If you have just started your adventure as a professional photographer or you plan to do that, probably the most often and important question you ask yourself is on how to have (new) customers. I won't explain you here on the importance of a good portfolio, an appealing website and using web 2.0 tools (like Facebook or Twitter). However, I would like to point your attention to the importance of networking as a photographer, which some photographers (especially those new professional photographers) tend to forget about. Networking is actually much more important for having customers than anything else. YES! Even your thousands of followers on Twitter and hundreds of 'friends' on Facebook won't give you as much opportunities for new customers as networking and word of mouth.

Therefore, networking is much more effective for having new customers, especially when we already made happy previous customers with delivering photographs and products in line with their expectations. Satisfied customers who remember you well and have good memories from working with you are much more effective and efficient 'living advertisers' than anything else. They will definitely mention you and their experience on working with you to their friends, families and co-workers. They will even refer anyone looking for a photographer to you if they are happy not only with your final results but also with the way you work, communicate and approach your clients. Therefore, a photographer should also be a good communicator, a friendly and engaging person with excellent customer relations.

The pictures accompanying this blog article were taken when testing new shoot-through umbrellas (110cm) together with Nikon's Speedlight SB-900. The light source was positioned as close to the subject as possible in order to make the light as soft as possible.