Guest post by Anny Solway
Freelance photographers frequently have to compromise. After all, they might really love doing one sort of work, but find that it is a very different type of photography that pays the bills.
This is unfortunate because it can often prevent them from doing the stuff they really enjoy, or it could make it hard for them to promote this “other” sort of work. After all, it is tough to show your photojournalism of urban life if you are keeping a roof over your head doing gorgeous wedding photography…right?
So, what’s the answer?
A website that spotlights this unique facet of your work. Of course, it cannot be just any sort of website, but one that is a true asset to the work it is displaying. That is the time to turn to the many WordPress themes available.
#1. Why WordPress?
Though almost everyone on the planet has heard of WordPress (not really that surprising when you learnt that it powers around 17% of the web), not many yet realize that it is more than a great blogging tool.
Today there are websites of all sizes built on the WordPress platform, using the beautiful themes, and relying on the flexible nature of the different tools to promote everything from pet cats to major industries.
So, why shouldn’t a freelance photographer benefit from the availability of these amazing resources as well?
#2. Capitalize on the Digital Value
With most traditional camera film going the way of the famous Dodo bird, it is not all that surprising that fewer and fewer photographers tote around actual portfolios. Why lug a hefty binder of prints from client to client or gallery to gallery when there is the Internet?
Instead, you can pop open your high quality laptop, navigate to your website, and wow them with high resolution images that they can instantly appreciate. The WordPress themes make it amazingly easy to manage media, and WordPress even has photo editing features.
#3. SEO — When Google’s Happy, Everybody’s Happy
Let’s not forget that Google has pointed to WordPress as the perfect choice for SEO, or search engine optimization, too.
This means that a freelance photographer won’t have to struggle with keywords, promotional tactics, or all of the other technical issues if they want to grab the right audience. They need only commit themselves to keeping their site updated, using the right plugins and widgets, and keeping tabs on their traffic — and with WordPress the tools are all available.
So, freelancers need no longer worry about finding a way to do the sort of photography they love. They can begin using a WordPress website to emphasize their “bread and butter” work and also to promote the “other” stuff with just as much effectiveness and appeal.
New to WordPress? Visit my other site — WordPress Building Blocks. It’s full of WordPress info and tutorials for non-technical folks.
Anny Solway is a dedicated writer at ThemeFuse – a leader in the Premium WordPress Themes area. She likes to discover new ideas about internet marketing, social media and blogging.
Hi Anny! Besides submitting photos to ShutterStock or any of the stock photo sites, how does a photographer actually go about monetizing their photos through their website? I understand freelancing and local gigs, but I mean by having a totally online income stream based on ones own photos?
Thanks!
-Rich
Hello Rich,
There are a lot of ways that a photographer can use in order to monetize their work. It can be also related to the photographer services that he/she can offer. For example one can become a brand ambassador or host branded giveaways to increase the exposure and have more potential clients. They can also open a shop on their website, where they can sell the photos directly to their visitors.
Hi guys,
If you are going the WordPress way, I’m developing a FREE themes repository for photographers.
http://ZenPhotoThemes.net
This is my “put a dent in the world” project. Will striving to create better and better minimal themes for photography.
Check it out and let me know what you think. Am interested in what functionalities you are looking for.
I’m working on a “second generation” which will release this December with better features. Like using Bootstrap 3.2 for responsiveness, sticky menu with sub navigation, smooth page transitions with AJAX, CSS3 animations and more..
Thank you,
Dragos