Andrew Smith is a photography business owner and internet entrepreneur from Austin, Texas. In this interview he talks about his passion for photography and shares some secrets to his success.
Photography has been your passion for a long time. How did it all start?
While I was in high school in the 90s, I went to a very advanced technology school where I learned HTML and used photography/video equipment. To be able to take photographs and scan them in (this was before digital cameras) literally blew my world away and I was hooked.
While working on my first degree at The Art Institute of Dallas, I worked as a part-time photographer for a small ad agency in Dallas. At that time, digital cameras were starting to get popular and were very expensive. I saved up enough money to get a Nikon digital so I could work on freelance projects.
From 2004 till current I have been self-employed running my own businesses, coaching, consulting, teaching, and conducting various workshops and online classes. Photography has also been a passion of mine and more of a hobby. But, in 2011 I paired up with some partners and created a photobooth rental company in Austin, TX.
This is when I transitioned from taking my photography skills as a hobby into creating and operating a business that was in photography. Everything changed and I learned a lot about the industry.
What advice can you give to photographers starting out?
Everything is a journey and even though it seems like the path to success is somewhat already laid out, such is not true. You gotta be proactive, take the bull by the horns, be the train engine, and pierce through to leadership.
It is difficult at first for photographers because they get into the industry with lofty hopes and dreams of taking their passion to extreme levels. The truth of the matter is the hobby often times turns into a job, a stressful job and the passion can fade. The best thing is to balance the passion with the business. And to do that you gotta transition into business and change your mindset – it’s not as easy as just saying, “oh I gotta change my mindset.” It takes time, effort, energy, and constant improvements. Baby steps!
The key is to find a mentor and learn from those who have already traveled the path and can share advice and be a guide. Back in the old days before digital photography, inorder for someone to become a professional photographer they had to serve as an apprentice for years sometimes. They had to learn the ropes so-to-speak from another professional photographer mentor. Such is not the case these days. Anyone who can point and shoot with a smart phone seems to be a photographer.
Business skills are acquired through trial and error experiences (learning) or shortcut routes from mentorship and out of the box type thinking that are results driven not theory. The reality is business and passion for photography can coexist together but it takes some fine-tuning and enhancements. You gotta “work on the business not in the business.”
Tell us about your course for photographers. Do you offer mentorship for aspiring photographers?
I have a lot of experience teaching and coaching clients. I taught at the Art Institute and really enjoyed it. After reflecting on my experience thus far, I decided I wanted to give back to the community and share my experiences and advice with photographers. During my time running the photobooth business, I networked with a lot of photographers. And noticed a pattern in their services. They were lacking the structured and systematic insight to organize their services in a way that could be scaled, which leads to more money/profit. That was a mouth full and I apologize for losing people. However, it is the truth. Most photographers are very right brained and very creative artists. To be successful in business, you gotta be able to tap into the left brain, logical, objective, analytical side. The secret for photography business success is to balance and integrate in harmony both aspects of your being – left and right brained perspectives.
My course, mentorship programs, and coaching programs are my way of giving back to the community and helping those struggling, starving artists who want to go to the next level. There is nothing more undesirable than starting something with strong passion and then seeing that passion fade because it wasn’t managed correctly.
How will this course help photographers expand their business?
Sometimes it is helpful to have a guide help lead the way, to course correct, to provide feedback not based on emotions. In all of my business ventures and successful projects, mentorship helped me get to the next level not just with my businesses and success but also within myself. To have a true teacher help show you the way is a wonderful feeling for both parties involved.
What makes a good photographer?
Someone who captures the essence of the moment in a photograph. What makes a good photography business owner is different. That would be more of someone who has created a proven system that manages and delivers a high-quality, valuable photography service that ensures customer happiness and positive experience.
Where does internet marketing come into all this?
The internet is a really efficient form of communication to help express the value within the photographer. Technology on the other hand has drastically changed the industry, some would argue for better or worse, in which the internet is a consequence of technological evolution.
I teach my students that the internet is just a method to provide value that is all. The internet is not the creativity, YOU are the creative force that expresses on the internet. It’s best to tap into the inner creativity and use technology as the canvas to bring it alive. If the internet did not exist tomorrow, the creative drive underneath everything should still be fueling the passion of photography. That my friends is the difference between a mediocre photographer and a great one.
How can people get intouch with you and learn more?
People can hit me up on Twitter or visit my website for free email tips.
Thanks so much for the interview! I really enjoyed it.
Good luck with everything you do!
