TikTok sparked a short-form video craze that quickly fueled Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. As short form video content grew and algorithms switched gears away from images, many photographers were faced with a choice: create video, or face dwindling engagement. As TikTok became wildly popular in 2020, photographer and educator Pye Jirsa decided to try an experiment: using an anonymous account: how many followers could he build in a month? The answer: 1.4 million. Jirsa recently sat down with Rangefinder to share the four step TikTok strategy that helped him build more than a million followers in just a few weeks. 

Along with working as a wedding photographer at Lin and Jirsa Photography, Pye Jirsa is also the founder of SLR Lounge and SLR Lounge Workshops. As TikTok grew, Jirsa decided to run an experiment in order to later build an online class on creating viral content. To avoid skewing the results with a name known among many photo communities, Jirsa created an anonymous TikTok account called Born Uncreative. The name stemmed from a high school art teacher who told Jirsa that he needed to quit art because he was “born uncreative.”  

Jirsa then started experimenting by sharing videos on iPhone photography tricks. After just a month’s time, the TikTok account had grown to more than 1.4 million followers. Now, the account is named for Lin & Jirsa Photography, and many of his wedding clients mention seeing him on TikTok. 

“The two main things holding photographers back is one, knowing who they are talking to, and two, doing it in a concise and valuable manner,” Jirsa said. He explained that many photographers create TikToks about how they shoot. But, that type of video attracts other photographers, he explained, and not potential clients. That’s the reason that Jirsa focused his channel on iPhone videos, explaining that his iPhone photography tips were a way for non-photographers to have a photography coach in their pockets. This audience is more likely to book a session than other photographers, Jirsa explained. Other TikTok newbies create videos that are too long, hard to follow, or simply not valuable or inspiring. 

Jirsa outlined a four-step process for photographers to build followers using TikTok and other short form video content such as Reels and YouTube Shorts: 

• Step 1: Identify the audience that makes an impact on your business. 
• Step 2: List out their potential needs and questions. What drives them? What inspires them? 
• Step 3: Create content that fits those needs and inspirations. 
• Step 4: Ensure the content is short and easy to follow. 

Jirsa says he typically spends 30 minutes to an hour making a TikTok video but says those new to the platform should expect to spend two to four hours, as there is a learning curve. With practice, the amount of time spent on each video should drop, he said. 

To learn more from Jirsa, visit www.slrloungeworkshops.com.