Hi FM-er's. I am a 17 year old, planning on attending university next year. I am planning to major in photography.
Just a few questions for the pros out there. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. My parents aren't exactly thrilled with my choice. (mainly for $$ reasons)

1. What do you do for a living?

2. Do you make a comfortable living? (You don't have to say too much if you don't want to)

3. Did you study photography in college/university?

4. (For any pros for Ontario, Canada) If you went to school for it, whee did you go, and how was the program?

any additional information is welcome. just want to know what i'm getting into!

I say do it because you love it, not because you want to get rich...if it happens that you make a great living at it, all the better for you!

You're young enough that if you plan well enough, you don't need to go deeply into debt during school...try not to do that, so when you graduate you can have some lean years while establishing yourself. Also, while in school, do as many internships and assistantships as you possibly can (this is the best time for unpaid work). Listen to what established people in the field tell you about the business aspect of things (even if you think that they are jerks). Always take constructive criticism well, but don't let anyone's "crap" criticism given just because they feel threatened make you think your work isn't any good.

Ultimately, this is the kind of advice I wish someone had given me; instead, I majored in something that I thought would be more "logical" and "practical". I spent a lot of time working in a field I never liked, and the "real world" and its expenses got in the way of my pursuing my photography career earlier in my life. As a result, I am still struggling somewhat at an age where I should be more established...but I am glad to be pursuing my ART than working in "just a job" to pay the bills.

thanks shari! i am definitely not one to choose a career in the hopes of getting rich, and if i were, i probably wouldn't choose photography!
but thanks for the advice!

Welcome...wish I could help you more with the practical questions you asked, but I didn't go to school for photography (per se), so I don't feel qualified to answer your other questions.

I wish you the best, though! The world can never have too many passionate photographers.

I don't think you can go wrong with a formal education in photography. What I would caution you about is tunnel vision. It is easy to get wrapped up in the quest for perfection in your studies and lose sight of all the peripheral education that is key for later success. For instance, take some courses designed for small business accounting, marketing and management. Even if you work for someone else straight out of university, eventually you are going to want to go out on your own. When you do, those business skills are going to be much more valuable than knowing how to process black and white film (if they are still teaching that).

"But I am an artist and artist's don't study business." Bah! That is the battle cry of the idiot artiste. You won't be able to make your art if you can't make money from your art. And before you think that the life of the starving artist is romantic, think about what Van Gogh would be like today: homeless and begging for money after being spit out of a mental institution. Trust me, the soup kitchen line is full of artists who didn't worry about studying business.

In addition to studying the history of photography (which you will get a heavy dose of in college or university programs), make sure you take some art history courses. Much of what we think of as revolutionary or cutting edge in modern fine art photography has been done before. But people don't usually cite Dutch rennaissance painting when looking at photography. It's there, and if you learn to recognize the roots of what makes a beautiful photograph, then you are leaps and bounds ahead of most people you will encounter in the business.

It is not an easy go, but you have a huge advantage being so young. Sometimes it may not seem like everyone is taking you seriously enough, but there are so many programs (educational and government) in Canada that are geared towards helping students get a good start in the careers that they want. For instance, there is a young entrepreneurs program that will help you form a good business plan, give you an interest free loan, and even hook you up with a mentor. That is only available to those under 25. Huge advantage over starting from scratch later in life.

It is not an easy go, but you can do it if you work hard enough and have the drive to work for it. But, like most other careers, to be successful you have to get it yourself. It's not going to fall into your lap. That is where the business and marketing skills come in. You formulate plans based on careful market analysis. You take these plans to people who matter to your business(usually those with money or those who know people with money) and they hook you up with either money, or clients, or even better, both. At the same time, you are formulating marketing strategies to make sure that you can capture the market you are after. You don't have to be the best photographer: that will come with experience. You just have to make people think you are the best photographer and they will hire you. After that is the fun part!

Best of luck,

Michael

Sounds similar to discussions I had with my parents 15 or so years ago.

Throughout my professional career, I've been: a Graphic Designer, Art Director, Production Manager, Promotions Designer, Webmaster, Web Designer, Web Programmer and Photographer, many times with many of those roles overlapping.

My undergraduate degree was in Graphic Design, while also taking plenty of courses in photography. When choosing my undergraduate school, I had a choice of going to some of the great well known New York art schools, or going to a well known university that happened to have art and design, and photography programs.

I ultimately chose the university route, for the remote possibility that at least I would have had a well rounded education should my "art career" not take off. This was at the urging of both my parents (pure nervousness of supporting a "starving artist" forever), as well as the director of the program at the university (who also was a frequently published illustrator).

After working for several years in print design, I decided to further my education with a Masters Degree in Interactive Design. That is what helps shape my career path of the last 8 years.

I always look back at my undergraduate program thinking that it was one of the best moves I made.

You can be one of the most accomplished artists around, but if you don't know how to carry a conversation, construct a sentence, or negotiate a business decision, you will faulter, and your talent will get you only so far. Additionally if you are that talented, there will instead be an agent there to represent you and take a good percentage of what could have been rightfully yours.

Pursue what you have a passion for, and learn the craft and master it. Do not worry about fame and fortune, worry about making a living first, and all things will fall into place. A college professor of mine told me that a long time ago, and he was right. It took many years and a lot of hard work for it all to pay off (and to completely understand), but I can honestly say that all things have fallen into place for me.

By contrast, I am friends with another artist that hasn't yet seen their share of fame or fortune although their portfolio would say otherwise.

I am also in complete agreement with much of what mlorme says above.

Most of all, best of luck in your decision. Perhaps even show your parents this thread to let them know that becoming an artist does not necessarily mean poverty and/or starving.

lots of great advice here. but here's my story

im 26 yrs old systems admin. been in IT field since i was 19. this year i finally got into photography (couldnt afford it before) and i LOVE it!. i luv it so much i want to go back to school and pursue a degree in photography / digital arts.

i wish at ur age, i had the finances and passion to go into photography. i think at 26, i already want a career change, and this is the career i want to pursue.

i make pretty good money in IT, but if i make the same or even less (enuf to support a family at least) in photography, that would be my dream...

wat im tryin to get to is...do something that u absolutely LOVE. ur life will be complete =)

I am not a pro, but let me offer a few pointers.

a. Money is irrelevant. It's really far more important that you really want to do photography.

-- You have to want to carry tons of equipment day-in and day-out.
-- You have to want to shoot what the client wants, not what YOU want.
-- You have to want to work to impossible deadlines and ridiculous demands from clients.

b. The money will come if you are REALLY REALLY good and REALLY REALLY lucky. You might attain celebrity status like Greg Gorman, etc.

The majority of pros probably make enough to get by, but are by no means as rich as lawyers or bankers.

To your questions:

1. There's all kinds of photographers-- news, sports, fashion, wedding, corporate, etc. Some like studio portrait work, some like to shoot outdoors, some like to shoot products, some shoot for commercials, etc. You decide what you want.

3. I'm pretty sure a photography major wouldn't hurt, although the traditional route is to be some working photographer's assistant for a couple years before striking out on your own.