This One Website Mistake Nearly Cost me the Cover of Vanity Fair!
One simple mistake could have taken me out. If the talent hadn't intervened, I would have been out!
I photographed the cover of Vanity Fair Italia, a huge magazine! In fact, I’m the first-ever Afghan to photograph the cover of such major magazines like Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone Magazine, etc.. . And I nearly lost the opportunity because of one foolish mistake. It was THE wakeup call of my career! And I believe sharing it could help many photographers and videographers avoid a similar pitfall.
It was equivalent of having a restaurant opening up but not having a phone line to help with reservations. It’s my chance to feel dumb, and I deserve it.
The Exact Moment I Realized…
A few of weeks ago, I received a text from my client (Tiziano Ferro) mentioning that a very prominent magazine was trying to get in touch with me. That magazine is Vanity Fair Italia, the best of the best of the best. It’s Vanity Fair! And to be the Italian version, it’s extra fashion-respected. This is good, right? But he had to intervene because Vanity Fair had a hard time reaching me!
I was puzzled—how could they not find me? Any human could find a way to contact me! In fact, here are the simple steps:
Step 1: Search my name on Google
Step 2: Click on the Google search results that lead right to my website.
Step 3: Then you look for the CONTACT ME Page which is at the top of the menu
Step 4: And then you click on the Conta… uh, wait a minute!
It dawned on me that my website, which had been a work in progress for the past year, was far from complete! And the CONTACT page wasn’t even active! WHAT A FOOL!!!
The Missed Connection: Due to my incomplete website, the person from Vanity Fair trying to contact me couldn't find any way to reach out directly through my site.
Instead, they resorted to sending me a direct message on Instagram, which unfortunately went into my request folder—a place swamped with spam and seldom checked.
If not for the timely intervention of my client, who alerted me via text, I might have missed a significant opportunity. The realization hit me hard, highlighting a lapse in professionalism that was both embarrassing and potentially damaging. As I write this, I'm still embarrassed.
Immediate Remedies: To rectify the situation, I took two immediate actions:
PUT OUT THE FIRE: I responded to the Instagram DM, provided my email and phone number, and started communicating directly with the producer. Thankfully, this quick action helped salvage the opportunity.
WEBSITE FIX: I put up that contact page so fast! Which surprisingly took only about 15-20 minutes, about 90% of the time reading about putting up a form.
Key Lesson Learned: This experience taught me an invaluable lesson about website design, especially for those of us in the creative field:
PRIORITIZE COMMUNICATION: Your first page should be a COMING SOON page to excuse the mess. The second and immediate page should be a CONTACT page. My website is ugly because it’s under construction but you can reach me here. That’s all you need!
For all photographers and videographers, whether you're redesigning your site or just starting out, remember that your online presence is often your first point of contact with potential clients. An accessible, clear, and professional website can make all the difference. Yes there is social media but we just saw what could happen. Instagram decides for you - this goes into spam or requests folder.
Don’t let a simple oversight cost you valuable opportunities. Take it from me—sometimes, the simplest fixes can prevent the biggest problems.
Ps… I did end up photographing the cover of Vanity Fair Magazine!
Waohh great recovery !! Thanks for sharing this valuable information !!
Great cover and major congrats