{"id":69453,"date":"2017-11-15T07:38:28","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T15:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=69453"},"modified":"2017-11-15T07:38:28","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T15:38:28","slug":"why-you-must-become-a-modern-photographer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/15\/why-you-must-become-a-modern-photographer\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Must Become a Modern Photographer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s digital world and landscape is different than in the past. If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t adapt, and evolve to modern times, you will die.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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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

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Evolve or die<\/h2>\n
\"\"
Contents from MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Out with the old, in with the new.<\/p>\n

You must become a modern photographer:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Build your own personal brand, your own personal website and blog.<\/li>\n
  2. To depend on marketing yourself and promoting yourself, to succeed.<\/li>\n
  3. To cross-pollinate your personal interests to stand out.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You are a visual artist<\/h2>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    As a modern photographer, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to limit yourself to just being a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcphotographer.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 You are a visual artist who makes images.<\/p>\n

    You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on a whole different level, or visual plane from other photographers.<\/p>\n

    You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not a sucker \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you know that social media is a trap for many photographers. Instead, you build your own website and platform, and build your own email newsletter via mailchimp.com to stay close to your fans and followers.<\/p>\n

    Build a small, dedicated, niche following<\/h2>\n
    \"\"
    Selfie from ERIC KIM BERLIN WORKSHOP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    You also realize as a modern photographer, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need thousands of followers. You just need a small inner-circle of loyal fans and followers. It ain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t about the number of followers you have \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is the devotion and trust of your followers you need.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    For example, I would rather have 20 very devoted followers than 20,000 \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcmildly interested\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 followers. Why? Because a truly loyal and devoted follower will purchase your products, attend your workshops, buy your prints, fly out to your exhibition, and spread the word about you.<\/p>\n

    For example, my favorite photographer is Josef Koudelka<\/a>. I own almost all his books, and tell everyone I know about him. I do all this free marketing for him.<\/p>\n

    How to build a true following<\/h2>\n
    \"\"
    Become your own master marketer. Page from MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    To build a true following, you must be raw, unedited, and yourself. People will either love you or hate you. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what you desire. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want someone who is only lukewarm about you. Extreme followers are good. Even your extreme haters: they will stir the pot, build controversy, which is always good for you (all press is good press).<\/p>\n

    What is at stake?<\/h2>\n
    \"Evolve
    You must evolve and innovate as a modern photographer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Realize we cannot use the old school institutions like traditional publishers, exhibition halls, or galleries to guarantee \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcsuccess\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world. With the internet, the value of a picture and an image has changed.<\/p>\n

    To be honest, there is no shortage of good pictures out there. In fact, almost all the pictures I see nowadays are very good pictures. There is a lot of crap out there of course, but if I go on any photography website, there are thousands of very very good and talented photographers. And photos are essentially \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfree\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to access now. You can visit websites like unsplash.com to get free, high quality, royalty-free images. What does that mean for us as modern photographers?<\/p>\n

    It means we need a new angle \u00e2\u20ac\u201da new way of promoting ourselves, a new way of standing out, and a new way of building our own value as photographers.<\/p>\n

    What is your value?<\/h2>\n
    \"\"<\/a>
    ON VALUE spread from MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    To succeed in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world, know what value you give others and to society.<\/p>\n

    For myself, my main value is empowering information. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m essentially like a life coach meets a photography teacher.<\/p>\n

    What is your value?<\/p>\n