, Craigslist customers are price shopping but some business is better than no business especially if you are starting out. Good luck!!!

OK, call me "old school" but get off the computer and call/visit some of the local high volume studios. Show them your face, your social skills and enthusiasm and bring in some samples. Don't try to sell them on your photography, sell them on your personality.

In the mean time, advertising to get some of your own weddings on craigslist isn't a bad idea. Stop by some local vendors like florists and DJs and introduce yourself. Invite other photographers here at P-net to coffee.

Two good pairs of leather shoes, a portfolio, elegant business cards: which will be blank on the back, on which you write a personal note at each meeting, with you direct cell phon number; and then armed with these, taking the time to stand toe to toe and face to face with primary decision makers, who will either provide you with another contact or a job.

IMO that is the beginning and the end.

I am not dismissing the value of the internet in marketing and advertising: it however is passive and requires an initial ACTION on behalf of the prospect.

It is glaringly obvious you have a niche product that could easily be directed to high end clients: you need to establish an `in` to those clients.

Provided, you are comfortable in face to face meetings, and you have the business acumen to market and conduct yourself in a low key and friendly manner, whilst still maintaining an enthusiastic and artistic passion, I too would ditch the computer and get out and network, 10 hours a day, continuously.

If you give that your concerted effort for 4 weeks: I am confident my 10% commission on your fist three jobs is quite secure :)

I note that many (most) high end clients do not wish their images posted on the internet at all.

They, however, require: personal service; personal recommendations; personal introductions; and mostly all, quite like anonymity about proceedings such as Weddings.

I am not intimate with the New York market. But it is my experienced guess that high end clients vary little in personality and requirements, just because they live in a different, major Capital City, in a different Country.

WW

I love your pictures. I think you need a more wedding specific site to appeal to brides.

"I am not dismissing the value of the internet in marketing and advertising: it however is passive and requires an initial ACTION on behalf of the prospect. "

Personally, I'd even go a step further and suggest that in tough times people probably SHOULD rely less on (what has become) an "internet over-saturation" in many areas and do as William and David suggested and start wearing out a few pairs of shoes.

In todays world - in my opinion - you STILL can't beat the personal touch! Cheers, Colin, photo.net/colin/southern

Thanks guys for your answers. I have had good suggestions on as to move me. And sorry for my english!!! Now I will look for some photo to change my website and to make it more American! Regards. Paolo

Paolo---

Since you moved to another country (even though you are obviously well skilled at what you do) you are new to the market. I would agree with most of what everyone else said above save for the comment that your photos are "too artistic and edgy". If you are anywhere close to NYC you should have a huge market there for someone looking for something atypical. I even get most of my clients in smalltown USA wanting more edge in their photos. You fill a niche and you should stick with what you love and are good at. However, like I said, you are 'new' to this since you moved here so I might suggest finding a couple B&G's to do discount weddings for. You should be choosy about this though so you can reap the word of mouth and good press they may give you after they see what you create for them. Since it is a saturated market, word of mouth advertising will be your best friend. ALL of the weddings I have done have come from word of mouth. Good luck to you and I personally would hire you myself if I were getting married in NY! Stunning work.

I hope Heather, to be able to work for as a person thinks it is a beautiful thing... I like american market, here works a lot with the photojournalism and less with photos in pouse... I look for a couple with the discount and I will do a job uniting the two schools. We see what it will come out from there. Sorry for my English. Goog Heather! I have see the photos in your website and I like a lot! Thank you. :-)

Paolo, I think your photos are incredible, and easily the best wedding shots I have ever seen - and a huge reason for this IS because they're different. So please don't Americanise them!!!! I'm in Australia... if you had moved here, I'd be chasing you down to do my own wedding. Absolutely stunning work.

Paolo, your work is so evocative and powerful I think that one path for you to take might be send your portfolio to magazine editors and ad agencies in New York for income to tide you over till your wedding business picks up. I lived in Manhattan for many years and I am confident your style and talents would appeal to high end brides once you can break in to the market there.

Nadine is exactly right in all her comments, especially that your Italian-ness could be a great advantage in New York.Another poster's comment about getting into the Italian wedding market is great, too. Try to get referrals from businesses in Little Italy. I have Italian photographer friends even in a non-Italian town like San Diego who are referred constantly through big families for big weddings which in turn lead to corporate shoots because of the loyalty in that community.

I hesitate to say this but your brilliant portfolio seems a little dark and "foreboding" to me in comparison to other American wedding portfolios brides might be seeing. I might suggest adding some more photos where brides are smiling and perhaps a few more in color, just to balance what you already have. I personally think you are going to be one of the best wedding photographers in America once you get going. I can't wait to follow your progress.

Best of luck to you..

> please don't Americanise them!!!! I'm in Australia... <

Hmm, :)

WW

Thank you Lara and Beverly! :-) I have write at WPJA, is the second time that I write... This time I have change a website, change photos and lenguage, but I don't have in website journalistic photos!!! I have taked a lot, but only for albums not for internet! Now I see in my archive tu find this photos.. Tomorrow I send application to PPA, I hope that is a good idea! Now I try one couple to made my american portfolio! :-) Thank you for all! Paolo

Paolo,

Your work is beautiful. I wish I were in NY and able to work for you!!

You need to build a name for yourself in the US as I am trying to, myself.

I have advertising on my vehicle, business cards (some in my dentist's office), a website (which I'm working on) and I'm advertising on Craigslist (zero responses so far - even though I offered really bargain basement stuff).

We're fighting to get known while not blowing too much money on advertising. We're fighting against tight wallets caused by the slight rise in fuel prices (I don't think it's a big rise, myself - rather, I think everybody's over-reacting to it).

Graduation is coming up. That's worth trying to get a slice of. My stepson's school photographer messed up bigtime this year so I reckon I have a chance to get in there for next year.

Thank you Linda and Rhys.

Rhys you have right, I thought had been fast work here...but you have right. I do not know myself to move commercially, where I lived not of I had need and for me is all new. Ya, I have my commercial cards but I haven't a dentist here!!! :-)))

Oh my Gosh Paolo!!!!!!! Please do not change the way you shoot, or your website to make it look more American. You're images are absolutely stunning and any bride would be lucky to have you at her wedding!!!!!!! I agree your images are not the conventional wedding photos you see, if you ask me they are so much more interesting and emotional and honestly, if you can land that one wedding the bride is going to rave and boast about her wonderful ITALIAN photographer and all of a sudden all her friends are going to want this new from Europe hot shot wedding photographer at their weddings.

I do agree that you should try to get some shots in the States but please please please do not change your style ...

I dont really know what I'm talking about since I have only done a few weddings and they have all been small scale but do you think it would be worth your while to shoot someone's wedding for a token fee, just to get your name out there. This is probably a crazy idea but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Again, please please please dont dumb it down, I know for a fact that some women would pay big bucks for pictures of your caliber.

Catherine

Oops, it would seem everything I just posted has already been said, I just got so fired up reading that some think your work is too edgy or needs to be americanized I stopped reading the rest of the posts and put in my own 2 cents worth. Oh well, doesn't change what I think. Good luck

Me piace, me piace, me piace... Paolo your work is really great! Keep working on promoting yourself. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool for photographers.

Ciao.

Where I got my bridal shower - I read and replied to posts on camera club boards. I'm doing the shower free in the hope that it'll be getting my name around rather than anything else. Already a lot of people say they like my website. I need to get more photos on it hence I'm doing this free but getting the organiser to make sure everybody signs my release so I can get people's photos on my website.

Well, I would like to thank everybody for your appreciation and attention. I��ll try to put in practice your good advices and I hope that something happens. Best regards. Paolo

When you're a rich and famous high end NYC wedding photographer, get back to us and let us know!