Want to be a professional photographer? Work with clients!

Don’t Yell At Me

Bubble tea shop in the Seattle area with an interesting name and even more interesting logo. One of my favorite boba shops with locations in Kirkland, University District, and Capitol Hill.

Photo: Barrie Silva

From my experience, one major difference in being an amateur food photographer and a professional food photographer is client work.

Amateur food photographers take photos for the sake of the craft: using a combination of skills and techniques to take photos of food to share with the world.

Professional food photographers use their skills and techniques to take photos of food for clients. Whether it’s to promote a new product for a brand, increase sales of a certain dish at a restaurant, or improve online presence for a cafe, professional food photographers provide photos to help clients.

If you’re considering a career in professional photography, I think it’s important to get experience working with clients. Aside from practicing the technical aspects of photography, you get to practice soft skills such as negotiation, conflict resolution, and empathetic listening; skills you don’t necessarily flex as a hobbyist photographer. But even at this point in my career, finding clients to work with is easier said than done; it may be especially difficult for brand new photographers.

So how can you find client work as a brand new photographer? In my photography journey, this is where social media comes in (again).

In the earlier days of my food photography journey, I scoured my Instagram feed for local Seattle-area food establishments that could provide two things: 1) experience working with clients and 2) an opportunity to grow my portfolio. Although I initially offered free photography, gaining experience with client work, portfolio growth, and yes, even exposure, were valuable to grow my photography business.

One of the first places I contacted on Instagram is one of my favorite boba milk tea shops in the Seattle area: “Don't Yell At Me!” Despite their unconventional name, and even more unconventional logo, Don’t Yell At Me! is a great spot for tea-forward milk teas, and has a clean bright cafe aesthetic. You can find their delicious drinks and clean aesthetics in Seattle’s University District, Kirkland, and Capitol Hill neighborhoods.

After exchanging a few messages with their marketing team, we had our initial meeting at their University District location. During that meeting I asked what they want to promote with photography and they told me they want to:

1) Highlight their new strawberry drink

2) Highlight their new rose jelly topping

3) Encourage customers to use their space to do work

Through this experience, I was able to use photography to help a local business. And although it wasn’t a paid photoshoot, I gained valuable experience that I still use on my paid shoots today including discussing client needs, establishing artistic direction that aligned with Don’t Yell At Me’s branding, creating shot lists, sourcing materials and props, and identifying a point of contact on the day of the shoot.

You want to be a professional photographer? Go use your talents to support clients!