Crediting a Photographer is Easy
By Walid Azami
Crediting a photographer is important business! You’ve worked hard to build your personal brand and ensure that people view you as a professional photographer. You have a great website and a killer portfolio, and you’re building up an impressive body of work. The next step is to get credit for that work. Crediting a photographer can be a make-or-break for your business. Many of my celebrity clients hear about me from word of mouth, or they’ve seen my credit somewhere. Getting credit is essential!
It may seem like an obvious step, but photographers often forget the importance of getting photo credit in the right places. In this article, I’ll share my tips on how to get photo credit for your work so that your photography business can grow! I will discuss how to do it in 4 different scenarios to help your photography business grow.
Crediting a Photographer For Non-Profit Events
Photography for non-profits is a great way to gain exposure. If you’re looking to expand your client base, this is the place to start; most non-profits have lots of money, which means they can pay you (and promote) regularly.
The four different ways to get credit with a nonprofit or charity. Remember being a non-profit does not mean they don’t have the money, in fact, the opposite could be true. Many nonprofits bring in millions of dollars per year.
Many charitable events have powerful businesses in the community and they could really use your photography. Let’s discuss the four different ways of getting credit as a photographer while working with a charitable organization.
- Crediting a photographer in the program book of an auction or fundraising event. The mention should be at the front and include your website or phone number. You should ask for this ahead of time and allow the organization enough time to put you in that design. This should not cost them anything and it occupies a very small space. If they choose not to give you this placement, consider helping a different nonprofit.
- To get photography credit at a nonprofit would be the introduction before the event. This also does not cost anything. It is best to get an introduction before the event stops while everyone is alert and paying attention. The introduction should include some of the following facts: who you are, the name of your business, the clients you like to serve, and that you are donating your time for such a great cause.
- Another option would be individual introductions at the event by the organizer. I believe this is the least likely to happen. They are already busy with other tasks but ask for it and see what happens. It’s a powerful way to have someone introduce you to people with a lot of money.
- Another way to credit as a photographer, is email introductions. Ask the event organizer to CCU on an email with each person and introduce you as a photographer who could be a great contribution to their company. This way you can give the nonprofit free photography and they get to introduce you to some of their well-funded contacts. Everybody wins.
Crediting a Photographer on Test Shoots
Crediting a photographer on a test shoot is highly important because it is supposed to lead to paid jobs. That’s why we volunteer our services, so it leads to the credit, and the credit leads to the paid client.
Photo 2: Eva Marcille by Walid Azami, Makeup & Hair by Terrell Mullin, Stylist by A. Sean Thomas
A great way to make sure everyone gets credit is to mention it in the call sheet. As a photographer, you are the lead. It’s important to note on the call sheet that everyone should get credited on every post moving forward. And then provide them with everyone’s Instagram handles to avoid any delay.
You don’t start this conversation as a photographer, chances are people will be left out and that is bad for Karma and for business.
Crediting a Photographer The Right Way With Editorial
Editor photo shoots can be paid or unpaid and they live on magazine pages or on fashion blogs. Here are a couple of ways to handle each.
- For a blog, have them link everyone directly to their websites or Instagram pages. It is your job as a photographer to provide the exact links on a document and ask for this before submitting the work. The Publishing website should agree to the terms before you had the photographs over. A simple link to everyone’s page can provide months of promotion.
Photo 3: Taylor Zakhar Perez by Walid Azami, Getting Photo Credit
If you are working with a printed magazine, it’s unlikely everyone on site will get credit. Most of the time it’s the photographer and wardrobe stylist but still, campaign for everyone on your team. Magazines like to hide the credit in the spine and that is absolutely useless. Ask for the credit directly underneath the photo on the first page and dictate the size of the font they should use. Arrange this with the magazine before delivering any final photographs.
- By the way, this is an excellent photographer trait. As cameras become more available we need to stand out in other ways. Treating everyone the right way is always a winning method. I recommend you read this blog next, it’s about 5 winning traits of photographers.
Getting Credit For Jobs Paid in Full
If the client is paying your full rate, that is the ultimate goal. This is why we do test shoots and fundraising events. We want people to hire us as photographers and pay our full rate. Should your client pay the full rate, they don’t have to credit the work. If they do, it is very kind of them.
Post you post the work the same does not apply. As a photographer, you should tag everyone and including the client. You should do that for respect, appreciation, and the fact they might repost your image. So even if they don’t tag you on their actual post, they will share it on social media and expose you to a new audience.
Help My Photography Business Grow
I’m a fan of helping other photographers do well. That’s why I have my secret photography community in my newsletter. In this near your information is always safe with me, and never shared with anyone. You will freebies like cheat cheats and worksheets, infographics, and even first-time offers for new online courses that will help your photography business grow.
Each email will share something that helps you grow and make more money. I’m using my experience of building a powerful business to help you grow yours! Sign up at the form below.