If you’ve ever been told to pick a lane and stick to it, this episode is the counter-argument. Sam talks to Cherry from Simply C Photography, a commercial photographer whose brand clients span food, industrial, property, press and personal branding work across a huge stretch of the country — and asks the question most photographers with that wide a spread struggle to answer: how do you actually make it work?
Cherry’s answer draws on a career built well before she picked up a camera professionally, in sales, advertising, IT consultancy and interior design, and it shows up in how she talks to clients long before a shoot is even booked. Expect a genuinely different take on what a commercial photography business is selling, and why the camera might be the smallest part of it.
If the niching debate has ever left you second-guessing your own broad client list, go back to Generalise or Specialise? Niching as a Photographer for the other side of this argument — it’s where the show first opened up this exact question.
00:02.39
Sam Hollis
Hello listeners and welcome to Commercial Photographer. This week and I am talking to Cherry from Simply See Photography. Hi Cherry and welcome to the show.
00:14.39
Cherry – Simply C
Thank you, Sam. Thanks for asking me on. It’s lovely to be here.
00:17.66
Sam Hollis
No problem. So I asked Cherry to be on because I had a chat with Cherry, as I did with many photographers. ah And Cherry was interesting in many ways. i think I thought Cherry is going be amazing person for the show. And one of them is the area she’s focusing in. um And the other is just the marketing she’s doing. She’s doing lots of interesting things and getting some success from that. Talking to Cherry…
00:40.95
Sam Hollis
We could get into whole philosophical debate about what that success looks like, but I think we’re going to really talk about what she’s doing. So hi, Cherry, welcome to the show.
00:48.65
Cherry – Simply C
Thank you, Sam. Thanks for having me on. Thank you.
00:51.45
Sam Hollis
No problem at all. So do you want to tell us in your own words kind of who your clients are, who you focus on?
00:58.32
Cherry – Simply C
I work with all different types of businesses of different sizes across the country, of across all markets. So it could be people in the workplace. It could be manufacturing, industrial, personal branding, editorial shots. I work for press as well.
01:14.42
Cherry – Simply C
So I cover all sectors, all industries, all markets, including food, properties. cover it all as long as it’s a product or a service that needs to be sold.
01:26.55
Cherry – Simply C
I capture it.
01:28.94
Sam Hollis
Excellent. Now, a lot of the time we’re talking on the podcast about niching and that being a successful strategy. And a lot of the time, have to be honest, if I talk to photographer and they’ve got a niche that wide, they tend to be not getting much success from it and struggling to find clients. But without getting to the whole philosophy of what is success, this seems to be working for you.
01:50.87
Cherry – Simply C
And I enjoy every single aspect of the work that I do. So every every job is different. Food has different nuances around it than photographing a company that supplies skips to the local area.
02:03.38
Cherry – Simply C
And those elements, they all, they have one thing in common. Every single business, regardless of what it is that they’re selling, needs commercial imagery that helps them articulate what it is that they do in a creative way that actually engages with the client, their target audience.
02:12.23
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
02:19.49
Cherry – Simply C
So For me, I’m able to, or I’ve adapted or just become able to draw on parts of my experience in life because my background in work has been very eclectic and I’ve been fortunate enough to cover so many different areas, including marketing and commercial business, as well as sales. So I adapt all those elements of expertise that I have and experience I have into imagery that then translates into that person’s marketplace.
02:55.00
Sam Hollis
Amazing. So you’ve got a lot of history drawn there. But yeah, you’re drawing on a huge amount of businesses, a huge geographical area. You were saying, where have you been? Give me a few examples of geographically where you’ve been shooting recently and where you’re based as well.
03:05.78
Cherry – Simply C
recent So I’m based in Ipswich in Suffolk. I’ve been in Helion Thames, Lincolnshire, Bury, St Edmunds, down to Essex.
03:19.16
Cherry – Simply C
So I’ve, in this month, I’ve covered quite a lot of miles already. Yeah.
03:24.42
Sam Hollis
Wow. So you’ve got clients in wide range of of areas geographically from a wide range of interests and stuff. So how are you finding that? How is this working? most people with that wider thing just struggle to find that audience, struggle to find clients.
03:44.76
Cherry – Simply C
That’s a very interesting question to answer. A, I don’t sleep very much. but How do I find my, are you asking me how I find my clients or are you asking me how I manage to cover all this?
03:57.11
Sam Hollis
Yeah, how do you find them? What do you know? Yeah, in terms of the marketing or the strategies, what are you doing to get in these clients from all over the place and diverse industries, diverse locations? What’s bringing them to you?
04:09.11
Cherry – Simply C
I think the the style of imagery that I capture, I think my messaging is very, clear is that if whatever product and service that you have, I can commercially focused with a commercially commercial focus, creatively and a candid attitude, I can create images that convert into and into images that sell their products or services. So my messaging is consistent in that whatever it is that you have that needs capturing, I can help you using
04:45.56
Cherry – Simply C
the style that I have.
04:49.02
Sam Hollis
Okay. And then, and you’re instantly talking business language, aren’t you? You’re not, you’ve got the creativity in there, which most photographers have, but you’re instantly talking about the benefits of your photography, aren’t you there?
05:01.58
Sam Hollis
And and because so many photographers are instantly into the, you get a hundred shots, I’ll be there for 2.5, but you’re instantly talking about what they will gain from working with you in clear language that, you know,
05:02.17
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah.
05:13.07
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah.
05:15.86
Sam Hollis
is going to go well that sounds interesting because she’s going to help us sell more stuff effectively
05:20.86
Cherry – Simply C
I think what, as you’ve just put, I think highlighted, some some people focus on the eye I, as a photographer, my attitude and my outlook is very much on what is it that’s not working for you?
05:30.14
Sam Hollis
yes very much yeah
05:38.39
Cherry – Simply C
Where are your pain points? What do you want to convey in your messaging and your brand to your clients? Is it growth? Is it marketing? Is it being established as the market leader?
05:52.31
Cherry – Simply C
the The primary thing I always brought to my work, regardless of the size of the business or whatever industry it is, is listening to and understanding.
06:03.29
Cherry – Simply C
And maybe it’s because of the way my of my brain works. um i have a very inquisitive, curious brain. i ask a lot of questions and that that enables me to quickly identify
06:12.63
Sam Hollis
Right. Yeah.
06:17.56
Cherry – Simply C
all the different areas that they’re, that they’re working in and what they are trying to achieve. And then, and then my brain just starts whirring and bringing that. So i I take out the eye I take out how I, I can take some pretty pictures or you know, I’ve got a great camera.
06:36.28
Cherry – Simply C
Leave, leave that at the door. We don’t, that’s not a conversation. If you’re looking at investing in commercial photography this industry you know is is full of photographers it’s full of people who charge little amounts or charge a lot of amount but you have to find a photographer who speaks the same language that you do and that you can establish trust with that you know that they’re going to take your your areas of problems or issues or your marketplace and just can convert those into images that do convey it
07:13.50
Cherry – Simply C
in a really engaging purposeful way. So does that answer your question? Sam or if I waffled again?
07:18.17
Sam Hollis
Yeah, so no, that’s absolutely amazing.
07:19.14
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah.
07:20.85
Sam Hollis
So it’s really interesting. And that that trust, and is that, do you think, a bit down to language as well? Like you say, you’re instantly talking in business language, and but also kind of in quite personally as well.
07:33.14
Sam Hollis
And that combination of kind of bringing in the photography creativity, bringing in that, I’m not just talking about creativity, I’m also talking about your outcomes and helping you, and then asking them lots of questions.
07:34.77
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah.
07:43.66
Sam Hollis
And that really is… once they’re meeting you engaging them and think making them straight away i think well sherry’s the person first she’s bringing this photography stuff but she also gets that business side and that’s clear from every sentence she’s saying
07:55.64
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah. Yeah, I think so.
07:59.90
Sam Hollis
amazing cool so that’s really interesting so is that kind of is that message you think across your marketing across your websites and other things you do is that more kind of in the way you’re speaking or is that everywhere
08:12.12
Cherry – Simply C
I think that’s, that’s inherently me. So i believe that that’s everywhere.
08:14.97
Sam Hollis
yeah
08:17.30
Cherry – Simply C
If it isn’t, it needs to be Sam. So can you, eat food if it’s not, and you can identify that, please do let me know.
08:19.83
Sam Hollis
ah
08:24.34
Cherry – Simply C
I’m always open for learning, adapting and improving on what I currently have.
08:24.41
Sam Hollis
yeah
08:29.78
Cherry – Simply C
So feedback is very welcome from you or any of your listeners. Please do.
08:34.17
Sam Hollis
Amazing. So you’ve clearly got some background then in business. You’ve alluded to a little bit there, sales and what you marketing. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that and how that’s kind of fed into what you do now?
08:44.02
Cherry – Simply C
um My last role pre-children was working in interior design. as a stylist and a buyer.
08:49.25
Sam Hollis
OK.
08:50.59
Cherry – Simply C
But before that, I worked in as a business consultant, working in the IT industry and managing contracts and the installation of equipment, staff, personnel for the bigger picture.
09:02.81
Cherry – Simply C
So I look at the holistically where the business, what it was doing and brought in people that were able to solve their pain points.
09:03.11
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
09:10.27
Cherry – Simply C
So commercially, oh that’s where I gained an awful lot of that background. And then before that, I worked in sales and marketing. having started in telesales and worked on my way through in advertising.
09:18.52
Sam Hollis
OK.
09:22.29
Cherry – Simply C
So I’ve got a fair amount of knowledge and experience in areas that I know support businesses.
09:23.58
Sam Hollis
so
09:31.61
Sam Hollis
Wow, so you’ve not only got that experience in terms of supporting businesses coming to you and knowing what they’re looking for, but that presumably is then also all feeding into your own business and how you sell and how you market. it
09:43.74
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah, it’s a difference cattle of fish though, and it’s your own though, isn’t it, Sam?
09:46.63
Sam Hollis
It’s very different, yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:47.26
Cherry – Simply C
so i do I do need people to support me and help me and give me guidance. I certainly don’t know at all. It sounds like I know it all. I absolutely do not. So i I rely on lots of other people and pay a lot of other people for their expertise and their services to support me and mine, as we should, i think, in business. We don’t know it all.
10:08.98
Sam Hollis
Amazing. um There’s so much to go at that. um i’m just having an um moment.
10:22.04
Sam Hollis
So then, so you’ve talked about once clients found you, that kind of messaging um that really draws them in and stuff, but how initially are they finding you? What are you doing to get get them to notice you so that they do spot that messaging and spot, get those calls?
10:40.25
Cherry – Simply C
i I write blog posts and those feature on my website regularly.
10:43.29
Sam Hollis
Okay.
10:46.62
Cherry – Simply C
I write blogs that are about my clients, the work that I’ve done for my clients and the outcome that they, the results that they’ve got from the imagery or the working with me, what it’s been like.
10:59.77
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
11:02.01
Cherry – Simply C
So I give hints and tips on commercial photography or photography as a whole. So I talk about a lot of the elements of why we need commercial photography, why we need professional photography.
11:13.37
Cherry – Simply C
It’s more of them hints and tips, authoritative kind of like speak as opposed to look at me, I’m a brilliant photographer.
11:13.30
Sam Hollis
Okay.
11:17.78
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
11:20.82
Cherry – Simply C
That’s just not my style at all. So that there’s a couple of blogs that go out. and I guide people when I start talking to people about, you know, if they’re nervous about having a headshot taken, I can send them information on why they feel nervous about it because there is psychology behind that.
11:36.24
Sam Hollis
Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
11:37.59
Cherry – Simply C
and my experience and what to expect from a headshot photo shoot, things like that. So I think blogging is very important, doing so things on areas where you’re contributing back into your community and your environment. I work as a business partner with Suffolk College. So it’s kind of like feeding back that information to the next generation.
11:59.93
Cherry – Simply C
And that all, with the other business partners that also do that, that also, think, supports the next generation and bringing more awareness in my locality to my services.
12:13.66
Cherry – Simply C
um What else do I do? I just said, I’m very sorry, Sam. I… yeah I also post regularly on LinkedIn and across the social media channels.
12:22.01
Sam Hollis
Okay.
12:25.30
Cherry – Simply C
I keep my website nice and updated, Google my business, all those lovely elements that I think we need to do.
12:25.56
Sam Hollis
Yep.
12:32.23
Cherry – Simply C
It’s, you know, nobody else is going to be marketing me. It’s me.
12:35.99
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
12:36.15
Cherry – Simply C
And it’s, ah it’s you’re you’re the photographer, you’re the business owner, but you are also in some degrees, you know, your own marketing machine.
12:46.33
Sam Hollis
Yep.
12:47.77
Cherry – Simply C
So there have to be lots of elements.
12:47.83
Sam Hollis
That’s it. so
12:49.33
Cherry – Simply C
You can’t just sit back at home and wait for the phone to ring. You’ve got all the equipment. Now what’s going to happen? You’ve got to really put a lot of time and effort and thought into what are you trying to achieve?
12:59.41
Cherry – Simply C
Where are you focused? You know, who do you want to aim for? Is it working? Is it not working? And measure it.
13:07.22
Sam Hollis
Amazing. So yeah, so you’re kind of, as well as that clearly measured thought about approach. So you’re not just going, what am I going to do now? I’ll throw some posts at LinkedIn. You’ve got a clear plan.
13:17.49
Sam Hollis
You know where you want to be.
13:18.08
Cherry – Simply C
Yes.
13:18.69
Sam Hollis
You know what you’re trying to achieve, but you’re also not taking a kind of one line approach. So some people manage to do really well out of one thing and kind of get lots of c clients from that. Well, you’re kind of taking that.
13:29.15
Sam Hollis
I’m i’m doing lots of things that I’ve thought about. I know we’re working and I’m going to do them consistently and well.
13:36.75
Cherry – Simply C
Well, I feel that there’s, I love all the elements that I do. I love food photography. I love interior photography because obviously my background, I love architectural photography. love portraiture and personal branding. So I’m working with people. I quite like people, but, but also I have done over the years is I’ve taken out elements that I, that don’t work for me.
13:57.50
Sam Hollis
OK. Yeah.
13:57.75
Cherry – Simply C
So, you know, what, what are my strengths? What’s it, what is, what am I finding that the industry is needing more of, you know, everything changes, the market changes, video has become more important or a very good supportive element. What doesn’t work? People are taking more and more photos. on their phone for e-commerce. Okay, let them.
14:18.04
Cherry – Simply C
So that isn’t one of an area that maybe is expanding for me. So i I think it’s all about monitoring and constantly making sure that my strategy, that my aim is still in line with where I feel the marketplace is.
14:37.66
Cherry – Simply C
So it’s not just about, you know, what I want to do It’s being responsive and adaptive to the environment that we’re living in. Time’s tough out there. Things have changed.
14:48.15
Sam Hollis
Yeah. So it sounds like your business has an awful lot of evaluation and reflection in in in how you’re getting people in, in what you’re doing, and not just, oh, I’ve reviewed my stuff now, I’ll get on.
14:55.49
Cherry – Simply C
Yes.
15:02.14
Sam Hollis
But you’re doing that an ongoing basis, aren’t you?
15:04.09
Cherry – Simply C
Ongoing basis takes lot of time, doesn’t it?
15:06.68
Sam Hollis
Yeah, so I mean, so I think it’d interesting for the photography, how much time are you spending, like maybe it’s a proportionate of business hours, however you want to think about it, on that kind of working on the business, aren’t The marketing, the reflection, the thinking about it, rather than the photographing, the the editing.
15:24.50
Cherry – Simply C
Probably about a third.
15:26.19
Sam Hollis
Wow. Yeah, so are you taking, and are you kind of really deliberately carving out that time and going, that time is needed?
15:33.18
Cherry – Simply C
No, no. um i I have to work reactively because as you know, as commercial photographers, you know, the sun comes out and people have been thinking about photography for six months.
15:41.99
Sam Hollis
Right.
15:45.03
Cherry – Simply C
All of a sudden it’s they need them yesterday.
15:46.17
Sam Hollis
okay Yeah, yeah.
15:47.32
Cherry – Simply C
so
15:47.93
Sam Hollis
OK.
15:48.12
Cherry – Simply C
At the moment, I’m working very, I have forward planning and I have clients who have booked me in advance.
15:52.75
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
15:55.38
Cherry – Simply C
However, there are that that takes precedence. So whilst at the moment, as I mentioned to you earlier, I’m i’m working on my videos, my my website and and elements like that, that has to fit in behind the the key element of my business, which is I’m a commercial photographer.
15:59.99
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:14.30
Cherry – Simply C
So if my clients are looking to book me, That comes first.
16:14.74
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:17.42
Cherry – Simply C
I can’t, I won’t turn down a job because I’ve got my website to do that day.
16:18.08
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:22.23
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:22.42
Cherry – Simply C
The website got but will be done at eight o’clock that evening with a glass of wine, maybe. It might be a little bit on the skew if I’ve had two glasses of wine, but that’s okay too.
16:26.81
Sam Hollis
Okay.
16:33.38
Sam Hollis
Yeah. But, but you’re not saying, so I’ll put it off. So I’ll put it off. So I’ll put it off.
16:39.51
Cherry – Simply C
No, I feel that the market changes if you keep putting things off like that. It’s yeah. I think there’s a nice balance, isn’t there? You have to try and find a balance, but that is constantly moving.
16:53.05
Cherry – Simply C
So I don’t stipulate that Mondays is only stay in my office and work on my website.
16:53.50
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:58.30
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
17:00.05
Cherry – Simply C
i My world doesn’t revolve around that. I have to work and be adaptive and be reactive to many environments.
17:06.51
Sam Hollis
That makes sense.
17:07.80
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah.
17:07.77
Sam Hollis
But you have things you’re trying to achieve by the end of the week, by the end of the month. And if there’s more photo shoots, you’re working more at eight o’clock at night with wine. And if there’s less, you’re able to do it in the day and and relax a bit more.
17:18.26
Cherry – Simply C
Yes. Yeah, yeah. It’s trying to find that balance. And I can’t say that I get it right all the time. Sam, who does?
17:24.99
Sam Hollis
I don’t think any of us can say that.
17:26.98
Cherry – Simply C
Nope. And there are times where I’m a little bit thinking, I need to stop. But then i i love what I do and i I wake up to enjoy what I do.
17:39.03
Cherry – Simply C
And although I might be tired, I know that, especially now this is summer, this is my heaviest period. This is is the time that everything
17:44.54
Sam Hollis
Right.
17:47.09
Cherry – Simply C
you know, is is working really quickly and really fast and people want their images and the sun is shining before the leaves drop, before spring, you know, autumn comes.
17:54.52
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
17:55.77
Cherry – Simply C
So i I just get on with it, hanker down, just get on with it and keep going because we all have quiet spots as well. So I know that, you know, this is the time that I’m very, very busy and then I can have a little bit more time to work on strategy and planning during the quieter periods, hey for example.
18:05.56
Sam Hollis
Yep.
18:15.19
Cherry – Simply C
So it’s all about a balance.
18:16.95
Sam Hollis
Okay. Amazing. But you still kind of then making sure that kind of stuff that that day to day drip feed of social media, getting the blogs is is always happening, but the kind of bigger evaluation planning are maybe more for the quieter, they still happen, but there may be more for the quieter times.
18:25.18
Cherry – Simply C
Yes. It’s always happening.
18:32.66
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah. Yes. Yes. It’s a balance, isn’t it? We all have to find what works for us.
18:38.83
Sam Hollis
That’s it. ah But I think as a photographer, it’s very easy to find the balance in who I could just spend another hour on Photoshop and that other stuff gets pushed, pushed and not get done.
18:49.57
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah.
18:49.82
Sam Hollis
And it’s avoiding that, isn’t it?
18:50.18
Cherry – Simply C
It might. It’s trying to. It’s trying to. The clients are a priority, but equally so is ensuring that my brand is is reflective of where I am and what I’m offering.
18:59.32
Sam Hollis
Yes.
19:07.86
Cherry – Simply C
So it’s it is really important to me.
19:08.54
Sam Hollis
Which is, we okay. And that’s interesting as you’re saying where I am, because some people can say reflects from our brand, which is where your brand is clearly constantly evolving and shifting.
19:22.07
Cherry – Simply C
I think the, the back, the backdrop of my brand is consistent of who I am and what I offer, how I market that and strategize that I think changes and adapts over time.
19:27.41
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
19:37.43
Cherry – Simply C
But I think the key messaging of my brand hasn’t changed from when I started
19:41.88
Sam Hollis
Okay. So that core, the core is there and then you flex around that core of kind of values and who you are.
19:43.51
Cherry – Simply C
that core, the core is there.
19:49.98
Cherry – Simply C
I keep those always within that brand, always.
19:52.15
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
19:53.54
Cherry – Simply C
That hopefully comes across in my imagery.
19:54.36
Sam Hollis
Okay.
19:56.34
Cherry – Simply C
Please feedback and tell me if it’s if it’s hitting. But um yeah, they the the importance of of what I offer, I think, helps to set me apart, I feel, that from other photographers.
20:09.64
Cherry – Simply C
So I’m hoping that that stays as the core part of my brand. It’s very important to me.
20:15.74
Sam Hollis
Amazing. And then do you get a lot of repeat work as well from the clients you work with?
20:22.46
Cherry – Simply C
happily.
20:23.93
Sam Hollis
And do you have kind of systems and processes to help that happen or do you find that happens kind of just organically?
20:33.53
Cherry – Simply C
Two elements. I think i um I try to work very strategically with my clients. So when i when they first work start working with me, we look at the bigger picture.
20:39.38
Sam Hollis
Okay.
20:43.94
Cherry – Simply C
We look at where they need to go, what they’re trying to achieve over the initial period, the longer period, and then the
20:44.63
Sam Hollis
Right.
20:51.57
Cherry – Simply C
the end game. So i try to so to keep working with them in a proactive way, not in a just like, here’s job and then off you go
21:01.54
Sam Hollis
Right. Yeah.
21:02.33
Cherry – Simply C
So the repeat business is because we’re building, we’re aiming at building imagery that is working towards their end goals to support their brand’s marketing.
21:11.67
Sam Hollis
Okay.
21:13.88
Cherry – Simply C
So yeah.
21:14.04
Sam Hollis
So you’re almost putting on your business coach hat at that stage as much as anything else.
21:16.76
Cherry – Simply C
yes I think in commercial, excuse me. come I think commercial photography is that. It is putting on your business hat.
21:25.93
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
21:27.32
Cherry – Simply C
It is going to the client and saying, you don’t need to worry that you don’t have the answers or you don’t have a brief. I can help you with that. Let’s look at why you want imagery.
21:35.73
Sam Hollis
Right.
21:38.84
Cherry – Simply C
And that is my job. So I don’t just go in and go, I’ve got a lovely camera or I’ve got a new lens. I love it. It’s literally, it’s that’s because that’s, you know, that’s just,
21:53.12
Cherry – Simply C
no I can exactly but but this my clients come to me because I’m looking at solutions for them and this isn’t going to happen overnight it may not even happen on one photo shoot it could be that they’ve got new products coming in six months down the line so the the messaging of their brand has to be consistent their imagery has to be consistent so repeat businesses because I feel that I’m working holistically as part of
21:53.62
Sam Hollis
You can show that to your mum and then that’s fine. Then you can carry in with your day, I think.
22:04.40
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
22:14.85
Sam Hollis
Okay.
22:20.09
Cherry – Simply C
their end game and their strategy.
22:21.02
Sam Hollis
Right. So it’s the… So you’re not doing the let’s talk about one Photoshop, drop the photos by what’s my strategy for getting another photo shoot in a year in six months, maybe at your, it’s almost, we had to show about networking recently.
22:31.55
Cherry – Simply C
No, gosh, no.
22:36.24
Sam Hollis
It’s almost like networking, building that relationship and also supporting them and kind of carrying on in that vein. It’s that constant talking to them building.
22:45.62
Cherry – Simply C
Absolutely, yes. Yes, no, it’s not one shot under. No, thank you. Although there are some shoots where it is, you know, i can work with a client for a couple of days and then give them a portfolio of imagery and I won’t speak to them again or they won’t need, I will speak to them, but they won’t need me again for another three years.
22:53.80
Sam Hollis
Yes, there will look.
23:04.26
Sam Hollis
Yes.
23:04.41
Cherry – Simply C
You know, when you refresh your website, it’s like two to three years, generally a company or five years sometimes.
23:09.84
Sam Hollis
Yes.
23:10.36
Cherry – Simply C
So, but the the can the conversation is still there. There may be new starters, there may be some changes in their service lines or their product lines.
23:14.74
Sam Hollis
Okay.
23:20.70
Cherry – Simply C
So they then know that they can come back and talk to me and say, we need these um brought more up to date. So those relationships, I mean, I, I, i I like people.
23:32.52
Cherry – Simply C
I i love so understanding what their business is about as well. So for me to feel part and parcel of a company’s aim, as opposed to a photographer that goes in for one shoot because it pays the bills that month, us that’s that’s not me.
23:37.23
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
23:42.62
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
23:47.16
Cherry – Simply C
People don’t come to me for that element and I’m not the person for them if that’s what they need. i’m um um i get I get too involved, Sam. I get too involved.
23:57.40
Sam Hollis
Yeah. And that mindset is interesting. Is it moving away from the photo shoot? It’s I’m taking a completely different approach, even though the process might evolve a photo shoot. That’s not the thing.
24:10.87
Cherry – Simply C
No, it’s a part of it, but it’s not, it’s not the thing.
24:11.62
Sam Hollis
It’s just part. Yeah.
24:14.54
Cherry – Simply C
You’re right.
24:14.52
Sam Hollis
Amazing. And then do you mind be asking in terms of charging and to some clients you kind of do a recurring charge or you do the support and then you charge for the photo work?
24:26.46
Cherry – Simply C
Um,
24:27.32
Sam Hollis
You don’t have to share your interest. Interesting for other photographers.
24:32.82
Cherry – Simply C
uh, I, I know I have a flat rate.
24:35.58
Sam Hollis
Okay.
24:36.32
Cherry – Simply C
I’m afraid I have a flat rate and repeat clients is great. There are some clients who are price protected because they stay with me and they might tithe themselves to me if they wish to.
24:44.53
Sam Hollis
Yep.
24:47.83
Sam Hollis
Okay.
24:49.14
Cherry – Simply C
to But um I tend to leave that open to the to the client. So they call me as and when they need me. i feel that there are I think each photographer is different how they price their jobs. Mine takes into account, you know, how many days you can work.
25:06.68
Cherry – Simply C
and i I don’t know if I’m going to answer that one Sam, you probably don’t want include…
25:11.64
Sam Hollis
No, so so i was so i was mormon sorry I was more meaning. So you’re doing this ongoing relationship and helping them with the business. Are you charging for that side or is it more you’re doing that and then the charges come in when you do the photos?
25:25.62
Cherry – Simply C
As a consultant you mean? Do I charge as a consultant?
25:26.94
Sam Hollis
Yeah, you know, as you’re doing that kind of helping them, ah is that, put or do you almost kind of factor that into the photo shoot price?
25:29.08
Cherry – Simply C
Yeah. So that
25:34.52
Cherry – Simply C
If it’s a new client, it’s I think it’s factored into the photo shoot because it’s part and parcel of my offering.
25:37.98
Sam Hollis
Yeah. Yeah,
25:40.50
Cherry – Simply C
Commercial branding, supporting, identifying. And I think a lot of clients, when they book a commercial photographer, they are expecting to pay for that knowledge.
25:50.16
Sam Hollis
Yeah, yeah.
25:50.55
Cherry – Simply C
If they want a photographer that’s just going to press a button and not work creatively, then it’s going to be a different charge. But I think my pricing is based on the fact that what I bring is a full
25:58.33
Sam Hollis
Yeah, yeah. Yeah,
26:04.12
Cherry – Simply C
package. It’s a one stop shop with marketing and the ah in involved with the commercial focus on where are these images going to be used?
26:05.27
Sam Hollis
yeah. Amazing.
26:13.69
Cherry – Simply C
All those elements of expertise and not expertise, that sounds really at my own bottom. It sounds all the areas of, okay.
26:22.11
Sam Hollis
I think expertise is fair, Sherry.
26:25.26
Cherry – Simply C
Okay. All the areas of experience that I have help is, has a value. It’s not just having a really nice camera. And that’s what people are paying somebody like me for.
26:39.47
Cherry – Simply C
It’s not just the fact that I’ve got bloody nice camera.
26:41.36
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
26:43.10
Cherry – Simply C
I’ve got a lovely camera. got a couple. But yes, as we all do, we all have a couple, don’t we?
26:46.55
Sam Hollis
Amazing.
26:50.06
Sam Hollis
That’s it. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. um And so we are running out of time, but so you’re already doing the shoots. You’re spending a lot of time clearly evaluating the business work on the business, with the model but you’re also spending quite a bit of time developing those ongoing relationships as well from the sound of it and making sure you’ve got time for that.
27:04.78
Cherry – Simply C
Yes, yes, yes, absolutely.
27:06.93
Sam Hollis
Wow.
27:07.93
Cherry – Simply C
I feel that if you’re helping support a brand and a business, take their imagery to ah to ah to a level that they want, it’s very important that you are very involved within that business and you keep that relationship very open.
27:09.05
Sam Hollis
Wow.
27:20.84
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
27:24.15
Cherry – Simply C
But really, communication is so key. I listen. I ask a lot of questions. I stay in touch. And I feel that that’s a really important element. And hopefully leave the ego at the door because, yeah, I think our world can be quite full of photographers who are very ego-led.
27:40.22
Sam Hollis
Yes. yes
27:42.11
Cherry – Simply C
And it’s not, it should be all about the client. If I can just leave that with anyone that’s aspiring to be a professional photographer, just leave your ego at the door and just focus on the client and what they need and their clients and what their clients need.
27:53.85
Cherry – Simply C
That for me is simply what I focus on in my job.
27:59.98
Sam Hollis
Amazing. I think that is a perfect place to finish, Cherry. That is a leave those thoughts for everybody to think about.
28:03.51
Cherry – Simply C
Okay.
28:06.82
Sam Hollis
Thank you so much for taking time out of your clean amazingly busy schedule to share all of this with our listeners. And I think,
28:14.42
Cherry – Simply C
Well, only amazingly busy at the moment because the sun is shining. but So yes, thank you very much for asking me on. It’s been ah an absolute honour to be asked, actually. It’s lovely.
28:23.99
Sam Hollis
it’s It’s been amazing. And I think maybe you should get back and have that discussion about what is a professional photographer and what does success as a photographer look like.
28:28.95
Cherry – Simply C
Yes.
28:30.91
Sam Hollis
But that is all for another show. ah Thank you so much, Cherry. And thank you, listeners.
28:35.15
Cherry – Simply C
You’re very welcome. I’m so pleased I didn’t swear.
28:37.69
Sam Hollis
And listeners, I will see you next week.
