Instagram is the world’s number one photo sharing site, with over 100 million photos per day. Because over 60% of adults online have an account, it also represents a major opportunity for both individuals and businesses to tap into a captive, engaged audience. A new generation of online entrepreneurs are turning their passion into profit. This is part of a new trend in the UK, where a fifth of workers are considering a ‘side hustle’ to provide extra income. We talked to a group of influencers and photographers about how they were able to launch their careers with the help of readily available tools like Instagram and modern smartphones.
Getting involved in the Instagram community
Brands value engagement with potential and existing customers, and this is true for entrepreneurial self-starters. Joining Instagram after its launch, advertising man turned low light photographer Bal Bhatla quickly got involved. He boosted engagement on his posts by contacting like-minded Instagrammers and engaging with their posts. In turn, his efforts won him more engagement, more followers and more exposure. He also found that his night-time London posts were best received. “Those insights kept me going and made me decide to focus on London as my genre,” he says. “Sharing my experiences as a Londoner proved to be the right kind of content.”
Professional photography is in reach of everybody
We live in a visual age. Whether it’s for products or for promotion, it’s never been more important to use imagery to establish your brand. The beauty of today’s smartphones is that they have developed to a state where they can take near-professional photography at relatively low cost and without the need for intensive training.
In New phone, who dis? broadcasters Marcus Bronzey and Dev Griffin were able to put together a portfolio of shots using just an affordable flagship phone. As Dev admitted: “It’s really important for your online profile, and modern phones mean that you don’t need a lot of equipment or the hire of a professional photographer.”
Smartphones now come equipped with fully manual features
Self-taught music photographer Vicky Grout got her big break snapping portraits of Grime MCs at their gigs. She says that a lot of this came from finding her own style. While most modern smartphones come with the kind of AI that can capture great photographs on automatic, Pro Mode settings give you all the functionality of traditional SLR cameras.
By experimenting with ISO, shutter speed or aperture, Vicky was able to find a style that’s very much her own. Having a distinct look and feel is a vital brand differentiator. She advises: “Get to a stage where you’re shooting fully manually. You don’t have to right at the beginning, but that should be the aim.”
The power of perseverance
Establishing a successful online presence requires serious persistence. Not only will consistent visibility receive more engagement, but subscribers or followers expect regular content. Simply by being visible both online and at live shows, Vicky Grout grew from a “fan with a camera” (in her words) to a permanent fixture in the world of Grime music. When another photographer was unavailable for a shoot, Vicky’s name was suggested. The growing Instagram following of amateur photographer Neil Andrews led directly to paid work and a feature slot on tutorial series O2 Sessions.
But there’s no one size fits all solution. “The difference between success and failure is finding your own style and sticking at it” says Bal Bhatla. “You’re on your own personal journey that you have to pursue. It’s a long journey and there are no short cuts.”
For more information go to: https://www.o2.co.uk/inspiration/o2-sessions/huawei-p30-pro-new-phone.
