Why I Stopped Shooting Headshots
When I first started my photography business, I was the classic “jack of all trades.” I did what most people do when they first get started with photography - they try to appeal to everyone because they think that that will be the easiest way to make money.
I offered pet portraits, family portraits, kids portraits, wedding photos, event photography, fashion photography. You name it, I could do it.
Then, as my business progressed and I began to learn more, I realised that by trying to appeal to everyone, I was essentially appealing to no one. I heard an analogy one day about doctors, which was when I had my own personal “aha!” moment about “niching” (as it’s called in the industry).
Imagine you have a knee injury. It really hurts, and you know it’s serious. Would you go and see your general practitioner? The person who treats lots of things, but isn’t really an expert in anything? Or would you go and see the knee specialist? The person who has spent years and years studying knees, knows them inside out, and works on nothing but knees.
I know who I’d go see!
This was the moment that I knew that if I truly wanted to be a fashion photographer, I needed to promote myself as nothing but a fashion photographer.
I had a problem though. I’d built up quite a good reputation as a headshot photographer in Cornwall. It made me good, regular money, and it was easy for me to do. I also really enjoyed it because I tended to be photographing other business owners in the area, and we had really nice conversations each time!
So instead of dropping my headshot business completely, I decided I’d create a whole new business. I called it “Headshots For Creatives.”
Initially, I was super excited and motivated. I got my new website up, I created my Instagram account, I told my people all about it, and I got a handful of bookings.
But then, after about a month, the bookings dried up. Running two accounts on Instagram was too difficult, and seeing as I had now separated my fashion photography from my headshots, I suddenly felt like a much more “legit” fashion photographer.
Before I knew it, 9 months had gone by, and I’d not booked a single headshot shoot, but my fashion work was getting busier and busier!
And that’s when I realised that my headshot business wasn’t important. It wasn’t even necessary. I’d never even needed to seperate it in the first place, because my heart and passion has always been in the fashion. The only reason I created the headshot was business was because of fear.
I was SO scared of letting go of it because of the perceived value I thought it brought me. I know now that I needed to go through the process of separating to businesses and “giving it a go” to see that:
I’m fully capable of making my living from nothing but fashion photography
Niching your business really does work. It’s not just hearsay! If you focus on one thing, you grow exponentially.
My hope is that by sharing my story, that you’ll feel encouraged to go down the path that you’re most drawn to. I know that so many of you reading these newsletters are in a similar position to where I was a few years ago, and you’re absolutely terrified to put all of your heart and soul into your one passion. But I’m here to tell you that if you do, you will see nothing but a benefit from it.
Focus is the key.
If you’d like to chat about this more in depth, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll happily help you out :)
