Networking! Few questions and a thread to discuss.

I run two professional rental studios, so the network approaches me.
After a while (17 years in business) you know pretty much every notable
photographer/DOP in town, and quite a number of guys from other towns
and countries.

Do you go to any of the PP social events? 

I organise Birmingham Creatives Facebook group, Instagram and in person networking socials :)

(Next on is Friday 17th May there is an event page for it here)

I also attend LOTS of networking events by others.

Networking is a main part of my other full time job too in the property and construction industry, and I often end up getting photography bookings from people after new headshots and architectural photography.

Interacting with people here and on social media - not just liking things, actually interacting and joining in on discussions and commenting (positively!) on work etc.

Edited by Holly Alexander

Yes I quite agree - face to face is still and always has been the best way to bond meaningful, trusted connections. IG is ok in some ways - I’ve made a few friends through that route recently - but there’s no beating actual getting together. I’ve got my eye on a few events that get listed here but typically I can’t make them due to either work or family commitments. But I hope to soon.

I used to network at my local studio in Leicester, but since moving, I have not yet found anything

Gothic Image said

Do you go to any of the PP social events? 

If that question was directed towards me:
1) None in my region (Germany)
2) I've visited some meet-ups to deliver rental equipment and stayed for some ten to twenty minutes to talk and explain the devices if necessary.
Haven't found anything inspiring for me, as most of these meet-ups gather the hungry, and not those who can feed thought.
Some consisted of one organizer providing predetermined sets for everyone to copy.
Often the biggest attraction seemed to be one model in flat lighting and various stages of flimsy clothing.

Stuff that amazes me is when seasoned pros rent my studio and approach me with seemingly
impossible lighting tasks. That's when the horizon widens.

One example was a fashion campaign during the pandemic. The initial plan to fly to Mallorca and produce in the Spanish sun
was toast for reasons. So I was approached with the task to create a summer feeling in my studio.
This is the result:

Nope.

We used the Dedolight DPB70, the mother of all lamps, combined with the Lightstream system by Dedo Weigert.

Sky blue LED panels up into the cyclo (it helps to have a curve also on top and not only bottom).
Add curtains that look like part of a Spanish cabana, an industry grade ventilator for sea wind, and there you are....

Michael_990 said

Gothic Image said

Do you go to any of the PP social events? 

If that question was directed towards me:
1) None in my region (Germany)
2) I've visited some meet-ups to deliver rental equipment and stayed for some ten to twenty minutes to talk and explain the devices if necessary.
Haven't found anything inspiring for me, as most of these meet-ups gather the hungry, and not those who can feed thought.
Some consisted of one organizer providing predetermined sets for everyone to copy.
Often the biggest attraction seemed to be one model in flat lighting and various stages of flimsy clothing.

Sorry no, it was aimed at the OP, who lives in Middlesbrough!

Gothic Image said

Do you go to any of the PP social events? 

I haven't yet! I didn't even realise they existed - I've had this account for, well, many years but never looked into it fully just because photography has always been a big-side-hobby of mine whilst working pretty mundane jobs. I'm lucky enough right now to be starting a new job in June, so I've got a month free and I'm looking for anything and everything really. I'd love to make it more than a side-thing, since this is what I originally studied for many years. 

I'll definitely take a look for more organised events, thank you for recommending that! 

Ben Atkinson said

Gothic Image said

Do you go to any of the PP social events? 

I haven't yet! I didn't even realise they existed - I've had this account for, well, many years but never looked into it fully just because photography has always been a big-side-hobby of mine whilst working pretty mundane jobs. I'm lucky enough right now to be starting a new job in June, so I've got a month free and I'm looking for anything and everything really. I'd love to make it more than a side-thing, since this is what I originally studied for many years. 

I'll definitely take a look for more organised events, thank you for recommending that! 

If you haven't already found it, go to the Events tab on the main menu and filter it for "Social meet-up".

Ben Atkinson said

Hello! Hope you're all well. 

I'm coming with a general question, how do YOU, personally, network? There's nothing I'd love more than to just get out, get to some events, with or without my camera as a chance to network and meet other photographers, models, stylists, MUAs, pretty much everything and everyone related to the creative industry. Where do you find yourself networking the most? Do you know of any events that are held, primarily further up north / midlands way on a regular basis? How do you even hear of events coming up? Of course, social media (Hi all!) is superb for this but there's just something a bit different about just getting out there, meeting and chatting with like-minded people! 

Would love to hear more thoughts from yourselves on networking in general and opening up a discussion on the best ways YOU network. 

Thanks so much! 

I don't. 

It's one of those things that ties in with having Asperger's traits. But I don't especially enjoy meeting new people, and I'll put up for to do something, work, take photos, go diving. Meeting for the sake of meeting. No, thank you.  I have done a couple of photo holidays, and some proper events, 3 workshops in the last 10 years, and long, long, ago some "scrum" studio days and and I've only met a couple of other photographers who I didn't mind spending time with... the first Tabitha Boydell Photographic Events event I went to we were working in pairs and I was paired with a very nice chap; the second one I think we were a four and I would cheerfully have slapped at least one of the others. Age is robbing me of my tolerance for arseholes, and too many people turn into arseholes when they pick up a a camera, or sit around in a pub and talk photography - that's why camera clubs strike me as hellish. 

There are some people on pp I get on well with on line, and not meeting them means whatever positive we've seen in each other doesn't get overturned :-)