canon Lee

Firstly I am in the business of photography. I agree that weddings and family portraits is a dying path to follow. With social media so popular, the art and craft of professional photography is lost to snap shots and poor quality.
I make my living ( and doing well) doing "picture day" for youth sports clubs ( not schools). The market is children 4~12. There is the market. Parents will buy pictures of their children!!!! But additional shoots, like weddings,( that have to be profitable), add to my income.
Another lucrative income is "product" photography. It's not consistent, but, a good and easy way to add to income.
There is no need to pay for a studio as most products can be shot on a table top.
Basically, Don, to have a good income in the business of photography, constitutes different types of shoots. You will need to build your clientele over a period of yrs, not expecting instant success! Yes, like any start up business, it takes time, effort, & money. Yes, you may have to have a second job to pay the bills till your client base grows.
Impress your teacher with these facts, like finding a "need" for your photography, like commercial product & children. Just about anyone today, with a camera can shoot a wedding, as bad as the results would be!
Take advice from business people not hobbyist. Ask business people what to consider when going into business.

CaptainDon130

Excellent ideas. Thank you.

canon Lee

thank you Don. comes from years of experience.

alliebess Loc: suburban Philadelphia

Because fishing is more fun, even if you catch nothing.
Fishing check list:
Beer
Pole
Line
Beer cooler
A bobbin
More beer
A buddy
Please note the absence of hook and bait as that could interfere with drinking beer.

- Not without a needle! Perhaps a bobber? Not sure what the correct word is, but it is attached to the line and bobs when you get a bite.

Designdweeb Loc: Metro NYC & East Stroudsburg, PA

Good posts!

Quantus5

Weddings can still be excellent business, especially if you are a hybrid shooter and can do both video and stills.

I have a friend who is a videographer, and he does extremely well with weddings.

Although, you have to like doing Weddings it can sometimes be difficult work.

Quantus5

Just went through this long thread and it seemed like the OP dropped out fairly early.

Lots of good info.

If the OP is still around got your A grade for you. Become a hybrid shooter, shoot stills and video. Video skills are in high demand. Have a videographer friend that does really well, and he only knows the video side of the house.

There's your "A".

Also, lets assume for a minute that Photography is not a great money making profession. If you are really good you can make money with any profession. If you are really good at photography (and even better add video to your skills portfolio), know how to market yourself, and are willing to work hard -- you will do well.

However if you think you're going to fail (like someone already posted) -- You will fail.

Get out there and shoot and get your "A".

CaptainDon130

Thanks Quantus5. I got a lot of great information from the forum. :-)

patriciawest Loc: Lorain, Ohio

that sounds like a great plan! Remember, this is just a class; a jumping off point. Plans should be considered flexible.

canon Lee

If you are willing to do weddings for $500 it can keep you busy. My time and talents are worth more than doing a Craigs listing!

Quantus5

My videographer friend makes about ~$1500 a wedding for video work. I'll have to check but I think he easily does at least 4-5 weddings a month. Not sure if you consider that good -- but to me it seems pretty good.

I do agree with you it can be hard work -- but IMHO good money can be made on weddings, especially if you build your business up and are good at "marketing". Personally from what I've seen from my friend -- the key I think is to get into video as well as still photography for weddings (although my friend doesn't do stills, only video). It is interesting he's super good at video and not that good at still photography, probably why he only does video work.

Not sure if you were just being sarcastic about Craigs List -- but my friend doesn't use Craigs list. He uses word of mouth and networks like crazy.

Quantus5

No problem CaptainDon. Glad we could help! Lots of great info on this thread. Use it and get your "A". Best of Luck to you!!

one shot Loc: Pisgah Forest NC

This discussion should be saved for any aspiring photographer to read. There couldn't be this much info and as many opinions in one place anywhere else. Not to mention the sage advice.

canon Lee

Any stats on still wedding photography? Hard to believe Craigslist pays $1500 for stills. IJS

Quantus5

I don't know anything about using Craigs list for getting wedding work -- I don't use it (I'm just an enthusiast) and neither does my videographer friend. Unfortunately, I don't have any stats on still wedding photography, just the one data point from my friend -- and again he shoots video -- not stills.