054: Scott Johnson – How To Succeed Post-Covid & Keeping That Drive & Passion For What You Do

February 28, 2022

“Learn to close your mouth and open your ears. Listening to your clients and what they want is invaluable. “

SCOTT JOHNSON

Hey everyone! It’s Sally here, from Studio Ninja. Today’s episode is all about Scott Johnson!

Scott Johnson FBIPP FSWPP Master of The Societies is an Internationally recognised, award-winning photographer based in Essex, U.K, and has photographed wedding all over the world. Known for being fun and energetic, Scott also travels the world as a judge, educator and mentor. He has judged for SWPP, WPPI as well as numerous international competitions including the only British judge for the 2020 Photographic World Cup.

He holds a two Fellowships with the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) in Wedding and Documentary Photography. His documentary Fellowship in 2017 on the Auschwitz camp in Poland taken entirely on film has received plaudits from across the world.

In 2018, he was awarded ‘Master Photographer’ with the SWPP. In 2019, he won the Open & Natural World category in the SWPP 20×16 print competition, as well as finishing runner-up in the Wedding Classical category having won that category in 2016. He was the only British winner at WPPI in Las Vegas in the 2019 annual awards with first place in the Wedding Contemporary category (Gold distinction). His SWPP awards journey was competed in 2021 when he won Architectural Photographer of the Year.

He is an official Fujifilm X-Photographer, global ambassador for Fundy Software, as well at Studio Ninja.

Check out some of the biggest points from Scott’s interview below:

Scott’s journey in the Photography Industry
What drives & motivates Scott?
How to deal with the impact of Covid on business
Top Marketing Tips for photographers that are just starting out
Awards – how they can positively effect your business
How to prevent burning out
Side projects – how you can fit them in!
The importance of stopping and listening to your clients
How to pivot your business to success after Covid
The one thing that made a difference to Scott’s business!

What motivates you?

Yeah. I’m too stubborn to quit, so that’s what’s kind of seen me through the last almost two years now, as we’re recording. So, I’m just too stubborn. I think what motivates me is just… There was a thread on a different page I’m on this morning, and the people were commenting about what motivates them and drives them. It’s, like yesterday, it’s seeing people at the happiest time, and being able to create and deliver some images that they’re going to go on their walls forever, they’re going to go in the albums you see behind me. That lasts forever. We’ve had people that we’ve lost… A good friend of mine died through COVID, and the first thing his family wanted was, “Has anyone got any pictures that we haven’t seen yet?” And, I think photography now is more important than ever, and that’s what’s driving me forward, is to help create these memories that are going to last long after we’ve all gone.

What is your top tip for photographers just starting out?

I think it is, I’ve said it for years, roll with the punches. No one knows what’s in front of us. As long as you base yourself, and you’re true to yourself, and you run a good business, and you take good work, and you’re getting good feedback, that’s all you need to do. It’s being adaptable to the change. Change is a good thing. You often see it flying around the internet about someone said that, “We’ve always done it this way,” is the most dangerous thing anyone can say. So, it’s okay to have a bad day. It’s okay to wake up and go, “I can’t be bothered today.” That’s fine. Just don’t have too many of those, because it’s very easy to become overwhelmed in this industry. But, if you allow yourself to grow within the industry, honestly, it is the best thing you’ll ever do.

As you said, I did the school run most days, we go to clubs and stuff. I’m a bit more picky about what I do at weekends now, and that’s because I’ve got 10 years of… Let’s be honest, when we all start a business we play at it for the first couple of years, because you’re never really sure, you’re still finding your feet. For me, this is a hobby that got out of hand, and I’m still here. I would say the last 10 years, certainly the last five, I’ve really done my best to make sure that the balance sheet is where it needs to be and everything, and we’ve got enough money to have choices. I think that’s what we go into business for, is to give ourselves more choice.

How do awards impact your business?

My clients don’t care I’ve got awards. It’s good marketing. It really is, because they can say, “We’ve booked the best guy in Essex. We’ve booked the best guy wherever.” But, I’ve got two fellowships, but I tell my couples that and they think I’m a hobbit. They really don’t care. But, what they care about is how good the images are because I’ve done that process, because I’ve gone through that, and I hate the word journey, but it is a journey. Because, if you look back at the work I was doing 10 years ago to what I’m doing now, you’d say it’s a different photographer. So, I’ve invested myself and my time into that system, because I knew that the outcome was going to be worth it. Anyone that’s going to take that first step, it’s the hardest one. It really, really is. But, I promise you, as I said not long ago, you will not leave the process a worse photographer if you have your work judged, I guarantee it.

Thank you!

Thanks again to you all for joining us and a huge thanks to Scott for joining us on the show!

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!

That’s it for me this week, I hope you all enjoyed this episode.

See you soon,

Sally