How to have a good relationship with your agent
I know….I haven’t written in over two weeks. I don’t like to have such huge gaps of time in between posts, but I had a tiny disaster recently over a shoot and I’ve had to figure out how to work around it. Plus I signed with an Australian agent and have been busy sending her images from just about everything I’ve ever shot so she can edit down what she wants to put up on her site. AND we’ve been knee deep in post from the beauty shoot (sneak peek shown above!) that I wrote about in my last post! So my plate has been full and my attention has been on “damage control” over the small hiccup from a recent shoot. I will write a post soon on how to side step problems, because they do happen and it does come up from time to time. But not today. Today, I’m going to share my thoughts about agents. How to get a good one and then how to keep the good one.
Over the last 20 years of shooting professionally, I have had about 10 agents. Some were outstanding. Some weren’t great at all. The reason I have had so many agents is that I traveled a lot in my twenties and thirties, so I would get a new agent where I ended up basing myself. My first couple of agents were what we refer to as C list. Or B list. In other words, they weren’t A list. And that makes sense. When you’re starting out, you’re not going to land a really great agent. You don’t have enough experience under your belt for the most part and the really good agents won’t waste their time representing someone who can’t book good editorials and ad campaigns. Your book has to be strong and your resume, so to speak, has to have a couple of big clients on it before you can even approach these top agents. Of course, it’s a catch 22, isn’t it? You can’t really get the big ad campaigns without a good agent, but you can’t get a good agent until you’ve shot a few of them. So you start out with a smaller agent and work your way up.
When you look for an agent, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, you need to find an agent that has strength in the type of photography that you want to do. You don’t go with an agent that has a bunch of car shooters and is in really good with GMC if you’re a fashion shooter. If you’re a fashion photographer, you want to go with an agent who has a big rolodex of fashion clients and has other fashion photographers in the agency. Once you’ve found a couple of agents that you want to target here’s a list of what to do:
- Send the agent you’re interested in a short email. Keep it short. They are busy and don’t want to read your whole life history. Just introduce yourself, send them a link to your work and end the email by saying you’d be willing to meet them and show them your portfolio if they want to see more or meet you. That’s it. They know you’re writing them because you need an agent. You don’t have to over-explain it.
- If you’re lucky and they write back telling you they are interested, write them back and make some suggestions on when you can meet. Again, keep it short. They haven’t signed you on immediately. It’s still a matter of meeting up and seeing if the two of you are a “good fit”.
- If you don’t hear back from them right away (usually the case, especially when you’re starting out) either follow up with another short email or a phone call. Ask them if they have had a chance to look at your website and would they be interested in meeting. If you don’t hear back from them on the second email or they don’t return your phone call, move on. They’re not interested. And 9 times out of 10 they’re not going to tell you that. Just move on to the next rep that you’re interested in.
- Okay, so you get in the door and you’re meeting your prospective agent. This meeting is as much of you interviewing them as they are interviewing you. It’s not a one way street. Do you like them? Do you like their presence? Do you get a good overall feeling of them? Do they dress well, were they on time, did they cancel last minute? Do they seem distracted? Did they take their time looking through your book or were they on their cell phone the whole time while flipping through your book?
- It’s important that you like your agent as much as they like you. The photographer/rep relationship is truly like a marriage. You are trusting this person to represent you and your work, which if you’re like me, is my life and my livelihood. They bid on your jobs, they handle getting your money from the client into your hands, they handle damage control when shit goes down ( and it will, trust me). They are supposed to have your back at all times. You have to trust these people. Just as they have to trust you. If your agent gets you a big gig and you don’t show up or you blow the shoot somehow, it’s their reputation on the line as well. You can blow a client relationship that your rep may have nurtured for years over one bad shoot.
It’s great if you can have your first meeting in their office. A lot of times, though, they meet somewhere neutral. They don’t want you to feel “at home” just yet because they haven’t decided if they want to take you on or not. After they’ve signed you, then you get to go to their office and feel like part of the family. (sounds like the mob, huh?)
I signed with a new agent here in Los Angeles in November. Her name is Cindy Newman and I happen to really like her. Cindy owns D1 Agency and her roster of photographers is great. You want to be in an agency that has other good photographers. She also has years of experience behind her, so that was a plus for me. She returns emails and voice mails promptly. She listens to me and she handles most business related situations for me, therefore things are done professionally and diplomatically. I spoke at the beginning of this post about the little drama I encountered over a shoot. She got my side of the story and then went and fought for me. THAT’S what you want in an agent. A good agent will listen to you and hear your needs. They will take into account what direction you want to go in and then go after clients in that arena. They make suggestions based on what you want in your career and then execute plans to get you there. You take their feedback because they know what sells and they know how to get from Point A to Point B.
A good agent (like a good man) is hard to find. Just kidding! But the higher up you move in your career, the more likely you’ll land one. Someone wrote me recently and asked me if it was better to contact a potential agent or if they should contact you first. Of course, it’s always better when they contact you first. But that doesn’t mean not to go out and try to contact the good ones yourself. A lot of times they don’t know you exist. You have to put the word out there.
I will end by saying this: Because your agent is such an important part of your business, you must keep the two separated. Business and personal. I have made the mistake in the past of getting too personal with my agent and they quickly became a “buddy”. It’s good to like your agent, but don’t get too personal. By this I mean don’t to do much “hanging out” and party-hopping with them. Don’t divulge too much personal crap on them. Don’t use them like a door mat. I have friends I can go to and confide in them my petty little day to day bullshit. I don’t go to my agent and complain about how my water bill was ridiculously high or how my gardener doesn’t do a great job unless I’m standing over him. She doesn’t want to hear it, she doesn’t care, it’s not about our business relationship and it wastes her time. Plus it just crosses over into the “buddy” category and it confuses things.
If you guys have any other input on the relationship between your agent and yourself, please let everyone know. And now….I’m back to pre-production on a shoot I’m doing on Thursday. And if you read my last post, you’ll see the amount of work that goes into it!!
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Well, the long awaited post was certainly well worth the wait! Excellent and amazing practical advice… that’s what I love about all your posts! And the photo – breathtaking! Thanks and I’ll be staying tuned for the next post
Very timely and informative article. I am new to the photography fashion world (not new to photography) so I found this and all of your posts very helpful. Thanks!
Melissa, I can’t thank you enough for this blog! I really have learned so much from you. Miami misses you….a LOT!
It was well worth the wait. I can tell you that much.
I really love your insight and read all your posts religiously.
Keep it up.
Thanks
Hi Melissa,
!
That was an awesome article! I love your blogs and thanks for requesting that I joined
I am starting out and can you recommend of where I should begin my search for an agent? Do they have a list or some kind of 411 of agency contacts? Any guidance would be much helpful. Thank you!
Your posts are always very helpful. Thanks!
I Love The Photo!!
Thanks Melissa.
It is very kind of you to share the ins and outs of the industry that many others are comprehensive or unwilling to share. I know I am not alone in expressing my appreciation.
Nicky Watts
wow Melissa seems like you always write about what’s going on with me. Seems like lately i am had alot of wanna be or even D list agents who was to handle my booking for music artist and a few few newbie clothing lines. Your article realy hit home. because alot of the times seems like they are more interested in making themselves look more important than my business end. a really slippery slope. so you know i’ll be emailing you for advice. take care.
wow, thank you so much for taking the time in such a busy period to share with us so pertinent infos!
Would it be possible for you to recommend a place to find a list of given agents in a city or area?
Wow, I just stumbled on your blog yesterday, have been exploring it and am truly impressed. The videos are just great. I hope you make it up to the NW some time.
This was an extremely helpful post. It was worth my time reading. Thank you very much.
Jeffrey
I got a question, when just starting out, when do you start looking for an agent?
Great post, love your blog.
Just to jump in and answer a few of the questions: Mike C. You start looking for an agent when you are shooting so much that you don’t have the time to market yourself as thoroughly as you want…or should. And for some resources: Try The Workbook or other resource books like this:
http://www.workbook.com/photography/representatives#page=1
Also, when you are looking at a photographer’s site that you like, start checking out their contact page and see if they’re represented and click on the reps’ link. Also, the PDN might have a printable resource guide for reps. It takes a little digging but they’re out there.
Melissa, what a great post again! Oh, I know that damage control is, at a moment I’m in that process myself
I wish in Slovenia where I’m from would have agents. Any kind. But we sure don’t have agents for photographers PERIOD. Everything you do yourself, and sometimes a photographer wants just to do what he does best: plan a shot and make that a shot. You know what I mean …
Just curious, how long were you shooting before you found your first rep? I am having a hell of time finding commercial fashion jobs in San Francisco. (must move to LA)
Hi Melissa,
Wow, thank you so much for the agent links!
You are the most kind, if I ever get my first tearsheet, I’m taking you out to dinner!
I’ll start small.
Cheers,
Orada
thanks for this great post!
and wow I love the photo…can’t wait to see more of this beauty shot!!!
Hehe great article – I like your writing style on this one, it’s more aggressive and honest, straight from the heart than your previous posts, and of course it’s hugely informative as always.
Representation is something I’ve been trying to figure out for a while now and it’s good to know the dos and don’ts when it comes to finding it.
Cheers Melissa and I wish you good shooting on Thursday!
wow i am 13 and have always wanted to be a fashion photographer. I am really keen to do photography as my profession. I have always had a creative eye but can not draw so i chose to turn to photography. When i was told about your posts and your site i was really excited to hopefully get some good advise about how i could hopefully one day be a top fashion photographer. Your photos are really lovely and i am using them as inspirations for when i am older. thank you so much and could you please send me some advise or help on how i could become a great photographer like you. xx
Melissa – I just want to thank you for the outstanding articles that you have posted for us. These articles have helped me greatly as a makeup artist and a photographer. I admire your work and aspire to be as great as you one day soon!!
This article really hits home because I am in the beginning stages of searching for an agent as a makeup artist and I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.
Since I don’t have an agent, I would like to contact clients on my own but I’m not sure about the protocal. Do you have some advice on contacting potential clients for work?
Thank you and Have a Blessed Day!
Christina
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for this great article. I’m just starting out to be a fashion photographer for a couple of months now and haven’t got a paid gig yet. But I’ll keep the tips in mind someday when I need to look for an agent. Fabulous writing as always.
Best,
Larry
thank you
Excellent blog and really great website. I am linking to you.
Fantastic blog… perhaps a good idear of subject would be how find new agent ^^
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Great advice and I love that beauty shot
can’t wait for the day that I am good enough for an agent!
This was great information. Thanks for doing it.
Thanks Melissa!!!! Great information and advice!!!!!
I love the lighting and the color tinting on the main image.
I just found this website and booked marked it and will be looking and reading more. Loots of cool stuff here.
I am always amazed by this blog. Being an aspiring female fashion photographer myself, this has helped and inspired me so much. THANK YOU!!
you guys really offer some amazing tips on this blog.. never ceases to amaze me..
I love this page. It is a great help. God bless you!
Thank you so much for this article Melissa! It really opened by eyes to the possibility of representation.
I have an important question though, regarding finding an agent:
I am based in Europe, and the workbook (http://www.workbook.com/photography/representatives#page=1) seems to be for the USA market only.
So I was wondering…
- Do you know if there is an equivalent in Europe?
- Does it matter where the agent and photographer are based? (I believe that you are in the US, but I understood from the ‘portfolio’ video you posted that your new agent is Australian)
Thank you in advance for your feedback!!
This photo is great
she’s beautiful
THANK YOU so much. i eat, (sometimes)sleep, and breath fashion photography… but what i have in passion and talent i lack in buisness skills.. im loosing my mind.. this post gives me something to look forward too