I have often advocated becoming a member of whatever creative pro groups there are available to you in your area. Photographers should consider APA and ASMP in particular; designers, AIGA and GAG, etc. These groups will help you with your business, and for that alone, they are worth the dues. They also often offer discounts for things you need, so you can easily recoup the cost of membership. However, there are sometimes extra benefits you would never expect.
Last evening ASMP San Diego had a members-only Pixels n’ Pints event. These types of events let photographers get together and share their work in an encouraging environment (pre-digital, they were called “Suds n’ Slides”). But this one was special–it was held on Joan Embery’s ranch just outside of town.
Yes, that Joan Embery–the one so many of us grew up watching on Johnny Carson, with “her” animals (from the San Diego Zoo). For me, it was surreal. I remember getting excited as a kid when Ed McMahon would announce “and Joan Embery” at the end of the guestlist for the evening’s show (I didn’t have a bedtime as a kid so I watched a lot of Johnny Carson). And then there I was, at her ranch, listening as she told us all about the cheetah we were looking at just a few feet away.
Now, of course if you are not in San Diego, this same event won’t happen for you. But these groups in any location can give you many things beyond discounts and CODB calculators. Of course, they work hard to bring in speakers of interest–so if you’ve always wanted to meet, say, Joyce Tenneson or Chip Kidd tell your local chapter and they might make it happen. But there are many unexpected benefits from attending any meeting that can profoundly affect you and/or your business. Sometimes it’s one conversation with a colleague or meeting someone who says “I’ve seen your work–it’s really wonderful” (and means it) or hearing that others face the same issues you do (even if some of them make bad choices in how they deal with those issues). And sometimes it’s something more.
So, join up, participate, be active in your local creative groups. The potential to get so much for so little is right in front of you.
As a member of ASMP I have enjoyed commiserating and celebrating with other photographers but what are your thoughts about crossing party lines into other groups, like the AIGA and such. Does it give the impression I’m just fishing for work?
I might have been confusing–in the above context I meant designers should join AIGA, etc. However, it is not a bad idea for creatives to “cross over” into other groups. All creative pursuits are connected and a photographer can be inspired by a writer or designer just as the writer or designer may be inspired by a photographer. And while yes, you may get work from this participation, I think you’ll get more out of it if you participate with the hopes of becoming a better creative first. If you honestly participate with that in mind, then the work that you may get will be better and it will come to you because the other creatives will be inspired by you.
-Leslie
Leslie – I like your last comment. The technical and business side of photography has been easier for me than breaking out of my creative mold. I always found cross pollination to be more helpful … but that’s just me.
Don’t just limit yourself to the creative groups. Unless your fellow creatives are going to subcontract work to you, it’s unlikely that you’ll find many clients.
So, I recommend supplementing the creative groups with others representing the market(s) that you would like to reach.
For example, you may be interested in architectural photography for “green” construction companies. Well, the U.S. Green Building Council is waiting to meet you:
http://www.usgbc.org/
Or you may be interested in working with companies in the biotechnology field. Or in health care. You name the industry, there’s at least one trade organization that serves it.