Hey Reader,
A reader named Doug replied to my last email newsletter with a great topic idea. (Hi Doug if you see this! đź‘‹)
He asked how I built my network as a photographer and creator, so I'm breaking it down for you this week.
I have to admit something to you before we begin though…
At the start of my journey, it was really lonely.
None of my friends at the time were into photography or content creation.
For the first 6 months, I was completely alone in pursuing it.
But I desperately wanted photography to become my career, so despite feeling uncomfortable and isolated, I kept showing up anyway.
Every Saturday, I’d walk into car dealerships and ask if I could take photos.
That always made me nervous.
But 9 times out of 10 they’d say yes.
Then on Sundays, I’d drive into the city, park my car, and spend 3 hours walking around practicing street photography by myself.
At the time, nobody cared.
Nobody knew who I was.
Nobody was reaching out.
But I kept posting my content online anyway.
And slowly… things started to change.
The same people started commenting on my work consistently.
Those comments became DM conversations.
And some of those conversations became real friendships.
My very first friend in the photography space was Lincoln Morrey. He’s now one of my best friends.
We had the same goals.
So we started going to car meets together, doing shoots together, and holding each other accountable with posting content consistently.
Honestly, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without that friendship.
Trying to build a business while working a 9-5 was really hard mentally, and there were definitely moments where he pulled me out of some low places.
And it all started because I kept showing up long enough for that connection to happen naturally.
That’s probably my biggest piece of advice.
You don’t need 100 connections.
You just need to find your people.
Even just one person.
One person you can grow alongside, collaborate with, and share the journey with.
From there, I just kept putting myself into the community.
I went to every car meet I possibly could.
That was huge for me.
I was meeting photographers, car owners, business owners, dealerships, and potential clients every single week.
Then I started doing something else.
Whenever a dealership hosted a meet, I’d go, take photos, introduce myself to the staff, and then send them the photos completely free afterwards.
No expectations.
No pitch.
No asking for anything.
Just giving.
Doing that consistently is actually how I landed my first retainer client.
And honestly, that leads into the biggest thing I think people get wrong about networking.
Most people approach it with an agenda.
“What can this person do for me?”
But I’ve always tried to move the opposite way.
“What can I do for you?”
“How can I help?”
That mindset changed everything for me.
I never forced anything.
I just kept showing up, doing the work, helping where I could, and expecting nothing in return.
And over time, those relationships naturally compounded.
That approach is what eventually led me to work with brands like Alfa Romeo, Ford, Mazda, Honda, Sony, Sigma, and more.
Not because I chased them aggressively…
But because I spent years building trust, relationships, and a reputation through consistency and generosity.
So if you’re in that lonely phase right now, keep going.
Keep showing up.
Keep posting.
Keep helping people.
Keep putting yourself in the room.
Relationships take time.
But if you move with good intentions and stay consistent long enough, things eventually start connecting in ways you can’t predict yet.
If this was useful, just reply with “yes” so I know.
And if there are any topics want me to cover next, let me know.
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Thanks so much for spending some of your time with me & reading Filling The Gaps.
Talk soon,
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P.S. One of the fastest ways I built relationships early on was by consistently posting work I was proud of online.
A huge part of that came from improving my editing and developing a recognisable style.
That’s exactly why I built my LTO Signature Preset Collection: Volume 1.
It’s designed to help you improve faster, build confidence in your work, and create images you actually want to share with the world.
​Check it out here.​
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