Photographer Xavier Buendia
About this podcast episode…
PHOTOGRAPHER XAVIER BUENDIA
Xavier Buendia shares his journey from Mexico City to Brighton, and more importantly from the world of hospitality as a sommelier to a career as a successful freelance photographer.
Xavi discusses the importance of people skills, marketing consistency, self-confidence, and believing in yourself.
We look at both the financial benefits and creative downsides of having routine retainer clients; his pivot when COVID and Brexit hit the food industry he’d relied upon. And his recent experiments with hiring a very human PR and using AI – both to help his business in different ways.
Available as a video podcast too - Watch Xavier here on the site, on YouTube, or Spotify. Enjoy!
Read a full transcript & get Links in the tabs.
More from XAVIER BUENDIA
Xavi’s website
Xavi on LinkedIn
Xavi on Instagram
More from Steve Folland
Transcript of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland and photographer Xavier Buendia
Steve: Let’s meet Xavier who's half Mexican, half Catalan, and 100 percent currently in Brighton in the UK. Has been in fact for the past 10 years, which is why I thought this would be cool because the Being Freelance podcast, if you've been paying attention, is also 10 years old so how nice to speak to somebody who was starting out at the beginning of their freelance journey as this podcast was starting out what happened to him in the meantime?
So Xavi, as ever, how about we get started hearing how you got started being freelance?
Xavier: Absolutely. So my journey begins about 10, 12 years ago. I moved to England, because of the recession in, in Europe.
I come from a hospitality background. It was just meant to be a temporary solution, but my wife moved over as well. Back and at that point, I was still working in the hospitality industry, but started to feel a little burnt out as I was reaching my 30 years of age. so I, ask her if I was okay if I take a sabbatical, just to reconsider my life options.
At that point I was really stressed, had no social skills, no social life. Yeah, a massive, burnout. What got me through creatively, what got me through finding a little bit of peace was picking up a camera and doing just photography for myself. Nothing in particular, no subject, no substance, nothing.
Just go out and take pictures and clear my mind. And that made me really, really happy. There was a satisfaction about creating something out of nothing, especially the storytelling side of things. I love telling stories. That's, that's my thing. Like I'm not very good with single images. I need to create a visual narrative, in able to feel that my work has some purpose.
So initially, I wanted to get into motorsport photography, especially Formula 1. I was very naive thinking, just knock on the door. Can I, can I shoot your cars, please? It didn't work that way once I did some, some research. but at the same time, friends and people who knew me around were asking for a bit of portraits here, maybe a wedding there.
I never wanted to do weddings. That was my very, very first rule, don't do weddings, cause yeah, it's not something I enjoy doing. Was a friend of mine who asked me to go take pictures at this new restaurant that was opening here in Brighton. So we did a favor to, to the place, the chef, the owner, loved, the pictures that I created, and offered me a position as their in house photographer.
Me personally I didn't want anything to do with the food industry anymore because it's an industry that sucks you back gently, and you will end up eventually working in it again. But yeah, it felt quite natural. I felt really good working again with food. I love food. I have a very personal, mystical relationship with flavour and food coming from my diverse cultural background.
And my wife suggested, like, look, you are very good at this. You know how to talk to chefs. You're very comfortable in kitchens. Why not turn this into a business? I give you six months to start making any money. If not, you're going back to getting a job, you know, so think about it. So yes, she was very right with that suggestion.
And yes, the restaurant became, very mediatic, very popular. My work was getting seen everywhere, got published internationally in the New York Times, The Guardian, everybody was featuring my work. And some local businesses were asking chefs, Oh, who's doing the pictures? Who's, who's, who, who are you shooting with?
Can, can we, can we get an introduction? So that opened so many doors. So yeah, that's how I, ended up being freelance. The rest was just, learning business skills about being a freelance and working for yourself.
Steve: So what were you doing in hospitality before?
Xavier: I used to be a sommelier.
Steve: Sommelier? So despite the fact that you were hesitant about going back into food, into hospitality, they wanted you.
They loved your photos. So did you set up a website? Were you sharing your own stuff on social media? Or was it purely word of mouth and a phone number on a post it note?
Xavier: So funny, funny story, I set a very strict routine every morning, be at 8. 30 at the same cafe, at the same table, working on my business plan, getting in touch with people, sending my message that I'm here to take food pictures, hire me.
So every morning. I posted one tweet, I'm the Brighton food photography, I want to talk to you, I'm the Brighton food photographer, I'm hungry for creating your pictures or something like that, you know, like every day one tweet. And that's back in the day, Twitter was a very helpful, serious tool. So yeah, that, that, that got a lot of interest and curiosity as well.
So pretty much I started my business on Twitter and word of mouth with, with chefs, the good thing of the food industry. people move around quite a lot, quite often. So if you build a very good connection with a chef or you work really well with someone, chances are they're gonna call you again in two, three months when they move to the next place.
So yes, mostly Twitter and word of mouth.
Steve: The same message every day sent from the same cafe table. Would people find you at the cafe table?
Xavier: No, nobody knew I was there.
Steve: Okay. But psychologically for you, it was a good habit.
Xavier: Yes. Yeah. Cause I, I, like, like I said, I went to hospitality, university and they don't teach you how to, how to run a business.
So all they teach you is how to fit into the tourist industry, but yeah, all the business skills I had, I had zero. My dad used to own his own business. So I kind of saw how he, how his routine was or what he did to, to, to generate, leads and income. but no, I had to learn pretty much how to, how to manage my own, how to treat a hobby and a passion into a business.
Steve: How did it grow from, from that point? And when was this? How many years ago?
Xavier: This was 2015.
Steve: So, yeah. So 10 years ago. How did you grow the business from, from that initial point?
Xavier: Building connections, mostly word of mouth and showing my work on Instagram websites. at the same year that I, the following year that I started, I entered a food photography, awards competition and by chance or by luck, I won an awards and that got me some attention as well.
So yeah, I started, I started noticing like, okay, this is reputable work that I'm showing. I'm earning a reputation. So let's, let's not go over the top about it. Let's not shout out too much about it. And let's keep the focus on creating work that matters and telling the stories that I want to tell.
Steve: And was it mainly local? As it based in Brighton, where you are in the south coast of the UK, was it mainly local there or?
Xavier: Yes, mostly local. The food scene here in Brighton was exploding then, and, yes, getting, getting published and getting all these features from this place I was working on also got some attention in London.
So that opened the doors to London, got a client that had places in Manchester and Bristol. so kind of started seeing the country as well through food photography, which was, it's great.
Steve: So cool. Did you go with your own name, like Xavi Buenda, photographer, or did you have a company name?
Xavier: Yes, it was, it was XBP Photography. So they, my, my Instagram, and the website was XBP Photography. Cause, yeah, my names are quite difficult to pronounce. So yeah, I thought about having a moniker, but like, there's no, there's no point. And I don't want to create a company cause it sounds too corporatey, like Lush Pictures. No, nothing like that. It's not, it's not me.
Steve: But with your own website, did you tailor that to the local area? Were you concentrating on SEO, Google My Business for Brighton food photographer or anything like that?
Xavier: Yes, my social media, Instagram and Twitter were mostly Brighton because the hashtag Brighton and Brighton restaurants was quite, quite big and it's a very small community.
It's quite easy to get to know everyone in the town, span of a year. My website was more for the national market. So my SEO was targeted to London. I wanted to start getting into cookbooks. So, trying to create some work that look, in the style of what the trend for cookbooks was back in the day.
And yeah, national, if I get an opportunity to shoot in Manchester, then I would put that, portfolio and, and SEO, the, the, the keywords to, to the north or, northwest of the country. So yeah, my website was more like the the digital part where I was expanding, growing the business.
Steve: Now you said you didn't have any business skills, quite a long time, what, a decade or more as a sommelier, must have taught you customer service and, you know, a form of business skills, those personal skills, right?
Xavier: Yes, absolutely. How to greet people, how to talk to people, body language, when someone, yeah, yeah, I think also that's what made me quite a successful food photographer, learning people, knowing when someone wanted me to be around or not.
Yeah, definitely the people skills that you gain through service, customer service. Yeah, they're invaluable. I didn't see it, then at that time, cause I thought everything, all business was on paper, but, but yeah, no, the people skills are, are, are really, really important in this, in this work.
Steve: What do you think are the key skills that a freelancer needs in terms of those personal
Xavier: It's difficult because I'm quite an introvert. I really don't enjoy being too much around people. I really enjoy my solitude. But I would say know yourself and know what you like to do. Be in your comfort zone in terms of people skills and socially and then challenge yourself to push a little bit further into what you can tolerate in terms of people's skills.
Like me, for example, I, I don't like sales. I don't enjoy sales, cold calling or something like that. It's not, I've been very lucky. I haven't had to do it for, for all these 10 years, most of my work has come word of mouth, but now because I want to diversify into other areas, more documentary portrait, personal branding, I do need to do sales.
So together with artificial intelligences, I'm, I'm, I'm learning how to challenge myself. I'm not going hardcore sales now, but little by little challenging myself. So that's one, one package of skills that I think freelancers need.
Then enjoy the process, be. Purpose driven, don't think profits over anything that you create. I think if you are true to your craft, true to your client base, true to what the message that you want to give, the work will be incredibly rewarding. That's why I've never wanted to do weddings. I don't want to compromise my values or who I am for just for making tons of money. Yes, I could be maybe a lot more successful making, I don't know, 100 weddings a year, but my social skills would be like on edge so... Yes, be purpose driven. , yeah, I think those two are the main, the main things I would say.
Steve: Yeah. How are you using AI to help you with your sales communication?
Xavier: Oh, we will need 10 more hours to, to talk about this. I'm fascinated by new technologies and, especially now artificial intelligences. A lot of photographers are, are, are, I think feel threatened by it.
It's not my case because, especially with food photography, it cannot generate taste and it cannot do what a chef can do and like with people or recreating scenes. But I use it mostly for business development, personal development, all the things that I struggle with when running a business, especially social media, I really don't enjoy being on social media.
Even my, I think you've met Sarah, my PR lady who helps me with communications. she says I have to be on LinkedIn and on Instagram posting regularly. I really don't enjoy it, but then I go and I have a conversation with ChaiGPT. so say for example, with GPT, the last six months I've been training GPT, asking it a lot of questions on what it needs to know about myself and my business to better help me.
So I just go and say like, look, I'm a, I'm a freelance photographer. I built my business around food photography. I want to expand into these other areas. What do you need to know? What do you need from me to help me better tailor my sales strategy?
And it will start asking tons of questions. What are your goals? This on a nutshell, you know, I have very philosophical conversations with, with artificial intelligences. So, yeah, that's a way I'm using it in terms of marketing, because marketing is a skill that is constantly changing. I just ask, for example, Oh, I need to approach a new client, that I like their style.
How would you go on about to start a conversation online? I'm terrible with online things like LinkedIn. It doesn't do it for me because I don't know what to say. It's not organic. It's not, it, it, it, it, it feels too automated. You know? You cannot read body language face expressions on, on, on social media.
So I would ask, can you suggest a few ideas on how I can approach someone without sounding too salesy, too pushy, just to start, an honest, discussion. So yeah, it's fascinating what it's, learning about, my business and myself.
Steve: That's nice. I like the way it's helping you. What have you found the most challenging about being freelance?
Xavier: People not getting back to you. I can't cope with that. It, it, it's a real trigger. You send an email, you go off your, your, your, your own timeframe, your own timeline, your, your, your own agenda to send an email to someone, just say hello, no sales pitch or anything. Just like, Hey, I'm really curious about you. Can we meet for a coffee? Or can you tell me a bit about yourself or something and I don't get back to you.
And this is more common, I don't know, coming out of lockdown. I'm like everything. It was like a massive reset or something. It, it didn't happen before, before, lockdown. Yeah. It just triggers me, you know, it's, it's, yeah, it's really annoying.
Steve: Well, how do you pick yourself up from that?
Xavier: It's like a swipe, you know, it's just like, okay, I'm not interested anymore. If you, if you don't have the, the, the 30 seconds to say no, thank you, I'm gone. I'm not interested anymore. And if they come back later, I'll be like, Oh, sorry I can't, I don't have the time at the moment.
At least I replied.
That feels a lot better. That feels good.
Steve: How about the way that you manage your work? Like manage your time in between the creating and the and the admin, the business side of it. How do you get on with that?
Xavier: Ah, this is, it's a very, very good question. I don't know. It's not a mess, but it's quite everywhere because, I'm not sure other creatives or other freelancers feel like this, but with us photographers, especially if we do documentary or more, purpose driven work, we became the work, the work became, becomes us as well. So I never disconnect from seeing a picture, from thinking of a story, thinking of a narrative, how I'm going to pitch to someone for a documentary project. I guess the only time I disconnect is when I have downtime with my wife. We go to, I don't know, we have a, a day together or go on a holiday or on a trip.
But yeah, no, it's, and I, I don't see it as work. Work is the admin part that I do, you know, the taxes, the invoices, that's, that's work. And I'm very quick. I'm very efficient with that. The rest is just part of who I am. Yeah, it doesn't bother me, doesn't burn me out. Yeah, my mind is restless. So I'm constantly thinking of what to create what to do, how to solve a problem.
Steve: You said earlier that you didn't really want to take photos of food, of hospitality, but there, people were wanting it. You're in a place which is surrounded by it as well. Have you deviated from that or tried to not do it or have you embraced it and gone, Oh, do you know what, this is actually what I'm good at and what people want to pay me for?
Xavier: Yes, a bit of everything. So, from the moment I started until 2020, when COVID happened, it was a steep, learning curve, of growth, constant growth and success stories. Just before lockdown, I was already shooting, for a great agency who was managing social media and PR for high end restaurants, Michelin star chefs and celebrity chefs.
So I was working with them, creating all this content for them. And I, I was, I was in food heaven. I went, this is amazing. You know, I have access to all these places, all these stories, these ingredients, everything. And I've, I've, I've made it, but then lockdown, came, everything stopped.
During lockdown, I did a, an MA on documentary photography And that's opened the opportunities and possibilities to explore different ways in which I can take my, my photography to in terms of storytelling, which is my interest. So, yeah, this, this course, opened up the door to diversifying my business, not just being so niche into food photography.
And now last year and this year, I started working with charities and a lot of things that I would never really think of, which have been really, really interesting. So yes, coming out of lockdown, I started diversifying a little bit while I was testing and Brexit came as well. So that had a massive impact on the food industry.
Budgets were cut down. Restaurants were struggling or are still struggling, you know, to, to, to find the right staff. So the quality of... Not just the quality, the operations of food industry. So my bread and butter took a battering. So a lot of contracts were canceled, or some places just, just gone, are gone now.
So I had to adapt, you know, and okay, if there's not enough work in this, in this industry, I have to make for what other skills I have and , how I can help other type of businesses. So yeah, I think diversifying was like a natural progression. And last year I had a, I wouldn't call it a divorce, but kind of, a pause from food photography.
Now, because of the financial situation that we are in, a lot of my regular contracts were cancelled. So, my bread and butter was to do retainers. One year contracts, creating content for a few small businesses. So that was my regular monthly income. So that's nearly stopped. I only kept three core clients that I've been working with for over seven years now, but everything else stopped.
So I went into panic mode and I was like, okay, there's no more work from the food industry. This is it. I'm not going back into it. It's dying slowly. I need to go look, work somewhere else. But like I said, remember I said that the food always, the food industry always sucks you back up? Towards the, towards the end of last year, there, there was like, a shift, I don't know, something happened that I started getting more inquiries for contracts and more work in the food industry and more in the line that I wanted to do.
Not just pictures of pretty plates, but more, meaningful stories, branding stories, brand identity, projects, documentary projects. So I was like, Oh, the food always calls me back. You know?
Steve: So in terms of diversifying, you take the time in lockdown to retrain, well, not retrain, but expand your training into documentary, but how did you then go about getting that kind of work? Like, how did you diversify?
Xavier: The biggest thing was started doing networking. Which is like my biggest fear and my biggest, nightmare, but yeah, I started networking, getting to know different people, telling my story to different people, and that led to opportunities to create these different, concepts and these different projects.
And then again, it's, it's similar to what happened the first time, just for sharing, from sharing these projects online, and talking about them. I started getting more inquiries, from it. Yeah, getting recommendations from people who know me, art directors. A friend of mine is an art director for a big company.
And she, she knows me from my food photography, but she sees the potential that I have on portraiture and other, other kind of work, obviously being an art director, I guess they know these kinds of things. so she commissioned me to work with, a new sports bra brand. Which have become a regular client on big campaigns and for a portrait session for, for example, for Thameswater, shoot all the corporate executives.
So yes. I guess. Tagging along with the right people and showing your work, it kind of diversifies, what you want to work on or with.
Steve: Yeah. And do you continue to show that work on your Instagram, which for so long was about food and Brighton, for example?
Xavier: Yes. So here is another conflict, that I'm having by unknown on my Instagram for being the food ,the food photographer. Everybody knows me from food pictures, but yeah, I want to change it slightly and show a little bit of my personal work, which I've recently been getting into bookmaking and all these documentary stories, mostly because of the importance of the subject matter. You know, they all have a, an important message.
Again, it's purpose driven work. So that's why I want to share it. But yeah, I see when I post pictures of pretty plates, my interactions go up the, up the roof, you know, they, that's what people want to see, but I don't want to share that anymore. You know, I'm more than pretty pictures of plates.
Steve: But we're a sucker for a nice bit of food, aren't we?
Xavier: Yes.
Steve: What you gonna do? I know you said you had no, no business skills. And then we figured out that you did have some, just not maybe in running the business.
But what do you feel like you've learned that has really helped you in terms of being a business over the past 10 years?
Xavier: I think the main thing is the self confidence and believing in what I was doing, believing that I am a business owner, believing that I'm a freelance, believing that it is a real job what I'm doing.
I don't know many freelancers, but when I started, I was like, Oh, people, if I don't look serious, people are not going to believe in me. You know, if I don't have a website, people won't believe in me. and I'm more of an artistic soul, you know, I'm more of an artist. I don't like business lingo. I don't like corporate stuff.
I don't work with big companies. I only work with small independent businesses and business owners. So yeah, I think it's that sense of credibility that if you're not working or you're not shooting for the big agencies, big companies, big newspapers, you are not, professional, that can have some self confidence, not issues, but, doubts.
so now believing that the work that I do is quite... it matters. and it's for good purpose. I help businesses thrive as well, you know, through my work and my message, because I'm always shouting out about the people that I, that I work with. So they get more attention as well. So yes, believing, believing in yourself has been the, the main thing for me.
Steve: Nice. Earlier you said about retainers. I mean, that must feel good having like a regular thing, but I'm wondering how, how you manage those.
Xavier: So, for anyone interested in this and I can, I can reveal how, how I created them or how I came up with this idea. Obviously, starting from nothing from one or two clients, I needed to find a way to generate constant income just to keep the business going.
So I had this idea of, it's not my idea, probably I saw it somewhere. I thought I didn't invent any of this, but just offering retainers short, quick menu photoshoot sessions of obviously high quality for restaurants that they can use not just for social media, but on website, PR newsletters, all their digital assets are, are there.
And not just food photography, but portraits, behind the scenes, lifestyle, action, pretty much anything in a short amount of time. So I turn up to a place for 90 minutes and the following day, they get their pictures, on a Dropbox folder. So they have all their assets, there and this is monthly. So I work out what are my expenses, what I want to pay myself, how much I needed to keep back in the business used to keep the cash flow going. So I work out if I get eight clients, it's, it's a pretty comfortable position to be, but because I am just 5 percent ambitious, let's do 12 clients. so I, I, I was getting in touch with, some of the restaurants and, business owners that I already knew offering, offering, these.
And I say, well, I've got two... maybe I had 12, the whole 12 slots were free, but I was just saying like, Oh, I've got two slots left for my retainers. Would you like to try this for a year? And I was surprised people immediately said yes, because they knew about me and my work and they wanted to work with me in some capacity, but maybe didn't have the, they thought that was, and this is something that, that that pops up, a lot of people think I'm, I'm expensive until we actually start conversations and they realize, I'm reasonably priced, especially for the food industry. So yeah, that's, that's how I manage the retainers. And yes, I invoiced everyone on the 10th day. So I know on the 10th I have on my calendar a red, line that that's invoice date.
So I dedicate two hours on the 10th of each month to to send my invoices. and yeah, so far everybody's been really good at paying.
Steve: Love it But have you had any issues? Conversely, on the flip side of that, have there been any issues with having retainers?
Xavier: Yes, I became incredibly busy on this retainer model and I found myself doing the same thing for everyone over and over and over again.
So as a creative, that's very counterproductive. We don't thrive on repetition and on routine, you know, we, we enjoy, the diversity of projects and subjects. I wouldn't say I got a little bit bored with it. I love food. I would never stop shooting food. I got probably bored of the routine of I turn up to a place and it's exactly the same thing.
And you start picking up on trends. So everybody's doing the torched mackerel, and everybody's doing the croquettes and it's like, come on. I cannot turn to four places and see exactly the same dishes like what was going on. so yeah, that, that was the counterproductive, thing that happened to me.
And I guess. In a way, I'm grateful that all these retainers, suddenly stopped because, yeah, I'm on a rediscovery, self discovery journey now. Well, okay, I can't, I'm looking for bigger projects. I'm talking still to my clients. I didn't shut anyone down. I'm still talking to them. Okay. Well, how can we How how can I help you?
You know, what do you need from me? How how can we tell your story better? What campaigns do you have, you know, more I would say deeper projects rather than just pretty plates. yeah.
Steve: You mentioned having a PR and I spoke to her in order to, to set up this call, but I also thought that was quite interesting.
Cause that means you've hired somebody services in order to help publicize your yourself. Yeah. What's your thinking in your experience of that?
Xavier: So I've been with, I've been working with Sarah (Henderson) for about seven months now. I gave myself one year to, to, to see how, to commit to, to this project for one year to see where we can get and what, opportunities it can, open.
Personally, I've been, I've been loving it. It's not just asking for her to do things, but she keeps me on track. On how to run my business, how to operate my business and how to communicate about my, my business, because my artistic self just wants to disappear for seven weeks and not been seeing and not been talking to anyone.
And that's not the way you know, at the end of the day, I'm a commercial photographer and I need to have these interactions with people in this, this, this... build these connections and get myself out there and interact. So yes, it's, it's not just the PR thing, but it's someone that sort of speaking, takes my hand and leads me through the process of, getting myself out there and, and, communicate my, my, my skills and my message.
Steve: I guess some people might think of PR as getting a press release in the newspaper or something like that, but it's more than that.
Xavier: Absolutely. And yeah, people think like, Oh, I want the radio on the TV. I need PR for being famous. And well, maybe, no, maybe you don't have the skills or the appeal to be famous, but how can I say it?
If you, treat it like one step per day, you know, it's a very slow process. It's not instant success. Like this is in all these seven months, this is the first podcast that we, that we, that we get to talk to. and more because, It's the, it's the quality, not the quantity, and it's not the success, the instant success that's, probably social media or, or current, media portrays, it's more the journey that, that matters.
And I'm, I'm loving this journey with Sarah. It's, it's, yeah, it's really, really interesting.
Steve: If you could tell your younger self one thing about being freelance, what would that be?
Xavier: I've been thinking this a lot. I don't know. If I really have to say something is, be patient and trust the process.
That's it, just keep those two, two things in mind always. Be patient and trust the process.
Steve: You came to the UK from Mexico. So was that 10 years ago or slightly longer?
Xavier: From, from Spain. So my parents now live in Spain. Oh. Yeah, yeah. So I was, I was working in Spain and then with, yeah, with the recession in Europe, I came here.
Steve: You seem pretty settled in Brighton, 10 years is a long time. But equally, if you were to move again, knowing what you know now, how do you think you would relocate your business to a new place? What would you prioritise out of all the things that have worked for you in building your business in Brighton?
Xavier: Turning up every day, the consistency of the effort that you put. I think that's the key thing. Even if you don't feel like just turn up for five minutes, share a thought on, on, on LinkedIn or Instagram, say hello to one person and then go on with your day. You know, if you want to go to a gallery, that's fine, but just send one email, just the consistency of it is the most important.
Steve: Xavi, it's been so good to talk to you. All the best being freelance!
Xavier: Thankyou very much.
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