Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Simon Salt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Simon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
As a full-time creative I haven’t always earned a full-time living from my work. When I first started out I had side jobs that paid the bills. I had to be realistic with my expectations. I had bills to pay and my photography jobs weren’t bringing in enough to cover those. The downside of having the other jobs was it took time away from developing my skills as a photographer. So it was a fine balance of working enough to cover the bills while at the same time practicing my craft. Sometimes that meant working for free or for trade. This is quite common in the photography world, especially when people are first starting out. Don’t expect high paying jobs to be your starting point. In fact that would probably be the worst thing. that could happen to you. Not only have you not had the time to develop a unique style but you probably don’t have the business skills to manage the job.
This was a big part of learning to be a successful photographer, learning the business side of the job. Contracts, releases, copyright, licenses, insurance, networking & of course taxes. All of these things take up time and I would say the majority of my time is spent either testing new ideas or working on the business side.
Networking is especially important. Finding new work doesn’t happen by waiting for the phone to ring. Referalls are great, and while they are always an easier path to getting a new job, they aren’t consistent enough to rely on. The best path to new business is being known for what you do in your own community.
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.
Prior to focusing on photography I ran my own digital marketing agency working with major brands. I think this gives me a unique perspective and sets me apart from other photographers as I am well conversed in telling stories.
Branding photography relies on being able to tell stories in only a few images. The images have to draw the viewer in and make them want to know more about the brand. These might be environmental images for a restaurant, lifestyle images for a realtor or facility images for a doctor’s clinic.
Likewise, headshots tell a story in just one image. They tell the story of who this person is, how they want to be represented in their community. These aren’t always the traditional headshot, it is becoming increasingly popular to add more of the person’s personality to the headshot, sometimes using props that are indicative of the industry they work in or situations that the person might work in.
Similarly, event photography, be that conferences, team building events or even galas have their own story to tell. Sometimes these images are just for internal use and provide an insight into the ways a business celebrates its own people. Sometimes these images are taken to generate interest for future events. Drawing new attendees into attending or supporting the event. Showing people images of events that they didn’t attend can generate a FOMO (fear of missing out) feeling that drives the viewer to want to be a part of the next event.
I’ve developed my craft over the past 12 years, I’ve learned a lot about both the technical and creative aspects of the role of a photographer and how they fit into the broader business needs. This means I can work from a creative brief produced by a marketing/PR department to working alongside the customer to create that brief and then executing it.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I don’t really believe in the concept of non-creatives, rather I believe that creativity is the keystone to all ventures. Whether you work in a large corporate environment, retail or some other field, being creative with your solutions to problems makes you stand out. I think the question is how creativity can be expressed artistically. Not everyone has an interest in expressing themselves artistically, though they may well appreciate the outcome of those that do.
I think that people who appreciate the output from creatives such as books, movies, photography, music etc. would benefit from learning the backstories to some of the art that they appreciate. The author whose novel was rejected 100 times before being accepted, the artist who never believes their work is good enough but shares it with the wider world anyway.
The understanding that for every piece of art that they consume, there are a thousand pieces that never see the light of day, the deleted files, the scrapped canvases, the unheard songs. Whether they are well known “successful” creatives or lesser known they have all experienced this.
For me personally, the journey has been and continues to be one of self-doubt, angst and critique. The shoulda, woulda, coulda experience.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a photographer, at least for me, is seeing a client that is absolutely thrilled with their images. Knowing that they had a set of expectations and that you have not only met them but beaten them.
The second most rewarding aspect is being referred by a client to a new prospective client. Not only does this show that the original client was happy with your work but they trust you to be able to replicate that standard for someone else. Someone who will know that their name is attached to the recommendation, which is a reflection of that person’s reputation. That is not only a huge compliment but is also a big sign of trust.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.simonsaltphoto.com
- Instagram: simonsaltphoto
Image Credits
All images Simon Salt Photography