As a commercial photographer, I have a lot of competition from other photographers. There are a lot of other people taking fashion photos. There are even many people who claim to take fashion photos. All in all, it seems like I’m against the world when it comes to work. If you’ve ever wondered how to beat your competition, here’s an approach that always works. Always, do not exaggerate.
It’s very common to hear people I coach complain about sloppy competition and people stealing their jobs. That seems to be a common problem in the industry. There is always more competition and more, someone doing better than you. There’s always someone who takes better photos, sets better subjects, better lighting, someone who does everything better. They’re the reason you’re not getting the job you deserve as a photographer. It’s all their fault. I can easily understand this point of view. It is also one of the very interesting things. If you see people as a threat to your job, you’ll actually see them as an excuse not to shoot and create bigger things. That threat is competition. If you feel like you are going against people who do the same thing as you, I highly recommend analyzing your work. Because the truth is, the truth is completely different. What if there was no competition? What if you were your biggest enemy? Let’s see what competition is and what it isn’t.
Papa John’s Versus Dominos
The classic definition would go in the direction of independent companies selling the same product to achieve business goals. In the case of restaurants, perhaps it could be Domino’s and Papa Johns’s. Both sell a pizza and both make a delicious one. Without going into Pizzatheatology, people often make choices based on price, taste, and a few other factors. But the average consumer who wants a pizza will probably order it without considering personal characteristics
Even though I don’t like fast food chains, I still have a Big Mac every now and then. It’s never about burgers or “the authentic McDonald’s experience,” it’s about “the body needs the food, the body gets the food.” When I want a quick calorie fix, I’ll gladly take whatever I can get. This also applies to coffee. I drink a Nespresso in the studio, simply because it’s the only coffee available. If I had a Nescafe machine, I would drink Nescafe. To me, they serve the same purpose: caffeine.
Canon vs Nikon
Having defined the competition, let’s see how it translates to the world of art, specifically photography. Camera companies try to stand out from each other by introducing seemingly compelling features and updates that make them stand out. The sad truth is that there hasn’t been a bad camera released since then Canon 5D Mark II. Any DSLR or mirrorless camera you buy will do a great job at this. At this point, I personally cannot tell what camera the image was shot on simply by looking at the image. In a recent article about iPhone versus traditional camera, this was also pointed out. The point is: the competition is not between the cameras themselves, but between camera brands that sell the idea that their cameras are better for photographers. There’s simply no other reason to buy a Leica if it’s about technology. If you’re someone who just needs a photographic device, you’d buy a camera, not a Canon or Nikon because of its 50+ year legacy or other marketing tricks. If you wanted to buy a camera used on the moon, you would buy a Hasselblad because it is a unique and authentic product.
Now, having determined what is and is not, let’s apply it to photography and see where photographers compete and where do not.
Competition among photographers
Basically, there are two levels to which photographers are hired: the need for images and the need for authentic work.
Someone who needs pictures doesn’t really care who made them. Usually, the decision is based on price, availability dates and other factors. It is almost never style, human qualities, opinion, or anything about the individual. It’s about what the individual does: get the image. The most effective way to get such a customer is to price whatever price someone else is charging. While this sounds like it is ruining the industry, it is not. There will always be someone happy to do it for less. The other problem is that after a month or two of charging less than normal, they will realize that in order to lead a normal life, they have to increase their rates. A new person will come and take their place. The “cheap” customer won’t really notice any difference. They will keep looking for someone who can do it even less and less. In short, these are the customers we don’t want. These customers are “problem” customers that often lead to unnecessary disputes and stress because of the lack of money.
The customers we want are more upscale clients: people who hire you for your style, for your theme, and for your perspective. There are a lot of these customers and their budgets are getting higher and higher. Because these customers are hiring you, not “the person who takes great photos,” there can’t be any competition. It’s simply impossible to let anyone else do what you do. You are a real person completely different from the next people. You are your own thing, and you do your own thing. No matter how much someone tries to be like you, in the end they just can’t be you. What makes your work special are your experiences, influences, traumas, and pleasures. Someone who has lived a privileged life is hard to understand someone who has had to flee a war-torn country in search of safety. The jobs of these two individuals will be completely different. This is exactly why you cannot compete with other photographers. You are simply not even in a race with them. If you’re a turtle, they’re a cat. Two different animals, two different beings, two different species. You need to learn to speak the language of photography, speak it in your own dialect and use your own phrases.
Stop thinking
I see competition as a small excuse to stop progressing and innovating further. No problem with that. As humans, we are inherently lazy. Instead of looking for a petty excuse not to be creative, find an excuse to go out and do something! It requires effort, and it takes time, but the result is something unique. Something that has your soul and spirit. Something is your reflection. No one can create a “better” reflection of you than you can. So don’t whine, and forget that there is competition in photography! That will be the only way you can beat your non-existent competition.
