A key aspect to running a successful freelance photography business is to understand where your client is coming from - mentally. In short, you want to understand how your client perceives your business. This includes how s/he decides on whether or not to spend money on your products. Understanding the client's personality and their needs will also help you interact better with the client.
Jenika - no last name - is the author behind the blog titled Psychology for Photographers (and Other Creative Professionals). She graduated "magna cum laude" from Yale University with a degree in Psychology, emphasis in behavioral neuroscience. Jenika continued on with her education and earned her M.A. in clinical psychology. Jenika writes her blog based on the belief that the subject of psychology should be accessible to all and to also be useful to all, particularly those running a photography business.
Topics on her blog range from "How to Craft the Perfect Tagline for your Business", "Mental Health Maintenance for Business Owners", "The Easy Way to Write About Yourself (Without Feeling Like a Jerk)" and "5 Ways to Gracefully Rein in a Client Who Won't Stop Talking"... just to name a few. As you can tell by the subject lines of the topics she covers, Jenika gets right to the point. Her blog posts are open and honest regarding what a freelance photographer will experience in the field. In the last two years, Psychology for Photographers has been awarded "The Modern Tog: Top 10 Blogs for Photographers" in 2012 and 2013!
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| Jenika, from Love Gallery, ND. |
The key thing to note about Jenika is that she's not just "book smart" and not just another expert in the field of psychology. She also runs her own portrait photography business called, Jenika's Lens. The sub-genres that she focuses on are portraits of families, newborns, maternity and couples. Jenika's overall goal with her photography is to, "change how people feel about themselves, even if just for a moment" (web).
Given Jenika's background in both psychology and photography, she's an excellent resource for freelancers to check out!
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01. Jenika. "Jenika's Lens | Baltimore Area Luxury Portrait Photographer - Home." Jenika's Lens | Baltimore Area Luxury Portrait Photographer - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.
02. Jenika. "Understand People, Be a More Successful Creative Entrepreneur." Psychology for Photographers and Other Creative Professionals. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.