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Archive 2012 · Professional Macro Photography?

  
 
ITR010342
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Professional Macro Photography?


How many of you on here are professional macro photographers?

I was recently propositioned to the potential of quiting my job and doing macro full time. I have a small side business of photography selling prints and doing small portrait/event jobs, which has gone very well... but I have a chance to jump on some really cool things and I am doing it.

Edit if it helps: It will involve doing photos for textbooks and other professional publications.

Any good tips for someone who may have the potential to make it a career?



Sep 28, 2012 at 09:30 AM
wtracyparnell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Professional Macro Photography?


Check out Mike Moats' blog for some ideas. Be sure and use the search function too:

http://tinylanscapes.wordpress.com/



Sep 28, 2012 at 10:43 AM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Professional Macro Photography?


In the past 10 years it has become very difficult to make a living from frelance photography, even without being so specialised. Agencies are selling images for ever smaller fees and customers expect to pay nearly nothing. How big a market do you think there is for macro and could you turn out what the market wants, not what you wish to offer? Apart from anything else you have to compete with the established "big name" pros out there.

Harold



Sep 28, 2012 at 12:19 PM
ITR010342
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Professional Macro Photography?


That is what I worry about. I'm sure in the near future I would not be able to quit my job or even think about it. Some of the work I will be doing is for publicity and getting my name out there, not to get paid until there is a contract. If I do this right and do good work, then it would end up being paid. As far as the market, the work I would be doing "could" open up to other work for law enforement agencies and government as long as it goes well initially. There are a lot of "what ifs", but you have to start somewhere I guess!


Sep 28, 2012 at 01:12 PM
e6filmuser
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Professional Macro Photography?


ITR010342 wrote:
not to get paid until there is a contract.


Or even if you have a contract.

An ex-colleague, who had been an in-house photographer had a freelance photography contract, to start a new project, with a major supermarket in the UK. On the basis of that, he invested £7,000 in a new digital camera body. (That would be at least twice as much in today's money). They then cancelled the contract. A solicitor once told me how easy it is to cancel a contract and at no cost.

Harold



Sep 28, 2012 at 01:27 PM
MarkB1
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Professional Macro Photography?


From your first post to your next you sound more hopeful than expectant. In my experience those wanting work done for text books and 'other' publications either can get what they want for pennies from stock, or they want yours 'for the exposure' it will give you, a link or your name somewhere nobody will ever see it. Only amateurs give their work away, in hope ...

I suspect every good macro photographer has been propositioned with the promise of paid work after a 'trial' period of working for links. It's an old con. Doesn't mean it couldn't work for someone with 'connections', but without them I wouldn't be counting chickens, I'd be asking for money.

If you are any good, and we haven't seen any of your work, I wouldn't bother with 'promises'. Bottom line is if 'they' don't want to pay you something they don't value your work - a bad place to start a business relationship.

And you can bet your bottom dollar 'they' are getting paid. No?

PS If you want to get into forensic photography why not approach the police, or whoever does it where you are.



Sep 28, 2012 at 06:45 PM
Tom Hicks
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Professional Macro Photography?


Good luck with that.


Sep 28, 2012 at 06:50 PM
slay12345
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Professional Macro Photography?


As stated before, the textbook companies are spending less and less on their photography, promising future bulk use and bigger payments (but only where your image fits). However I've seen them change the text in their books to accompany a free or dirt cheap royalty free image rather than use the images from companies that pay their photographers more than 20% commission. I wouldn't bank on sustainable work in this field.
If you have something else more promi$ing lined up, and can do the textbook stock side as a bonus add on... go for it! But I would thing hard before quitting a currently paying position, for promises of what might be.



Sep 29, 2016 at 09:07 AM





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