You need to get yourself noticed if you want to be successful. Promoting yourself is one of the most important things you can do. But at the beginning of your career - whether you're a photographer, model or other creative - it can be challenging because no one knows who you are.

Even when you have experience, there may be times you find yourself stuck in a creative black hole, needing to break free and get yourself back out there, but struggling to climb out.

It doesn't matter if you've just started your creative journey or you're further along and need a refresh, our top nine essential tips will help you get noticed and start raising your profile in the industry. 

Before we dive in, this guide is aimed at creatives with (at least some) photos of their work (such as your photography, modelling, artwork, styling, etc.). But don't worry if you haven't started building an official portfolio yet.

If you haven't created any images, now is the time to take some photos of your work. Without this, you have nothing to show prospective clients or collaborators. Once you have photos of your gorgeous work, you can get the most from the advice in this guide. 

For anyone new to the model-photography industry, we have some great tips for aspiring models who want to know how to become a freelance model and for photographers who are new to working with models. 

#1. Create a portfolio and fill it with your best work

A portfolio is essential for getting booked as it shows prospective clients the type and level of work you can do. Once you have images of your work, choose the best ones to share with the world and create a portfolio to display them. 

Your portfolio can be printed out and physically carried around with you, but creating an online portfolio will give you more flexibility and a much broader reach since it is easier to share and will help others to find your work.

There are lots of platforms and websites out there that you can use to create an online portfolio. On PurplePort, you can create a portfolio for free and start networking with some of the best models, photographers, studios, make-up artists, designers, stylists and other creatives in the industry.

#2. Use social media to your advantage to maximise your exposure

By regularly posting on social media, you can use these platforms to your advantage, building your reputation and credibility. As well as posting links to your online portfolio and the beautiful images you create, you can also post interesting and relevant content that others will want to see (including the audience of your followers). 

The type of social media platforms you use will depend on the creative field you work in. Whilst YouTube and TikTok are prime for video, Instagram and Pinterest are the best places for photos, whereas Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin are ideal for written content.

For an in-depth look at the type of content to post to different social media platforms, check out What to Post on Each Social Media Platform: The Complete Guide to Optimizing Your Social Content (Buffer).

Interacting with your audience and optimising social media tools (such as hashtags, stories, tags, etc.) will maximise your exposure, and implementing a social media scheduler will save you time (so you can spend more time improving the content you share).

For step-by-step guidance that anyone can use to get the most out of social media, check out Best social media strategies for photographers (Splento) and 11 Social Media Marketing Strategies for Photographers of All Levels (Expert Photographer). 

#3. Get your work published 

Whilst there are many new, incredible and easy-to-access avenues to explore with self-publishing (such as social media platforms and personal photography websites), at PurplePort, we firmly believe there is much value in publishing your work.

Getting published is like a stamp of approval for your work. It can add credibility to your brand and image, opening the door for paid commissions (with publications and others) and ultimately helping you to build your reputation in the industry.

For tips to help you get your work published, including the best places to find publications and how to contact them, check out Want To Get Your Photos Published? Here Are Our Tips & Guidelines. 

#4. Exhibit your work

In the past, exhibitions have tended to be used by artists to sell their work, but these days they are primarily used to gain exposure and recognition.

Whether a large gallery displaying a collection of images from your latest project or a single photo hanging in a cafe, exhibiting your work is a great way to build and connect with your audience.  

If you've never exhibited your work before, check out How to Prepare a Photography Exhibit of Your Work (Digital Photography School) and Putting on a Show: Tips for Exhibiting Your Photography (Amateur Photographer) for advice on where to start, different types of exhibition and creatives ways to exhibit your work. 

#5. Enter competitions

According to award-winning photographer Max Richie in 3 Reasons Why Photo Competitions Are Important For Your Career (500px), competitions should be an essential part of your marketing strategy. In his experience, winning competitions has increased his commissions. 

As well as getting your fabulous work more exposure, competitions can also be a fun way to keep ideas flowing & draw inspiration for future projects. That's why on PurplePort, we run daily photo competitions covering hundreds of themes & concepts (each with prizes to be won, too!). 

For great tips on preparing for large and small photography competitions, check out 4 Reasons to Enter a Photography Competition and How to Prepare for It (MUO). 

#6. Be active in your creative community

A sure way to get yourself noticed in the creative community is to be active within it (not just an observer or an outsider who is invisible to others). That means finding other creatives and connecting with them in some way.

A by-product of participating in your community is you'll be surrounded by creatives just like you, which is a great way to maintain your focus and keep you inspired. 

One way to participate in your community is to find images you think are awesome and let the creator know you love their work. It's a great way to attract positive attention. These interactions could start a glorious working partnership with that person (or connect you with someone they know). 

On PurplePort, you can let other people know you admire their work by giving images love, leaving image comments or adding images to a collection you've created (such as for inspiring images). It's incredibly flattering to be told your image has been loved or added to an 'Inspiring and beautiful images' collection. 

The groups on PurplePort are a fantastic way to connect with other creatives in the community. Share fabulous images from your photoshoots, get constructive feedback from industry peers on your portfolio or specific images, celebrate your success stories and feel supported by your fellow creatives. 

#7. Regularly update your portfolio with fresh content

Keeping your portfolio updated with new content shows you are proactive and serious about your work. One of the best ways to achieve this is by arranging photoshoots and working with other creatives.

Finding others to work with can be challenging, but arranging photoshoots on PurplePort is easy using our Castings feature. Browse casting calls relevant to you by tailoring your personal search preferences (and apply the ones that catch your eye), or create a casting call of your own and let the best creatives come to you.

If you are a touring model on PurplePort (or anyone travelling for work), it's super simple to connect with others in your area and arrange photoshoots. By adding your travel location to an away notice in your PurplePort calendar, anyone in that location will be notified you are available to shoot whenever they see you in various places on PurplePort. 

Another great way to get your portfolio filled with new content is by attending studio days, model days, and photography events. Our Events feature on PurplePort is the place to find fabulous and exciting events to attend, including studio days, social meet-ups, workshops, exhibitions and more. 

#8. Network with other creatives

Networking is a marketing tool to build professional relationships with your fellow creatives. Any connections you make with others could result in opportunities for paid bookings and collaborations in the future (and potentially now, too).

You never know which connection will help you in the future, so it's important to always give a positive, professional impression to everyone you network with.

Using our powerful Search feature on PurplePort, you can tailor your preferences to quickly find other creatives to network with and start building those vital connections. 

To help you stay organised, PurplePort has a tool for adding people you'd like to network with to a list (either public or private). If you'd like to work with someone, you can add them to a Want To Work With (WTWW) list, which is a particular type of list that automatically tells everyone you add that you want to work with them.

Any lists you create on PurplePort can also be used as an extra filter to customise your results on the Search feature. 

Another way to branch out and get noticed is by adding interesting and relevant tags to your images. Most networking platforms and portfolio hosting websites (social media platforms, PurplePort, etc. ) allow you to add tags to your images and give you the ability to search for images based on tags.

Adding tags makes it easier for others to find your images (and the rest of your fabulous work, too). On PurplePort, you can add keyword tags and tag other members to your images to maximise your exposure, enabling your fellow creatives to find your stunning images using our Image Search tool. 

#9. Build a good reputation 

Collecting positive feedback (such as references) is essential for building a good, solid reputation. 

Feedback from others is crucial (especially your peers), giving you confidence in your skillset and abilities. Building your reputation allows you to reach a broader audience, increase your exposure and help you get more paid assignments. 

References are feedback from other creatives who have worked with you, such as from a photoshoot you worked on together. They form an essential part of your portfolio, adding credibility to your work and helping build your industry reputation. 

A good due diligence process often involves checking the references of someone you want to work with to see what other creatives have to say about their experience working with them (such as new models looking for photographers to work with).

We've spent over a decade on PurplePort tweaking and perfecting the referencing system on our platform, which is simple and effective. To get an idea about the type of references you could receive (and the ones you'll want to avoid), check out our short guide to the PurplePort referencing system. 

Now, it's over to you! 

Put these tips into practice and start raising your profile in the industry today. Before you know it, success will be within your grasp. 

Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Dedication and consistency are essential. Getting good long-term results will take time, but it will be worth it. 

What is PurplePort

PurplePort is a modelling website that brings models, photographers and other creatives together with one fantastic service. We provide the tools and help you need to get together and create amazing photos.

Established in 2010, PurplePort has grown from strength to strength and now has 40,000+ active members worldwide. With features such as integrated messaging, calendar, shoot plans, image albums, references, credited photos, busy member forums, hundreds of articles, and dedicated full-time staff to help you, it's easy finding the perfect creatives you need for your next photography project. It's a fresh, fast, and feature-rich alternative to ModelMayhem.

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