Archive 2007 · Entering the professional world...

pappawheely
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p.2 #1 · Entering the professional world...

I was a racer on weekends until I was hurt on my regular job. I could not physically do my racing job but did not want to give it up. I always had an eye for photo composition so I figured being a photographer would be a good way to stay involved with racing. I knew a professional photographer who agreed to mentor me and I was well aqainted with all aspects of my form of racing, I just needed to learn the camera. I had pretty good results right off the bat so I kept shooting. A few months later I was picking up some enlargements at a photo store when a passer buy asked to see my work. I showed him the prints and he asked if I ever thought about having my work published. Lucky for me he was a publisher and from then on I was published in his magazine and many others. To be successful you need perserverence, talent, creativity and good business sense. Good customer relations are the best way to grow your business when working in a niche market. Let your clients sell you.

Dec 19, 2007 at 01:10 AM

NinaS
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p.2 #2 · Entering the professional world...

I kind of stumbled into Pro status by accident

took photography in high school & college (25+ years ago)
enjoyed nature, landscape & wildlife for years without being anything more than an amateur hobbyist

then my daughter got into modeling about 7 or 8 years ago. I was escorting her at shoots many times a month, hence being around pro shooters often.

told hubby I needed a DSLR (they were just coming out back then), he said I could get a P&S digital ... I stood firm. One day, he had to escort the kid to a photography seminar in Seattle (mom had to work), and he spent 16 hours in the corner listening & watching. Well he came back & took me shopping for my first DSLR

then came the re-learning & reminding curve. Being around the number of pros that I was, I didn't have the opportunity to show my images to friends & family, the pros were my critiquers & mentors. They had me on M from day one. What I thought was a good pic, was never good enough & I was given the reasons why. 90% of the pros my daughter worked with knew my passion & would take the time to explain the lighting set ups, the camera & meter settings etc ... education one shoot at a time

Well, being around models & designers all the time was a Godsend, often they'd let me "play", so I learned on experienced models with pro mentors looking over my shoulder. My gear collection grew tremendously & was always in the trunk of my car

Then, one day, my daughter & two other models were in the makeup chair, ready to do an evening gown shoot on location, and the photog called the designer & cancelled ... the designer looked at me & asked if I had my gear

I shot, without even negotating price, usage etc, but nailed the shoot to the WOW factor

after that, models & designers started calling, so I scrambled to design a pricing structure, since I had a website, I showed up in the search engines, and seniors, headshots, families etc started calling ... at some point, I became a Pro

now, since hubby's passing, I'm glad that this happened, as I am the sole support for us, am now actually advertising to increase business, so I can have a nestegg to fall back on, and live comfortably

The downside to turning pro? I'm often to busy or burned out to stop & smell the roses, rarely taking time to shoot nature & wildlife, which was my passion for over a quarter of a decade. I'm still working on finding the right balance so it can be my job & my hobby

I'm now the proud owner of 3 DSLR's, @ 15 lenses, a full compliment of studio lights, tons of muslins, have a studio, & a portable studio

Dec 19, 2007 at 09:10 AM

carl_414
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p.2 #3 · Entering the professional world...

Czech09,

Your timing for this question (basically how to get started as a pro - if I'm getting to the nuts and bolts of it right) is going to get you some interesting responses.
While many of the stories are good ones, that doesn't mean that they would (or wouldn't) apply today. The fact is that the times have changed and the world of being a "professional" photographer is not as closed as it used to be...most people would agree with this.

Where I will no doubt get lots of criticism is when I say "charge for your work and you are a pro." Don't let professional photography scare you. Don't let people tell you that you need specific schooling, training, or even expensive equipment. The reality is that photographers need only convince their clients that they are worth "X" amount of dollars for their services, and if the client is happy with what they paid for, then VIOLA, you're a pro. Now, don't get me wrong, there are a lot of other considerations, but you'll not likely find a lot of working pros, that will want to help you as an aspiring photographer turn pro.

Because I've seen so much of this I've built a website where you can read articles about turning pro, your first assignments, which equipment considerations should be made, etc. The whole idea behind the site is that you can be largely successful as a PART TIME photographer - perhaps more so than as a full time photographer due to the lower expenses/hassles, etc. You're welcome to check it out if you like... www.PTphotographer.com This is a place where I hope other experienced photographers will acknowledge the remarkable opportunities photography has given them, and act as true professionals - and promote their occupation to others in the hopes that they too can experience an enriched life that photography can contribute too.

Unfortunately, not many will take me up on that offer. They're too worried you'll steal their business. Which is absurd if they're any good or have any relationship with their clients. But I digress!

Dec 24, 2007 at 08:23 PM

annayu
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p.2 #4 · Entering the professional world...

mkweaver, that is really wonderful and inspirational.

I stumbled into this by accident a few years ago. Been using the local zoo for practising and got an email from someone, dunno if it was WWF or some magazine who wanted to use one of my pix. I was a bit surprised and said that I had to ask the zoo first so I sent them over the pix with a nice letter. Then after a few weeks I got a letter from their administration inviting me to come over for a meeting over lunch (well I thought, at least that didn't sound as if they are going to sue me).

Over lunch they told me they were going to buy the whole bunch of pix I sent for big bux and I needed to get a business license if I wanted to work for them on a freelance basis. For tax purposes and insurance and all that stuff.

They helped me get started overnight.

Then I got some portrait and wedding jobs among their employees. And they referred me to others.

My photog venture was taking off very nicely then I got sick one yr ago and it was a cancer. Had 10 booked weddings up to July that I luckily found good replacement photogs for. Had some radiotherapy and a couple of operations and was out of action for a few months. Scary not to be able to even lift up a camera during that time!

Found out that people (clients) tend to forget you when you're sick. You might as well be dead.

Took a few more months to convince them that I'm alive and well and now things are picking up again. My first wedding job was in August and it was a big relief to be back there.

And now they called from the hospital and want to operate again in 2 weeks time.

I need the patience of a saint.

Dec 25, 2007 at 12:16 AM

carl_414
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p.2 #5 · Entering the professional world...

Annayu, sorry for your health problems... let us know how things go... Merry Christmas.

Dec 25, 2007 at 01:42 AM

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