Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, Can Ahtam has come a long way from those first snapshots with a Kodak 335 camera, a gift from his mother. With a following on Instagram that currently exceeds 190,000, Ahtam has garnered critical acclaim and social media "influencer" status for his distinctive composition and perspective. His Instagram profile (@canahtam), is full of lush landscapes, birds-eye-view cityscapes, and eye-catching portraits. 

 What is your background? How did you become an influencer?

My background is primarily in Influencer Marketing, but I was able to turn my hobby in photography to a side profession 10 years ago which led me to become an influencer since 2012, with Instagram. I could not have imagined the concept of an influencer until I began receiving attention from brands and agencies regarding photoshoots and campaigns. With more exposure and partnerships, I was able to see more opportunities coming my way for which I was able to utilize Instagram as my main tool of visual communications.

What three things does anyone starting in your industry need to know?

Before I share the three need to know information for anyone starting in this industry, I’d like to point out that when I started, I didn’t have the goal to become an influencer. I just wanted to share the photos I took around the world with whoever wanted to view it on Instagram. Nowadays, however, many people out there start a social media account with the sole goal of becoming an influencer. 

-       Create quality and original content: With the influx of influencers and so much content we are being exposed to on a daily basis, it is challenging to find your place and perspective to share with the world. Sometimes many influencers in various categories carry similar themes, feels, and styles. I would highly recommend each and every one of you, as you begin your influencer journey, to self-assess and find a unique, different, and original way to stand out from the others in the industry. Don’t do what seems to be the popular thing to do.

-       Be open to collaborations before you can do paid campaigns: There is a highly spoken information out there that influencers get paid a lot through campaigns. That is true to a varying degree as influencers who happen to have a strong and well-performing audience get paid a lot, but influencers who do not echo out as much to such masses or do not possess a well-engaged account won’t see much monetary return. For those who are new to this industry, I would definitely recommend you to keep an open mindset in considering collaborations and build a portfolio of brands and gain insightful experience from the partnership. In time, you can achieve that strong audience and professional experience to begin considering paid opportunities.

-       Keep it professional: It is important to keep a professional standing towards businesses that reach out to you for potential campaign opportunities as you would like to invest in relationship and network building and set yourself apart from those who do not work well with others. Make sure to understand the expectations of the brand and respond in a timely manner to reach an agreement and execute correctly.

What would you do differently if you were starting in your industry now?

When I started, I just wanted to share my photography with others which led my Instagram profile to be a photography-based account. If I were to start again, I probably would have considered the idea of having a lifestyle account as there aren’t a lot of male lifestyle influencers present on Instagram. I’ve always been the person behind the camera and would possibly see what I could make if I were in front of it for once.

Which people or resources have had the most influence on your growth and why?

When it comes to people, my family has been my biggest supporter of what I do. I started photography with the motivation my dad gave me as he showed me his Canon FTb camera when I was really young, to teach me about the value of capturing moments, and my mom has given me her old Kodak 335 film camera for me to take around on our travels and document what I observe around me. I still keep both of those cameras at my studio.

Another individual who has helped me greatly in pursuing photography and sharing my perspective with the world was Mr. Ara Guler who is a world-renowned Turkish-Armenian photographer and a former LIFE magazine photographer. It was around the time of my senior year in college when I was taking photography electives alongside my marketing courses. My photography professor at the time wasn’t the most supportive and would critique my photos extremely harshly and even told me that I do not have the eye for photography in front of the entire class.

With that negativity reflected on me, I looked for positivity from someone greater than my photography professor and someone I’ve actually looked up to in photography who was Mr. Ara Guler. I visited Mr. Guler at his small and humble café in Istanbul’s Taksim district and had the great pleasure to sit with him for a few minutes to go through my portfolio at the time. I remember Mr. Guler looking at me and asking, “Do you enjoy shooting photos?” with me followed with the answer “Yes! I enjoy doing photography.” Mr. Guler’s face lit up with a gentle smile and he answered back with “Then forget your professor and keep doing what you are doing!” That conversation we had meant the world to me and I remember him with every shutter sound I make with my camera, as I capture every moment.

 What do you think is the top key to success in your business?

The need for visual communications has increased immensely with the dawn of social media. Frankly, photography does not only end in social media and could be utilized elsewhere such as emails, websites, magazines, and newspapers…etc so my work has grown through all those mediums with each project and campaign I’ve been fortunate enough to be given. Knowledge and experience matter a lot in growing and being successful in my business. I see so many individuals investing their money on the state of the art and latest technology thinking the best will capture the best photos, but they possess little to no knowledge about photography.

How did you come up with your pricing model?

I viewed my competition first in similar fields and markets and then looked at what my average cost would be (Fixed and Variable) to get a somewhat solid understanding on what my base price should be. The hardest part is to put a value on your skillset, effort, and services rendered for which I experimented with gradually until I found the perfect acceptable amount.

Talk about the biggest failure you've had. What did you learn from it?

I’ve usually been asked why I pack so heavily with my gear. It actually comes from being prepared for what you may face as you venture out into your next adventure and be ready for it with nothing missing. Before I started my photography professionally, I remember the time when I went out skiing with a bunch of my friends and I was going to take everyone’s photos on the slopes. As we went up and I began setting up my equipment, I realized that I had left my batteries at home which killed me on the inside throughout the entire trip. Now, because I am overly prepared, if I have any fellow photographer friends forget something on our journey, I am the one saving them.

How do you market your business? What has been the most effective form of marketing?

Instagram and word-of-mouth have been the most effective ways for me to market my business out there. Whether it is organic or paid sponsorship, I’ve utilized Instagram for outreach to various businesses that would appeal to my personality and interest in business opportunities. Planning out your marketing process and identifying your industries, channels, and resources are crucial in better understanding your goal and what it takes to reach that goal.

How do you find brand partnerships? What is your advice to those starting out?

Before you seek out brand partnerships you must make sure that your content is in acceptable quality and that your profile is performing well enough for partnerships. The easiest and quickest way to find brand partnerships is to partner with marketing and PR agencies. A simple Google search can show you how many platforms are there that you can sign up, connect your social media channel, and begin applying to various campaigns these agencies offer. You can also draft up personalized emails to agencies and introduce yourself and interest to them for an opportunity. Do not copy-paste the same email to every brand and agency out there. As you go through this process, please keep in mind the three need to knows that I’ve mentioned above.

What does a typical day in your week look like?

As photography is just a side profession, my week primarily consists of my full-time job in managing and executing influencer marketing campaigns. During after work hours, I take my time to look up opportunities, respond to inquiries, and shoot photos.

What keeps you going when things get tough in your business?

One of the best facts about doing professional photography is knowing that you don’t have to stop shooting photos because you may not get any paid gigs from it. I make sure to take at least one camera with me every time I go out and I try to capture whatever grabs my attention. We have a lot going on in this world and things get complicated and uncertain really quickly. Photography allows me to isolate myself and actually focus on the moment as my escape from those complications.

 How can our readers get in touch with you?

You can reach me through Instagram at www.instagram.com/canahtam and on my website at www.canahtam.com