dhelix33 Loc: Live in Raleigh, NC - Grew up in Teaneck, NJ

With trillions of photographs taken since the start of the 19th century, attempting to get your own work appreciated in the noise can appear futile. With the majority of this astonishing number coming after the rise in popularity of mobile phone camera photography - especially with social media, it doesn’t seem likely that this task will become any easier over time.

Almost everybody with any digital camera believes themselves to be a ‘photographer’ today, and as a result of online image platforms like Facebook and Instagram have seen hundreds of billions of photographs uploaded to them in the short time they have existed. Most professional photographers I know have taken time to build the skills necessary to create more than ‘snap shots’ in order to in the noise and build a career niche for themselves.

For me as a professional photographer, it was not just about technical skills - but also about understanding the theory, history, professional practices, and the overall industry. Becoming an amateur photographer has become easier in the digital age, but becoming a professional photographer, in the true sense of the term, has become even harder.

That being said, if you are a professional photographer, what did you do to make a name for yourself?

Leitz Loc: Solms

Wrote it on a piece of paper with a pencil.

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

I thought you already knew that everyone IS a photographer. LoL

I tell people, "Anyone can take a picture but only a few can take a photograph." A bit of a play on words... you get the idea.

As for a response to your title, alot of hard work and sweat.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

Marketing.

I have started 37 businesses in my business career, 32 for other people/companies, and 5 for myself. Each time I have proven that it doesn't matter the competition, savvy marketing is the key to a successful business.

For my photographic venture, Photographic Art by Russel Ray Photos, here's what I have done: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-327835-1.html

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Took good pictures,heh,heh🤑

HeyYou Loc: SE Michigan

Simple. I took good photographs, posted them here. The rest is history.

dhelix33 Loc: Live in Raleigh, NC - Grew up in Teaneck, NJ

russelray -

I appreciate this share! Glanced over the content on the linked page you included, will be reading it in its entirety today. My preference is to see where the rubber meets the in road responses to images I post or questions I ask - thanks!

I actually seek to use this forum as a place for us all to learn and share in this craft that some have a passion for - and some of us a professional stake. It's sad how foolish and mean-spirited people troll this site and make completely stupid responses - to me, first this speaks volumes about their void of character and intelligence, and second to their obvious amateurish knowledge of photography. I am glad there are folks like you who get it.

Cheers!
Greg

(Download)

dhelix33 Loc: Live in Raleigh, NC - Grew up in Teaneck, NJ

Same concept - Because you eat doughnuts, it doesn't make you a police officer.

Because you own a camera, it doesn't make you a photographer...

Cheers!
Greg

HeyYou Loc: SE Michigan

I apologize for my flip comment earlier. It was meant as (silly) humor, but you are right, I didn't first stop to think before i posted. Silly and inappropriate - I am sorry.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I use the name my parents gave me.

dhelix33 Loc: Live in Raleigh, NC - Grew up in Teaneck, NJ

The question was "...if you are a professional photographer, what did you do to make a name for yourself?"

I did not ask for the use of the name your parents gave you.

This question was directed to photographers - Are you you a photographer?

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

A name means nothing until branding begins. Branding begins with your work, your ethics, your expertise and your pricing.

fotoman65

I've had a photography business for a long, long, long time. When I first started out in 1964, there weren't a lot of seminars to attend.You needed to work for existing photographer, which was very difficult to do. I joined the PPA and attended every business meeting, seminar I could. I listened to all these 'old farts" talking about how they did things. I tried every one of these to see if I could copy their "style". After awhile I found my own way of doing things. Yeah, I guess its my "style". I just call it making the client happy so they'll pay me. I've done everything from advertising to weddings. (My son calls weddings "combat duty").
OK, enough B.S. from an "old fart". Reality: You need to understand LIGHT! How it makes or breaks a image. Study the old masters. LOOK at how they use the light. Study it and try to duplicate it. After you understand how light works then you need to learn how to market yourself. In todays market with all the Facebook, instagram and whatever, its very different. After you post your images you still need the right people to see your images. So you need to research your market to find the people you want to sell to.
Also: your selling "images", not pics, flicks, or photos. They are images because understand what makes an image. Everyone with a camera/phone takes photos, your selling images because you understand the difference. You MAKE images while they take take photos.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

I'm going to take issue a wee bit with pricing because there is room in this world for both the Walmarts and the Nordstroms.

I had a home inspection business here in San Diego from July 1, 2001, to December 31, 2015. I started off as the low man on the totem pole because I knew that would get me a quick start, and it did: 493 inspections in my first year at an average inspection fee of $318.52. The math is not hard.

Then one time when I followed up with a Client, she told me she was very dissatisfied with me. Wow. Ego buster. Turns out that she didn't want to know everything that was wrong with the property because she was going to GNR it (gut & renovate). She just wanted to know about the roof, the structure, the plumbing, the heating & cooling, and the electricity. I went to my attorney to see if I could accompany people like her. I could. Discussing this idea at online home inspector message boards, I found a guy in Florida who only did home inspections on properties that listed for a minimum of $1 million. His inspections took 3-5 days, he took a thousand pictures, his report was 350 pages long, and his minimum charge was $3,999. His company was booming. Could I do something similar in San Diego working with the 1%s? My attorney said yes. So I by April 1, 1993, I was both the Walmart and the Nordstrom of home inspections in Southern California. Didn't matter what you wanted; I could deliver it. If you called me, I would convert you because there was no reason for you to go anywhere else. I had it all. Just tell me what you want.

To be successful, though, required marketing, and that I knew how to do. I didn't advertise Walmart inspections to the 1%s, and I didn't advertise 1% inspections to the Walmart shoppers.

Everyone told me I was crazy to try to do what I did, but I proved them wrong simply because I knew how to do marketing. It's no different in photography. If you want to make money from photography and you don't understand marketing, hire someone who does. Put your initial investment into capital expenditures; see your CPA, and get a CPA if you don't have one.

In my view, there are two types of companies that fail: those which are undercapitalized to begin with, and those that don't understand marketing. Create a business plan. Part of that business plan should be a marketing plan. As my wise old grandmother told me in 1966 when she was helping me set up my very first company: "If you fail to plan, plan to fail."

dhelix33 Loc: Live in Raleigh, NC - Grew up in Teaneck, NJ