As any photographer when I first picked up my camera, over 10 years ago, I started to photograph ANY and EVERYTHING! When I opened my photography business though, that same mentality of photographing any and everything, was hindering my work both creatively and technically.
I want to tell you how I came about finding my niche, and why it is SO important for you to do so also! Regardless of what line of business you are in, this blog can apply to all of them. Think about it, if you have a particular health problem do you not go to a specialist for that problem? The same with photographers (or whatever your business is) we can NOT be great in every category.
Naturally we want to be great at everything but that simply just isn’t possible. Have you ever noticed how even restaurants SPECIALIZE in a certain food? Why is that? BECAUSE WE CAN NOT BE GREAT AT EVERYTHING!
My biggest pet peeve is to visit a site, whether it be a photographer’s or anything else, and see a NEVER-ENDING list of things they can do. Finding my niche has been so wonderful because it allows me to focus on the areas I am strongest at !
After years of working in different genres of photography, I came to realize my strong suits and passion were for Senior and Newborn photography. I have always had a soft spot for newborn babies, but back when I first started I THOUGHT I loved photographing engagements, families, and children. Not that I think that any of those avenues aren’t beautiful, but I have found out they simply aren’t for me.
I took about three months really trying to revisit who I was, who my company was, and what I wanted my company to represent. So I went back to square one and photographed everything! In doing so I really paid attention to my images and where my strengths were. Once I did that I realized my strengths and unique vision came in to play when photographing Newborns and Seniors.
One of my favorite newborn images
My company is known for unique, almost dreamlike images. This is exactly what I want my company to stand for. My clients come to me because they know and trust that I specialize in a field they need. So take that time to find your niche. I promise you will thank yourself!
Senior dream like image