Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Meyers.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Michael. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was working as a creative director at an ad agency that had a number of employees who were really into photography. That inspired me enough to get a camera (a Sony a6000, which I’ve since upgraded to an a7rii) and see if I liked it. I was hooked immediately. For the last tw0-and-a-half-years, I’ve traveled and shot as much as I possibly could.
I use Instagram as the primary conduit for sharing all my work and the byproduct of that has been meeting an insane amount of cool and talented people along the way. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel and shoot with the very same people I idolized on the platform when I first picked up a camera.
Now that, I’ve built up a substantial following on social media, I’m coupling my 20+ years of experience as a creative in the advertising world and my ability as a photographer to help brands develop and shoot social media campaigns that have real and measurable results as it pertains to their business objectives.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think this is all a matter of perspective. Starting over or taking a major divergence in what you’ve done for the last 20 years isn’t going to be easy – especially when you’re looking to create a role that doesn’t really exist currently. If you expect that to be easy, you’re not being realistic.
The good news is, I’m in a position to be able to do what I love and what I know well in a way that few other people out there can do. And while I realize that isn’t going to be an easy path, I know it CAN be done. It’s just a matter of amplitude.
You’re going to hear “no” a lot. Or, perhaps even more often, nothing at all. That’s fine. As a creative in the ad world, we learn to develop a tough skin early on when it comes to getting your ideas shot down. This is the same thing in a slightly different arena.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Michael Meyers Photography – what should we know?
I use my 20 years of experience as a creative in the ad industry to help create social media campaigns I know will engage the right audience for my clients and help drive their business objectives.
With that campaign sold in, I can then create the content that’s needed for photography and video and then leverage my social media following to help promote it.
The key is authenticity. I’d never work with a brand I didn’t think was aligned with my brand as a photographer and creative. If you’re not authentic on social media, people will know it right away and tune out. It’s not like traditional advertising where you’re forced to listen to someone’s message. You ELECT to have a conversation with a brand via social when you follow them. And you can unfollow them just as quickly. So as a brand, you need to appreciate that and provide your followers with content that is of interest or use to them. That goes for me as a photographer and content creator and the brands that I work with.
Having that mindset ensures every campaign I create will be positioned correctly to be a success. It’s a formula that works every time.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Love. And, I know this sounds like the cheesiest answer, so let me explain. If you can’t feel the love that I’ve put into an image or a piece of content, I haven’t done my job. There needs to be care taken with it. People know the difference between something that’s just been thrown up somewhere and when someone has taken the time to infuse some love into it.
Years ago I was out to eat at a really nice restaurant with my boss at the time. He was a really interesting guy, and very insightful in an unconventional way. When our meal came, he took a bit of his, reflected for a moment and said (about the chef) “This guy… this guy really loves what he’s doing.” THAT is what I strive for. When someone can engage with something I’ve done and got the feeling that someone really took their time with it, that means something.
Now, as that pertains to work I do with brands, the takeaway should be the same. When a brand takes the time to really serve up quality content to its followers, you create the kind of relationship with your consumers that really drive brand affinity. It shows the brand understands what people want and consumers appreciate it.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://michaeltmeyers.zenfolio.com
- Phone: 773-330-3182
- Email: michaelmeyersphotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmeyers76/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelmeyersphotography/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mmeyers76
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