How to never feel intimidated, and break through the glass ceiling as a female photographer?

Across the photography industry there is a massive underrepresentation of women. Very ofter I find myself as the only female in the pool of photographers shooting gigs, festivals, fashion week or when I’m working on big productions. Photography scene remains a male-dominated field but this never discourage me. So many times I was mistaken for a stylist, make up artists or just the assistant of one of the boys in the pit (very often when I was a leading photographer) It made me laugh so many times, once during The Kooks concert somebody thought I’m a part of a groupie, and somehow I got access to the pit. Its simply less common to see females as lead photographers. In the US, as revealed in a TEDx talk by the celebrated photographer Jill Greenberg, 92% of adverts are shot by men, as are 85% of magazine covers. (This despite the fact that 85% of consumer purchases are made by women).

London Fashion Week, February 2019

Over the past 3 years, I’ve learned how to be a successful female photographer in a male-dominated industry and earn the respect of top clientele. By writing this short article I want to show to any future female photographer that yes of course you can do it. If you are driven, talented and determined you can do it. If you work hard and have a good working ethic, you can do it! You only need to find our own voice and prove to people that you are just as good as anybody else out there. Finding individual style and voice is something that will keep you around in the long run. Just be careful as it is very easy to fall into chasing trends, but there is a world outside of what everyone else is doing. I also believe it’s essential for the feature of photography, that up-and-coming female photographer enter the scene and feel supported. Here I want to tell you about a few ideas for breaking through the glass ceiling: 

It’s a smaller world than you think and the world of photography loves what they do. 

Have you ever heard of the six degrees of separation? As is the case with any industry, it is usually a smaller world than it appears to be on the surface. I’ve encountered many of the same faces as I’ve transitioned to different companies over the years. My advice: Don’t burn any bridges you’d later regret, because chances are you’ll be working with the same people again and again.

Mike Skinner (The Streets) and me at Fabric, London - shoot for Red Bull

You’re a brand, not (just) a business

?Regardless of gender, successful photographers go the extra mile to stand out, as if to say, “I’m the best, and this is what I do.” Focus on your brand while staying true to who you are. Whether across social media networks, word-of-mouth, through your website or portfolio, or some other way, tell who is standing behind the camera in a creative way. Brand-building efforts help female photographers in two ways: first, you’re able to open up a personal side of yourself that enables clients to extend a deeper level of trust, and second, you can show off your work to build credibility.

Befriend better photographers

At the beginning of my career as full time photographer I was accepted for Photography Mastered. It was 10 months fashion photography accelerator programme. One of the most inspirational components of Mastered Programme was the caliber of photographers I had the chance to shoot and connect with. From professionals with experience decades deep, to my young, aspiring peers, just being around other photographers better than myself enhanced my time at the event and my abilities as a photographer. Remember the world is changing fast, The old ways of doing things are breaking down, and if you need to be a successful photographer you need to adopt. Other photographers are not your competition. They are part of your network and community. Its so important to find a community where you feel safe to ask questions, discover new ideas, and be inspired to try something new, whether it be a tactic, shooting at a new type of event, or trying a difference piece of camera equipment. If you like what someone else has done with the camera, don’t look at it is their advantage but instead use it for a chance personal growth and jump in there with them to learn something new.

140 from around the world that took part in photography Mastered Programme.

Don’t compromise—confidence takes time 

Do you feel like you have to work harder than male counterparts to impress? Unfortunately, you might have to. In the same way female CEOs admit they must work harder than males to raise capital for their business, female photographers should prepare to have to work harder to impress new clients. That being said, never feel like you have to be someone you’re not.

Personally, I’ve built up my confidence over time because I know my clients will be happy with my product. Knowing that clients might look at my work with scrutiny—regardless of my gender—motivates me to work better and harder. And sometimes, I even find an angle or test a new idea might not have even crossed the mind of my male counterpart. The authentic impression I leave with my clients has pushed me to prove myself time and time again.

Embrace your opportunity to shine. Get out of your comfort zone

During Photography Mastered program we needed to take part in the challenge given to us by editor of Vanity Fair (who later on was giving us feedback based on what we have created) They created a groups of couple of photographers, make up artist and stylist and they wanted to see how we interact with each other under the time pressure and ever changing environment. The set became our playground. The next few hours, I found myself acting naturally without limits. My strengths—like getting the individual I was shooting to feel comfortable and creating informal connections on set—really shined in those few hours. I found myself finding great, creative angles, showcasing the whole venue, and taking photos that would showcase the emotions of the participants—while feeling comfortable in my own skin.

By writing this article I want to highlight one really important thing. Equal representation of females in photography is never about us doing something better than males. It’s about all of us, despite our differences, coming together to tell a bigger story. Our differences allow us to capture bold, creative images from the feminine perspective—so ladies, let’s embrace it!