Comments on: How a small town photographer survives in a crowded field

By: Becky McCray

Becky McCray — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 18:23:24 +0000

In reply to Traci. Traci, what a great way to market in your specific niche without upsetting people's values!

By: Traci

Traci — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 14:57:43 +0000

In reply to Meranda Caswell. On the boudoir niche, I have tapped into our Oklahoma conservative traditional market by marketing to married woman and spicing up the marriage. It is done in private and never shared unless the woman shares. Totally word of mouth. There are woman who want to do this for their husband, but don't want images posted all over social media. You would be shocked how well this goes over. Women trust me. Husbands love me. Ha! My last name is Baker, so I call my boudoir, Cupcakes. I have Cupcake parties and even have a session called Cupcake of the month where the wife can give her husband a Cupcake (picture) each month. Crazy successful!!! I advertise that MY Cupcakes are calorie-free, but made with enough sugar to cause a cavity. :)

By: Becky McCray

Becky McCray — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 15:35:17 +0000

In reply to Meranda Caswell. Meranda, I'm glad you found it encouraging. If your locals don't know the term "boudoir photography" start figuring out how women talk about it to each other. Use their own words, if you can! Good luck.

By: Meranda Caswell

Meranda Caswell — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 14:46:43 +0000

This is a great story. I live in a super small country town and the closest major city is an hour away. I have been trying to build my business for almost 2 years. It is a struggle everyday. I did find a niche, but it is such a small town with very little out of the norm thinking. I specialize in Boudoir Photography. It is not really heard of around here, but I know the demand is there. I network online through Facebook almost everyday, well or until my fingers fall off! I would advertise everywhere if I could, but with it being such a conservative place and private type of Photography I feel I am at a loss. It is this kind of story that drives me to continue to try.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 23:17:35 +0000

This article is very inspiring. I love the niche mentioned by Rock Langston of ethnicity and gender combined with occupations (the latina mechanic example); my preferred portrait niche so far is occupational portraits, and the more nichy and unusual, the better! My newest niche idea is gay couples. I seek clients one city over, which has a known gay district. Unfortunately I live in a small, very traditional city where amateur photography is huge and niches like those mentioned are difficult to explain to the locals – yet one must niche, at least to get started.

By: Kathy Clark

Kathy Clark — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 23:21:38 +0000

Very well said. It’s all about finding ones niche that makes them successful. Sometimes focusing on the seemingly small things is what fruits the biggest reward.

By: Rock Langston

Rock Langston — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:16:44 +0000

I was on the other side of the discussion with Judy Dunn about the gaps in stock photography. I repeatedly find myself looking for images of professional and blue collar women who are actually doing something serious. There are scads of women in cheesy costumes and poses, but few images of value. Add to that the need for a photo of a professional Asian woman, or a latina working under the hood of a car, and I'm out of luck.

As with any type of work, there is always an underserved market. Great post! Now, time to put on my thinking cap!

By: Becky McCray

Becky McCray — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:12:37 +0000

Judy, that is an amazing example of a photography niche. Thanks for sharing it.

By: Judy Dunn

Judy Dunn — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:05:46 +0000

I am a big fan of "nichifying." (Bob gives me a bad time about inventing new words, but, hey...)

Photography is a prime example. I wrote a tongue-in-cheek headline for an article on the reasons businesses should find a niche. It was something like "Swedish Cowboys and Scuba Diving Brides: 8 Reasons You Should Find a Niche." I talked about how far one might go with a niche and wondered out loud if a photographer specializing in underwater weddings would be taking it too far. In the comments, someone said that when a friend niched down to underwater weddings, her photography business exploded. So much for taking a niche too far!

I was talking to a colleague and friend on Twitter, a graphic designer who was having no luck finding a stock image of an Asian dentists. Out of curiosity, I looked in all my medical stock images and could find not one Asian dentist! So I think that minority representation in images of professionals is a gap that someone might fill.

Thought-provoking post!

By: Becky McCray

Becky McCray — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:58:47 +0000

Thanks, Nico.

Sandra, great example!

I've thought of another niche: coffee. People go nuts over gourmet coffees, fair trade, etc. Is there an existing specialist in that photo niche? Probably not.