Shooting is easy. Keeping up on social media; aye, there’s the rub.
I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season. I went home to relax, unwind, visit family and friends. It was very much needed and am now making plans for 2024.
But, before we begin the near year, I must first close out 2023 with a few remaining sessions that haven’t been posted yet. One was completed just before the break but the other, the one you’re seeing here today, was completed way back in August. I say that as if the green grass and swimsuit images don’t give it away.
You see, I have a problem. While II still burn with the passion that is photography, my desire for social media has flamed out. Creating new works of art still drives me. Publicizing it, well, let’s just say there’s other things I’d rather be doing. Like cleaning the bathroom.
I know, I know. Creatives need to be on social media to keep the public interest in their work and generate new business. Here’s the thing. though. I get 95% of new work from word of mouth from those that have already worked with me before. I work with someone, they show their friends, and they become interested in working with me. Or they see me out doing our thing and approach us to ask for a card.
And it’s always been that way. Way back in the day, when I did weddings, I didn’t spend a dime on ads. I only did one bridal show and it generated zero interest. But I did weddings for 35 years and never struggled for bookings. Why? Because people saw me during someone else’s wedding, liked the way I did things, wanted me to do theirs or a friend of theirs, and asked for a card before the day was over. I’d hand out two to three cards a wedding. Most of them booked me.
It was a perpetual business machine.
Now, I don’t do weddings anymore but I still mostly book new clients off the success of another’s session. Take Ash here. We teamed up way back in 2003 or 04. The details of how we matched up the first time elude me right now but she was fundamental in my growth as a photographer in several ways. I know for a fact, though, that because of her, I was introduced to several of her friends that wanted to experience what she did. This resulted in me getting more experience which resulted in stronger images, et cetera.
We’ve teamed up several times after that, creating some of my best work, but then I moved to Virginia and things died down. The stars finally aligned this past trip, though, and we got the band back together.
Which is a long trip to get to this point where I’m publishing our images on social media five months after creating them. First of all, I offer my deepest apologies to Ash in taking this long to do it. Second, damn, we still got it.
Now, I don’t do resolutions this time of year. What I do instead is generate a list of things to improve upon in the new year. One of those things is to get back on social media. I need to find out the most effective platforms and publish there more often while cutting off the least productive platforms. This page will stay, for sure. Whether I keep X, Facebook, IG, Threads, et cetera, remains to be seen. Are there new platforms that are on the rise? I’ll be looking for them.
In the meantime, enjoy these new images of Ash and stay tuned for some new work shortly.
Mark Knopp is a Yorktown-based photographer with over 40 years of experience. He covers Hampton Roads, Richmond and beyond. Contact him today at mknopp1(at)cox.net to book your session.
Photography by Mark K 