Sharing Bad Photographs? Stop the Madness!

© pathdoc

​It's Marketing Monday and the perfect time to remind you of one of the greatest self-destruct actions you can create: SHOWING MEDIOCRE/BAD IMAGES on your website and blog.

While there are a few thoughts in today's post out of the archives, there are still too many of you who just don't get it! Your galleries aren't about how much you can photograph, but how good you are as an artist. 

Just for a second, pretend to be a business owner outside your own career. Would you expect to be successful selling inferior products? A dry cleaner couldn't survive with clients returning things only partially clean. A gas station wouldn't make it, short-changing customers with "almost a gallon" measurements. Your favorite restaurant wouldn't survive long with lousy food. I can see the tag line now, "Only a small chance you'll get sick!" 

It doesn't matter what the product or service; people have to believe you're the best. With photography, they get a sneak preview by visiting your online galleries. That's why you've got them - to show people what you can do! Knowing then how important your galleries are, why are some of you still not cleaning them up? Why show an image you wouldn't buy yourself?

Then there's the other extreme; showing images that aren't yours! Fortunately, it's happening less and less these days, but it's a madness that needs to stop. If it's not your work, then don't show it!

And one more level of madness that comes out of workshops and conferences - using images you've taken in a workshop. I'm not against working with models to build your portfolio. I'm also not against taking things you've learned in a workshop and creating new images for your galleries and portfolio. What I am against is using that shot you got as you stood behind the instructor, while he/she was teaching. You piggy-backed off of somebody else's expertise. It's not your work, even if you did click the shutter.

There's only one way to build your business, and it's all about building your skill set. It's about directing your passion for imaging into your quest for quality. So, here's a suggestion for your galleries. 

Take the time to review your website. Look at the images you're showing. Every photograph should be a "wow" print. That means if this was the only image you could show, you'd get hired!

This is a career field based on quality: Quality in your images, your relationships with your clients and the way you do business. Don't let yourself get caught up in the argument about showing lots of pictures just to fill up space. If an image isn't good enough, don't show it. Make visiting your galleries a great experience!
 
Vince Lombardi said it best, 

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor." 

Make your commitment to excellence and never compromise!