Why finding a niche in food photography has helped me book more clients
There are a whole load of mindset blocks that come up when talking about niching, most of them culminating in the fear that we’ll book less clients and make less money if we cut down the options of people to work with.
But there’s another way of looking at things! So let’s bust some myths as I reveal how finding my own niche in food photography has actually helped me book more clients, not less.
Worry number 1: if I pick a niche, I’ll miss out on loads of potential bookings
This definitely felt true to me when I started. Surely it would be better if I catered to all kinds of clients and kept my marketing and messaging pretty vague? That way I’d be suitable for any client and any job, making me the perfect choice time and time again. But the truth is, without a ‘determining factor’, you get lost. You become easily forgettable. In fact, the more I’ve niched down and gotten clear on the type of work I want to be doing, the easier it’s been for people to find me.
Look at the difference in these two ‘recommendations’ below, to demonstrate the power of having a niche.
“Ooh, you should get in touch with Samantha. She’s a food photographer.”
“Ooh, you should get in touch with Samantha. She’s a food photographer who creates really beautiful stories in her photos. Her whole ethos is around celebrating the joy of food and the way it brings people together. She shares such beautiful, honest content on her LinkedIn too about what it’s really like to build a business on your own. She’d be perfect for you!”
Same photographer, same portfolio, same skillset. Which one is going to resonate most with the client?
Embracing the idea of becoming known for one thing has been revolutionary for me, because the more memorable you can become, the more jobs you’ll book.
I also used to worry about not being the right fit for someone, but knowing who I do want to work with - and by default, knowing who I definitely DON’T want to work with - means I’ve ended up doing more of the jobs I actually enjoy. This is why I celebrate every time someone unsubscribes from my mailing list, because it means I’m being specific enough with my content to help them see I’m not the right fit. And this is great news for two reasons: 1) because they were never going to buy from me anyway, so I don’t need them skewing the data on my email software and 2) my content is obviously bang on the money when it comes to describing who I am and what I do.
Worry number 2: my clients aren’t just one type of person
This worry of mine had me stuck for a while. I’ve booked all kinds of jobs from all kinds of places, from commercial to editorial, brand to nutritionist. I struggled to see how niching down to one very specific type of client would work, because I was worried I’d be waving goodbye to people who are happy to book me. I wanted to be needed by lots of people.
Then I realised: niching doesn’t have to be about picking one non negotiable demographic for every single client. I don’t have to decide right now that I’ll only work with people between the age of 30 and 35 who have 2 kids and live in Surrey, and turn away anyone who doesn’t fit this demographic. Instead, my niche has evolved to be more about the way I work, and my unique approach to photography. It’s become more about creating story-led imagery, with predominantly natural light, beautifully deep shadows and neutral props to let the food do the talking. You can read more about finding my unique style here. Looking at it this way still allows different types of clients to find me, but the crucial difference being they’re all coming to me for the same thing: my own style.
There are other ways of niching too that aren’t related to my style of photography. This is more along the lines of the type of person I want to work with, such as honest, open communicators that are totally head over heels in love with food. Honing in on my point of difference, both with my work and the clients I choose to work with, has helped me find more clients to book because I actually know what I’m looking for now.
Worry number 3: if I niche now, my existing clients will leave
This is one of those pesky thoughts our brains think that is rooted in lack mentality. I’ve learnt that our brains do this a lot in an attempt to keep us safe (even though it’s often the last thing we need!) It’s the worry that there aren’t enough clients to go around, so I’d be crazy to let any of them go - even if they’re not the right fit and I don’t enjoy the work and they don’t pay me well and so on. Our brains like to tell us that ANY work is better than no work, which isn’t necessarily true.
What I’ve learnt instead, is that there are definitely enough clients to go around. New brands and businesses are popping up all the time in food and drink - it’s one of the busiest markets out there - and my unique approach and style is needed.
I get to call the shots in my business. If I wanted to establish a niche in the industry that no longer fits a client I’m currently working with, I get to make that decision. I also get to let go of any attempt to control what my client does in response, safe in the knowledge that if they no longer see themselves as one of my ideal clients, there will absolutely be another client who will willingly take their place. It’s also important to me that my clients find the right photographer for them, and sometimes that won’t be me. I had a call the other day with a client who was looking for bold colours and abstract ideas to help capture a range of drinks they were launching. It sounded fantastic, but I also knew it wasn’t the style I’m best at creating, so I happily recommended another photographer who could help them bring their vision to life. I know that if I stick with the work I love, the right people will come my way and who knows, they might be sent to me by another photographer who’s equally badass and proud of having a style that’s not for everyone.
Inevitably, my business will grow and evolve, as does everything else, literally everywhere. It’s okay if my niche changes over time and this results in my client list changing too.
It’s all about trusting that there are enough people out there that perfectly fit my niche. Because there are.
Think my style is perfect for your next photography project?
Book a call with me and let’s see how we can bring your vision to life.