Many successful photographers use the social media platform Instagram. Why? Because it’s the perfect platform to showcase your photography and get noticed by a wide audience. It’s a free marketing tool.
Designed for photography, Instagram is easy to work and used by over one billion people and businesses.
From top professionals like those featured in National Geographic through to complete newbies with their very first camera, Instagram helps photographers put their best foot forward.
It’s a way to build profiles, grow your network, and engage in a worldwide photography community. Not only that, but it’s also an excellent way to get noticed and help sell those spectacular sunsets, lovely landscapes, terrific travel shots, and fantastic foodie pics.
And the best thing is you don’t have to be a professional.
Whether it be pottering around the garden taking photos of bugs, shooting snaps of a weekend hike, or photographing your kitchen for stock, Instagram supports you.
No matter what style of photography you enjoy, Instagram can help you earn an income and get some pretty neat perks, like a lovely weekend away, fully comped by the hotel in exchange for a few Instagram posts. As photographers we will be taking photos anyway, so how great is that!
You’ll start to be noticed in your niche, landing you more work and helping you build your professional profile and portfolio. You’ll soon have a mini online resume filled with your images. Let me share some examples:
My niche is travel. I want to share vibrant images that make people dream of being on holiday. I try to make each image sum up a destination.
These photos, as you can see on my Instagram @thetravelbag.guru, were picked up and shared by International Living. That helps other photographers and interested buyers find me.
As a top magazine in their niche, a repost on their page meant my image exposure went from hundreds to thousands of people.
Not only that, but now when the editors think “Caribbean” they think of me, which has resulted in several new jobs. As a travel writer and photographer, that is gold.
Instagram is sending work my way while I’m meandering around town, having beach days with friends, and enjoying some me time. The platform does the heavy work for me.
It’s also brilliant at building your professional recognition within a niche. I love wine. So, I want publications within the wine niche to notice my photography too.
Food Wine Travel magazine is put out by the International Food Wine Travel Writers Association. The magazine’s Instagram account elevates my images by sharing them. Other magazines and publications take notice, building my profile and network and sending more work my way.
This can also have an international reach. Like this image picked up by Live in Italy magazine:
Now my image reaches a European market. No matter your photography niche, Instagram drives people to your page and helps sell your photography.
There’s also a magic “link in bio” opportunity on your profile—where you can link to your stock site profile, your website, a gallery, a fine art photography site, anything you want.
That means when someone enjoys your Instagram, they can easily find your portfolio and buy as many images as they like. It cuts out the competition and increases your sales—especially if you attract the attention of magazines with a huge need for images. When they like your style of photography, they can keep coming back for more.
Instagram is likely the most powerful social media tool for photographers, and it can start working for you today. It’s a tool worth having in your photographer’s toolbox.
