One of the biggest mistakes any photographer or videographer can make is to treat their client relationships as purely transactional. This excellent video discusses why empathy is one of the most important qualities any creative can possess and how it can improve both your work and your business relationships.
Coming to you from Daniel DeArco, this thought-provoking video examines the concept of empathy and how we can apply it both in our approach to clients and in our own work. I think it is important to remember that when a client comes to a photographer, they are not just looking for images; rather, they are looking for a representation of something they are invested in either emotionally or financially (or both), and as such, your photos or videos are an extension of them in some way. Treating the relationship purely as an exchange of goods or services can leave the client feeling insecure, as if you are not as invested in the importance of the final product as they are. And of course, it might not be your own wedding or business that you're capturing with the images you create, but showing you understand on a deep, personal level the importance of your photos and videos can go a long way in building stronger, more successful customer relationships. Check out the video above for DeArco's full thoughts.
Not much empathy in Fstoppers ..
A veritable dearth.