Writing an email might seem like a normal and daily task to do for most of us these days. We write emails and direct messages on daily basis without thinking about. It has become almost like muscle memory. We do it repeatedly without having to consciously engage our mind in it. Like holding a spoon, for example. You have done it so many times that you don’t have to think about how to hold a spoon or whether you’re holding it correctly. However, if you learn holding a spoon the wrong way, than your muscle memory won’t be serving you good. You can give an impression of a dumbass. The same goes with writing emails, direct messages and letters.
I have been learning about professional business correspondence in high school. Learning where to put sender and recipient name were basic things we had to know. Structuring a letter that has a subject, body and greeting was considered something we had to know for the future ahead. Who would have known it back in 1998, right?
Fast forward to 2024. I still get messages and emails that look like this: “I love your photos. What are your rates?”. Obviously, we all need a little reminder on how to properly address a service offering business and write an email that has a head and a tail. The goal of this article is to help people from both ends of a creative collaboration to find each other easier and to, hopefully, help enhance future online communication in general. Please, do read and do share this article.
Note: as a brand photographer I am writing about timing and approaching a brand photographer, but the same is applicable for any service based business or approaching any business regarding collaboration.
Let’s dive in.
The Etiquette of Digital Communication
Heading over to Mel Robbins’s Instagram and replying to her stories with “I love your shirt! Where did you get it?” might seem appropriate nowadays. Being close to so many people at once, getting into a habit of watching other people’s lives day to day, we tend to forget the basic etiquette: Hello, pardon my interruption. My name is. This is my question or topic. Thank you for your time. Greetings. A ‘hello’ would be the head, and any kind of ‘greeting’ at the end would be the ‘tail’. No matter our feeling of knowing someone very deeply (because of following them for years, go figure), jumping into their private space via email or direct messages on social platforms should have some sort of self-imposed limitations. That goes way up when it comes to business inquiries.
People who run businesses - offer products of services, subscriptions or memberships and do run social media profiles, do so not for the pleasure of social media interactions, but for another reason. Guess what? To promote their business. There are many types of promoting one’s business, and sometimes it may seem like it’s not very professional, like when business owners share more of their lifestyle and day to day life than of the business itself. Marketing has changed drastically in the past 15 years, and small marketers (aka small business owners) are always finding new ways on how to show their work, infuse their personality into it, and sell. There is not only one way to run a social media profile and it depends on many factors. No matter the type of a business or promotion a marketer is running, it should not give you the permission to write empty-headed, mindless and foolish messages. Not only is it annoying, but unprofessional and time consuming. Most of the business owners you admire won’t even bother replying.
If and when you are serious about working with someone who you admire and with whom you feel suits your needs, reaching out to them and writing an inquiry email (or dm) should be polite, professional to the best of your abilities, kind, and provided with all information needed. You could disregard the ‘kind’ part, but let me reassure you down below.
Let’s tackle each of these and teach you how to write an email when you’re looking for a brand photographer, or any other professional offering services.
Timing Your Approach Right - When to Contact a Photographer
First things first. No relationship is one way. The very term itself, ‘relationship’ indicates that it is a two way street and that there are at least two subjects involved. The way a photographer replies to you likely depends on your approach as well. If your approach is all of the mentioned above, polite, professional, kind and informative, and you still didn’t get a like-wise reply, that’s ok. Rest assured that the person had learned something as well, and that your good deeds are planting the good seeds for the future, your own and of the mankind. Your approach will change the person you interact with and educate them for the future, if they are not wise enough to implement your approach into their interaction with you.
To start with, when is the right time to approach a brand photographer? I have had many inquiries from people asking me for my services months and months upfront, and sometimes just checking my prices a year before they were thinking of doing a photoshoot. What’s right and what’s wrong with that? Firstly, a photographer could be booked months ahead, and if you are having an upcoming project, service launch or a new website designed within weeks or couple of months, you will need your images sooner than the project deadline. Preparing your photographs in advance among other tasks is necessary and contacting a brand photographer quite before ‘the last minute’ would probably be a good idea.
Then, what is wrong with just checking the prices without having approximate time & space in your calendar for executing the photoshoot? The fact that you are probably not ready for it. If you don’t know when you need the photos or how to use them, if you are not ready to invest what it takes (not whatever it takes!), if you’re not sure whether you want them now or a bit later (when you’re thinner, happier, healthier, wealthier, when the business starts to roll) you don’t need them right now. If you don’t need them right now, don’t bother to much about it. There are many other things you can be doing at this phase, and taking it easy and gently would be a better choice rather then stressing about how much you need to earn or how many steps you still need to climb to get where you’re headed. When the time is right, the right photographer will come your way.
Beyond the Price Tag
While getting informed for brand photoshoot prices is an act of common sense, there are other ways to get that information without necessarily contacting a photographer just for that reason. I mean, if you were going for a dinner with a friend, you wouldn’t go into a restaurant just to ask for prices, right? Either you would have known from being there before, or your friend would know, you would have found the information online, asked someone or you would just go in and find out while ordering. Now, how do you know if you can afford it? Depending on the restaurant, there are a few factors that could tell you the price range. How well it is known, what kind of food it serves, what are their most usual guests, where it is located, what is it’s interior like, what is it’s branding like, does it have any awards. Not that all of that could tell you whether the food will be to your taste, but still they do play a role in pricing.
Just recently I went with my family and friends in a little tavern on the island Lastovo. It is a very small place that accommodates a small number of guests. There are only two employees - the owner, Ante who is the chef, and his twin brother who helps with serving and other tasks. They only offer fresh fish that is available that day and a few other dishes which can be ordered. First time we went there they were out of dessert when it was our turn for the sweets, because they had no eggs to make it. It is very specific, very small, but the ambiance, the music, and most importantly - the food - is astonishing. Best we’ve had on the island, and wider. The price? Above average, not too much, but worth every penny. Or euro, in our case. Whenever I am there, I will visit that tavern again, no matter the price, even if it exceeds my budget a little bit, but knowing I will get the best possible food I can get. It’s more than food, obviously. It’s the magic the chef and the owner infuses in what he does best - cooking food. If I want that kind, I will go there. The same is with photography.
Choosing Your Brand Photographer
If you have been following a few photographers out there on social media or looking through their websites and portfolios and getting familiar with their work, there is probably a specific one you were drawn to. Their images, their style, approach, colours, personality, the way they do their branding, how they do business… anything can be deciding factor. Once you have found the one, or a few options to choose from (exclusively brand photographers are still to this date a rare breed), you have done your research about brand photography, thought about what you need, found a few examples on socials and websites and you are ready to dive into planning a photoshoot - it is time to approach them.
This time you are not only asking for the pricing, you want to know more. You want to know if you are a good fit, if they can make what you imagined. You will, of course, ask for their pricing and packages, but also about the way they work, if they are available, how do they approach the photoshoots or anything else you might be interested in. If you are not sure what to ask, here’s a hint: the more information you give, the more questions you might find within your writing and the more space you hold for the photographer to ask you questions you might have never thought about. After all, you are not the photographer. You don’t need to know everything and just getting started with an open email is more than enough.
How I Found my Book Mentor
When I approached my book mentor, I knew I wanted to work with her exactly. I wasn’t looking for other book mentors. Someone recommended her, I took a quick look at her Instagram page and without second thoughts I’ve send her an email asking for a meeting to see how can we work together. My budget wasn’t big, but I was ready to pay probably something more than I was comfortable with. This is because I trusted my instincts, I trusted the recommendation and I knew she was going to help me with my goal - writing my first book.
I knew I needed not only a mentor, but an accountability partner, and I wanted to commit to my goal. Also, I did check her website and Instagram page to see what is her work like, how professional she seems, what is her overall vibe, what she has published herself, etc. The thing is that I was confident in myself about writing a book and I knew this was the next step on my creative journey. So, I wasn’t at a point of only thinking about writing a book some time in the future and asking to see what the pricing is in this niche. If it wasn’t her, I would have found someone else. I was ready for the next move and I was ready to invest.
How to Write a First Email Inquiry to a Brand Photographer? Step-by-Step Guide:
You have found the right photographer, or a few of them and you are ready to make new brand photographs to lift up you business, to start one or to promote your new offer. Whatever the case might be, here’s a step by step guide on how to actually approach writing an email to sound polite, professional, kind and informative.
I will lead you through an example of how I would compose an email to a brand photographer I haven’t had any interaction with before.
1.Start with a greeting, please.
It can be a hi, hello, good day, good morning or hey if you are more of an informal type of person and the photographer is not (much) older than you, or you have had previous interactions on social media or in person. This is a non-negotiable part of the email, yet I have had both direct messages and emails sent to me without an opening line, without an intro greeting. Please, know that this is the basic etiquette, like going to the store and saying hi to the vendor.
Why this is important? It shows respect, basic knowledge of etiquette and online communication.
2. Introduce yourself.
As soon as you get an email from a person you don’t know, you will want to know who this person is before knowing anything they are trying to tell you. Who are you coming to my inbox just like that? It is the same for everyone else. If someone knocked at your door, you opened up and they started shouting about the product they were selling or telling you what they want from you - you would probably want to know who they are before anything else. Introduce yourself. Say your name. Say your full name. Tell them where you are from and in short - who you are and what you do.
“Hello Name. My name is Marina Ćosić, I am from Croatia and I’m a brand photographer working with small business owners, now looking for a brand photographer myself.”
Why this is important? This is the very basic. It is obligatory at the very beginning of an email to introduce yourself and immediately say why you are here so the person reading your email has an idea of what is going on. This is something like an elevator pitch. There will be time to expand the story later.
3. Let them know who you are more deeply.
Continue with a few lines about yourself that might be interesting to the reader regarding your inquiry. They might not be interested in your marital status or number of children, but saying what you do in depth and giving a few personal details will make the conversation deeper and spark interest.
“Hello Name. My name is Marina Ćosić, I am from Croatia and I’m a brand photographer working with small business owners, now looking for a brand photographer myself. I started my business a few years ago wanting to pursue my interests, which are photography, writing and painting, and over time - don’t ask me how - I became a creative business coach and educator. I’ve done a few other things, such as organising a beautiful two day photography and business coaching workshop (Link here) with my friend, organised monthly meetings for women in online business (Link here) and currently I am working on a new website (you can see my old one here), rebranding and - well, writing a book.”
With this paragraph I gave the reader a lot of information about who I am, what I do and somewhat on how I do it, thanks to the links I have included. Saying what you do and including links to your online spaces shows respect and genuine interest, because the reader is not obligatory to search for more information about you. They can just refuse to collaborate or work with you and that’s it. The same goes for direct messages and emails.
Why this is important? Because it gives depth to the conversation and breeds trust. By including links (social media, website, previous work or anything relevant) you suddenly become a real person, not an online intruder. Make sure it’s not an essay, ego tripping short story or a sad victim interview. Leave your traumas at the doormat and stick to what is important. You came for a creative service - not a therapist.
If you work for a company or an organisation, this is a place to put it. Where do you work and what is your position?
4. Why are you here? What do you want from them?
“Recently I published my first book that is all about - the subject. I want to help creatives with - the subject - and what I once imagined now has a cover and a ISBN. It has been a crazy journey, that I can tell you. So far I have been doing all of my brand photography by myself, since I’m a passionate self-portrait photographer as well. However, now I need someone to take photos of me for two reasons mostly. I need a change and a more professional look since I will be contacting bookstores around the world, and I don’t really have neither time or space to do it myself the way I have imagined.”
Why this is important? So far the person reading your email knows a little about you, they got the picture of the human behind the screen and know they want to know why exactly you are contacting them. Including a little personal story, like I did, is not obligatory, but it provides context, shows personality and helps creating a connection. This is a place to write about the upcoming project or a journey you are about to embark on. Write about what do you need images for, whether they are for a website, Instagram, other social media, newsletters, launching a new product or service. This will give the photographer all needed information to know right away if they can do the work or not.
5. Why did you choose this particular person?
"This is why I am contacting you. I have seen your work on your Instagram page and you have a beautiful portfolio. I love your style, the way you edit your photos that makes them real I also saw the work you did for - The Name - and I really loved it. I think your approach matches my desires and my vision for the photos I would love to make and I think we could make something nice together.”
Why this is important? Telling them why you chose them among other photographers gives the impression that you have looked up into their work and what exactly you appreciate and like about what and how they work. This is also a part where you can name benefits of you two working together. In telling them why you like their work you open new doors to.
Note: this is a great place to put if you know exactly what you need: specifically styled photographs, photographing in nature, studio photographs or other to let them know right away about your desires and needs so they know if they can make it. For example, I don’t work with artificial lighting and when someone approached to me with a moodpboard of their own with studio photos in editorial/fashion style I knew I was’t going to work with them. It’s not what I do, I don’t like it and I don’t feel like going in that direction with my work.
6. Closing
"Without turning this into a book itself, I would love to see if you are available, ask for your prices and to learn more about what and how you do what you do best. :)
Is it ok for you to talk on phone or a zoom meeting? I would love to hear you live rather than going back and forth via emails. It makes the communication easier and more effective.”
Why this is important? Closing is a part of structuring any document. It’s where you make a point and set intention for future communication. This is where you directly ask or propose the next step. Be clear, concise and to the point. If you would like, you can add your phone number, address or any additional information that might help them make the next step in contacting you. This is also a place to say when you are available throughout the week or within a few days.
7. Ending & greeting
“Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.
All the best.
Marina Ćosić”
Why this is important? Appreciating their time and effort in reading and replying to your email is an act of good manners. Make some space for letting them know you are expecting them to reply (“I hope to hear from you soon.”). Also, leaving some good wishes at the end is more than an act of kindness. It shows good will, good manners, a sense of humanity and knowing the etiquette. Don’t skip it. :)
There you go. Now we have a whole email written which is professional, polite and informative. Let me put it all together in one place:
How to Write an Email When Contacting a Brand Photographer
Hello Name.
My name is Marina Ćosić, I am from Croatia and I’m a brand photographer working with small business owners, now looking for a brand photographer myself. I started my business a few years ago wanting to pursue my interests, which are photography, writing and painting, and over time - don’t ask me how - I became a creative business coach and educator. I’ve done a few other things, such as organising a beautiful two day photography and business coaching workshop (Link here) with my friend, organised monthly meetings for women in online business (Link here) and currently I am working on a new website (you can see my old one here), rebranding and - well, writing a book.
Recently I published my first book that is all about - the subject. I want to help creatives with - the subject - and what I once imagined now has a cover and a ISBN. It has been a crazy journey, that I can tell you. So far I have been doing all of my brand photography by myself, since I’m a passionate self-portrait photographer as well. However, now I need someone to take photos of me for two reasons mostly. I need a change and a more professional look since I will be contacting bookstores around the world, and I don’t really have neither time or space to do it myself the way I have imagined.
This is why I am contacting you. I have seen your work on your Instagram page and you have a beautiful portfolio. I love your style, the way you edit your photos that makes them real but pretty. I also saw the work you did for - The Name - and I really loved it. I think your approach matches my desires and my vision for the photos I would love to make and I think we could make something nice together.
Without turning this into a book itself, I would love to see if and when you are available, ask for your prices and to learn more about what and how you do what you do best. :)
Is it ok for you to talk on phone or a zoom meeting? I would love to hear you live rather than going back and fort via emails. It makes the communication easier and more effective.
Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.
All the best.
Marina Ćosić
What’s with the Kindness?
Being kind in the online world is something we lack big time. There are so many rude comments, videos and writings talking negatively about other people or their work, and yet, it is mostly unseen how much effort it takes to run a business and create content. Being kind in your interactions with creatives is a way to show compassion, care and respect. In this email template I have shown kindness in taking time to write a few personality infused sentences and giving a broader context to what I am about to ask, and also by leaving a few nice remarks about their work. Both respect and care are shown this way.
Being kind is not being a sycophant or a liar. It is about showing genuine respect and gentleness towards the person you are reaching out to. Be professional, be informative, be polite and more then anything, be kind. At the end, the latter is what counts the most. If you are a kind person but writing and contacting other people is not your thing and brings you anxiety, kindness will work for you.
A Few Additional Notes to Have in Mind
Don’t make it all one huge, hardly digestible paragraph leaving the reader to find his way through a sea of thought flow.
Be polite and respect the reader and their privacy. Give relevant information, without unnecessarily expanding the story to your past experiences and future visions. Stick to what matters regarding the work of both of you.
Infuse personality. Being polite, professional and kind is one thing, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t infuse your writing with your personality. Be you. Write as you talk, don’t be afraid to show your character, your flare and edginess. Be bold and stay open.
If you like, you can include your deadlines in the email or you can leave that for the live interaction or next email.
Instead of asking for pricing right away, introduce yourself so the photographer can offer you the best offer that suits your needs. Most photographers have packages, just like I do or have hour rates. However, not all photoshoots can fit into those. Here’s an example.
I have three packages that have been shaped to fit different needs. One of my packages includes one or two locations (Creative Portrait), and another one includes 2 to 3 locations (Lifestyle Brand). The first one is a smaller package, the other one is larger. So, if the client fits with the smaller package because of the number of images, but needs extra locations, this will affect the price to rise up, which will be different from what is shown on the website.
Another example is if you need a photoshoot within days or need edited images before the photographer’s deadline. This might increase the price.
It is normal that you want to know the pricing and whether it fits your budget, but before asking for it, give some context - what do you need it for, how and when. A good photographer will know how communicate back at you and recommend the best option.
Here’s a full list of questions you can answer to when contacting a brand photographer
Who are you? What is your name, your occupation and your place of residence. Introduce yourself with relevant information including personal details.
What do you do? What is your business?
Are you employed? What is your company or organisation? What is your position?
Is there anything specific about your work that might be of interest to the photographer?
What is your story in short, that is relevant to what you’re about to ask?
What do you want or need from the photographer? What kind of work are you looking for?
Where did you find out about the photographer? Did someone recommend you this particular person?
Have you seen their website or social media profiles? What do you like about it?
Is there anything specific about the photographer that you really like or were attracted to, such as style, writing, art? Avoid personal details that might be intimidating.
When do you need the photographs? What is your deadline?
Do you have a budget? What is your budget?
What would you like your future communication to be like? How do you want the photographer to reply to you? Ask for it.
Reminder for the Beginners - Embrace Your Journey
If you are just beginning with your work it is possible that you are not as confident in replying to these questions and that you have some insecurities. That is ok. Rather than playing smart and talking about the things you don’t know much about, try asking the photographer to answer you. Questions such as what do they think is the best time to make photos or what they think is the best package or option to start with is something any photographer will be happy to answer. A good professional will ask you the right questions and give new perspectives to spark inspiration and ideas.
Don’t hesitate to ask. We love chatting with you.
Developing Your Communication: A Skill Set for Success, Connection and the Future
We all have unique skill sets, talents and knowledge. Some things may seem obvious to us, like knowing how to cook, write e-mails, chop woods or design logos from scratch. What seems obvious and normal to us might not be normal to others. And most likely, it’s not. Having understanding for the beauty of our differences and developing patience in both in-person and online communication is of great significance, not only for contemporary online business but for personal relationships as well.
My understanding of writing, literacy and the beauty of expressing myself with words has been with me ever since, I suppose. It was a seed once and at some point I went on watering it, year after year. I know not everyone has the affinity towards writing, but my opinion is that we should all strive towards better, where and how it is possible for us. Learning how to better communicate, verbally or in writing is one of those things we need if we are looking to grow, personally and business wise. It is one way of showing respect to yourself and others.
My hope is that this article gives you a new perspective, sparks ideas and encourages you to go for what you want. Contact that brand photographer, reach out to that brand designer or connect with like-minded people you admire and would love to collaborate with. Advice provided in this article is not only suitable for approaching brand photographer such as myself, but any other service provider out there, and also any other creative with whom you would love to work with or offer collaboration to.
Even though you can follow my instruction word by word, at least in the beginning, I highly encourage you to write more, personally and professionally, and to find your own style over time. There is great fortune in expressing yourself through the written word. Find your enjoyment in it.
Question for you: would you benefit from having a few different downloadable templates for writing an email? Let me know down in the comments.
Talk to you soon.
Marina
Fun fact: this article has around 4.900 words and it took about 5 hours to write. AI was used for grammar and spelling.
