Photographers Boutique: Interview with Mark Osborne Photography

Will you start by telling us where you work and live and the type of photography you do?

I'm primarily an events photographer covering weddings, parties and anything else in between! I have some experience shooting portraits and is something that I'd be interested in doing more of. I live and work in central London but I'm more than willing to travel further afield to cover an event

What inspires you as a photographer?

Observing the world around me is pretty inspirational; I often find inspiration in the most unlikely of places. Living in a fast paced city such as London, it's very easy to get swept away in all the craziness; it's really nice to sometimes slow down and just observe. I think this helps in training your eye to anticipate events and be able to capture those fraction of a second moments. I also love watching films which are another great way to get inspired.

How long have been a photographer?

I've always had a keen interest in photography and I'm purely self taught. I started out by taking photos at various family events for a number of years. This lead on to a few friends and family members asking me if I would photograph their weddings, which I offered to do. Then early last year I thought I would do this properly, so set up my website and started working on my business. I'm therefore in the early stages of being a professional photographer.

When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?

When I'm not behind the lens or in front of the computer screen, you might find me in the gym, spending time with my girlfriend, or out for a meal with friends.

Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?

A great book for business is The Complete Guide to Professional Wedding Photography by Damien Lovegrove. He goes into great depth about business techniques as well as covering the practical side of photography. There are also lots of great website out there full of business tips. http://www.zenologue.com/blog/ is an excellent example.

Best marketing idea?

Networking is a great way to get yourself known. You might be thinking why would I want to meet other people who are all competing for the same type of work, and how is that good for my business? Well through the power of social networking (Facebook/twitter) I'm now in contact with lots of photographers who have referred me onto potential clients when they cannot cover a particular date. Word of mouth and referrals are a great way of marketing yourself. Once you have booked that client, and if you do a great job, they might then refer you onto their family members/ friends.

Worst marketing idea?

Getting into the trap of saying yes to everything and then not being able to deliver.

Do you have a studio and if not do you feel having a studio would help your business grow?

I don't have a studio at the moment, but it might be something I would consider in the future. In an ideal world it would be great to have one as I find that I'm more motivated when working outside the office!

What do you think makes a photographer successful?

I think being different from the competition and offering something distinctive would help to make a photographer successful. Things like being professional at all times, pleasing your clients and delivering a good service also go hand in hand with a successful business.

What’s your weakness in this business?

I think pricing is something that is always a problematic area and something that I certainly struggle with; its hard to price yourself correctly and at a level that you are comfortable with.

Are you a Nikon or Canon?

I use a Canon 5D mkII

and Lens?

I prefer shooting with natural light and so have a selection of fast prime lenses which tend to be sharper than zooms and are very useful in low light situations. My favourites are the 35mm f/1.4L, 50mm f/1.2L and the 85mm f1.2L

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

I've dabbled in bedroom DJing, so I guess I would love to be a DJ, playing in front of a large crowd!

Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.

If you're starting out in the photo business, try not to compare yourself to everyone else. It's a very hard thing to do and I've done it myself. But it's important to develop your style so you are comfortable shooting in a certain way.