Many creatives haven’t necessarily been trained formally in business. What are some common mistakes people make with managing their money?

5 min read

One mistake that is commonly made is not seeking financial help or advice from a professional. We recommend that businesses either work with an external accountant monthly or hire a CFO or Head of Finance internally.

The language of business is accounting and unless you are well versed in it—you are dabbling! Some owners will have copious numbers of reports and yet they have no idea how to read, interpret, or understand them.

Leaders generally have enough to do between generating new work, designing, and ensuring your existing projects are on track—the business needs to put an expert in charge of this area. By outsourcing the accounting function to a specialist service partner, the business can focus its attention on other key areas that directly impact its profitability. This will free up the directors to lead with confidence in a competitive market, with the knowledge that the finances are in safe hands.

Another mistake that businesses often make is not implementing a cash forecasting system. Cash can be your single most important asset - it’s the lifeblood of your business. You need a cash system that allows you to forecast, as accurately as possible, your cash in and cash out. This may start as a monthly forecast, but depending on your needs, it could turn into a weekly or even daily system.

Starting with historical numbers, you can build out your first cash forecast using either a cash management system or simply MS Excel. The first time you create your forecast, everything is based on historical numbers and future assumptions. Each month that passes is going to tell you something about the accuracy of those assumptions and give you the opportunity to assess and revise.

Ask yourself the following:

• What was inaccurate about your assumptions?

• Was this a “one-time thing”?

• How can you refine your forecast based on the actuals that just happened?

A cash flow forecast, coupled with your P&L, gives you an accurate picture of the financial position of your business and where it is heading. Most importantly, it gives you the knowledge to make more informed strategic decisions. If you don’t have the capability or capacity to create cash flow forecasts, work with an experienced accountant to create them for you.

What is the difference between cash flow and profit, and why should it matter?

Firstly, profit and cash are different. Profit is the business’s earnings (revenue) minus the expenses (which are the costs that the business incurs to generate the revenue). Profit is simply put ‘a theory’ – because you can’t spend it.

Each business transaction will affect the profit and cash in different ways – and at different times. For example, paying salaries and wages, paying tax, purchasing computers and equipment, waiting on debtors to make a payment, or the creditors that have not been paid yet – all of these situations affect the profit and cash position differently.

Most of the time, the effect on the cash position can be delayed and occur after the change in your profit position. For example, say your fees for June were $500K – in by mid-July you are unlikely to have received any of the $500K that’s reported in your profit and loss statement. On the flip side – those salaries and wages incurred to produce the $500K worth of fees – say that equates to $250K incl on-costs – would have already been paid by now – and have reduced your bank account accordingly.

So, which one is more important? Profit or cash? The answer is more complicated—and the two are interrelated. As your business develops, the more you will probably need to invest in systems, equipment, additional people, and premises—all of which require cash. In most cases, you are investing this cash before you earn any additional profit, so to make more profit or grow your business, you will require more cash. Of course, you can also borrow it or receive it from shareholders or investors, but the point is, to understand how cash and profit impact each other.

In saying this, the age-old saying “cash is king” usually prevails. There have been plenty of profitable businesses that were forced to close because they ran out of cash. Having a loss on your Profit & Loss statement (P&L) does not mean you’ll go out of business, running out of cash is much harder to recover from.

Looking at just one of these metrics (profit and cash) doesn’t tell you the whole story. Just because you had a profitable month doesn’t mean you had a positive cash flow month. Similarly, just because you have cash in the bank doesn’t mean your business is performing well. That’s why cash flow and a P&L must be looked at together.

As a small business, sometimes it's hard to know when to enlist professional help and when to save money and do it yourself. At what point do you think it’s important to seek professional advice?

Most creative professionals start with a passion for design and execution. Their education and experience have prepared them for this, and it is what they excel at. However, creative people often do not have the education and experience to understand financial information and how it affects their business. Simply reporting finances is not enough, how can you use this information to make you more impactful and effective.

It’s important to what know your strengths are and which areas you can receive assistance from other experts, i.e. people who can not only prepare your numbers and reporting but interpret the financials for you and help you to make impactful decisions for your business.

Given this, seeking advice is necessary and important for your business from the beginning of your business. If you are a director or business leader, having a solid understanding of the current business finances and position will give you peace of mind, and the confidence to focus on the aspects of your work they are best at.

What are some steps you can take to manage your cashflow?

1. Hire an expert

By outsourcing the accounting function to a specialist service partner, the business can focus its attention on other key areas that directly impact its profitability. This will free up the directors to lead with confidence in a competitive market, with the knowledge that the finances are in safe hands.

2. Know your numbers

The language of business is accounting. How do you know where you need to go if you don’t know where you are?

3. Set your KPIs

Are you measuring your day-to-day activities? Have you set targets that align with your strategic plan? Analyse your data and select relevant metrics to help you define business success. For example, do you know your debtors days? This KPI has a direct impact on your cashflow and should be measured monthly. Do you know your % of technical salaries to fees? This is another valuable measure to use to keep your business in check.

4. Measure, measure, measure

Management guru Peter Drucker is often quoted as saying that “you can’t manage what you can’t measure.” What gets measured is what gets done. If you are not measuring it you are not managing your business effectively.

5. Compare/benchmark

You need to compare to how you are tracking year in year out as well as comparing your results with those of appropriate peers — that is, firms that are similar in size and business model to your own.

6. Take the right action — create change

Of course, knowledge without action won’t benefit your business. You’ve got to use the information you gather to make smart strategic moves that will enhance your success.

How to build a strong brand on social media

Following on from my previous post about what creatives need to know about the new Instagram algorithm, this one is all about how to build a better brand on social media beyond just Instagram.

Social media is huge these days. According to the 2017 Sensis Social Media Report, more than 59 per cent of Australians use social networking sites at least once a day and 94 per cent have used Facebook in the last year. In short, you can reach an incredible number of people on social.

But hey, we’re all busy, amiright? To make sure you’re spending your time in the best way possible, here are eight steps to build a strong brand on social media and stand out as a creative — without going crazy in the process.

Step 1: Know your goals.

I’m talking business goals. What are you actually trying to achieve by using social media? You need to know why you are even on social media in the first place and clearly understand why it's a good use of your time. Your social media goals and objectives should be in line with your business goals.

For example, if one of your business goals is to increase revenue by 20 per cent this financial year and you make some sales from Facebook, a social media objective could be to increase traffic from Facebook by 30 per cent. Note that this doesn’t have to be purely revenue related: you could instead be aiming to get more people on your email list, to attract more client enquiries or lots of other things.

Step 2: Know your customer deeply.

‘Everyone’ is not a target market. You need to get hyper-specific about who your audience is and why they're buying from you. What are their motivations, fears and pain points? What do they love doing day to day? How does your brand fit into that? Focus on who you're talking to, what you want to say and what success looks like.

Step 3: Consider your content.

Photo by Clarisse Meyer

Get clear about the type of content you're going to deliver on social media for your audience. Remember: it's about them, not you. Be generous, add value and build trust.

Generally, content will fall into one of four buckets: education, entertainment, information, or inspiration. Understand what content your audience likes and focus on that. For example, for CWC, this would be to educate, inform and inspire — and less so to entertain.

Step 3: Focus on two to three platforms, max.

Once you understand who your target customer is, take the time to figure out the two to three platforms where they hang out online and focus your energy there. It’s much better to be  present and consistent on two platforms than to spread bits of your brand all over the Internet with no love. Meaning: just because someone else killed it on Snapchat doesn't mean it's right for you.

When choosing which platforms to focus on, also consider where your content fits best, and how much time you can realistically commit. For example, shooting and editing video for YouTube will require more time than a quick video on Instagram Stories.

And here's a pro tip: if you’re already using social media, check your Google Analytics to see which platforms bring the most traffic to your website, then focus on the top two.

Step 4: Batch, schedule and automate.

One of the keys to growing a strong brand on social media is consistently showing up. This means contributing regularly and being active. It’s far more time-efficient to block out a couple of hours on a Sunday night (or whenever suits) to schedule content for a month, than to do a little bit every day.

Great scheduling tools for Instagram include Planoly and Later. For Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, try Hootsuite or Buffer. If Pinterest is where your people are, check out Tailwind.

Just make sure you’re still answering messages, responding to comments and contributing to your community. Remember, social media is a two-way street.

Step 5: Include calls to action.

A ‘call to action’, or CTA, is when you tell your audience to do something. We humans are lazy and need to be told what to do most of the time. Some examples might be to follow you, to share a post or to visit your website.

One useful CTA might be to join your mailing list. Remember, you don’t own your social media account; it can be switched off tomorrow (which has happened to brands before). To combat this, your aim should always be to get followers to your website and better yet, onto your email list. That way, you own that relationship and contact information, not Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube.

Step 6: Make your brand cohesive.

Your brand, your profiles and the content you're putting out there should all be consistent, above and beyond your social media accounts. This is another time when focusing on just two platforms makes life a lot easier. Whether it's your website, your email newsletter or your Instagram profile, your brand aesthetic should be cohesive, consistent and recognisable.

Step 7: Be authentic.

It might sound obvious, but social media is designed to be social. Talking to your audience should feel like any good friendship or relationship: comfortable, relaxed and genuine. You should be able to laugh and tell stories and contribute to conversations. Be yourself and be true to your brand.

Step 8: Check your data.

The final step is to check your data at least once a month to see what’s working and what’s isn't — and make changes accordingly. Google Analytics offers a truckload of information to help you see what’s bringing in website traffic and making you sales.

On top of this, each platform has its own analytics tool that can provide great info about your audience, which posts are performing best, and what day and time you should be posting.

Schedule it in your calendar to dive in once a month and get familiar with reading your data.

Sadly, there’s no winning formula to growing your brand on social media, but following these steps will position you as well as possible. The most important thing is to not get overwhelmed, and stay focused. You can do it!

Courtney Goes is a Melbourne-based digital marketing and brand consultant with experience across a range of industries in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Since leaving the corporate world in 2016, she’s been on a mission to help women make smarter marketing decisions to elevate their businesses and personal brands through simple, effective strategies. Working mostly with creatives, freelancers, and female-owned startups and small businesses, she provides clarity, structure and accountability to get real, tangible results. She has also launched Marketing Emporium, a resource hub designed to provide simple and straightforward marketing advice. Contact her at courtneygoes.com.

Opening image by Jaelynn Castillo.

Tips for DIY photography

As photographer Chase Jarvis once said, ‘The best camera is the one you have with you.’ You don’t need a fancy camera and lens to get great photos. If you don’t have the budget for a professional photographer, a few tips will have you on the way to snapping good photos with your trusty cameraphone.

Lighting

The key to any photo is the light. You don’t need elaborate lighting setups; a simple window will do. Set your subject up next to a window and have a play around with the positioning to see how the light changes. Try holding up some white cardboard opposite the window to fill in any shadows and see how that changes the image.

Make sure you don’t have any other lights on in the room, as this can mess up the colour of your image and create unwanted shadows.

If you are shooting a portrait, try going outside at different times of day. For example, at dusk the light is soft and the colour can be lovely.

Angles

Whether you are shooting a portrait or a product, think about the angles you are photographing from. Try a few variations—above, below, from the side—and see what looks best for your subject. Keep an eye on how the light changes with each different angle.

Backgrounds

You want your subject to be the main focus of your image. A distracting or messy background will confuse the viewer and take away from your subject, Your background should complement the subject, and also be appropriate for where and how the image will be used. If you are shooting products for a website, do you want a plain white background? Can you play around with some coloured backgrounds? Plain cardboard can make an excellent seamless background for product shots. It is cheap, easy to find and can be stuck to a wall. 

Have a think about what you want to portray in the photo and then choose a background to support your vision. If you are photographing a portrait, what kind of portrait is it? Do you want to show the environment the person works in or is it a headshot that would be best with a plain background?

This simple setup was created with masking tape, butcher's paper and a piece of white card to fill in some shadows. Notice how the paper is taped slightly away from the wall to create a nice curve; this gives you a seamless backdrop. The white card is placed opposite the window to soften the shadow.

My husband loves nano-blocks! This image was captured on my iphone with the setup shown at left: nice and simple.

Do some research

Youtube is a treasure-trove of tutorials, and sites like Adorama.com and CreativeLive.com also have hundreds of how-to videos. If you are likely to be doing a lot of photography for your business, consider taking a workshop with a professional. This will get you well on your way to capturing great images for your business on a budget.

Most importantly, have fun!

Amanda Shackleton is a Melbourne-based emerging photographer with a focus on documentary-style imagery. She is currently exploring the relationship between people and their smartphones. To learn more about Amanda, visit her website or Facebook page, or follow her on Instagram (@amandashackletonphotography/).

Photography by Amanda Shackleton

Tips for applying for a residency

So you have found one or even a few residencies that you would like to apply for. Now you have to stand out from the crowd. You need a way to make your application prominent — which has nothing to do with how pretty the font is. Here are some ideas that might help.

1. Research artists who have previously been to that residency.
Look at as many as you can. What is similar about these artists? Do they all create new, very unique work? Do they focus on conceptual ideas? Is the work large or small? Do they focus on technique?

Why do this? Because you want to present work that is in keeping with or is a good fit for this residency. By that I don’t mean that you should change what you do, but you want to carefully select images of your work that relate to the residency. Since you were attracted to a specific residency, it probably already suits what you do. But be strategic about the images you include in your application.

Ceramic work by Sally Walk

2. Have professional photos taken.
I can’t stress this enough. If you are not able to take them yourself, get a photographer to help. If your work is two-dimensional, make sure the images are square and no frames are in the image. Take the photographs in natural light for the best effect. If your work is three-dimensional, use a plain neutral background and make sure the work is well lit. You'll also want a good headshot with your work in the background, and an image of you at work. Some residencies, especially in Asia, do require a headshot. If the added expense is an issue, get creative. For example, I swapped an artwork for a photo shoot and we were both happy. Now I have learnt how to take great photos and can do it myself. Aim to have 5 to 10 great images.

3. Write an artist statement.
Many of us (myself included) hate writing these, but they are usually required for residency applications. An artist statement is basically just a general introduction to your work: a couple paragraphs about your work's basic concept and how those concepts are presented in the artwork. Be genuine and don’t use too much over-the-top art talk. (You all know what I mean.) Look up the statements of some of your favourite artists to get ideas for how you might approach your own.

4. Write a proposal.
Almost all residency applications want to know what you plan to do. This is where you can stand out. Be sure to check if there is a theme or idea that you are required to address. These are usually very broad and can easily be adapted to any artwork you create.

Your proposal should be realistic about what you can achieve in the time you have. You are not expected to work 24/7. Stick with what you know, as materials and equipment can be quite different in a foreign country. Always factor in time for exploration and design. Experience has taught me to allow the place I am in to influence my creative process, so my work at each residency has changed and evolved over time. This has been such a valuable way to avoid stagnating as an artist.

Be specific in your proposal. Instead of saying 'I want to create a new body of work', say 'I want to create three large sculptures (approx. 50 cm each) and a range of smaller sculptures inspired by the textural qualities of French architecture.' This is vague enough to allow you to create anything, but specific enough to give you focus.

Packing the kiln with artists from India, China and the United States

5. Check your application for consistency.
For example, your images should relate to your artist statement and your proposal.

6. Include a resume.
Your resume should be concise and clearly organised, with subheadings like:

Personal details (including website and social media links)
Education
Group exhibitions
Solo exhibitions
Juried exhibitions
Publications
Awards
Professional Activity
Collections

7. Clarify any questions.
If you are not sure about anything on the application, email the residency and ask questions.

8. Proofread.
Proofread, proofread and then proofread again. Then get someone else to proofread your application.

Sally Walk is a ceramic artist. She holds a Bachelor of Art (Ceramic Design) and a Post Grad Diploma of Education. She has been working in clay for more than thirty years and creates sculptural work in stoneware and porcelain clays. Sally has attended twelve ceramic art residencies all over the world and has held six solo exhibitions and more than thirty group exhibitions. She was selected to exhibit at the Tokyo Art Fair in Japan, Art Melbourne, and the Florence Biennale in Italy, where she was awarded the ‘Lorenzo il Magnifico’ first prize for ceramics. For more about Sally, visit her website or follow her on Instagram (@sally_walk).

Photograph at top: Workshop in the streets of Wanju, South Korea

Show off your work: Why your local art gallery needs you

Do you regularly visit your local public art gallery? Studies of the past decade indicate that women are more likely than men to visit art galleries and have formal art training, yet less likely to have their work exhibited or acquired for a public art gallery’s permanent collection. The gender pay gap happens to be larger in the arts than in other industries, too.

Not that I raise such a topic to criticize our male counterparts or create division within our community — quite the opposite, in fact! We are all part of the solution, and the legacies of the past offer us a baseline for launching into new directions.

To be sure, the art gallery arena is certainly changing. These spaces are no longer the domain of gilt-edged oil paintings, marble statues and awkward whispers. Instead, they are evolving into vibrant and inclusive community hubs, particularly in regional areas where they are more likely to meet an even broader variety of the community’s creative and cultural needs.

It’s an exciting time, as renewed interest in the arts and crafts has fostered a growing appreciation for the creative contributions of women, both past and present. More than ever, you will find art galleries filled with textiles, ceramics and fashion sitting comfortably alongside newer media such as digital works and graphic arts — all by an increasingly diverse mix of artists. There is an expanded vision for what a public art gallery can (and should) display.

So, why not get involved and show the world what you make? You do not need to be a full-time professional artist working in traditional media. While opportunities for exhibitions by emerging artists may be greater in regional public art galleries, larger metropolitan institutions should also offer options. This may include display cabinets within the art gallery or CBD areas, opportunities for pop-up creative events and partnership projects with library gallery spaces and community centres. Most public galleries are happy to chat about what they are looking for, the likely timelines and what you’d need you to provide for them.

Some reasons you should consider submitting an exhibition proposal?

• It’s in the interest of public art galleries to exhibit works from broad cross-sections of their communities, and gender balance is important. It’s about more than just what’s being made; it’s also about who is making it and why.

• Visibility is a key factor in career growth.

• It will challenge you to create (or gather) a body of works suitable for display.

• It offers the potential to expand your audience base.

Chaos (detail) 2017, by Liz Payne

If the idea of a dedicated solo exhibition or display in an art gallery doesn’t seem to be a good fit for you, why not try one of these ideas instead?

• Pitch a themed group exhibition to the gallery with like-minded colleagues, or offer an inventive concept of your own choosing, such as a pop-up event within the gallery spaces in conjunction with creative theme days (for example, ‘World Wide Knit in Public Day’).

• Offer to run some talks or workshops that complement their programming.

• Enquire at gallery gift shops about stocking your work for sale.

• Approach a local café or business to exhibit your work.

• Contact councils, shopping centres or commercial real estate agents about ‘borrowing’ space temporarily for curated displays in vacant window frontages (not always possible, but worth enquiring about and great fun).

• Collaborate with another creative to deliver a project that is visual and public-facing, such as a painted mural in a local community garden or other urban area. There may even be grants available to cover material costs.

Always remember: the world needs to see what you have to offer, and you need to be your own biggest fan in promoting it. There are plenty of traditional and unusual opportunities to get yourself out there, meet new people and have some fun along the way. So…what are you waiting for?

Drawing from diverse backgrounds in health, science and the public art gallery sector, Liesl Harvey’s passion lies where the creative industries intersect with business and audience development. She explores a variety of relevant topics and shares inspiration from around the globe via her Instagram account, @thedailyculturepreneur.

Opening image: "Mutual Abstraction" exhibition works by Hannah Fox and Bec Smith. Photo by Martina Gemmola.

What you need to know to host a workshop

Running a workshop or short course is a great opportunity for creatives to diversify income while sharing their skills, knowledge and passions. But before you run a workshop of your own, it pays to do a little research to ensure there is demand, a venue and that you have the time and skills for marketing to ensure your event is a success.

What can you offer?

I believe we’re seeing an increase in the number of self-hosted workshops as education becomes more democratized: learning by the people, for the people! Many creatives have mastered processes and adapted techniques to make them more easily shareable with others. Ask yourself: what can you offer? What will participants specifically gain from undertaking a workshop with you?

Does someone else already offer it? Do people want it?

Dig around the Internet and you’ll see a whole bunch of workshops being offered by retailers, artist collectives and practicing designers. As you browse what’s available, here are some questions to guide your research.

• Does anyone else currently offer workshops in your field of expertise?

• If you have competitors, great! It means there is genuine interest from others wanting to learn this set of skills. How do your competitors run their workshops? Can you do it better?

• If you don’t have competitors, ask your friends, colleagues and even strangers whether they or someone they know would be interested in taking one of your workshops.

• Find out where your competitors are located. Can you find alternate regions or locations to attract another demographic?

Outline the purpose of your workshop.

The more clearly you define the purpose of your workshop, the easier it will be to hone in on your target market.

• Does your workshop require prior skills or knowledge, or is it introductory and inclusive?

• Are you offering professional development or sharing knowledge or artisan skills?

• Will there be something physical to take home afterwards, either a handmade object or a set of reference materials?

• How long will the session go for? Can you condense it into one day or will you need to stretch it out over a weekend or multiple evening sessions?

• Define the aims and goals of your workshop so participants know what to expect. Tell them specifically what prior knowledge or skills they’ll need, what to bring, what’s supplied and what you’ll provide.

Find a space.

Venue rentals can easily eat away workshop profits and the ability to pay yourself after costs, so it’s worth considering other options. Could you run your workshop from your home or studio? Could you find a venue partner who will benefit from you bringing in new customers? Consider linking with a food and beverage or retail business to boost sales in exchange for free space. You could also consider profit-share so there’s a mutual benefit from cross-promotion and marketing. Make sure your venue is easy to get to, accessible to public transport and has parking options.

All images: Surface Art Symposium, run by Emily Wills

Sell tickets. Promote and share. Sell more tickets!

Give yourself six to eight weeks lead-time to book a space or find a collaborator or host. You’ll want to have the event information up with a minimum of four weeks to market and promote. If you don’t have an existing online shop, consider using a third-party booking system such as Stickytickets, Eventbrite or WeTeachme to manage sales.

To promote your event, create a flyer or image that effectively communicates your workshop outcomes. If you don’t have graphic design skills, an edited photo or simple graphic designed on Canva.com can be really effective.

Share your workshop visuals, information and booking link across social media channels. Encourage others to share the event details. Link with your target market via Facebook groups and send emails to your database, friends and family. Get the workshop information out there! Promote and share! Keep going right up until launch time.

Do a great job. Get feedback. Build a tribe!

Finally, you’re running a workshop! Give it your all to make it special and memorable. Follow up with an email to let people know you appreciated their time and interest, and ask if there’s anything you could do to make it better next time.

Building an audience takes time. Sometimes the people who would most love to come to your workshop are unavailable or simply forgot to book tickets. Have a second date ready to gauge interest and send through to any enquiries that come through.

Emily Wills is the creative director of SURFACE 1°22, a surface pattern design studio. In her various manifestations, she has worked as a fashion designer, illustrator, curator, arts educator and printed textile designer. Emily founded the SURFACE 1°22 Design School in Melbourne, offering hands-on workshops and short courses in surface and textile design. For more information, visit her Facebook page and Instagram feeds (@surface122designschool and @surface122).

Photography credits: Tendai Hatendi

The importance of a professional headshot

You only have to spend a few minutes looking through LinkedIn to see how much of a difference a professional headshot can make. No longer are your shoes the first thing a person notices. We live in a visual time and your headshot is the new first impression.

Whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Tinder or Instagram, different platforms have different audiences and therefore require different headshots. You know that photo of you drinking wine on the beach in Mexico? As good as you look in it, is not going to land you your dream job. I’m not saying that your professional headshot needs to show you sitting nice and straight in a sharp suit against a plain background — though that might work for an IT professional or a CEO — but even creatives like photographers and graphic designers need professional images, albeit with a little more creative license.

The beauty of working with a professional photographer to capture your headshot is that he or she will talk to you about your job and what style of image might suit your needs. You may need a few different styles to cover your online presence. Your photographer can help you determine what you need.

Some things to consider when thinking about your headshots are:

• What length images do you need? Some options include full length, head and shoulders, or waist up.

• Do you need a particular crop for your images? Some websites work best with a square crop, others with a standard crop.

• What industry are you pitching yourself to? Are you in a corporate environment where a plain background and a head-and-shoulders style image is common or do you work in a creative industry where more relaxed images are acceptable?

• Does your company have a style guide that needs to be adhered to? If so, are you able to obtain a copy to give to your photographer?

• If this is your first time in front of a professional photographer, consider hiring a stylist or makeup artist. While these are not necessary, they can make a big difference if you are unsure about what to wear or how to do your makeup to get the look you are after. Your photographer will be able to recommend stylists and makeup artists if you are interested.

Different industries tend toward different types of headshots.

‘Okay!’ you say, ‘but how do I choose the right photographer?’

Good question. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with whomever you choose. Ask friends for recommendations, then look online for examples of the photographer’s work or ask him or her to send you some examples. Talk to the photographer about the style or any reference images you have seen to give her a good understanding of what you are after. Questions to ask your photographer may be:

• How many outfit changes are included?

• How many images will I receive?

• Will they be edited?

• How long is the session?

• Will I receive both high-resolution (for print) and low-resolution (for online) image files?

Now have fun with it! Getting a headshot should not be a torturous experience. No one likes getting their photo taken but with the right photographer you’ll not only enjoy yourself, you’ll get some great images out of it, too.

Amanda Shackleton is a Melbourne-based emerging photographer with a focus on documentary-style imagery. She is currently exploring the relationship between people and their smartphones. To learn more about Amanda, visit her website or Facebook page, or follow her on Instagram (@amandashackletonphotography/).

Photography by Amanda Shackleton