We caught up with London-based photographer Ethan Parker, who recently won Amateur Photographer’s Emerging Photographer of the Year award for 2025.

Ethan studied photography formally at college to create genuinely inspiring work (check out his website) and gain clients, such as the London Fire Brigade and Disney+, from his hard work.

We asked Ethan for his top tips for new and emerging photographers - who comprise many of Picfair’s photographers - on how to get your foot in the door if you’re just starting out. You'll find them below, along with some of Ethan's stunning images.

These tips are all tried, tested and proven, so take notice, and consider how you can apply them to your practice.

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1 Put yourself out there by going to photography events

Go to anything from gallery visits on opening nights, talks given by photographers in the industry or photowalks. If you cannot make in-person events or if there aren’t any in your town or city, you can join many online events via Zoom.

Turn up early or hang around briefly before and after the event. This time is when chatting with other people and forming connections is easier.

Why attend? Well, you always come away from these events learning something new and connected with others in the photography industry. Even just having a goal of chatting with one new stranger at the event, you can ask them about their favourite photographer, what inspires them, or what type of images they like to shoot, which is a great way to start.

As mentioned, these networking events don’t always need to be in person. If you’re near a photography gallery hub, like London, New York, Paris, etc., you absolutely have no excuse not to go in person. But, if there’s less of that in your area, there’s always online events - which can be surprisingly invigorating too.

"Turn up early or hang around briefly before and after the event. This time is when chatting with other people and forming connections is easier."

2 Follow up after meeting people

So, you've been to an event and made connections. Great! Now, it's essential to follow up.

Send anyone you’ve spoken to a message to simply say it was nice to meet you and thank them for any advice or tips they’ve given or just simply for chatting to you. Saying thank you goes a long way, it shows that you appreciated their time.

Afterwards, it’s certainly worth checking in with them every so often, from every few months to half a year, as it’ll keep you fresh in their mind. Send a short, friendly email, or ask them to meet for coffee for half an hour (better, in my opinion) to keep the connection alive. Follow-up encounters like these may result in them offering you work, or referring you for photography work in the future.

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"Saying thank you goes a long way, it shows that you appreciated their time."

3 Be kind & offer value to others before asking for something in return

Most people put themselves first, often without even realising it, with thoughts on what they want and can gain from someone else.

If you notice these common thoughts pop into your head when meeting other photographers, potential clients, and customers, put these thoughts down for a minute and be genuinely interested in them. Ask them what they do and how you can help them out; it goes a long way.

Offering something before thinking about what you can gain from a situation means whoever you’ve connected with will likely be more inclined to offer something to you or help you in the future. It’s a win-win situation.

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4 Have a photography portfolio that reflects you well

It’s vital to have an Instagram page that is up to date, it’s the very first thing potential clients will look at, as it's optimised for the phone and the quickest way someone can look at your work, you may even find that someone will look at your Instagram while you’re speaking to them.

A website, online showcase, or store for your photography (so for Picfair photographers, your Picfair Store) is also essential. Ensure it’s been curated to show the best of your work.

Ensure you also have an about page and profile picture; it gives clients an overview of who you are, and the profile picture connects them to the photographer.

"It’s vital to have an Instagram page that is up to date, it’s the very first thing potential clients will look at..."

Personal photography projects are essential for your showcase, too. It’s what clients really like to see; they reflect who you are, your interests and what you care about. Having a balance of your personal and client work under separate headers makes a strong website.

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5 Show behind the scenes of your process as a photographer

I’ve only dabbled in this one a little, but I am only starting to dive into it a bit more - as I’m finding that it's really important to do, especially on your social platforms.

Personally, I’ve really enjoyed watching how others create, how they work with people, how they do things in the studio, etc. It's such a good reason to start doing it yourself, and it helps viewers connect with the person behind the photography.

Even if you are a beginner, the way you work and the knowledge you have, you will be able to provide value to a whole range of people who see your content on Instagram; other photographers may take away some of your tips, other creatives or non-creatives may engage and enjoy seeing your creative process and the way you work.

"Even if you are a beginner, the way you work and the knowledge you have, you will be able to provide value to a whole range of people..."

Showing all of this also helps you develop your personal brand and enables you to get discovered, and you can end up with your profile on the FYP “for you” page on Instagram. It doesn’t take much effort, either. For example, you can have another person film you taking pictures, or place an action camera on the hotshoe of the camera.

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Final word: keep developing and work to your strengths

It’s clichéd, but working hard and putting the hours into your craft is essential. You’ll make great photos from doing this, making you even more desirable to potential customers.

Also, whatever you find challenging with your photography, be kind to yourself. For example, you may be a great photographer, but maybe you feel you’re not as strong at communicating with others; don’t worry. It takes time, but you’ll progress.

It can sometimes be nerve-wracking, talking to people you’ve never met before at photography-related events or even outside these events, but being able to develop these skills are so important, as the people you meet will be able to remember you for your work and how kind/chatty/curious etc you were as a person. Remember, it's all about connection.

"It’s clichéd, but working hard and putting the hours into your craft is essential."

Lastly, every now and again remind yourself of your strengths in your work and your positive qualities as a photographer. It will help maintain your confidence level, especially in the times when you compare yourself to others.

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About Ethan

Ethan Parker is a London-based documentary photographer. Photographing the city’s streets, he likes to document the candid fleeting moments of life that the public misses; it is a special type of photography in his eyes.

Street photography also made him more confident in approaching strangers and venturing to new places or events in the city that he may have avoided if he didn’t own a camera. This confidence growth has opened up many doors with his professional practice.Ethan is currently freelancing, balancing client jobs, working on new personal projects, and leaning more into filmmaking. He recently won the AP (Amateur Photographer) emerging photographer award, 2025.

You can see Ethan’s work and learn more about him and his practice on his website and Instagram page.