Feature photo by Karlee Hooper
We’re all about practical, actionable advice around here. So, we’re following up our article on why you absolutely need to do a photography mentorship with pro tips on how to find a photography mentor. Because, the internet is a big place!
Lucky for you… we just so happen to know quite a lot of photography mentors! What better way to write this article than just to ask them their best advice.
What to look for in a mentor
Before we talk about how to find a photography mentor, let’s start with how to decide what makes someone a good mentor for YOU. This will be different for every photographer, but as you think about what you need in a mentorship and in a mentor, consider these four things:
1. The kind of work you’re drawn to.
“Definitely ask someone you admire, whose style you love. But, as I always tell my mentees, the idea isn’t to make them a copy of me and my work, but to give them ideas on how they could look at their own work differently and develop their own style,” says mentor Bex Maini, Click Pro Elite.
2. Personality
Think about instructors or teachers you’ve liked learning from in the past. Did they have personalities similar to or quite different from yours? Was their approach hands-on or more intellectual?
“My approach to finding a mentor is to look for someone whose work I love. They don’t necessarily have to have a style similar to mine. In fact, sometimes you can learn more from someone who shoots differently. Knowing a bit about their personality is big! Like, are they approachable? Do you respect them as an artist? When I mentor others, I’m direct and give honest feedback about how they can improve their work rather than sugar-coating things. I feel like this is the best approach, and I’m a good match for mentees who agree,” says Jyotsna Bhamidipati, Click Community Mentor.
3. Proven Track Record
Look for a mentor who’s successful in the aspects you want to work on. Do they have a thriving business, amazing Photoshop skills, work hanging in galleries, a trail of happy mentees? There are many measures of success, so it’s important to find a mentor who has experience with and mastery of what you want to learn.
“I have a fantastic business mentor. It took me a while to find someone who fit, but I heard this woman speak on a podcast and liked her strong business track record and personal values, which aligned with mine,” says Gen Palmer, Click Pro Elite.
3. Style
You may want to find a mentor who understands your style. A photographer who shoots mainly moody indoor portraits will have different expertise than an outdoor backlighting expert.
“I’ve done several mentorships over the years. For me, it’s been as simple as reaching out to photographers whose style I love and asking them to mentor me. Some already had established programs, but I’ve convinced a few to get started with mentoring,” says Ali Varbas, Click Pro Elite.
4. Genre
Dig deeper with a mentor who works in your field. “A good starting point is to find photographers in the same genre as you, and whose work you love and aspire to. Not all photographers detail mentoring packages on their website, so if you’ve found someone whose work you love, it’s definitely worth reaching out to them to ask! That’s how I found two of my mentors, and both were such wonderful experiences. My work grew in strides and I also formed friendships,” says Jillian Baudry Click Pro Elite.
How to find a photography mentor.
Ok, now you know what you want, here’s where and how to find a photography mentor.
1. Reach out to a photographer you admire.
Our mentor friends overwhelmingly said the best place to find a mentor is right where you’re already looking, your potential mentor’s website and socials. Send them a message to see if they’d be up for mentoring you, and include why you chose them and what you’d like to work on.
“My mentee found me on Instagram. She loved my work, reached out, and we built a long-term mentorship,” says AnneMarie Hamant, pro family and newborn photographer.
2. Ask a photography instructor you’ve enjoyed working with.
Don’t be afraid to ask! Worst case scenario, they say no. Best case, you get to build a mentorship with someone you truly admire and enjoy. In your query, include what you liked about the teacher and/or class and why you want to do a mentorship with them specifically.
3. Look within your immediate photography community.
What about social media and forums you’ve already joined, like the Click Community? You probably already know a little about the other participants, their work and their personalities. That definitely helps when seeking a one-on-one relationship. Look at their posts and comments. Are they quick and to the point, detailed in their feedback?
“I reached out to one of the amazing photographers I met at Click Away and asked if she would help me put together a portfolio for my Click Pro application. We did so much wonderful work together and I learned a ton of things that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise,” says Jamie Fulenwider, Click Pro Elite.
Before you start your mentorship.
In order to build a successful mentoring relationship, it’s important to know each other’s expectations before you get started. You might find an experienced mentor who already has everything spelled out and all you need to do is agree or disagree. But other times you’ll need to be more involved in building the parameters. Here are some things to keep in mind before you start a photography mentorship.
“When looking for mentors, it is very important to figure out the scheduling flexibilities and availability. How busy is this mentor and how flexible they will be if you need to reschedule your sessions. We all know that life happens, but I would say if we already know that it is a really busy season for the mentor, then maybe wait for a different time to do mentorship with them so they won’t be rescheduling all the time,” says Amy Dangerfield, Click Community Mentor
1. Schedule and availability: You should know in advance when you’ll meet, how often, and if/when the mentor will be available to you for questions or feedback between sessions. It’s also good to have an agreement about what will happen if either of you needs to reschedule at any time.
2. Structure: Will this mentorship be one-on-one, small group, Q&A, portfolio review… There are so many ways to participate in a mentoring relationship. It’s best to have a good understanding of how it will work in advance.
3. Preparation: Ask what you, as the mentee, need to bring into the photography mentorship at the start, and if there will be “homework” or things you need to do between sessions.
4. What happens when it’s over? If you have any expectations of a continued relationship when the mentorship is over, it’s best to broach the subject up front.
We’d love to hear your advice on how to find a photography mentor! Leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite mentor and how you found them. Or, tag #click.magazine on Instagram.
This is part two of a three part series on mentorship created in partnership with Fujifilm. You can read part one here. A version of this article was first published in the Winter 2023 issue of Click.
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