I am an observer and in the past years I met a lot of different photographers. And through the years I could see a pattern of qualities that those photographers have who are or became successful over the last years. A few of them just became successful after we met, some are just still successful as they were when we met and some didn’t make it and left their most successful days behind them. When I looked at those people who are really successful I observed ten characteristics or behaviours that all of them share with each other.

I am still on my way to become the photographer that I should be but these 10 rules are an inspiration for me and I think should be for every aspiring photographer out there.

It is never to early or too late to start becoming successful.

 

– they know their craft

they know their camera, they know their light, they know what they do and they do it well

– they speak a lot with their clients before they start photographing the people

Before they pull up their camera they start talking with the person in front of the camera to make her feel comfortable being photographed.

– they have a consistent style of editing 

Their edited images have the same style because of the way they shoot and because they edit the images in the same way with the same presets.

– they only post their best work

„Don’t post it if you wouldn’t frame it and hang it on the wall“ is their motto.

– they know their client

Even if it means to have more than one client.

– they’ve built a niche 

They are famous for their niche of photography they might even created that niche themselves.

– they are themselves online and offline

Even if it means to be „work in progress“ and allow themselves to grow in front of their audience. They are authentic and no copycat.

– they set goals

They set short term goals and long term goals for their business and for their personal life.

– they share their knowledge

Either in workshops, speaking engagements or mentoring they share their knowledge with other photographers.

– they say thank you

They know when to say thank you to people who work for them, who follow them and who support them

 

PS: There have been photographers that I met during the years who didn’t full fill all these 10 rules of a successful photographer and still are successful. Specially saying thank you was hard for some. But I cannot predict how long they are going to be successful if they never say thank you.