Learning From Negative Criticism

Nothing hits worse than negative criticism when you work hard to create something, whether it's a photo, a painting, a website or a 60 story building, but that doesn't mean you can't turn bad feedback into something good. If your client doesn't like a particular piece of your work push them to find out why. Maybe they have another direction that you never thought of or maybe your styles just don't mesh. If the former, remember that no matter what you think, you're not always right, humility goes far, but I'll be covering that in the next article. If the latter read on, I have a few words I hope will help.

When receiving any type of feedback, it's important to understand each of us is an individual. Not everyone has the same tastes and opinions, if we did life would be quite bland. Instead of thinking your client is completely wrong and out of touch, take a look at yourself. Does your portfolio and marketing materials send a complete message about the type of work you normally do and the style you do it in? Are you making an effort to give your potential clients some background on you and your previous work? If your client expects a finished product that is far from your style you will never have a cohesive relationship. I'm not telling you to change your style, just like opinions it what makes you you. It's probably taken you years of attempting and tweaking (and I know for me, failing) to come up with the way you create images. Instead spend some time and effort to educate your client even before you start working on a project together. There are a few ways you can do this, both formally and informally.



First is your portfolio. Does it showcase you and your vision? If not, it may be time to go through it and weed out images that don't fit. If you are marketing yourself as a portrait photographer, you really shouldn't be showing images of flowers or landscapes. You may also have some wonderful portraits in your portfolio, but if it doesn't show your individual influence then your clients will have a skewed expectation. When you provide them with the images from their session they will immediately react poorly. Photos can be very personal for both the photographer and the client. Even the slightest difference in what is expected vs what is delivered can seem huge. It's like going to Applebees and expecting Chilli's. Sure they both have great food and deserts, but if you really wanted Chilli's Babyback Ribs and instead got Applebees Rib Eye, no matter how good it is, it will never fulfill your craving for Babyback Ribs. By ensuring a consistent vision in your portfolio, you are taking one step toward ensuring the clients that do come to you are the ones that appreciate your style.

Secondly is your marketing. Does your branding represent you and your business? If you are a fine art photographer and you're using bright colors and bubbly images in your marketing material, your potential clients aren't going to know what to expect. This is because consumers have preconceived notions on what type of photographer you are with out even meeting you or seeing your work. Correctly branding your business (and even if you shoot twice a year, if you're charging for it, you're a business) sets the tone for the entire process from meet and greet to hand-off. Expert designers have spent their entire lives learning color, typography and elemental theory and how composing each element will send the message you want to send. If your branding is failing you, maybe it's time to pony up some dough and hire a pro. You expect your clients to hire you because you understand lighting and composure and how to cull the best images from a little light tight box, why shouldn't you be expected to hire a designer/marketer that knows way more than you about branding. While I'm at it, it's important to understand that your brand isn't just your logo and website and letterhead, it's also how you run your business (are you clean, timely, concise, etc). If you spend just a little time coming up with a marketing plan that represents your business you will free up even more time by avoiding potential clients that really have different expectations than you will ever deliver.

Lastly is your pre-shoot meetings with the client. Do you go over how the shoot will go, how the images will be presented, etc? Most clients are overwhelmed by the number of little things that go into making an image, that's why they are hiring someone else. Everyone has a camera these days, but not everyone has the knowledge or experience to create the photos they want. You are the pro, they are paying you, it's your responsibility to give them a bit of insight and ask the right questions to understand what it is they want from a session. If you assume anything about the clients desires you have failed straight out of the gate. That's not to say you can't learn to read people and use that information to infer what it is they want, but that you need to bounce those ideas back at them and see how they react. A good way to do this is by simply saying, "I'm thinking you and your wife on a dock at sunset with the sun right over your shoulder creating this cool lens flare......." and then showing them an image from your portfolio that may be similar. If you are having a hard time getting a read on a client don't go right out and ask "well what is it you want?" If they knew that, you wouldn't be having such trouble mining it from them. The relationship you build between yourself and the client before a session will ultimately determine if you succeed or fail.

It takes quite a bit of effort outside of capture and edit to create the perfect images for your clients If you are consistently having discrepancies between your clients expectations and what you create, you really need to take a look at the work you are showcasing, how you are branding that work, and how you work with the client prior to shooting. Always remember that in the end, the client came to you, if you accept the work it's up to you to deliver what they want. If you fail and they vocalize their disappointment it's important to find out why and fix it, otherwise you'll be in the same situation in the future.



Disclaimer: Take everything I write with a grain of salt, I am not employed nor do I have a degree in much of what I've discussed. I'm just a carpenter that enjoys photography, design and marketing. That said, the previous thousand words or so is my opinion, an opinion which has been cultivated by past education, current readings and research, personal experience, and off hand observations. I feel many times these are more important in life than a piece of paper hanging on the wall or business card in your pocket.


Jimmy