Behind the Lens: Why Stakeholders Matter in Photography

In the photography industry, we think of our work as deeply personal, our vision, our lens, and our brand; however, behind every great picture is a group of people who support and influence our success. These people are our stakeholders, and understanding and engaging with them is essential to growing in a digital world. Stakeholders aren’t just clients. They are collaborators, suppliers, social media followers, studio partners, and even the platforms we use to promote ourselves. As Rowles and Brown (2017) explain, “Not all stakeholders are created equal” Some have more impact than others; classifying them helps us prioritize who to engage with, how often, and how.

A wedding photographer might say their key stakeholders are clients, shooters, venue coordinators, and Instagram followers. Each group has different needs; Clients want clear communication and timely services. Shooters need instruction and shared creative ideation, and Followers need consistent, engaging content. By understanding each stakeholder's needs and wants, photographers can tailor their communication to each group, ensuring their individual needs are met or addressed, and new growth or changes within the creative practices are communicated effectively according to each group. Your clients may want a simple structured email explaining all processes and telling them what to do, whilst shooters or employees may wish for an informative brief coupled with creative freedom and management recommendations to form collaboration in a team meeting.

Using a simple Matrix, photographers can plot stakeholders to determine who needs close management (e.g., high-paying clients) and who might be potential advocates (e.g., vendors who refer work). As Caitlin Blewett of Deloitte notes, stakeholder engagement is “invaluable for securing buy-in, planning efforts, and communicating more widely within the business” (Blewett, 2021). For photographers, this might mean getting support for a new pricing platform, launching a rebrand, or expanding into new photography or creative niche markets. Even launching a new product. In short, understanding your stakeholders isn’t just good business; it’s key to communicating changes and growth within your network. Having clear channels of communication that address each group's needs and inform them helps improve efficiency and morale, as well as acceptance and implementation of new projects, clients, or even creative styles. Because when you know who’s behind the lens with you, you can focus more clearly on what matters most.

References

Rowles, D., & Brown, T. (2017). Building Digital Culture. Kogan Page.

Blewett, C. (2021). Deloitte’s Digital Transformation Journey. In Rowles & Brown, Building Digital Culture (pp. 61–64).