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?

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."

I prefer high dollar to high volume and don't care about "making a name". I enjoy being anonymous. I don't advertise and don't even have business cards. Only a few can afford my services.

My cost of doing business is pretty low after the initial investment in a full-frame body and long fast lens. And of course the ongoing attorney retainer fees.

My usual first contact with a potential client is by way of a few prints slid under an office door. An unmarked plain brown envelope adds to the suspense, has immediate impact and always gets attention. Then allow about 24 hours to think about the real value of what I have. A follow up call from a prepaid throw away phone lets me introduce myself and includes a brief sales pitch and a discussion of the price for purchasing my art (cash only), a guarantee that the client will receive all files, an exclusive transfer of copyright, an iron clad nondisclosure agreement, and where to meet for the exchange.

The biggest problem with my business is that most clients really want to find me again, so I've had to upgrade my personal security - guard dogs, motion detectors, flood lights, home security system, surveillance cameras, etc. You know the drill.

Make a name? Forget it. I'm very happy to be anonymous.

My usual first contact with a potential client is by way of a few prints slid under an office door. An unmarked plain brown envelope adds to the suspense, has immediate impact and always gets attention. Then allow about 24 hours to think about the real value of what I have. A follow up call from a prepaid throw away phone lets me introduce myself and includes a brief sales pitch and a discussion of the price for purchasing my art (cash only), a guarantee that the client will receive all files, an exclusive transfer of copyright, an iron clad nondisclosure agreement, and where to meet for the exchange.