The year 2019 offered a variety of free resources designed to assist photographers in refining their skills, expanding their portfolios, and managing their businesses. These resources ranged from educational guides and digital assets to strategic advice for networking and client acquisition. Based on the available documentation, the following overview details the specific freebies and promotional offers accessible to photographers during that period, along with eligibility requirements and access methods.
Educational Guides and Professional Collectives
A significant portion of the available freebies focused on educational content derived from professional photographers. These resources were designed to provide insights into specific genres and technical skills without requiring financial investment.
Landscape Photography Insights One prominent resource was "The Best Landscape Photographers Collective." This collection provided interviews and advice from acclaimed professionals such as Eirik Johnson, Alexandre Buisse, Andrew Querner, and Iain Sarjeant. The content covered techniques for capturing awe-inspiring images, including advice on finding beauty in common places, capturing "brooding" landscapes, and utilizing nature’s elements to advantage. Specifically, Andrew Querner offered tips on using nature's elements, while Bussie shared methods for capturing the exhilaration of high-speed adventures. This resource aimed to help photographers elevate their landscape work by incorporating professional methods.
Portrait Photography Techniques For portrait photographers, several freebies addressed the nuances of posing and client interaction. "The Portrait Guide to Posing Women’s Hands" offered specific tips on hand positioning, which is crucial for nonverbal communication in portraits. Additionally, "The Professional Portrait Photographers Collective" featured interviews with ten professionals, including Brian Higbee, Anna Wolf, Erik Heck, and Jaime Diamond. This collective covered a range of topics: * Brian Higbee provided guidance on capturing creative, eye-catching images. * Anna Wolf shared tips on dealing with clients. * Erik Heck offered insights into art history relevant to photography. * Jaime Diamond provided practical tips for capturing portraits.
Night and Street Photography To address challenging lighting conditions, "Alister Benn’s Introduction To Night Photography Ideas" offered tips for nightlife photography. For capturing fleeting moments, "Street Photography Presets" were available to ensure photographers were ready for "blink of an eye" opportunities.
Specialized Photography The available data also mentioned a "Free Ebook on Wildflowers Photography," targeting outdoor photography enthusiasts.
Digital Assets and Content Tools
In addition to educational guides, there were resources aimed at content creation and workflow management.
Instagram Story Ideas A specific freebie titled "Fall Freebie - 28 Daily Story Ideas For All Photographers by Capturedbyzak" was available as a PDF. This document provided 28 suggestions for Instagram stories to maintain high audience engagement. Ideas included sharing favorite photos, posting behind-the-scenes shots, and utilizing interactive polls. The goal was to help photographers maintain story views and engagement without needing to purchase a product.
Client Style Guides For family and senior photographers, a "Style Guide Sampler" was offered. This resource allowed photographers to download a sneak peek of client style guides, which are used to achieve higher-end galleries and better in-person sales (IPS). Access to this sampler was part of a broader set of resources for senior and family photographers.
Business Growth and Marketing Strategies
Several resources focused on the business side of photography, offering strategies for booking clients and increasing revenue.
Revenue and Booking Strategies A resource titled "3 Secrets to $2K+ Senior Sessions" was available, detailing how a photographer transitioned from an average sale of $300 to $1500+ for senior sessions. The content focused on high-end booking strategies without burnout, targeting photographers in small towns or those looking to scale their business.
Trade Show and Expo Strategies Advice for networking and lead generation was provided in the context of trade shows and expos. The documentation outlined specific steps for handling interactions at such events: * Engaging Models: It was recommended to find models or influencers in the area who required minimal direction. This allowed the photographer to focus on the technical aspects of shooting rather than coaching. * Networking: Collaborations and meet-ups with other photographers were encouraged to expand industry knowledge. * Handling Disinterest: When approaching potential clients, photographers were advised that rejection is a normal part of the process ("It's just part of the gig") and to move on quickly to the next person. * Identifying Interest: For interested individuals, the advice was to take notes on their information and keep it separate from general sign-ups to ensure follow-up. * Post-Event Logistics: The documentation emphasized following specific breakdown instructions provided by event organizers. A critical tip was to save the email list collected during the event, described as the "golden ticket" for future business.
Online Presence While not a downloadable freebie, the documentation emphasized the importance of a "well-designed website or portfolio" and a "compelling" Instagram feed as essential tools for booking clients in 2019.
Access and Eligibility
Based on the source material, access to these freebies generally required visiting specific educational or promotional landing pages. For example, the "Free Ebook on Wildflowers Photography" and "Street Photography Presets" were listed among the top freebies, implying they were available for download.
For business resources like the "Style Guide Sampler" and "3 Secrets to $2K+ Senior Sessions," the documentation indicates they were "Real tools I’ve used to grow my six-figure business—now yours to download and use." These were targeted specifically at "senior and family photographers."
The "Fall Freebie - 28 Daily Story Ideas" was explicitly a PDF document available for download.
Regarding eligibility, most educational freebies appeared to be available to general photographers without strict geographic restrictions, though specific trade show advice mentioned "NYC photographers," suggesting some content was regionally relevant. No specific purchase requirements were mentioned for the educational PDFs and interview collectives.
Conclusion
In 2019, photographers had access to a diverse array of free resources focused on education, content creation, and business growth. Key offerings included specialized guides for landscape, portrait, and night photography from industry professionals, as well as practical tools like Instagram story prompts and client style guide samplers. Additionally, strategic advice for trade show participation emphasized the importance of networking, efficient client interaction, and diligent follow-up to maximize business opportunities. These resources were primarily accessed through direct downloads from educational platforms and promotional landing pages.