The Modern Artist, a One-Man Band

I told you I’d talk about how being an artist also means running a small business.

And apparently, it struck a chord—my article on the economic realities of the job broke all records and became the most-read post on the blog.

A surprise

I received a lot of feedback, both from fellow freelancers who saw themselves in my words and from people outside the profession, often surprised by how high the expenses are. Many had no idea it was that intense.

As I had announced, discussing the artist as an entrepreneur felt essential. It's something I discovered almost by accident, but honestly, I had no idea just how true it was. And I believe it’s even less obvious to most people.

1 – In the beginning, there was Lo Kee, the artist photographer

Let’s start at the beginning: when you’re a photographer, the foundation is making images. The best ones you can, of course. It sounds simple when you put it like that, but if it were really that easy, everyone would be Peter Lindbergh, Sebastiao Salgado, or Josef Koudelka.

Self-portrait in a puddle - New York 2016

2 - Lo Kee, the Community Manager

Once the photos are made, something still needs to be done with them. In 2025, social media has become the primary channel for sharing work. With their rise, a new profession has emerged: the community manager. For those unfamiliar with the term, it refers to someone who builds a communication strategy to make a brand (or in this case, a photographer) visible online.

Each social media platform has its own set of rules, and it’s the community manager’s job to know how to adapt and highlight an artist’s work according to those specifics. They handle the management and engagement of various accounts.

I’m deliberately using the word “profession” here, because managing one’s online presence isn’t something you can just improvise. If it were that easy, everyone would have a 100k account. On my end, I had to develop at least a basic skill set in this area, on top of my photography expertise, in order to even begin to “emerge.”

3 - Lo Kee, the Webmaster

In addition to social media, I also chose to have my own website. You could maybe do without one, but today I’m really glad I have it. It’s a space I can shape in my own image, where I can publish this blog without the constraints of social platforms, as I’ve explained here.

But having a website also means dealing with technical aspects. Even though current platforms make it easier to create a site without coding knowledge, one area remains particularly complex for beginners: SEO, a.k.a. my personal nightmare.

The goal here is to make your site stand out in a sea of others. After all, a website without traffic might as well not exist, right? That’s why I had to invest time and effort to educate myself on the subject and boost the visibility of my work. And let’s be honest, this has very little to do with photography itself.

4 - And now you're probably thinking, “But Lo Kee, why put yourself through all of this?!”

Well, because taking beautiful photos is great—but if no one knows they exist, what’s the point?

I’m not necessarily trying to go down in history (although…), but more than anything, I want to keep living from my passion: photography.

Having a website and social media allows me to reach people who share similar interests. I truly believe I have talent, and I know there are people out there looking for exactly that. The goal is simply to connect with them.

Portrait of the successful artist Yoann Kavège as part of the promotion for his first graphic novel.

5 – Lo Kee, the salesperson

Once Lo Kee the Community Manager and Lo Kee the Webmaster had set up a strategy and a platform to meet people, the next step was figuring out what to say and how to say it.

Photography is a highly competitive field, filled with thousands of talented photographers. But being one of them isn’t enough. There’s a reality that can be disheartening: no one is waiting for you. No matter your skills, most people don’t even know you exist.

So Lo Kee the Salesperson works to find clients, present his services, and negotiate contracts. For an artist, the job of a salesperson requires skills that are often very different from those needed to create art.

6 – Lo Kee, the accountant

This is one of the few areas where I get help. It involves a significant cost, but it’s also the most crucial part, where mistakes simply can’t be made—and it’s also the furthest from what I actually enjoy. So...

Honestly, I’ve learned to adapt to the rules of this rather unnatural exercise, and sometimes I even find a little satisfaction in it.

What’s certain is that you need to master the basics so that Lo Kee the Salesperson can set rates that cover expenses and taxes while still generating enough income to live from his work.

7 – Lo Kee, the agent

Let’s go back to something a bit more artistic: promoting my work.

Actors have them, musicians too, and some artists as well: agents. Their job is to boost the careers of their clients by using their network to find opportunities.

At the moment, I handle all the promotion of my work myself. I spend time every day keeping an eye out for opportunities like grants, awards, residencies, and potential partnerships.

Residency presentation with members of the Musées d'Angers and the Fondation Mécène et Loire.

8 - Lo Kee, the writer and file preparation manager

Once the opportunities are identified, it's time to move on to the writing stage. Another structured exercise where Lo Kee, the agent, and Lo Kee, the photographer, must agree on how to express what motivates the latter, what makes him a unique candidate, and perfectly suited for the award, festival, or other opportunity he is applying for.

This exercise requires a considerable amount of detachment from one's practice, and I must say it’s probably the non-photographic exercise that has helped me the most in terms of progress. It’s a bit like psychoanalyzing one’s work and the motivations behind creating.

It allowed me, in my case, to understand why I make the photos I do in this way and not otherwise. Why I focus on one aspect rather than another. It also allowed me to identify and position my practice within well-established artistic movements.

9 - Lo Kee, the versatile

And of course, there are many other roles I could mention, but it’s time to conclude this article. I could have also talked about Lo Kee, the seller, Lo Kee, the logistician, Lo Kee, the set designer…

For those who have taken the time to read this article to the end, I would like to clarify once again that I am not complaining. I chose this path, I deeply love it, and I accept all the demands it entails, even though sometimes (often) I feel a bit overwhelmed by the range of skills I need to apply.

I hope this article helps dispel some misconceptions and prejudices. It’s true that, as independents, we have some freedom in organizing our days. But in reality, for example, in my case, "weekend" and "week" mean the same thing, I work every day. From morning to night, everything I do is closely or indirectly related to my professional activity, and I know that many of my fellow artists live the same reality.