Zenfolio Gives up $1 Million to Provide This Amazing Offer!
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Many in the photo industry only care about the here and now. Too focused on their journey, brands neglect the future generation of photographers. That’s the creative world for you; most want it to be about them. So, when a story comes along about a brand doing some grassroots investing, it grabs our attention. Zenfolio is putting making a dollar aside, and is offering $1 million worth of subscriptions to the next generation of budding photographers. Keep reading to see how you can take advantage of this fantastic offer.
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Zenfolio Offers Over $1 Million of Free Subscriptions
In line with World Photography Day, website-builder, Zenfolio, is offering students free use of the platform. On initiating the incentive, Zenfolio CEO John Loughlin had this to say:
“World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science and history of photography. It promotes sharing photography, enhancing photography skills, and community building. The Zenfolio team’s dedication to the future of photography and our commitment to ongoing photography education makes this the perfect opportunity to show support of World Photography Day in a tangible and impactful way.”
— Zenfolio CEO John Loughlin
Students can gain free access to the Portfolio plan (usually $60 per year) for up to three years. They can sign up by going to the website.
Zenfolio Leads by Example
I won’t comment on the advantages or disadvantages of using Zenfolio. This piece is neither a review nor a press release for their product. But I must commend their push to attract a new generation of photographers towards building a website. It also encourages photographers to begin thinking about their portfolio (and how to manage it) early in their career. The art of portfolio building is often lost on photographers. Many push out whatever they feel like, often in search of likes and validation.
With a website, the approach is different. You don’t need to post three times a day to remain relevant. Instead, it’s important to keep the images you share to a minimum, showing only your prized jewels. For young photographers, developing a pattern of thinking that’s geared more towards personal identity rather than social medium algorithms is crucial for long-term development.
Of course, the fact it’s free is a plus. Not everything free is worth it, but at a glance Zenfolio seems an attractive option for anyone wanting to build a photography website. (Again, we’ve not spent enough time with it to fully endorse the platform.)
Photography is expensive. And gear is getting more expensive. The cost of tutoring seems to be constantly increasing. Then there are things like insurance, protective accessories like camera bags, and a host of other bits and bobs that make the whole industry a costly affair. The consequence is the portion of the young generation with little money get priced out of doing something they love.
Others Should Follow Suit
So, when an organization recognizes how costly things can be, I have to take my hat off to it. Sure, part of Zenfolio’s incentive to do this is to grow the brand. That’s nothing new. But if the plus side is young photographers get an opportunity to save some money and begin the marketing side of their career at a young age, I’m all for it.
Hopefully, more prominent brands across the industry will do their part to encourage young people to take up and pursue a career in photography. While the art form remains popular, it’s not immune to filtering into the abyss. We, the current, established members of the photo industry, need to ensure pursuing photography remains attractive. We also need to ensure that photography’s influence on the world remains powerful and at the forefront of society. Encouraging the new generation with free incentives will surely help achieve this.
All images are provided by Zenfolio. Used with permission.