We spent last Friday with one of our one to one Studio Mentor delegates and it made me realise that while many photographers spend large amounts of time and money on practical training, in general, they spend little time on looking at and addressing the business and financial side. This is not a side swipe at anybody simply an observation that many of our delegates seem to place such great importance on the ‘how to’ of photography and ‘what kit’ can I buy next rather than looking at how to set up and run a successful marketing or promotional campaign. Faye and I believe that any photographer needs a thorough grounding in both the technical and creative aspects of social photography as well as how to implement that into running a promotion that will produced clients for their studios where they can then put into use what they have learnt in all the creative workshops they have attended. I know many, many excellent photographers who have superb talent and yet struggle to survive while I also know several mediocre photographers who have made a great success in their business through carefully targeted marketing and promotional activities. So the question I ask is what camp do you fall into, creatively talented but always looking to where the next penny is coming from or the not so talented photographer who places as much importance on what the next business promotion as they do on the creative side of their photography?

We will soon be offering a limited number of places on our 6-month Studio Mentor course, which places as much emphasis on the marketing and promotion of the business as we do on developing the creativity and studio skills of our students. Only 4 places available on each series.