To successfully find photography jobs online in 2021, there are a couple of channels and aspects you need to consider. Have a look at our list!
What type of photography jobs?
As a photographer who is looking for jobs, you first need to define what type of jobs would fit your goals. Are you aiming to be regularly employed by a company and having a defined amount of salary coming to your bank account every month, or are you looking for freedom and being able to choose what you want to work on and how?
That’s the first thing you need to decide, before even starting your job quest.
In this fast evolving industry, many photographers opt for the second option. It not only gives you more flexibility on how to do things, it also allows you to take in more work at the same time and coordinate according to your own personal approach.
The difference between contract work and freelancing
Contract work means you have applied for a certain collaboration with a company and have signed a contract with specific terms at the end. The work frequency is not necessarily agreed, but you get occasional jobs assigned and get paid after each assignment. So basically, you have an ongoing relationship with the company.
Freelance work is a synonym for one-off type of jobs. There is no ongoing relationship expected (at least at first sight) and you are usually in charge of every part of the process — from shooting the content, to providing the contract, to collecting payments. Summing up, you’re basically a photographer who gets hired on an irregular basis to shoot and edit photos.
So why do photographers freelance?
Although freelancing is definitely not as stable as traditional employment, there are a couple of pros that make it a viable option for photographers. Because you are self-employed and not tied to a single company, you can usually charge a higher hourly rate and work for a wider range of brands. In result, you’re going to have a more diverse portfolio and be able to express your creativity more freely.
How to find such photography jobs online?
You can commit to job search in a more passive or active approach. The ideal being the ability to combine both.
For a passive approach, you can include your work on:
- Social media channels
- Generalist work hosting sites
- Stock photography hosting platforms
- Creative publishing websites
For an active job search, you might want to consider:
- Searching in industry-specific job platforms
- Pitching your work to brands directly
- Emailing potential clients
To successfully find photography jobs online in 2021, there are a couple of channels you might want to consider. Have a look at our list below — from industry-specific job boards, like Cherrydeck, to general platforms used by the masses.
1# Social media channels
On social media, your goal should be to post the more samples of your work as you can to get noticed and scan potential interested people. You basically use your posts to get leads and then follow up or provide people a path to get to you.
Use call-to-actions on your posts, profile, and ‘about’ sections. Make sure everyone knows how to contact you and that they easily find your website!
2# Generalist work hosting sites
The above are all examples of websites where you can find different job offers for different industries. You set up a profile with your information and you can bid for jobs, simply apply, or hope to get contacted for a gig. If you get chosen for a job, you usually make all the arrangements with the clients yourself.
3# Stock photography hosting platforms
Stock photography hosting platforms allow you to upload your image and video work and let visitors buy the rights to use them. There are usually several hundred-thousands of images in there, but if someone chooses your picture, you simply get paid, without having to do anything else.
Although, in this case, payments are quite low, they can easily add up if you find out what images are trending or produce content with ‘stock’ already in mind. Even if it doesn’t qualify as proper photography job, it can be a very welcome source of extra income!
4# Creative publishing websites
On creative publishing websites you can get your work promoted and reviewed by experts in the industry. The advantage of this process is that your photographs will be showcased in long-form articles on websites that are perceived as experts in the artistic field.
Not only will people see your work there, but when accompanied by text, it will become searchable on Google and new potential clients can find you this way. This strategy enables you to simultaneously promote your photography and increase your discoverability across the web.
5# Industry-specific job platforms
Industry-focused job platforms are the best place to look for photography jobs online. Especially in 2021, where everything business related is moving to the web-sphere.
From the photographers perspective, these are places catered to creatives, so you don’t need to spend time filtering through a bunch of opportunities that are targeted at different professions. From the clients perspective, these are highly-targeted platforms, where they know they won’t spend much of their time filtering through misfit applicants.
It’s a win for all!
At Cherrydeck, we not only source creative jobs from clients all over the world and share them with our curated creative community. We also provide our members a place where they can be found by potential clients looking for their skills: the Cherrydeck listing.
Here, photographers can become discoverable in their area and be contacted by interested visitors for collaborations. All you need to do is create a profile and include your information and samples of your work.
6# Pitching your work to brands directly
If non of the above are working great for you yet, there’s always the option of pitching to brands directly. If you have someone or a brand you want to photograph for, research them online and get in touch!
Many clients appreciate the fact that you are proactive and take the initiative. Also, there is always the chance you are contacting them even before they post a job online, so you have actually the opportunity to outcast the competition.
At Cherrydeck, we offer our members a list of qualified client leads every week. People who we know are looking for photographers on our website, but that didn’t necessarily take action yet — which allows you to hit them up, just before they do.
To receive the list, you need to be a Cherrydeck Full Member. You can signup here.
Photography has always been a competitive field, but competition has intensified throughout time. With the arrival of smartphones and new tech, the industry has become much more aggressive and as a photographer, you need to be present everywhere you can to have work come your way.
Stay updated on the current trends, showcase your best, and keep an eye open for the photography opportunities out there.
We hope this article has helped you! If you are looking to get more jobs, collaborations and other opportunities as a photographer, have a look at Cherrydeck’s Opportunities Page. To know more about what we offer, visit us here.
