Why am I blogging so much lately? Nobody knows, maybe I have the itch to talk about questions I'm being asked lately that are questions I asked when I was in the very beginning stages of my career. I'm still at the beginning in the grand scheme of things but you get the picture.

Andrew Bryant asked in my Andy Davis post, "How did I manage to get a photo pass from Andy?" In all reality, the answer to this question is applicable across the board from "How did you manage to second shoot with So & So?" to "How did you manage to book THAT wedding client in Barbados?"










It's the Network.

MySpace and Facebook don't cut it...in fact, that's a horrible place to "build" a network worth anything. I'm talking about a network that you build with airline miles, nights spent in hotels and your rear end in the seat at a workshop next to 25 other people determined to go the same place you're headed. A network established by face to face contacts AND THEN nourished with iChat, MySpace, Facebook, online forums, etc. If you build your network the other way around, I believe it's going to less effective.

My most valuable contacts were always made in situations where I paid good money to be there. Often, that is what it will take. I've got a credit card bill that reads like a family tree. Network with people you could be friends with...get along with, have things in common with. Don't allow someone's status in the industry be the driving motive of why you want to make contact with them/get to know them.

Tip no. 19: You get from your network what you put into it.

I've been known to take to the friendly skies just to make a couple of key contacts...eventually, it pays off.

Here's a brief shake down of how I met all my wonderful friends (and it begins with Lauren Clark):

2006 April: I second shoot a wedding with Lauren Clark (I'd known Lauren since she was 14). She mentions a workshop in NYC being put on by Jessica Claire and Liana Lehman that following October. I quip, "Jessica who???" She laughs and just tells me to check out Jessica's work. Something called the Xtreme! seminar. Hmmm...New York City in the fall sounded nice.

2006 October: Xtreme! seminar (New York, NY). It is here that I meet:
Jessica Claire
Liana Lehman
[b]ecker
Davina Fear
Marisa Holmes
Charles Bordner
Millie Holloman
Amy DeYoung
Jason Groupp
Allan Zepeda among others

January 2007: Digital Wedding Forum University (San Antonio, TX). I meet Doug & Chenin Boutwell. She says she likes my work (she knows who I am AND likes my work??! I pee my pants.)

March 2007: Digital Wedding Forum Convention/WPPI (Las Vegas, NV). Here I meet:
Shyla
Jasmine Star
Shannon Sewell
Jesh de Rox
Cristy Cross
Kristen Bednarz
Kevin Swan
Nate Kaiser (The Image is Found)
Cheryl Walsh (who I distinctly remember because she greeted me with a kiss on the cheek)

May 2007: PartnerCon (Chicago, IL). Here I meet:
Sara France
Katie Thurmes

June 2007: The anti-Workshop (Seattle, WA). Here I meet:
Dustin Stellar
Heather Cole
Kelly Walker Chance
Kathy Carlisle
Mark Galligan

July 2007: I hire Nick Onken to photograph me (Malibu, CA). Arguably one of my most influential contacts.

October 2007: PhotoPlus Expo (New york, NY). Here I meet:
TJ Cameron
Jason Domingues

November 2007:
Kristy Behrs
MacGregor Mitchell

Each one of those trips/events only reinforced the relationships I had made previously. Second shoot opportunities, growth as a person/photographer and laughter were all direct results of these relationships.

So, to answer your question about the Andy Davis photo pass...my best friend Kyle photographed him for his label and they wanted LIVE shots that night. After the show we all crashed Cafe Brasil and "networked" over some crepes and chicken nachos until 2AM :)