Trailblazers with Craig Barker of Craig Barker Photography

This week’s Trailblazer is Craig Barker, Founder of Craig Barker Photography, a professional cannabis photographer who offers creative, marketing, and eCommerce photography.

Questions with a Cannabis Industry Trailblazer

When did you first become involved in the cannabis industry and why?

Back in 2017 I was smoking a joint by a local lake trying to figure out how to make a living from photography. I looked down and the answer was in front of me all along. Recreational legalization was looming so I started building a portfolio of e-commerce dried flower shots by working for a legacy mail delivery service in Vancouver. I taught myself the basics of product photography and challenged myself to keep evolving my work. Living out of a 94 GMC Safari at the time, I had plenty of economic incentive.

That being said, I’ve enjoyed consuming cannabis for a long time so I was equally fascinated about how the plant is grown as well as its myriad genetics and their expressions. Very few people were cannabis photographers at the time, certainly not in the legal space, so I was highly motivated to make the most of my opportunity. My first legal client was Whistler Medical Marijuana Corporation (now Aurora), which allowed me to build a small portfolio that gained the attention of QWEST, Simply Bare and more. It’s been a real privilege to evolve alongside a blooming industry.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced when working with cannabis companies/brands?

Signing new clients is always a challenge for freelancers, gaining the lead, qualifying to an opportunity and closing the project is a skill in its own right. I do enjoy business development but it’s much less time consuming and arguably rewarding to retain and grow with your existing clients. The better you know your client’s business, the more value you can provide.

Creative – utilize your unique style while keeping on brand
Communication – quick, precise and pro-active project management
Ideation – provide new ideas and executions
Flow – be flexible, make planning and production as easy as possible for your client
Professionalism – be sober, early, talk shop and know your facility SOPs
Efficiency – maximize time by knowing your gear, setups and settings off by heart

If you could change one of the current Canadian or American marketing restrictions on cannabis, which would it be?

Although I like to push the boundaries of the marketing restrictions, I’d sleep better at night knowing lifestyle content and storytelling are safe to disseminate. I’d like to see celebrity endorsements and collaborations become legit too, shooting with big names is exciting and a great way to garner attention. I haven’t run into many issues with Health Canada yet; it’s platforms like Instagram that give me (and plenty of others) a headache when it comes to cannabis content. I’d also like to see packaging become less restrictive and more creative. Do we really need such large warnings?

In your observation, what marketing techniques or channels have been most effective for cannabis companies looking to connect with consumers?

The old adage, go where your customers are, I think, applies here. I’ve seen excellent customer feedback on Reddit, where brands can effectively leverage product reviews and respond quickly to issues. In-person is also highly effective; competitions, events, pop-ups, and festivals all provide opportunities to convert a consumer to your brand. Events like Heady Happenings provide excellent venues for product samples to niche audiences. I was just at Unicorn Festival near Salmo, BC and was stoked to see craft brands being featured at the How Bout This Dab Bar, people were loving it.

Are there any other trailblazers in the cannabis industry that you follow?

I have the privilege to work with a wide range of trailblazers in the cannabis industry. From master growers like Elliot Fromowitz, whom leads the no-till organic living soil cultivation at Coast Mountain Cannabis, to creative titans like Steve Artemiw at Aurora. I have a lot of respect for the Rubicon Organics team, they nailed the quality at scale – shout out to Aitkia Chugh, Shawn Ellis, Josh Rice, Alex Garcha, Quinn Rothman and Mikky Hasch whom have always had my back.

I’d also like to mention Andrew Ellott, co-founder at Coast Mountain Cannabis whom boldly stepped into the industry, providing well paid work to many Pemberton, BC locals since 2019. His commitment to the business and his personal financial sacrifices has ensured the lights remain on at Coast while he continues to find routes to profitability.

It’s no secret that international opportunities are the current hustle, and I’m lucky to be working with Tim Roberts and Rachel Goss, who co-founded Canadian Craft Cannabis Company, purchasing bulk BC craft cannabis and exporting to emerging markets like Australia, Israel, and the UK. Tim and Rachel have built a world class team, providing world class product under soon to be world class brands…I’m in awe of their vision and incredible work ethic.

From a photographic standpoint, I’ve always looked up to the OG canna creatives in the US; @kandidkush, @surfacearea999 and @pixelnug are the best in the game.

Last but certainly not least, I want to give props to my creative partner, Kyle LeGrow. We met as colleagues but became friends as we collaborated on large projects, supporting each other and starting our joint venture, Pretty Dope Studio. Kyle is as entrepreneurial as he is creative, starting both Banger Basket and Heady Happenings while continuing to create content for his clients.

What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to marketers looking to enter the cannabis industry?

I’m going to take the liberty of expanding this question to include creatives…. The number one rule that goes for sales, marketing, and creative, is to know your product and market. It sounds obvious, but the cannabis industry is full of niches you can become an expert in…find what fascinates you and go DEEP…it’s tempting to become a Jack of all trades but I recommend specializing and digging your heals in. Second, we’re becoming a global business…don’t win today’s game at the expense of playing tomorrow’s. In other words, collaboration beats domination. Do you really want to be at the top of the mountain on your own? Third and final, find a healthy balance with personal consumption. Don’t let what you love hold you back, physically, mentally or emotionally.

A big thank you to Craig Barker from Craig Barker Photography for participating as this week’s Trailblazer! Stay tuned for another interview with a cannabis marketing Trailblazer next Thursday in the ADCANN blog.