:::::::NETWORK::::::: the ladue news business connection ::

by Christy Kloecker Thompson

Like many people, when it comes to photography, “point and click” is my motto. Not surprisingly, none of my work appears in any medium outside family scrapbooks and the occasional desktop picture frame. Building a career in photography requires not just an artistic sensibility that I seem to lack, but also a keen eye, flexibility and the ability to think on your feet. And in the competitive St. Louis environment, commercial photographers must also have a good business sense and a tireless capacity to network.

Recently, three successful photographers shared with NETWORK the secrets of their success and what they enjoy about working with commercial clients.

“It sounds cliché, but good photographers have to be good communicators,” says professional photographer Suzy Gorman. “You have to be able to listen to your clients and to match your skills and vision with their needs.” Gorman’s work has graced not only the pages of Ladue News, but a calendar for the Rams cheerleaders and materials for the Saint Louis Zoo. Most recently, she worked with the traveling companies for Cirque du Soleil, The Lion King and Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus during their stays in St. Louis.

With nearly 20 years’ experience in the business, Gorman is adept at networking and knows the power of word of mouth. “St. Louis is a conservative town with traditional values,” Gorman observes. “Once you succeed in a business project and you get noticed, others will seek you out. People in this city really value recommendations from their peers. Once one company likes you and your work, you’re bound to get calls from other companies just based on your reputation.”

When it comes to breaking into the business, Laurel Cochran knows that perseverance and dedication are key. “At first, I was the one who carried the photographers’ bags,” she says with a laugh. “I held lights and set up shots and made myself available at all hours, but that’s what it takes to build a portfolio.”

Cochran is another veteran of the Ladue News photography staff, and she feels that the variety of work she did for the publication made her a more wellrounded photographer. “I shot everything from partygoers to jewelry to food to interior designs. Working for a publication like Ladue News is a great education, because you have to work quickly and you have to get it right. It makes you think on your feet, and you get to see it all,” she explains.

In more recent years, Cochran has done both commercial and personal photography, and she emphasizes that it’s not a business for the faint of heart. “In order to be successful, you’ve got to want it,” she comments. “You’ve got to build a portfolio, educate yourself and most importantly, network,” she says. Cochran explains that breaking into the photography business in St. Louis is a 24/7 kind of commitment. “In the beginning, especially, it’s tough to have an outside life. You’ve really got to get your name out there, and doing that requires a lot of time and dedication.”

Another requirement in the world of commercial photography is the ability to relate well to those who are not necessarily photographic experts. Photographer Sarah Carmody has worked with many St. Louis in- dustrial and corporate clients, including CLD Designs, Sachs Electric Company and The Murphy Company, a mechanical and industrial construction firm. “You’ve got to understand that with commercial work, often the decision makers have a certain look they want to achieve. You should always make suggestions to them, but your ideas may or may not be accepted. So it’s good to have a thick skin,” she says with a smile.

Like Gorman and Cochran, Carmody has also been a contributing photographer for Ladue News, and she, too, values her ability to “roll with the punches.” “Just when you think you’ve got it all under control, a surprise comes your way,” she says. Carmody recalls a photo shoot not long ago when she was perched in a “cherry picker,” overlooking a group of 100 employees posing for a company staff picture. “One minute I felt like a production director, and the next minute the driver of the truck ran over a curb, making me cling to the basket for dear life,” she laughs. “But I still got the shot.”

Commercial photography is a demanding business that takes a particular breed of photographer. Listening and communication skills, tenacity and dedication are only a few of the necessary qualities for success. And that’s over and above the photographers’ ability to develop an artistic vision of the subject. It’s a tall order and it can take years to develop a reputation and clientele list.

“This is an area where you may not make a lot of money, and you’ve got to eat, sleep and breathe your work,” Gorman says. “But for me, it’s incredibly rewarding and exciting –and you always meet the most amazing people.”

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