Dogman Loc: Michigan

Nice images Watcher. I'm not a lover of cats but your images of your bobtail is changing my mind. Love the image of your daughter or grand daughter? Lovely picture. She's a beauty, for sure.

Dogman

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

Annie -

It is sad that the Internet instills this sort of fear and paranoia. Gosh, when I think of Ken Rockwell (he's certainly not beloved by all), I think he's nuts for posting all those photos of his family, his home, his dogs, his biography, etc. Yet, that is how he makes his living, and there is a certain amount of risk associated with the way he earns it.

You obviously don't need to take these risks, so why should you? Personally, I think your paranoia level is a bit high, but I'm not you, so you have to do what's best for you. When you first joined this forum you did post a few pics; however, they were taken down pretty quickly after a few comments. I thought they were okay, but I'm not into boudoir photography, so I don't really know.

I think it's sad that you find this forum threatening in some ways. Gosh, I would never ask anyone to post their full name and address on this forum, but a few meaningless pics to showcase your talent is pretty harmless in my opinion. I think folks overreact a bit when they find out their photos have been stolen. I want to say---dah! If you post them, they WILL be stolen. It's not right, and I don't condone it, but it doesn't shock me as much as it does others. Of course, to sell them online, you have to assume some level of risk.

Regarding the validity of your comments. I don't discriminate or appeal to authority, so I take them at face value. Your comments and opinions are like all the others here. If they make sense to me, I agree. If not, I disagree. It's nice to know my doctor has his degree and board certifications hanging on the wall, but when I had surgery 6mo. ago, the three questions I asked were: 1) have you ever done this before, 2) how many times, and 3) were they successful. Depending on these responses and a list of references, I made my decision. With you, I see your degree on the wall, but the other questions have not been answered, and including Cliff's endorsement on your signature doesn't impress me---nor does it need to. Since I'm not soliciting your services, I don't need to know anything more about you. I appreciate any and all contributions you make on this forum, and I respect your privacy.

Ares23 Loc: Ohio

I have posted photos: And it's Ares23 https://www.flickr.com/photos/112023887@N03/ look for them :lol: :lol:

Dogman Loc: Michigan

Lesser humans? You may fill the bill but not I. I can understand her reluctance to post her her boudoir website, especially here on the hog, but I'm sure she has taken other images that would prove that she does in fact walk the talk... If she wishes not to, so be it.

Dogman

Ares23 Loc: Ohio

:lol: :lol:

The Watcher

She's my grand daughter. Her mother was trying to trim her hair and was looking for some different scissors, when she pulled the towel off and made her escape into where I was.

These cats like shiny objects. so we make up small tinfoil balls for her to play with. We can throw them and she'll bring them back just like a dog. After a while most of the balls will be missing and we have to discover where she has hidden them. She also loves chasing a laser.

Ares23 Loc: Ohio

I guess you've never heard of Copyright. Copyright your photos then feel free to post them as I do.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Ok. Someone has to start.
1. Buy a refurbished aps-c camera with a kit lens
2. Buy a refurbished flash.
3. Take pictures for friends for free.
4. If you have a friend with a business offer to do some pictures for their web site. (If thou don't have such a friend make one at a store you frequent. )
5. If people are happy with your work, start charging enough to buy more equipment. Start small.
6. Increase your rates.
7. Buy more equipment.

8 - 99 And I almost forgot. Followup -followup -followup.

wasatch Loc: Salt Lake City, UT

And that is how you start a business inexpensively.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

It's certainly easy to see why so many photography businesses fail.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Well, here's my 2 cents.

First of all I would say there's not enough info to answer this question. After all we don't know what sort of subject matter is planned to be photographed. People do make tens of thousands of dollars a year selling stuff on ebay aided with good photos. Start up cost could be anything from $300 to $30,000 for equipment.

A business can be a lot of things. It can be a website or a store front or a PO Box and an ad on craigslist or ebay. Photos can be taken in your neighborhood bar to advertise a local band, or at a school graduation to sell portraits, or at a wedding to sell albums and video, or in your living room to sell ebay items for clients. The start up cost would vary greatly depending on the business model.

In terms of equipment to take quality photos, here's what I recently did to get started in the world of DSLR cameras and removable lenses, but I would do the same if I wanted to sell photos, and so this would be my recommendation to the person with the $900 budget.

The following items were bought used on ebay in the last month or so.

Nikon D3100 14MP - $160

6 prime and one zoom used film lenses as follows (manual focus and aperture controls .. shutter speed, iso, set on the Nikon D3100):

Vivitar 19mm f3.8 $93
Nikkor 28mm f3.5 $77
Nikkor 50mm f1.4 $88
Nikkor 43-88mm f3.5 zoom $30
Nikkor 100mm f2.8 $69
Nikkor Q 135mm f2.8 $22
Nikkor Q 200mm telephoto f4.0 $40

The following were bought new:

Canvas camera bag on Amazon $28.
Pinnacle P920 Tripod on Amazon $70.
Battery charger and 2 spare batteries on Amazon $40


Total cost for equipment ... $717

I may have gone overboard on lenses but the quality of the glass at these prices was too much for me to resist. As I was shooting manually already on a Lumix LX5 I didn't think the manual focus and exposure would be a problem, and so far I haven't minded having to take a few test shots to get the right shutter speed and aperture, or using the 6x zoom on the D3100 lcd to focus with manually.

Bob

Wenonah Loc: Winona, MN

My thoughts exactly. Thanks.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

+1

:thumbup:

Ares23 Loc: Ohio

I posted photos!!! What no comment to that?

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Yes, nice snapshots, Arse23.