Instaproofs - Blog

 

 

I am a music photographer. Oh, and I photograph dogs. Wait, but I've also dabbled in fashion editorials. Hey, you can see my fine art photography hanging in galleries. What is my photography forte? I don’t have one. Often times, professionals will tell you that a nook is the only way to truly reach success in art; all of your energy must be spent on a single branch of the craft. “A jack of all trades, but a master of none”, is a figure of speech that has been a didactic in the industry over the years, often with a negative connotation. Is this specialty logic flawed?

 

Yes, and no. It is to no one’s benefit to be proficient at everything, and truly good at none of it. Nonetheless, is it not more positive to have your hand in various jars, and be good at all of it too? Skills are apparatuses in your toolbox. The more tools you have at your disposal, the better you can be at your job. Why would you struggle with a screwdriver when a drill can work better? We all started as artists. That is why we photograph. To create, to capture, to make beauty. Do we not owe it to ourselves to be the best that we can be? How can you be at your best if you only have an extensive knowledge of one thing? Imagine all of the doors that can open for you, both creatively and monetarily, if you yourself are open to many things. There is an impressive possibility of reaping momentous rewards if one’s pursuit takes them down a variety of paths.

 

              If you understand the full capabilities of your camera and its equipment, you can shoot anything. That’s right folks- anything! Understanding the maximum and minimum proficiency of your camera body allows you to have the full rounded knowledge needed to adapt to any and all situations. Live concerts? Not a problem, just set the ISO up a bit and bump down the shutter. Portraits? Piece of cake, just remember to focus on that depth of field! Due to your extensive knowledge of all-things-photography, there is no reason anything should be off limits to you.

 

The unfortunate truth of the matter is- art is a difficult profession to make profitable. To survive in the industry, you have to be flexible. Sticking to your guns on one niche limits your options significantly. What if a magnificent opportunity presents itself in, say, sport photography, but you’re too stuck on portraiture to notice? Why would you let that pass you by? The world is heavily saturated with eager kids and their fancy DSLR cameras. What can you do that they can’t? Oh, that’s right, you can do it all! Adaptability is one of the most unofficially sought talents by employers. Bosses want someone who knows how to acclimate, so that their headache can be eased.

 

You would be surprised at how often various experiences will benefit you during the job seeking process. Before I got pulled into doing live concert photography for musicians, I was the official photographer for a dog sport called “agility.” For those that aren't familiar, agility is an event in which canines go through an obstacle course. To my surprise, the frozen action shots of flying dogs caught the attention of a well-known band. They invited me to cover their concert. Being energetic performers, the rockers were exhausted of seeing motion blur from other photographers, and inquired as to whether I could capture frozen action. Instant job. That being said, keep in mind that showing too much diversity can be overwhelming to potential clients and employers when you're searching for work; tailor your portfolio and resume to the job you want. Employers can easily be frightened off if too much diversification is presented to them at one time.

 

Although the above-mentioned is in favor of diversifying your portfolio, it is perfectly alright to have a forte. Art is about your passion after all. The creative knows that he can’t function on force- if you have to make yourself do something, then the product will never reach its full potential.

 

There are certainly downsides to not having a specific field. Nothing comes without a price, folks! One of the most significant hardships is from an entrepreneurial viewpoint: Building a brand will be significantly more complex. You would have to build each different prospect as its own entity, and the general population may be confused if you throw all of your photography eggs in one basket. Luckily, technology is evolving and online storefront providers, such as Instaproofs, generally let you arrange your online proofing galleries into multiple categories, which allows you to sell photographs and display your images to your clients in a more organized and segmented fashion.

 

There is no reason you should feel constricted by the threat of becoming a ‘jack of all trades.’ If testing the waters in a different field or style of photography is something you have an inkling towards, go for it. You never know where it may lead!