{"id":69446,"date":"2017-11-15T04:18:07","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T12:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=69446"},"modified":"2017-11-15T06:06:36","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T14:06:36","slug":"why-you-must-self-promote-yourself-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/15\/why-you-must-self-promote-yourself-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Must Self-Promote Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
New Book MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a modern photographer, you must learn how to self-promote yourself.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER: Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/strong><\/a> is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.<\/p>\n

\n

Do you believe in your self-worth?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There is a myth that somehow you keep making good art, sit back, and get \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcdiscovered\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/p>\n

In today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world, you must promote yourself. If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t promote yourself, who will?<\/p>\n

Why is self-promotion seen as \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbad\u00e2\u20ac\u2122?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The problem is that there is a negative stigma associated with self-promotion. If you are a self promoter, you are often called a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153sellout\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153shameless\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

My idea:<\/p>\n

\n It is okay. Be shameless. Promote yourself, because you have faith in your own value and your own self-worth.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You make good pictures. You make good art. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing society a disservice by not<\/em> sharing your work with others. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing society a disservice by not promoting your work more.<\/p>\n

Why is Vivian Maier so popular?<\/h2>\n

\"Kyoto<\/p>\n

Everyone loves Vivian Maier<\/a> because every photographer thinks:<\/p>\n

\n I can be like Vivian Maier because I know I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a genius photographer. Hopefully after I die, I can get \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcdiscovered\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, and become famous. Therefore, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to blame my failure on myself.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some of us are afraid of failure. Therefore, we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t promote ourselves. Or we somehow wish for someone else to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153get their hands dirty\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, by promoting us. Or, we hope that after we die, someone will do the work of promoting our work, post-mortem.<\/p>\n

But no friend, promote yourself, and your own work while you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still alive. You deserve success and joy while you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still alive. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re smart, you want to reap the benefits of your own art while you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still alive.<\/p>\n

Building a new culture of photography<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I really want to build a new culture of photography where there is no shame of making money from your photography.<\/p>\n

I want to make a new culture where photographers are not afraid to make their own YouTube channel, or blog, and that they have no fear of online trolls.<\/p>\n

A lot of us photographers are afraid of self-promotion because we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re afraid of being \u00e2\u20ac\u02dchated on\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 by random online trolls.<\/p>\n

But why do trolls hate? Because when they see someone succeeding or \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcputting themselves out there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u201d they feel envy that they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the same self-confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trolls wish they were you.<\/p>\n

Self-promotion takes guts<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Promoting yourself takes guts. It takes bravery, boldness, and self-confidence.<\/p>\n

How do you build the confidence to promote yourself? Some ideas:<\/p>\n

First, you must ask yourself,<\/p>\n

\n Do I think my own pictures are valuable?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If yes, then ask yourself:<\/p>\n

\n Then why am I shy about promoting my own work?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Where do you learn your cultural values or morals?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Another question to ask yourself,<\/p>\n

\n Was I raised on Christian morals of humility and humbleness? Where did I learn that it was bad to brag or show off? That somehow if you show off, you might hurt the feelings of others?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why is it bad to brag and show off (the extreme of self-promotion). Obviously, it is socially constructed.<\/p>\n

It is our job to dismantle this social construction of thinking that self-promotion is not humble. Not being humble is evil, and you will go to hell (according to Christian morality). Also note that even if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not religious, you probably have this Christian humble morality embedded into your culture (if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re from America, Europe).<\/p>\n

Also if you were born in Asia on Chinese-Confucian values, you were taught:<\/p>\n

\n The nail that sticks out the most needs to be hammered in the hardest.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Asian culture teaches us not to stand out.<\/p>\n

STAND OUT!<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

To succeed in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world as a modern photographer you must stand out.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So friend my suggestion:<\/p>\n

\n Be shameless. Promote yourself. Stand out. Show off your individuality. Show off your uniqueness. Be yourself and be a personality.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

BE BOLD,
\nERIC<\/p>\n

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER: Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/strong><\/a> is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.<\/p>\n

\n

Photography Entrepeneurship 101<\/a><\/h1>\n
\"\"
ERIC KIM x HENRI\u00c2\u00a0NECK STRAP<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0 by HAPTIC INDUSTRIES<\/a> \/\/ Portrait by Benjamin Thompson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOKS<\/h2>\n

\"PHOTOGRAPHY<\/p>\n

Take control of your own photographic destiny:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Photography Startup Manual<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MANUAL<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    THE MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/h2>\n

    \"The<\/p>\n