Instagram influencer and internationally acclaimed photographer Luke Bakhuizen talks about using his camera and Instagram profile to forge a dream job.
Instagram can open a sea of opportunities to launch your career to new heights, it is not the plain social media tool it once was. Luke Bakhuizen recently shared his master tips on how he leveraged his Instagram following into an exciting and sustainable career of photography and filmmaking.
Bakhuizen was one of the early users of Instagram. He found the platform a fantastic channel to showcase his amazing travel photos and films which soon earned him huge appreciation and growing numbers of followers on Instagram. His unique photography set him apart from the regular crowd, but he also admits it took hours of hard work to turn his hobbies (travel & photography) into the career that he is living today.
While discussing his travel photography career on Instagram, Bakhuizen stressed the significance of offering quality content and putting oneself before brands interested in influencers. He mentioned that he would often tag tourism boards in his Instagram posts. Tourism Australia soon took notice of his content and offered him a lucrative project that would have him travelling across Australia to create content that would promote the Commonwealth Games. Thus began Bakhuizen's career as an influencer which eventually led to further projects from more elite brands, like Sony, Subaru, DJI, Sta Travel and so on.
"Your main task is to shoot quality content, create an appealing media kit and pitch services to multiple clients. Brands are on the lookout of premium content which can be repurposed. It does not always imply that one would require umpteen numbers of followers to back them up here", stated Bakhuizen.
Next, the much sought-after influencer stressed on the importance of over-delivering to clients to secure a sustainable career. In his own words-
"After you bag your first ever contract, there is always a high learning curve. Clients will offer you their specific brief and you must perform strictly within those pre-set guidelines. You will have a lot to learn here, ranging from the brand's typical ethos, the right words to be used and what to avoid. In my case, I had to re-edit many videos and photos multiple times till they finally reached client's exact specifications. The bottom line is, you should always be prepared to over-deliver and that will lead to a sustainable career for you."
The third point he mentioned was about teaming up with a leading talent agency that represents influencers. After one has built up a solid portfolio, these agencies will take the job forward by pitching you before the right people which will eventually accelerate your career.
Speaking further, Bakhuizen emphasized that the competition is cut-throat in the influencer world and one must be extremely relentless and proactive to make a sound impression in the market.
"When you are starting out, do not focus too much on pricing. Rather focus on building a compelling portfolio with premium and innovative content. And after you create a portfolio, leverage it." The competition is intense here but there is also no shortage of opportunities. Only those who have the grit to identify and chase the opportunities, will make their mark.
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