Atlanta has the Portfolio Center, the Creative Circus, the Art Institute, and other schools that are turning out photographers, says Sterling, himself a graduate of the Portfolio Center. That s a lot of competition starting out. It s near impossible for a photographer to get into an agency to show his book. If I had to start from scratch right now by showing my book, I d be screwed. Getting ahead of the competition can be a full time job in itself.
Photographers say the main tool is a strong book filled with outstanding work.
But even armed with a killer portfolio, it sometimes comes down to who you know as much as what you ve done. You need to beat down doors and get in front of people s faces so you can show them your work and keep fresh in their mind, says Hicks. Getting ahead in Atlanta takes a lot of courage and a lot of dedication, says Green. It also takes a good amount of money to promote yourself. You need to get involved in the community and establish relationships with the agencies.