Female professionals over 50 have so much value to offer society, and yet they are more likely than men to experience age discrimination in the workplace. Beata Praska is a Polish portrait photographer living in Madrid, Spain, whose 50-Over-50 campaign recognizes just how powerful this demographic is, and she uses LinkedIn to amplify her clients’ value and achievements and to inspire other women to embrace their potential. Praska recently joined host Nikki Closser on The Portrait System Podcast to share her passion for this demographic and how she has used networking and LinkedIn to connect with them. 

Praska began her professional life in the energy sector, working with major oil companies in Paris, Warsaw, London, and then Madrid. About five years ago, she decided it was time to make a shift. She had always been an avid amateur photographer, taking portraits of her own daughters every year. When she decided to go professional, she invested in an education with The Portrait System and earned her accreditation through The Portrait Masters, which she says has been invaluable for showcasing that her work has reached a high professional standard. 

When it came time to bring in clients, Praska ran into difficulties but quickly realized it was because she needed to put herself out there more intensively. Being a former corporate powerhouse, she knew she wanted to work with this demographic herself, so she began going to networking sessions. Fortunately, her first major client was a well-connected ambassador from Costa Rica. Subsequently, she also photographed many members of the delegation for the Global Summit of Women.  

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Praska says, “It’s not only about beauty. It’s about the achievements of those women — what they bring to society, how they can inspire other women who might be hesitating in taking the lead in setting up their own entrepreneurship, their own activity. That’s the that’s the bigger objective.” 

After making an initial connection through networking, the majority of Praska’s clients have come to her through LinkedIn. Before working with a client, Praska has them fill out a questionnaire about their career and accomplishments. She generates her LinkedIn posts with portraits she has taken and text drawn from the questionnaire. These posts give her clients and their accomplishments visibility, and they draw new clients to her who would like to be similarly profiled. Praska also creates a high-end art show for each edition of her 50-Over-50 project. Recently she has started an additional 50-Over-50 project for professional men over 50. 

To learn more about Praska and her work, visit Beata Praska Fotografia, her Instagram, and her LinkedIn. 

The Portrait System Podcast helps portrait photographers navigate the world of photography, business, money, and much more. Hosted by Nikki Closser, the podcast is powered by The Portrait System, a comprehensive, online educational platform that teaches all aspects of running a successful portrait photography studio. If you’d like to be a guest on The Portrait System Podcast, send them a voice message. 

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