Moving around was never something I looked forward to or liked. As I grew older I began to learn not only some of the benefits of changing locations but also that in order to get to where you need to be, you sometimes have to be brave and your heart. I recently moved to the city of Toronto from my beautiful home in Jamaica and believe me, the transition has been an experience. Not only am I adjusting to a different climate and way of life but due to the geographic size of the country as well, there is so much to learn.
There are many landmark and historical locations I look forward to seeing and experiencing as well. In addition to these things, I’ve truly been excited to network and get my brand and name known in a totally new environment. This motivated me to share a few tips and tricks with you guys about relocating as a photographer or even moving your business to a different location. Whether it be to a different country or a different area within the same country, these tips can still be applied and be helpful to you. So let’s begin!
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My first tips to you would be, making an announcement. Given that you’ve already built a following or a fan base in the area you’ve been located in for an extended period of time, It is helpful to make these followers aware of your move. Not only is it courteous to your viewers but it also might be beneficial in other ways. Social Media platform have changed the game of photography a whole lot and has made it that much easier to communicate with viewers miles away from you or showcase your work. Making this announcement doesn’t only make the viewers around you aware but those who are based in where you might be moving aware as well.
Before my move to Toronto, I made sure to tell a few of my closet friends beforehand and then make a post on my social media platforms about this moved I’ve had planned. Not only did I get an outpour of kind words but people also gave me recommendations as to other creatives like myself that have proven to be of great help. Don’t be afraid to announce next move in good faith because you never know who’s out there and willing to lend a helping hand.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, social media platforms have made communication that much easier. I encourage you to do some research on some photographers or creatives who are from or reside in whichever location you’re planning to move to and develop a line of communication with them. Don’t be scared to reach out and ask questions because that how you learn a few tips about where you’re going.
For me, I made it my duty to research and follow a few photographers based in Toronto that caught my attention through their work. Upon following them and liking some of their shots that I found interesting, I decided to send a few direct messages on Instagram. Through these messages, I basically introduced myself and gave them just a quick rundown about where I’m coming from and how I would like to connect and learn what I can from them. I did this some months in advance before my trip just to give each some time to respond because I wasn’t sure as to how busy they were or how much they paid attention to direct messages.
As a result of me reaching out and connecting with some of these photographers, I was introduced to a community of others like myself and invited to sessions where I could take my own shots as much as I please and meet new talents.
I know this might not be your favorite part and it might feel like your starting from the ground up again but you’re not. To put a few things into perspective you must understand that you now have to reintroduce yourself to a class of new viewers and photographers. With this comes some sacrifice where you will have to do some free shoots for about a month or two.
This is for you to build some new content in that new location to share on social media platforms and make your presence be known. Once this is done you will notice a crowd of viewers from that location starting to take interest in your work. Therefore, I encourage you to try and shoot as much content as possible so you can create a consistent flow of posting on a daily basis or however you plan to post.
Everything is different in a new location and pricing is definitely one of those things. You can’t always work with the same pricing as you did before in a previous location for many reasons. The economy of this new county or area you’ve moved to might be a bit different from the last and as a result, you will have to adjust and conform as to what the general pricing is in that area. Once you’ve gained an understanding of how to price your work, you can now begin to create packages and promotions to draw even more attention to yourself and your business.
I won’t lie to you and tell you it’s going to be easy because it’s always scary to make that big step. However, if you have a dream and a plan, you should stick to it and push through. Relocating takes a lot of emotional energy from you and at some point, you will feel a sense of loneliness and like you’re lost but always remember that your passion is what matters.
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