p.1 #1 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
Hello all,
My name is Jesse Shotland. I wouldn't call myself a pro, but I'd say I have the technical know-how of a pro. Certainly not the experience. As I make my way into the field doing senior portraits and other small gigs I learn. I like taking advantage of the internet though, by asking people with more experience if they have any tips, dos, don'ts, and anything else. So please, if you have anything you'd like to share, I'd be more than honored to read your words.
If you want, you can view my website for a taste of my flavor.
p.1 #2 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
Part of the technical know how of a pro is understanding how the industry runs, from the professional relationships with clients, stylists, talent, assistants, printers, to protection of yourself, your images, your equipment, to marketing, bidding, promotion, licensing and the like.
Really start to investigate all of these facets, while also honing your skill and developing your visual voice, your own style--then marry the two ends fo the spectrum.
To be successful, you're going to spend a lot of time playing the businessman, securing the jobs to keep you shooting for a living. Then, you'll have to play the businessman to protect your work, and maximize your profits.
The name of the game is to do this for a living, and it goes well beyond creating a beautiful photo. Getting a head start on it now will make it easier later.
p.1 #4 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
INSURANCE!! Make sure you have it.
Jan 24, 2012 at 08:29 PM
glort Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #5 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
Find another profession.
Seriously.
There are much easier things to do than photography and better money to be made.
I have been a shooter all my life and I wouldn't recommend anyone get into it these days.
If you are not easily put in the right direction, try writing a proper business plan before you do anything and see what sort of return you can practically expect, what you have to invest to get it in money and time and see what your hourly rate is going to be.
It's not good enough to say I want to be a photographer, you have to know exactly what sort of a photographer you want to be and what market you are going to address then work the rest out from there.
The trouble with most photographers is the love of it over rules the brain as to the viability of the business of it.
If a person loves photography, I say whatever you do don't stuff that up by making it work. Keep it for the weekends because work is work and doing something for a living is a whole load different to doing it for a living.
p.1 #6 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
After looking at your website I have one piece of advice that has paid big dividends throughout my professional career. You have some very strong images and some images that aren't so strong. The weaker images on a website have a tendency to destroy the ability to take the better one seriously by clients. Try to find a professional who will take the time to tell you that some images need to be removed and new images need to be taken instead. Sometimes your ability to make judgments about the images on your website are clouded by personal attachment to them. As you get into your photography career more, this ability will become more acute because of your interaction with creative professionals. You need to push yourself to produce more and better images on a regular schedule. This will prepare you to produce images for clients. Good luck.
p.1 #8 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
I agree with glort. I've been an electrical engineer all my life and made photography my hobby. I will keep the photography as a hobby to prevent ruining my photographic eye.
p.1 #9 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
I am actually in my 4th year in college as a Construction Engineer and plan to graduate after another year, get a job in my field, but continue to photograph as I am doing now. I love it too much to just quit. Every shot I get better and nothing is better than seeing how happy people are when they get their pictures. I love photography and enjoy shooting even though I find myself with less and less time. Another point is that since the construction industry is still slow right now, if I do not get a job right off the bat then photography will be it. Who knows what can happen. Im a optimistic person and im leaving it up to fate to choose my destination as far as a career is concerned.
p.1 #10 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
all the following is my humble opinion only tike it FWIW
Denying acceptance- weaker image. A landscape that you are presenting as a portfolio piece should not have sensor dust in the sky.
the musician shots are good. Lots of feeling, nicely composed.
I'm not a fan of how you did your bio- it doesn't read well to me. I get the impression that a HS buddy wrote it. This site is supposed to be selling you as a professional photographer right?
I don't think you need the the little blurbs that pop up on each image stating use by you only and the subject..third parties with consent. If you gave permission for the subject to use the images it would be in your contract right? It is not needed to have it stated in the image on your site. At most, put a copyright and that is it. It comes across more professionally.
Just some random thoughts I had by peeking at your site very quickly. It looks like a 500px site, is it?
p.1 #11 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
Depends on what you want to do. If it's commerical photography - especially advertising, fashion and editorial, then you need to move to New York or Milan. There are other cities, but these are the two where opportunity can turn into good fortune.
I would seek out and/or beg for a job as an assistant for a top commercial photographers in either of these towns and spend a couple years learning how a set is run, how to communicate with art directors, collect a number of go-to lighting setups and familiarize yourself with the top gear in photography. Then request some time working inside in the photographers office. Here you'll learn to deal with agents, clients, make & hair folks and stylists, so that when you leave, these people know you and are comfortable with you when you contact them at a later date.
Being successful is more about successful relationships than your photography skills. However, if you get the job, you've got to bring the goods. Milan is the fashion capital of the world and a great city to live in - except in winter. But there is much to do there in the way of photography and most people speak English in the big cities of Italia.
If you're young and without the responsibilities of a family, then go and seek adventure. You'll have the time of your life.
p.1 #12 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
It seems like you're going to be dealing with consumers rather than art buyers (although the successful photographers find consumers that have an art buyers mentality). With this in mind, the biggest mistake you can make is to shoot for free to try to gain work. Why? Because you destroy market expectations of what the value of a photograph is (which to be completely honest is a machine unto itself. This advice is more of an ideal because I'm not sure it's possible anymore to get paid even a little money to shoot for people as a newbe). You're already dealing with an obscene number of people (consumers) who take hundreds if not thousands of throw-away pictures with their phones. I get an awe-struck kick out of looking at weddings I shoot and seeing the sidelines of the dance floor packed with faces with an iphone in front of them taking pictures. Unfortunately the image has taken a nose dive in most markets as to what people are willing to spend.
Some markets like LA/NY have so many photographers that the lower entry area of the market is over saturated with people who are willing to pay to get someone to let them photograph them. Many of the people 'hiring' photographers know this and their "take-advantage of people gene" turns on full gear. This is a non-stop parade of people that isn't going away. So the best thing you can do is to personally value your photos as much as you can and to realize ways to get out of the entry level low end of the market. It's often not about image quality but relationships. Unfortunately some markets I've been reading about have been consumed by the low end market mostly because consumers there could have a Leibovitz land on their lap and not realize what it was while it wiggled. Not much to do about those kinds of markets.
As for your work, I'm going to be completely honest, you need to shoot more. Shoot so much and grow so much that you like an image you photographed for a few days. Then you quickly grow to hate it because...."why did I shoot such a crappy picture?!" I'm not saying your pictures are crappy, but since competition is so fierce with photographers, it's inspired those with true talent to become astonishing. Work on developing your own style and make plenty of mistakes while doing so.
p.1 #13 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
I agree with what cineski wrote. One thing that happened in the last ten years or so is that the middle has dropped out of the market. The trouble is that is where 80% of photographers are or were working. There will always be work for the best of the best 10% and the low end or freebie 10%. It takes me two hands to count the number of photographers I know who have gone out of business or have had to shrink their "foot print" by either selling off equipment or letting go of a studio.
It's not all doom and gloom, most of the people I mentioned didn't really adapt their business to the new paradigm. They tried to keep doing things the same way they've done it for 20 years. If you can find a way to get noticed by the people who have budgets you might be able to break away from the pack.
Making relationships with clients is essential, and I don't mean Facebook or LinkedIn friends, I mean real life connections. For most jobs there are a few people who can shoot the job, but clients pick those who they would like to spend all day or a week with out on location in addition to producing the job.
p.1 #14 · Tips for young photographer making his way?
Micky Bill wrote:
I agree with what cineski wrote. On thing that happened in the last ten years or so is that the middle has dropped out of the market. The trouble is that is where 80% of photographers are or were working. There will always be work for the best of the best 10% and the low end or freebie 10%. It takes me two hands to count the number of photographers I know who have gone put of business or have had to shrink their "foot print" by either selling off equipment or letting go of a studio.
It's not all doom and gloom, most of the people I mentioned didn't really adapt their business to the new paradigm. They tried to keep doing things the same way they've done it for 20 years. If you can find a way to get noticed by the people who have budgets you might be able to break away from the pack.
Making relationships with clients is essential, and I don't mean Facebook or LinkedIn friends, I mean real life connections. For most jobs there are a few people who can shoot the job, but clients pick those who they would like to spend all day or a week with put on location in addition to producing the job. ...Show more →
I closed my 10,000 square foot studio in 2008 and went all location for advertising work. I must say this new business model is much more profitable, and a lot less headaches.
Yes, I had to rethink my product, and reinvent my total workflow, but it was totally worth it. The amount of money I keep in MY bank account more that makes up for not having a space to do "studio".
My advice to a newb, find a niche and exploit it. Value your work and price it correctly, based on the market conditions you inhabit. Always try and be fresh, even when shooting the same thing over and over again. That can be tough.
Finally if you start down this road because you "love" photography, and not because you think you have the business skills to succeed, maybe you need to consider photography as a hobby.
I've been at this for 30 years and, at least in my experience, it will become a 'JOB" even though you do enjoy the work.
I find it very hard to shoot for fun after all of these years of producing commercial art.
