Why Case Studies Are So Hard for Photographers

There's a catch-22 that you have to overcome.

When browsing a photographer’s website what can set it apart from the herd are well-thought-out case studies. Let’s lay out a quick definition, so we can align ourselves on this topic.

• A case study is not a portfolio

• A case study is not a gallery

• A case study is not a blog post.

What I believe a great case study to be is a combination of portfolio work, plus a business narrative, and the results from that narrative. A photographer lays out the problem their client was facing, they talk about the solutions they came to, and then show you their results and photographs from the project.

Simple and effective.

Here’s the problem:

Photographers and many other creatives (filmmakers, designers) are usually left out of the business conversations where the strategy was originally formed.

What ends up happening is the photographer is left with some pretty pictures, but nothing really to tell or show as a result from those pretty pictures.

How many new customers did this photo campaign lead to?

What was the web traffic before and after this photography project?

No idea.

Remember: Our clients (esp. our business clients) aren’t looking for pretty pictures, they are looking for a solution to their business problem.

As a photographer, how can you communicate that you were able to have a tangible effect on their business problem/solution?

“Find a client who trusts your expertise beyond pushing the shutter button.”

We often can’t because we are only seen as a vendor/freelancer who gets brought in at the last minute and is there to follow directions.

So the next time you’re being brought onto a project, try to get involved on the ground-level, the strategy/gameplan level. Find a client who trusts your expertise beyond pushing the shutter button. You’ll become more valuable to your client and be able to gather some great data for your next case study.

Cheers,
Jordan P. Anderson

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