The difference between a hobbyist and a professional photographer
Photo Credit: One Ocean Diving
What do you mean I can't use your photo without your consent? We live in a world where professionals blend with hobbyists. Technology unlocks our inner artist, making it easy to snap a professional-looking photo. But there's a big difference between a hobbyist and a professional. Catherine Lau was in the hot seat during our Oak + Pine Mastermind Meeting. And she said three words that hit me, right in the heart -- "it's my livelihood."
“As a professional photographer, it’s my livelihood.”
"Let's sidebar," I told her. "I want to learn more."
Catherine earned her MFA at UCLA and MBA in Cinematology from the American Film Institute. Staying true to her creative roots, she holds +14 years as a freelancer before moving to Hawaii. After six years in an advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, she was ready for a lifestyle change.
Photo Credit: Aloha Picnics
"I've always dreamt about living in Hawai'i and going back into the creative freelance world. Meeting my partner, who was already living in Hawai'i, was the catalyst. And moving was my way back into entrepreneurship. So I lined up three client retainers, gave my notice, and packed my bags," said Catherine.
Leaving her Integrated Art Director title behind, she set her sights on Hawaii in 2016. With the vision set, "by 2018, I'm going to be living in Hawaii doing what I love," said Catherine.
Photos by Catwalk Studios during Oak + Pine’s Mindset Summit on February 22, 2020. Brunch designed by Brunch with Aloha. Cake by Bake with Aloha
Catherine's my friend, an Oak + Pine Society Member, and our dedicated photographer. She's good people. And when she said that about her livelihood, I imagined throwing my arms around her, hoping a bear hug would solve everything.
Do you know how hard it is to make $1.00 as an entrepreneur? Figuring it out is an expense. When you see a scroll-stopping-photo, you're looking at this photographer's journey. The angle, the styling, the staging -- this one photo is the outcome of the years she's invested in herself.
So how do you protect your hard work as an artist?
"Agreements and proper bidding," said Catherine. "The idea is to have a detailed conversation with your client to discover how they'll use these photos, and for how long. Understanding your client's vision is important too. It helps you figure out the creative strategy -- how much time and equipment (locations, models, additional crew) will you need to pull this off."
Simple enough, right? Well, in theory.
Setting the boundaries is duck soup compared to reinforcement. When Catherine transitioned out of Saatchi & Saatchi, she also left a team that handled all of the legalities. Her role was to bring the vision to life. There was a team that dealt with the negotiation and another who reinforced the agreement. But as an entrepreneur, now she wears all the hats. It's easy to turn a blind eye when people aren't abiding by the contract. But doing so is a steep price.
Photo Credit: Ijfke Ridgley
"When you snap a photo, and it’s making money for another business, the photographer is entitled to a piece of that revenue. And copyright plays a huge role in protecting all photographers." The photographer owns the rights. And photo usage is laid out in the agreement.
“The second photographers snap a photo, they own it.”
So what happens when someone wants to use your photo, but it's outside of the agreement? What happens then?
"A conversation, ideally," Catherine says. "Photographers are always grateful you find value in their work. And we want to figure out the logistics with you." To them, this is their hard work finally paying off. But it's sad to say that, most of the time, this conversation never happens.
I may not be a photographer. And I'll be the first to admit that I know very little about photography as a business. But I am a small business owner. I can sympathize with the idea that honey ain't makin’ that money. But there's more to it than that. Every business has a brand reputation to uphold. Without the proper dialogue, lack of communication could be damaging to any business.
Photo Credit: Cris Borden
"Get clear with your intentions," Catherine advises new photographers. "It's okay to bid low if you intend to get your foot in the door, but know your worth." Becoming a professional photographer means you sacrificed the Hobbyist title. You own a business, so treat it like one. Protect your work, reinforce those boundaries, and, most importantly, know your worth. Nobody said transforming your passion into a profitable business would be easy. But speaking from experience, it's freakin worth it.
“Becoming a professional photographer means you sacrificed the Hobbyist title.”
Our community strives to support women who are designing life on their terms. Talking through ideas, like Catherine and I did here, is empowering. These powerful conversations will organize your thoughts and find creative solutions to take your business to the next level. If this is the type of support you're looking for, subscribe to our newsletter. And you'll be the first to know when the Oak + Pine Society doors reopen.