Today marks the beginning of a Q&A series Mara’s Mix will be featuring on her blog including interviews with artist, agents and creative luminaries in the industry.
Mara Mix: I’m super excited to share my first interview with artist agent Andrea Stern of Stern Rep. Andrea is a seasoned and celebrated commercial agent with over 20 years experience representing photographers in the product, automotive, and lifestyle industries among others. Andrea is genuinely passionate about the business and has a talent for building long-lasting relationships with her photographers and clients. She represents talent who have worked on major campaigns for Apple, Google, Target, VW, Beats, Subaru, McDonald’s, Bacardi, Sony, Hershey’s, Taco Bell to name a few.
So without further ado…
1. How has the commercial photography industry changed in the past 5 years? How would you describe the current state of our industry?
In my 20 years of representing artists, I have not seen a change like this. It has always been an industry of change because the advertising world possesses a young, progressive-thinking mentality but this time it’s different.
One of the biggest driving forces behind this transformation has been the rising importance of what is termed “content.”
Nowadays we need to incorporate all of the established ways we used to market ourselves like promos, meetings, paid website search engines, as well as staying active on all of the social channels. And the content we share must be clearly aligned with our brand if we are going to do this right. I always say Instagram is your second portfolio that can have a sprinkling of personal work on it.
Hashtags can actually get jobs. This is a new way that some clients are finding photographers. With that said, it’s not just about sharing endless content but it’s about sharing content that speaks to your level of expertise and gives people a glimpse into your life as a successful photographer.
It’s more complex now because you must have your own voice as part of your branding. This type of expression used to happen on the creative conference call during a bid. Now you can use these social channels as a way to publicly show clients on a regular basis what you will bring to the project when they hire you. We have always had to stay in front of clients through marketing, but now it’s adding a more personal presence.
2. What do you foresee changing in the next few years?
I think that social media and content creation are going to continue to dominate the scene. Photographers must go for it and work within this new paradigm. We are in a young business so photographers will appear dated even more quickly if they don’t take advantage of this social media world.
The big question is how do we succeed in this new world? My business instincts tell me there is not one correct way; we need to use our imagination. The creative process can’t stop with the images. The creativity must actually be brought into the marketing and business itself. That is why you and I are doing this interview, right Mara?
I foresee business trends shifting more and more into this new innovative style of personal creation. For example, I started a platform on Instagram called @AskSternRep where I can share industry insights, and photographers can ask questions and get answers. It’s my inventive way to increase SternRep’s public presence while acting as a marketing tool that I genuinely enjoy.
Developing our own ways to get ourselves out there now is the key. Business and creativity now go hand-in-hand.
3. What’s the secret to a long-lasting career as a commercial photographer in this day and age?
Keep rediscovering yourself. Get out there and try new things. You have to keep working on your portfolio. People don’t want to see a book of images from the past. Stretch your creative muscles in what you shoot and how you run your business. It really all comes back to creativity. This will show clients that you are relevant in today’s market.
4. What advice can you give to aspiring photographers?
Explore. I don’t even call it testing anymore. Explore and expand your look without losing that specific edge to your style. As I said before, all photographers need to rediscover themselves on a regular basis. Educate themselves, look at others, assist and learn as much as possible. Also, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of social media but I think the new photographers could really benefit from thinking beyond social media for their marketing as well. Send emails. Write people on LinkedIn. Go to lunch. Meet people in person. Aspiring photographers may need to get creative by finding ways to connect.
Go with your gut. Trust your instincts. If you have an idea about something you want to create, create it. Be open to inspiration and follow-through with your creative ideas.
5. What do you currently find inspiring in the photography/art world?
I am inspired by what is happening when we go with the flow and actually embrace these changes. By getting creative in my own marketing methods I am now in touch with so many photographers and making contact with clients that would have otherwise been very hard to reach in the past.
I feel more connected. I am out of my own little box. I am enjoying the exchange I have with the world. It has completely changed the definition of a “rep” for me, and I am being reminded of why I first got into this business. I am enjoying being a resource for photographers and a part of this evolving conversation.
Really appreciate your wise words about the business, Andrea!
Folks, what are your thoughts about the way our business has changed over the past few years? Would love to hear your thoughts and observations!
Judith Mayer was chosen as an artist for the newest series of typographic posters for Avondale Type Company, based in Chicago. The ATC Artist Series III is an illustrated exploration of the alphabet, highlighting illustrators and designers from around the world. Now in its 3rd year, the artist series boasts over 50 of the worlds leading illustrators from over 15 countries.
Mayer chose the typeface ATC Harris, a monospaced sans serif, because she was charmed by the two-storey lowercase g and the ampersand. The monospacing means the normally narrow characters, like the lowercase t, are wide in order to fill the space.
Mayer’s design started with creating a feeling of a three-dimensional space, but then she explored how highlight and shadow can inform (or confuse) the viewer about space. “I replaced light where dark might be in some areas. Flatness and depth are competing with each other. Inspired by psychedelic posters, I used a lot of colors with similar intensity next to each other. After I completed the designs I realized they reminded me a little bit of pinball machines!” said Mayer.
My background in visual design & merchandising dates back to Burdines “Sunshine Fashions,” another beloved South Florida institution that faded into memory in 2005 when many regional big box stores were absorbed into the Macy’s brand. I got my start on the selling floor building store displays and wound up as an executive-level visual presentation designer crafting the interiors of specialty departments working on a computer. Partnering with two devoted South Florida families who have put their heart and soul into the resurrection of Velvet Creme is a far more personal task, and so I’ve found myself back on a ladder helping to place the dynamic graphics I designed that honor the history of the company and move the brand forward for the next generation.
The Pick 