Marketing Your Photography

Great Work That Nobody Sees

The photography world is full of talented people whose work goes unseen. Not because their photos are bad, but because marketing feels foreign. It is uncomfortable to promote yourself when your skill is visual, not verbal.

By the end of this lesson, you will have a marketing system that puts your work in front of the right people without feeling like a used car salesperson.

Quick Recall: In the previous lesson, we developed a personal style guide and signature editing approach. A distinct style is your most powerful marketing asset because it makes your work recognizable and memorable.

Know Your Audience

Before posting anywhere, answer one question: who do you want to reach?

Different audiences require different strategies:

Pick one primary audience. Build your strategy for them. Expand later.

Social Media Strategy for Photographers

Social media is your free marketing channel. Use it strategically.

Content mix for photographers:

AI-powered caption writing:

Write 5 Instagram caption options for this photo:
Subject: [DESCRIBE THE PHOTO]
My brand voice: [YOUR TONE]
Goal: [ENGAGEMENT / BOOKING / PORTFOLIO SHOWCASE]

Include:
- A hook first line that stops the scroll
- 2-3 sentences of context or story
- A question or call to action at the end
- 3-5 relevant hashtags

Quick Check: What five types of content should photographers post, and why is variety important?

Building an Online Presence

Beyond social media, your online presence should make it easy for potential clients to find and hire you.

Website essentials:

• Portfolio (your best 20-30 images, updated quarterly)
• About page (who you are, what you shoot, where you are based)
• Services page (what you offer and a clear way to inquire)
• Contact page (make it ridiculously easy to reach you)

Google Business Profile: If you serve local clients (weddings, portraits, events), claim your Google Business profile. It is free and puts you in local search results.

SEO for photographers:

I'm a [GENRE] photographer based in [LOCATION].
My target clients are [AUDIENCE].

Help me optimize my website for search:
1. Suggest 10 keywords my ideal clients would search
2. Write SEO-optimized page titles for my key pages
3. Create meta descriptions that make people click
4. Suggest blog post topics that would attract my target audience
5. How should I name and alt-tag my portfolio images?

Client Outreach

Waiting for clients to find you is passive marketing. Outreach is active.

Cold outreach template (AI-drafted):

Write a cold outreach email to [TYPE OF BUSINESS] offering photography services.

My specialty: [YOUR GENRE]
My unique angle: [WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT]
Their potential need: [WHY THEY MIGHT NEED A PHOTOGRAPHER]

Keep it under 100 words. Be specific about the value I bring.
No generic flattery. Reference something specific about their business.
Include a clear, low-commitment call to action.

Example outreach targets:

• Local restaurants (menu photography)
• Real estate agents (property photography)
• Small businesses (branding and headshots)
• Event venues (venue portfolio photography)

Send 5 personalized outreach emails per week. Even a 10% response rate means new conversations monthly.

Quick Check: Why is active outreach more effective than waiting for clients to find your website?

Pricing and Proposals

Use AI to create professional pricing guides and proposals:

Help me create a photography pricing guide for [YOUR GENRE].
Location: [YOUR AREA]
Experience level: [BEGINNER / INTERMEDIATE / PROFESSIONAL]

Include:
1. Package structure (3 tiers: basic, standard, premium)
2. What to include in each package
3. How to present pricing professionally
4. Common pricing mistakes to avoid
5. How to handle "you're too expensive" objections

Proposal writing:

Write a photography proposal for:
Client: [CLIENT NAME/TYPE]
Project: [WHAT THEY NEED]
My relevant experience: [WHAT MAKES ME RIGHT FOR THIS]

Include:
- Understanding of their needs
- My approach and what I will deliver
- Timeline
- Investment (not "price")
- Next steps

Email Marketing

Build an email list for repeat bookings and referrals:

• Collect emails from past clients and inquiries
• Send a monthly or quarterly newsletter featuring recent work
• Share seasonal booking reminders
• Offer exclusive mini-sessions or print sales to your list

AI-written newsletter template:

Write a photography newsletter for my email list.
Recent work: [DESCRIBE 2-3 RECENT SHOOTS]
Upcoming availability: [YOUR AVAILABLE DATES]
Seasonal offering: [ANY SPECIAL SESSIONS OR DEALS]

Tone: warm, professional, brief
Include a behind-the-scenes story from one recent shoot.
End with a clear booking call to action.

The Weekly Marketing Workflow

Consistency beats intensity. Fifteen minutes a day outperforms a monthly marketing binge.

Total: about 90 minutes per week. AI handles the writing; you handle the posting and relationship building.

Try It Yourself

Set up your marketing foundation:

1. Define your target audience and primary channel
2. Use AI to write 5 Instagram captions for your best photos
3. Draft one cold outreach email for a local business
4. Create your content calendar for next week using the mix above

Key Takeaways

• Define your target audience before choosing marketing channels; different audiences live on different platforms
• Use a content mix: 40% portfolio work, 20% behind-the-scenes, 20% educational, 10% personal, 10% calls to action
• Build a professional online presence with a clear portfolio, services page, and easy contact method
• Active outreach with 5 personalized emails per week creates consistent new client conversations
• AI handles writing-heavy marketing tasks so you can focus on photography

Up Next

In Lesson 8: Capstone: Your Photography Action Plan, we will assemble everything into a complete action plan that takes you from where you are now to where you want to be.