We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Antonio Cuellar a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Antonio, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start on the operational side – do you spend more of your time/focus/energy on growing revenue or cutting costs?

In summary, the approach to either growing revenue or cutting costs should be based on a thorough analysis of the business’s context, including its stage, market conditions, and overall strategy. Both revenue growth and cost management are essential components of a successful business strategy, and the relative emphasis on each may shift over time in response to changing circumstances. Ultimately, achieving a balance that maximizes long-term profitability and sustainability is key.

It was a big mistake to drastically cut marketing costs back in 2009 during difficult economic times. It was a mistake because my business was in the early stages of market penetration. I should have invested more and capitalized on marketing opportunities.
However, I have recently cut all vanity social media expenditures that did not deliver the expected results. Additionally, with the advance of technology and digital cameras, I can perform commercial photography with fewer people than a decade ago, cutting production costs in half without sacrificing quality.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a commercial photographer and got my start as an Architectural and interior photographer in the early 2000s. Most of my clients were commercial retailers, restaurants, hotels and resorts. I developed incredible technical abilities, as many Interior and Architectural photographers do. However, I was not artistically satisfied in this field of photography as the area is highly technical, with very little room for expression other than lighting style. I slowly started getting involved with lifestyle photography, which did not come naturally as it forced me to break most of the technical rules I had built over the years, shooting interiors. After years of pushing my boundaries and having an incredible drive and desire to create my own style, a style with a unique ability to sell spaces involving people in lifestyle scenarios, I have now worked for many top-tier brands. These brands include Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Qatar Airways, Crate & Barrel, Cartier and American Airlines.
Clients often say I am the most technical lifestyle photographer they have ever worked with, thanks to years of learning other fields and incorporating all elements into a unique shooting style. These abilities come in handy when having very little time to photograph a family of four inside a very dark Airbus A350 for Airline clients or shooting a model hotel room inside a warehouse while creating the experience of a beachfront resort in the middle of the day.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I will reduce my answer to three tips. Consistently delivering your best work is critical! You must step back and think that you will always be judged by your weakest image as an artist. This is true with any business, but it is especially true when you deliver art that will stay around for a while. All a client remembers you by is the images you deliver. Constantly get involved in personal projects that would attract the interest of the clients you want to work for.
Never get comfortable with current clients, as things may change in a heartbeat, and never stop marketing to new ones.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During Covid, my commercial hospitality career came to a hard stop. Luckily, I had recently made a deal for a warehouse, which I turned into a photography studio. As the travel industry was shut down, all marketing projects were suspended for two years. However, other production hubs, such as New York and LA, were completely shut down, and my studio imported all of their business. I was shooting fashion, lifestyle and Catalogue in my studio for two years. In retrospect, this was not only a great way to make money during difficult times but an incredible learning experience that helped me further shape my craft.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://antoniocuellarphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antoniocuellarph/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resortandhotelphotographer
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/resortandhotelphotographer/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/antoniocphoto

Image Credits
Antonio Cuellar Photography https://antoniocuellarphotography.com