I want to be a professional photographer.
Aug 17, 2017 11:05:53 #
67skylark27
Loc: Fort Atkinson, WI
jackpinoh wrote:
Studies show that it takes about 10,000 hrs to become expert in something. How committed are you?
I think the saying is 10,000 reps to become proficient in something.
Like 10,000 swings of the bat etc. After 10,000 clicks most people are
getting the hang of their camera...
Aug 17, 2017 11:08:27 #
Cut the OP some slack. In my experience, it doesn't help to shoot down people's dreams. There are plenty of people who do pretty well with their photography. Some do extremely well. Here's one think that they all have in common, they all started at the beginning.
There are a lot of things to consider before being an actual "pro" including all the business aspects like insurance, accountants, taxes, hiring people, marketing, etc. The first step, is what the question was about. The OP wants to move into digital, and get better photography. I'd say that's a first step of many. Why slap down everyone who asks a beginner question. If it bothers you, go to another thread, if you want to help, give your answer.
To NPSamson, ignore the negative people, and learn from the helpful ones.
There are a lot of things to consider before being an actual "pro" including all the business aspects like insurance, accountants, taxes, hiring people, marketing, etc. The first step, is what the question was about. The OP wants to move into digital, and get better photography. I'd say that's a first step of many. Why slap down everyone who asks a beginner question. If it bothers you, go to another thread, if you want to help, give your answer.
To NPSamson, ignore the negative people, and learn from the helpful ones.
Aug 17, 2017 13:48:30 #
Aug 17, 2017 13:50:38 #
machia
Loc: NJ
Yeah but at least I was taught by one ! My Uncle had 33,000 hours . Tough instructor , but wouldn't have it any other way . 😃
Aug 17, 2017 14:35:20 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
The only sure way to make money in photography is to sell your equipment ...
Yeah but you have to make a profit when you sell that gear, It is rare that used stuff sells for more than new. So you still can't make it as a pro that way
Aug 17, 2017 15:05:05 #
npsamson wrote:
You advice and suggestion is greatly appreciated. I have not got into digital photography much through I worked with film photography long long, time ago with Nikon F3/ Olympus OM1N, and some digital with Nikon Coolpix P80 and Canon T4i.
Now I want to buy my own camera. thinking of buying Canon T7i/ Canon 70D/ I am confused which one to go for. whether T series or D series.
Buying used or New, which one is good.
Awaiting you valuable suggestion.
Thanks,
Sam
Now I want to buy my own camera. thinking of buying Canon T7i/ Canon 70D/ I am confused which one to go for. whether T series or D series.
Buying used or New, which one is good.
Awaiting you valuable suggestion.
Thanks,
Sam
There are a number of paths you can take to accomplish this - so you first have to establish whether or not there is a market for the type of photography you want to do. No point in being a portrait photographer if you live in a small town where there are 4 portrait photographer. Real Estate? Good luck with that - if you don't have impeccable credentials and the gear and staff to go with it, you will be hard pressed to make any money doing "drive-by's with a camera" style shooting for the local RE agency that only wants to pay you $200/property, or less. Don't even thing about buying anything until you have a plan, and by then the right gear choices will become evident. For the record, it is unlikely that you will see a pro using either of the two alternatives you are considering.
Aug 17, 2017 15:33:08 #
Yes, Ignore all the negativism but pay attention to the reality. The business of photography has always been highly competitive, especially in densely populated industrially developed urban areas. Nowadays, there is as popular proliferation of amateur photographs, do-it-your-selfers, and part time pros- this adds to the competitive environment in the marketplace. I am not putting down non-full time pros, I am just acknowledging their presents in the marketplace- we live in a fee market society! Long story short, folks will not spend their hard earned money on stuff they can do all by themselves, nor will corporations hire on costly professional services for a job that can be done by a nice guy or gal "from accounting" who is handy with a camera. Bottom line- you need to know exactly what you are doing and be able to produce a quality of work that is more that a cut above the average shooter in order to sustain a successful business.My favorite word is PROFESSIONALISM!
Professional photography can be a lucrative and viable enterprise if you have the product, run your businesses in a prudent and economical manner and have the marketing and promotional savvy to bring in a steady cash flow to you business in a year-around basis.
Of course, there are many aspects and specializations to consider such as portraiture and wedding photography, commercial and industrial work, photojournalism and public relations event coverage and more. Many of theses headings have multiple sub-specialties. One of theses areas cross over into each other and some are highly specialized. In the realm of portraiture and wedding photography, mostly you are dealing with the retail or general public sector of the market. Many "family" portrait photographers also service the business and corporate market with executive and publicity portraiture. Theatrical portraiture is yet another sub-specialty. Commercial photography, for the most part is business and corporate oriented. Commercial photographer deal with small and large business organizations. Many corporate entities, outsource there advertising requirements to agencies who supply art direction and actually hire the photographers. This is an extremely competitive market with a lot of "politics" in the mix and the standards and expectations are usually rather high in terms of artistry and technical performance. Commercial work includes a wide spectrum of specializations and require a wide variety of skill sets.To name a few areas of specialization: Fashion and lifestyle, industrial, product illustration, food and beverage advertising and packaging work, photojournalism and event coverage, architectural interior and exterior and real estate photography, annual report assignments and business portraiture.
In most North America jurisdictions, to my knowledge, there are no specific licencing or educational standards in photography. You need to assess, evaluate and "police" you own talents, level of competence and savvy. Memberships in professional photographers' associations are advisable and helpful but they are not mandatory. Professional photographers are governed by the same consumer protection, taxation, zoning and licencing laws as any other business- you are on you own as long as you are "street legal"!
In my own case, I was fortunate enough to have a formal academic education in photography and served an apprenticeship and term of employment for a goodly time before venturing out on my own business. I also received addition photographic training in the armed forces. Professional photographic methodologies can be self taught but a basic course of study toward mastering the basics saves a great deal of floundering around. Apprenticeship, sadly enough, nowadays, is a rarity, however, if you can somehow get to work under an experienced professional, the benefit if hands-on training is immeasurable. Folks tend to say "it ain't rocket science" but believe me, there is a lot of art, science and talent involved, that is, if you want to really get ahead in the business .As a practicing pro, a trainer and teacher, I CAN NOT TEACH creativity, resourcefulness and sticktoitiveness- I can only encourage and help develop theses traits and habits in my students and trainees. As a blanket kinda advice, all I can say that this job is not for the lazy or the faint of heart and get ready for some good old hard work! It ain't hard labor or boot-camp but you gotta get up every morning and do it to it, There can be some long hours and tedious administrative work but if you are enjoying what you are doing, time moves on quickly!
Oftentimes, I find that may artistically and technically talented folks are not all that good at business. Even if you are endowed with loads of talent and skills, the cold hard fact is that you will not succeed in today's business environment without a sold business plan. Before considering starting a business or opening a shop, a consultation with an accountant or business adviser is prerequisite. Then there is the area of market research to consider. A sold adverting, promotional and publicity plan is also of the utmost importance. Even if you are the greatest photographer on the planet, you will not succeed of nobody else knows about your potential. Hanging out on Facebook and having a web site ALONE, just will not cut it. You will need to network with other vendors, issue press releases, do some local print or media advertising, perhaps appear at trade shows and other marketing events and becoming an active member of you local business community are all components of a good marketing plan. You gotta be OUT THERE in the public eye, you many need to make IN PERSON sales calls with your PORTFOLIO- you need to create one! The first components of making SALES is creating a desire for you product and attracting attention to it. The Internet is cluttered with photographers and their images. Of course a good web site is goo reinforcement for you other promotional ventures by displaying you work in public and showing it to folks first hand is more effective- personal contact is extremely powerful and not too common nowadays.
So...assembling gear, setting up an office, a home based business or a "brick and mortar" operation is not all that physically or logistically difficult. The hardware is out there! There are plenty of folks out there that can sell you any of the products and service that you require. You can buy all kinds of insurances, every permutation of IT and communications gear and every gadget and tool in the photographic equipment industry.The government will be all too happy to grant you a sales tax licence and issue you an employer's number so you can make you employees' deductions at source- that the way the get all of that good revenue! When you go into business you become a tax collector! You can invest your life saving or go into debt but it will be all for naught without great PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT and a SOLID BUSINESS PLAN!
Professional photograph, in a way is a very unique and creative career but in terms of basic business and marketing protocols and basic tenets, it's just like everything else. If you have a better mouse trap, hot dog, pick up truck, bucket of chicken or nuclear reactor, you will stand a better chance of success than the run-of-the mill folks, in the business world.
I never want to discourage anyone- I have enjoyed every day in this business for the past 50+ years. I never speak or write from a high platform or talk down to amateurs or aspiring pros. Folks that are smart enough to ask questions deserve decent answers and a good overview of reality. Things can be very different in various geographic locations and socioeconomic conditions. Sometimes on photo forums, sadly enough, some folks tend to resent professional photographers and inversely, some pros take on an arrogant attitude. None of this is constructive so don't listen to the hype and the doomsayers- you should and will be able to tell the difference between hyperbole and the good stuff- that is also part of running a business. Don't become a GEAR HEAD! Great photography is not predicated on having the latest and greatest gear. Of course, we all want the best and most reliable equipment that we can afford. Some of the finest images ever made were created by savvy photographers with durable and trusty but kinda minimalist gear.
Good luck and with kind regards, Ed
Professional photography can be a lucrative and viable enterprise if you have the product, run your businesses in a prudent and economical manner and have the marketing and promotional savvy to bring in a steady cash flow to you business in a year-around basis.
Of course, there are many aspects and specializations to consider such as portraiture and wedding photography, commercial and industrial work, photojournalism and public relations event coverage and more. Many of theses headings have multiple sub-specialties. One of theses areas cross over into each other and some are highly specialized. In the realm of portraiture and wedding photography, mostly you are dealing with the retail or general public sector of the market. Many "family" portrait photographers also service the business and corporate market with executive and publicity portraiture. Theatrical portraiture is yet another sub-specialty. Commercial photography, for the most part is business and corporate oriented. Commercial photographer deal with small and large business organizations. Many corporate entities, outsource there advertising requirements to agencies who supply art direction and actually hire the photographers. This is an extremely competitive market with a lot of "politics" in the mix and the standards and expectations are usually rather high in terms of artistry and technical performance. Commercial work includes a wide spectrum of specializations and require a wide variety of skill sets.To name a few areas of specialization: Fashion and lifestyle, industrial, product illustration, food and beverage advertising and packaging work, photojournalism and event coverage, architectural interior and exterior and real estate photography, annual report assignments and business portraiture.
In most North America jurisdictions, to my knowledge, there are no specific licencing or educational standards in photography. You need to assess, evaluate and "police" you own talents, level of competence and savvy. Memberships in professional photographers' associations are advisable and helpful but they are not mandatory. Professional photographers are governed by the same consumer protection, taxation, zoning and licencing laws as any other business- you are on you own as long as you are "street legal"!
In my own case, I was fortunate enough to have a formal academic education in photography and served an apprenticeship and term of employment for a goodly time before venturing out on my own business. I also received addition photographic training in the armed forces. Professional photographic methodologies can be self taught but a basic course of study toward mastering the basics saves a great deal of floundering around. Apprenticeship, sadly enough, nowadays, is a rarity, however, if you can somehow get to work under an experienced professional, the benefit if hands-on training is immeasurable. Folks tend to say "it ain't rocket science" but believe me, there is a lot of art, science and talent involved, that is, if you want to really get ahead in the business .As a practicing pro, a trainer and teacher, I CAN NOT TEACH creativity, resourcefulness and sticktoitiveness- I can only encourage and help develop theses traits and habits in my students and trainees. As a blanket kinda advice, all I can say that this job is not for the lazy or the faint of heart and get ready for some good old hard work! It ain't hard labor or boot-camp but you gotta get up every morning and do it to it, There can be some long hours and tedious administrative work but if you are enjoying what you are doing, time moves on quickly!
Oftentimes, I find that may artistically and technically talented folks are not all that good at business. Even if you are endowed with loads of talent and skills, the cold hard fact is that you will not succeed in today's business environment without a sold business plan. Before considering starting a business or opening a shop, a consultation with an accountant or business adviser is prerequisite. Then there is the area of market research to consider. A sold adverting, promotional and publicity plan is also of the utmost importance. Even if you are the greatest photographer on the planet, you will not succeed of nobody else knows about your potential. Hanging out on Facebook and having a web site ALONE, just will not cut it. You will need to network with other vendors, issue press releases, do some local print or media advertising, perhaps appear at trade shows and other marketing events and becoming an active member of you local business community are all components of a good marketing plan. You gotta be OUT THERE in the public eye, you many need to make IN PERSON sales calls with your PORTFOLIO- you need to create one! The first components of making SALES is creating a desire for you product and attracting attention to it. The Internet is cluttered with photographers and their images. Of course a good web site is goo reinforcement for you other promotional ventures by displaying you work in public and showing it to folks first hand is more effective- personal contact is extremely powerful and not too common nowadays.
So...assembling gear, setting up an office, a home based business or a "brick and mortar" operation is not all that physically or logistically difficult. The hardware is out there! There are plenty of folks out there that can sell you any of the products and service that you require. You can buy all kinds of insurances, every permutation of IT and communications gear and every gadget and tool in the photographic equipment industry.The government will be all too happy to grant you a sales tax licence and issue you an employer's number so you can make you employees' deductions at source- that the way the get all of that good revenue! When you go into business you become a tax collector! You can invest your life saving or go into debt but it will be all for naught without great PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT and a SOLID BUSINESS PLAN!
Professional photograph, in a way is a very unique and creative career but in terms of basic business and marketing protocols and basic tenets, it's just like everything else. If you have a better mouse trap, hot dog, pick up truck, bucket of chicken or nuclear reactor, you will stand a better chance of success than the run-of-the mill folks, in the business world.
I never want to discourage anyone- I have enjoyed every day in this business for the past 50+ years. I never speak or write from a high platform or talk down to amateurs or aspiring pros. Folks that are smart enough to ask questions deserve decent answers and a good overview of reality. Things can be very different in various geographic locations and socioeconomic conditions. Sometimes on photo forums, sadly enough, some folks tend to resent professional photographers and inversely, some pros take on an arrogant attitude. None of this is constructive so don't listen to the hype and the doomsayers- you should and will be able to tell the difference between hyperbole and the good stuff- that is also part of running a business. Don't become a GEAR HEAD! Great photography is not predicated on having the latest and greatest gear. Of course, we all want the best and most reliable equipment that we can afford. Some of the finest images ever made were created by savvy photographers with durable and trusty but kinda minimalist gear.
Good luck and with kind regards, Ed
Aug 17, 2017 16:33:03 #
OddJobber wrote:
Sam, I sincerely hope your headline is the UHH joke of the day. 
It made me laugh!!
Aug 17, 2017 18:20:31 #
You might want to consider my personal preference, the time proven method of photographing a rather well known public figure in a very compromising position. Then contact them and provide a service which, for a suitable monthly fee, will make sure the photograph never sees the light of day. It would also be wise to let that person know that you have an insurance policy that will keep anything untoward from happening. That insurance policy is that a copy of the original photo is safely placed with a trusted friend. If anything out of the ordinary should happen to me, the photograph will be published within 24 hours. With luck and just a few clients such as this, a sizeable monthly income can be achieved, and without actually having to do any work.
--Bob
--Bob
boberic wrote:
Old joke, but still true.......Want to make a small fortune as a pro photographer?......Start with a large fortune.
Aug 17, 2017 20:33:06 #
mwsilvers
Loc: Central New Jersey
npsamson wrote:
You advice and suggestion is greatly appreciated. I have not got into digital photography much through I worked with film photography long long, time ago with Nikon F3/ Olympus OM1N, and some digital with Nikon Coolpix P80 and Canon T4i.
Now I want to buy my own camera. thinking of buying Canon T7i/ Canon 70D/ I am confused which one to go for. whether T series or D series.
Buying used or New, which one is good.
Awaiting you valuable suggestion.
Thanks,
Sam
Now I want to buy my own camera. thinking of buying Canon T7i/ Canon 70D/ I am confused which one to go for. whether T series or D series.
Buying used or New, which one is good.
Awaiting you valuable suggestion.
Thanks,
Sam
How long have you had this calling? How have others reacted to you work? What are you intending to shoot professionally? Can we see some examples of your work?
Aug 17, 2017 23:37:48 #
OddJobber wrote:
Sam, I sincerely hope your headline is the UHH joke of the day.
There is still a market for quality professional photographers. We just hired one for our daughter's wedding and I'm as happy as I can be with her. As a hobbyist photographer I would never have tried to shoot my daughter's wedding myself or hired "some friend who has a DSLR." It cost us a pretty penny for the service but it's something my daughter will treasure for many years. Worth every penny.
Aug 17, 2017 23:44:38 #
rmalarz wrote:
You might want to consider my personal preference,... (show quote)
I guess you think blackmail is a funny thing. Why be a dick about an honest question? There are a lot of professional photographers out there and they all had to start somewhere. Maybe the OP will be the one in a hundred that makes it.
Aug 17, 2017 23:54:24 #
Aug 18, 2017 01:59:34 #
CarsonSmitty
Loc: Carson City Nevada
I'd highly recommend saving some of your money for art classes. Composition, drawing, and photography should be useful in your photographic development. Communication is essential too. Understanding your clients requirements and objectives will improve the likelihood of your success.
Aug 18, 2017 02:35:01 #
Racmanaz
Loc: Sunny Tucson!
The fastest way to make money in photography is to sell your camera. :) j/k Good luck my friend.
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