3 Ways To Get Your First Fashion Photography Client

This blog post is actually a snippet from a new course that I'm working on, which will be dedicated entirely to helping photographers new to fashion, or new to the industry as a whole, to get their first client! I'm not finished with it yet, but I wanted to see what you thought of this, and hopefully it gives you a few tips to get you going until the course is ready to be launched.

1. Ask for introductions

One of the quickest ways you can find your first client could be through someone you already know. We hear it all the time: It comes down to who you know! Well, it’s true. No word of a lie, being introduced to someone when you‘re trying to get your first few clients is far easier than anything else. 

So have a think: do you know anyone who might know people who they think you could be helpful towards? I guarantee that you do. Grab a pen and paper, and begin to write down everyone you think could introduce you to someone. It might be as easy as asking your parents who they know. 

Then, all you have to do is get in touch with them, and ask. When I was first embarking on my new journey to London, I did exactly this. I wrote down a list on my phone of everyone who I thought might know people in London. The list was quite long, and I emailed all of them saying something along the lines of: Hey! I‘m going to be in London from this date, and I‘m looking to build my network/meet new people/get some work. Do you know anyone who you think it would be worth me speaking to?“ Obviously I went into more detail, personalised each email, and gave them each an idea of exactly what my mission was (in my case, work as a fashion photographer). Guess what, each person knew someone they thought I should speak to. 

I‘ve since met with ad agencies, other photographers who are further along in their careers than me, stylists, art directors, and so many more people who I never would have met if I hadn‘t asked for those introductions. 

So don‘t be shy about asking your circle of immediate family or friends. It could open so many more doors than you would have thought.  

2. Utilize your network

Once you‘ve got a bit of a network, it‘s time for you to start using it efficiently. How do you do that? First of all, keep a database of everyone you know, how you know them, what they do, their contact information, and when you last contacted them. This is key! If you don‘t keep track of who you know, you‘ll forget about someone. Even someone who you think is amazing to know; they‘ll get forgotten about. So create that database.

My database is a Numbers document I created on my computer. But you could just as easily create it on Google Sheets, or in Excel. If you prefer old school pen and paper, by all means do that, but I feel like that‘s a less practical way to keep a database these days. 

Once you‘ve got your database set up, start to check in with them every couple of months. Your aim is to stay front of mind. I send an email to people every 3-6 months, depending on who they are and what they do. If I know them personally, it‘s generally a quick catch up, an update on my last few months, sharing some work, and asking how they are. I‘ll always ask them if they think there‘s anyone they know that I should be introduced to. 

If I don‘t know them personally, and they‘re more of a business contact, I do something similar, but I‘m more mindful of how many times a year I email them, and what I ask. 

For example, if I have a previous client, I‘ll get in touch every three months with a portfolio update, potentially ask for a meeting, and see if they‘ve got anything I can help them with. Sometimes they don‘t, but more often than not, they do! This technique alone has gotten me more repeat work than anything else - and our goal as business owners should ALWAYS be to try and get repeat clients. It‘s far easier to work with someone who knows you already, than to try and get a whole new client.

Another way you can use your client network is to ask them to refer you to anyone they think would also like your services. If you had a good time working with them, and they liked the work you did, there is no harm is sending your client an email asking them if they know anyone who they think would also like to work with you. Sometimes they don‘t, and that’s ok, they‘ll just tell you that they don‘t really know anyone. But sometimes they do know someone, and they‘ll send an email introduction. THat is an absolutely golden way to get work as a fashion photographer. 

3. Browse Instagram for local brands

Oh Instagram, the app we love to hate, but cannot live without! We can‘t ignore that -currently- its the number one platform for photographers to be on. It‘s where everyone is looking, all the time. The app continues to grow faster day by day.

Guess what? That‘s great news, because it means that your ideal client is on there! 

One of the quickest ways you can get your first client is literally by picking up your phone, searching the Geotag of your town/local area, and browse what boutiques/brands are in your area. Follow the ones which resonate with you and feel like a good fit, and begin to engage with them! Leave them some comments, watch their stories and reply to the odd one here and there. 

After a week or two of engaging (in an honest and true way - don‘t be comment just for comments sake - that looks spammy), find their email address (it’s probably in their Bio, or on their website - if not, ask them for it in a DM) and introduce yourself! Tell them about your work, what you love about the brand/shop and that you‘d love to help them out with photography. 

Trust me, if you don‘t ask, you don‘t get.