Going Pro?

[gmazet]

Any and all Pro's out there: What is the best way to get into photography as a career? I am currently a burning out IT manager at a big corporation, and while it pays well, it is very unfulfilling. The only time I feel alive creatively is behind the viewfinder. Now, I have a lot to learn, but I am eager to get into it as a career. My biggest problem is that I am the only source of income, is it too late?

Thanks!

[gmazet]

I suppose becoming a better photographer would be a good first step..

Classes? Workshops?

I am throwing a website together to host my shots, I'll post them soon..

[tim]

I'm in a similar situation, but with no family to support. I'm only getting into the professional world recently and slowly, I did a wedding for a friend, got referrals, put up a website, and advertised, and business is pickup up. Maybe in a year or two I could go full time.

Having a family to support would make it tough. Best get pretty dang good at photography, workflow, and business before you try to make a go of it. Good luck! :)

[gmazet]

I did a wedding for a friend, got referrals, put up a website, and advertised, and business is pickup up. Maybe in a year or two I could go full time.


Weddings are a grind, I used to cater weddings and always used to get a kick out of the photogs.. Some were great to work with, others, trolls, not dissimilar to me colleagues in IT..

my dream job would be something like a photojournalist, traveling here and there to get the shots.. alas, the family wouldn't like me being away more than around..

Are you self taught, or did you take instruction?

Thanks!

[tim]

I took a 16 hour basics class, the rest is self taught. Some people can just do it, being an engineer helps a lot with the technical side of things.

[cdifoto]

I have the technical down (aside from studio work...no lights to play with yet) but my composition skills are just about nonexistant. I have the luxury? of too much time on my hands...which meant more time to play around with different settings and learn what does what. The art/photoshop side of it is where I suffer...and I might buck up and pay for a college course or two.

I'm making some money with my camera but like Tim, I have no family to support so even a small amount of cash goes a long way (ie it can be dumped into a new lens or flash or some such niceity). Have 2 weddings under my belt and an online gallery from which people can order prints. Also shot sports for a newspaper for a couple months. During the warmer months I shoot for a dirt race track (sprints, motorcycles, etc) and sell prints from that to the drivers and their families.

IMO the best thing to do is "take what you can get" and then see if it blossoms from there...but since you have a family, DON'T quit your day job until you know you can live off of the shooting. As unfulfilling as your IT job is emotionally, photography is a lot less fulfilling from your tummy's perspective until you get established.

[SuzyView]

I still think classes anywhere that have consistent students attending is worth it's weight, even just to know what's out there. Look around your area to see what the photographers are doing and how much they charge. Start taking a ton of pictures of anything to understand your equipment better. I agree about the workflow. If you are not good with post-processing, learn to be. And as I said before, I love and hate weddings. You can get a lot of money, but you can also get very hyper clients. It's really hard to be under so much pressure. The business part is always the hardest for me. I love people and taking pictures. :)

SuzyView

[gmazet]

Hey all, thanks for taking the time to respond!

I think the take what you can get approach will work.. I did my brother's wedding in Maui this year, it came out ok, but I need to figure out my fill flash techniques..

Workflow, I think I have that pretty good as far as the RAW side of things, Capture1 rebel has been great (though you can only have 10 images in the processing queue). I think a course in photoshop might be in order, I am clueless!

Thanks for the encouragement, all!

[EricKonieczny]

start part time, slowly grow, learn about business license setup, marketing yourself, make some money, use your current job to fund your part time business , there will be many mistakes made along the way, and allot to learn.

When you feel you can no longer, work two jobs, then quite your IT job. ;)

[gmazet]

For to learn:

Learn basic photo concept
Learn camera and property of different lens
Learn work with just one lens for long time.
Learn use camera under difficult condition

If you think you want become photojournalist TRAVEL a LOT make contacts and spread business card.

If not photojournal, photograph you like try to make business.

You sure you want give up big pay guarantee for life of photojournalist? You like to sleep on floor or back of truck? You like going no shower for week or more? Or worse for no toilet paper?

Domestic work not quite so bad if in major city but newspaper work make your brain tofu and newspaper job hard to get.

Wedding make you crazy or lazy or both. Competition not so bad if good photographer. My weddings look awful to me compare to big name wedding guy.

You can have my job. I trade mine for nice fat paycheck at boring IT job.

Why not mix with IT technology?

Toilet paper? you mean people use paper? I thought that was what the left hand was for LOL!!!

[brivett]

The hardest part is that the general earnings potential of photography is not high.

Commercial photography pays well but takes years and years to get into and build up.

UK news and weddings photographers generally earn 50% of UK IT managers...

Local paper senior photographer = £17K GBP per annum. Insulting.

Now decide if you want to give up IT... or just find an easier IT job where you can shoot on the side...

Baz

[nevilleb]

I had a flourishing business developing and marketing computer anti-virus and internet security solutions that I walked away from. Again, financially rewarding, but involved too much left-brain work and little right-brain work!

Chucked it and opted for photography, something I'd always wanted to do. It's the best I could ever do - enjoy myself and have people pay me for it...

Still working on the second part though! :D

nevilleb

[PhotosGuy]

It would be REALLY NICE if you said what type of photography interests you so we could give some specific advice?
I'd say stick with the IT job 'till you can replace the income AND benefits with part-time work. Here's some "light reading". :D
Questions on Starting a home bus. on the side
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125878

RATES:
Per-hour rates?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=127979
Sell Sports Photos
Re: How to determine what to charge for taking team pictures?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...881#post896881
Selling - Getting paid
Live Entertainment: Pricing for "Flying in for a Concert"
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=112382
Getting Paid - Is there a better way?
http://www.sportsshooter.com/message...html?tid=17974
For your consideration
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61210

SPORTS:
Q&A Session with Gmen: Sports Photography
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=116971

(Sites Recommended by Gavin)
Dave Black Photography - take a look at the workshop archives link
http://www.daveblackphotography.com/
Press Photos.com
http://www.press-photos.com/
London Freelance.org
http://media.gn.apc.org/
Editorial Photographers UK
http://www.epuk.org/

American High School Football Question.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112265

AF Point selection for sports
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112654

Team Photos -- Techniques and Results
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112409

1D MKIIN - First Pics
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112545

Another "help me what do I do thread" (Sports Flash indoors - Good stuff from Gavin)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=113074

Team Photos -- Techniques and Results
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112409

"Shooting Football with Robert Hanashiro"
http://www.sportsshooter.com/special_feature/2004_luau_video/shooting_football/index.html
And my sad but "client pleasing" results: “Mother's, Don't Let Your Daughters Grow Up To Be Football Players.”
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=75062

CONCERTS & EVENTS:
How I Became a "Professional": Will All that Free Work Ever Pay Off?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=63580
Live Entertainment: Pricing for "Flying in for a Concert"
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=918092#post918092
Shots indoors:
Another "help me what do I do thread" (Good stuff from Gavin)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=113074
Catwalk Photography
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=116753
Concert photography pass application
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=126242

WEDDINGS:
Cornering the Pros - Wedding Photography forum
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=60&f=78

WEDDING info for new photographers.
http://www.aljacobs.com/NEW%20WEDDING.pdf
First wedding - lessons learned
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=75678

Al Jacobs: WEDDING HAND GUIDE FOR THE BEGINNER, part 1.
http://www.aljacobs.com/NEW%20WEDDING.pdf

SELLING:
How to sell my photos?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36657

MODEL RELEASES
The Substantive Law Behind Model Releases
http://www.simslaw.com/model/model_releases.htm
Model Release Question
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=118362


COPYRIGHT:
You can put all your small jpegs on a CD & copyright them as a group for only $30 in the US. Then you're in for big $s if someone uses them without permission which gives you a "big stick" if you tell someone to remove them.

Copyrighting Your Images and Deterring Image Theft
http://www.rickbakerimages.com/photography_advice/copyrighting_your_images.html

http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html

10 Big Myths about copyright explained
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

A compendium of resources on copyright - Editorial photographers links
http://www.editorialphoto.com/copyright/

2005 Photographers Market
http://www.fetchbook.info/Photographers_Market_2005.html

PHOTOGRAPHERS RIGHTS -
USA Today posted these links in this article: "New digital camera? Know how, where you can use it"
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2005-12-29-camera-laws_x.htm
Photographers' Guide to Privacy by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
http://www.rcfp.org/photoguide
Journalists' Right of Privacy Primer by attorney Mark Sableman.
http://www.mobar.org/press/medhnbk3.htm
Bert P. Krages, an attorney in Portland, Ore., and author of the Legal Handbook for Photographers. A printable pdf file.
http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm
American Law Institute's A Concise Restatement of Torts on the Harvard Law website.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/cyber.law.harvard.edu/privacy/Privacy_R2d_Torts_Sections.htm
FreedomToPhotograph.com was created to allow photographers to tell their stories
The UK Photographers Rights Guide.
http://www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr.php

PORTRAITS:
There's info in the "Small Flash and Studio Lighting" & "People" forums & some help here.
free photo articles, tips, photo how-to and suggestions (http://www.schoolofphotography.com/if/InFocus.html)
Taking the Mystery Out of Lighting
http://www.montezucker.com/content.html?page=7
Large Family Portrait with limited light and space (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=114964)
AlienBees Website: Beginner Bees Section / Lighting For Still Photography: Understanding Studio Flash and Techniques
http://alienbees.com/beginnerbee.html
High contrast B&W portraits?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=121872
Robert Lay's "Portrait Lighting" examples.
HTML version at: http://zaffora.f2o.org/W9DMK/PortraitLighting.htm
and the PDF version at: http://zaffora.f2o.org/W9DMK/PortraitLighting.pdf

See lightingman's post here:
Studio Lighting Suggestions
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1002458#post1002458

BUSINESS CARDS:
Let's see your business card!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=42328
Another vote for my business cards!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=123501

[gmen]

It would be REALLY NICE if you said what type of photography interests you so we could give some specific advice?
I'd say stick with the IT job 'till you can replace the income AND benefits with part-time work. Here's some "light reading". :D
Questions on Starting a home bus. on the side
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=125878

RATES:
Per-hour rates?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=127979
Sell Sports Photos
Re: How to determine what to charge for taking team pictures?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...881#post896881
Selling - Getting paid
Live Entertainment: Pricing for "Flying in for a Concert"
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=112382
Getting Paid - Is there a better way?
http://www.sportsshooter.com/message...html?tid=17974
For your consideration
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61210

SPORTS:
Q&A Session with Gmen: Sports Photography
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=116971

(Sites Recommended by Gavin)
Dave Black Photography - take a look at the workshop archives link
http://www.daveblackphotography.com/
Press Photos.com
http://www.press-photos.com/
London Freelance.org
http://media.gn.apc.org/
Editorial Photographers UK
http://www.epuk.org/

American High School Football Question.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112265

AF Point selection for sports
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112654

Team Photos -- Techniques and Results
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112409

1D MKIIN - First Pics
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112545

Another "help me what do I do thread" (Sports Flash indoors - Good stuff from Gavin)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=113074

Team Photos -- Techniques and Results
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112409

"Shooting Football with Robert Hanashiro"
http://www.sportsshooter.com/special_feature/2004_luau_video/shooting_football/index.html
And my sad but "client pleasing" results: “Mother's, Don't Let Your Daughters Grow Up To Be Football Players.”
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=75062

CONCERTS & EVENTS:
How I Became a "Professional": Will All that Free Work Ever Pay Off?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=63580
Live Entertainment: Pricing for "Flying in for a Concert"
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=918092#post918092
Shots indoors:
Another "help me what do I do thread" (Good stuff from Gavin)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=113074
Catwalk Photography
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=116753
Concert photography pass application
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=126242

WEDDINGS:
Cornering the Pros - Wedding Photography forum
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=60&f=78

WEDDING info for new photographers.
http://www.aljacobs.com/NEW%20WEDDING.pdf
First wedding - lessons learned
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=75678

Al Jacobs: WEDDING HAND GUIDE FOR THE BEGINNER, part 1.
http://www.aljacobs.com/NEW%20WEDDING.pdf

SELLING:
How to sell my photos?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=36657

MODEL RELEASES
The Substantive Law Behind Model Releases
http://www.simslaw.com/model/model_releases.htm
Model Release Question
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=118362


COPYRIGHT:
You can put all your small jpegs on a CD & copyright them as a group for only $30 in the US. Then you're in for big $s if someone uses them without permission which gives you a "big stick" if you tell someone to remove them.

Copyrighting Your Images and Deterring Image Theft
http://www.rickbakerimages.com/photography_advice/copyrighting_your_images.html

http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html

10 Big Myths about copyright explained
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

A compendium of resources on copyright - Editorial photographers links
http://www.editorialphoto.com/copyright/

2005 Photographers Market
http://www.fetchbook.info/Photographers_Market_2005.html

PHOTOGRAPHERS RIGHTS -
USA Today posted these links in this article: "New digital camera? Know how, where you can use it"
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2005-12-29-camera-laws_x.htm
Photographers' Guide to Privacy by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
http://www.rcfp.org/photoguide
Journalists' Right of Privacy Primer by attorney Mark Sableman.
http://www.mobar.org/press/medhnbk3.htm
Bert P. Krages, an attorney in Portland, Ore., and author of the Legal Handbook for Photographers. A printable pdf file.
http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm
American Law Institute's A Concise Restatement of Torts on the Harvard Law website.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/cyber.law.harvard.edu/privacy/Privacy_R2d_Torts_Sections.htm
FreedomToPhotograph.com was created to allow photographers to tell their stories
The UK Photographers Rights Guide.
http://www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr.php

PORTRAITS:
There's info in the "Small Flash and Studio Lighting" & "People" forums & some help here.
free photo articles, tips, photo how-to and suggestions (http://www.schoolofphotography.com/if/InFocus.html)
Taking the Mystery Out of Lighting
http://www.montezucker.com/content.html?page=7
Large Family Portrait with limited light and space (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=114964)
AlienBees Website: Beginner Bees Section / Lighting For Still Photography: Understanding Studio Flash and Techniques
http://alienbees.com/beginnerbee.html
High contrast B&W portraits?
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=121872
Robert Lay's "Portrait Lighting" examples.
HTML version at: http://zaffora.f2o.org/W9DMK/PortraitLighting.htm
and the PDF version at: http://zaffora.f2o.org/W9DMK/PortraitLighting.pdf

See lightingman's post here:
Studio Lighting Suggestions
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1002458#post1002458

BUSINESS CARDS:
Let's see your business card!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=42328
Another vote for my business cards!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=123501Crikey Frank... whatta stonking list! ;)

---- Gavin

[SuzyView]

Frank is a Mod. He's allowed. ;)

All being said, I think it's wonderful to have a dream and to follow your dream. Just remember that any business takes time, a year or two in the red before really making any money. Then there's always getting more equipment and investing in the business to get it as you feel comfortable. Take it slow, invest wisely, and really work hard.

I am a teacher, it's my passion. My mother wanted me to be a doctor, I am Chinese, too. Sent me to an Ivy League college thinking I would succeed that way. Instead, I got my degree and started teaching and I love it. It doesn't pay much, but it's a good stable job. I love photography. I would love to travel all over the world and take great pictures of wonderful people and landscapes. And I will, just not until I get my 4 kids through college. In the meantime, I meet with some of you guys at various spots in D.C. and we have fun snapping away and talk about it later. It's a blast!

SuzyView

[PhotosGuy]

Crikey Frank... whatta stonking list! :D As they say, time is money I don't like to type the same answer twice so I have a text file I use for the "How do I..." questions. ;)
+ I'm really tired of the "How do I shoot a gerbil in a parachute" question that doesn't give us enough info to supply an intelligent answer. So he can just sort through the links... or not. I've done what I could.

[gmazet]

:D As they say, time is money I don't like to type the same answer twice so I have a text file I use for the "How do I..." questions. ;)
+ I'm really tired of the "How do I shoot a gerbil in a parachute" question that doesn't give us enough info to supply an intelligent answer. So he can just sort through the links... or not. I've done what I could.

Great point, I was somewhat vague in my question, and your taking the time at all is much appreciated..

I shoot whatever gets in front of me, my family, architecture, landscapes, sports, geometry, events, doesn't matter to me. No studio type stuff yet, but I could get into it.

Again, thanks to all for taking the time to read and respond! I am very new to this forum, and I am impressed with how nice eveyrone is!

[gmazet]

So I started a smugmug site to share some of my pics with y'all. Check em out and let me know if you have any feedback!

G

http://bigwoolyg.smugmug.com

[blinking8s]

fill time, and well paid photojournalism is about the hardest area you could want to get into at the moment...granted most small town papers will freelance out to anyone who have good gear, but it's not going to pay squat.

[gmazet]

fill time, and well paid photojournalism is about the hardest area you could want to get into at the moment...granted most small town papers will freelance out to anyone who have good gear, but it's not going to pay squat.

Yeah... I pretty much gave up the dream for now.. Maybe when I build my fortune I will retire to take pictures.. For now, it will remain a hobby which brings me some escape and joy from the grind.. And if I end up picking up some side work here and there, all the better!

Most importantly, I am committed to just becoming a better photographer!

Thanks all!

[smassey]

Hi gmazet. I find myself in a similar situation as you are in right now. I just graduated with a degree in IT, but I don't find it satisfying in the least. I wish I would have realized that I didn't want to do this sooner so I could have transferred majors, but its a little late when you only have 6 credits left.

I was able to get one basic photography class to cover my art elective, and 1 credit's worth of my internship was with my school's athletic department as the photographer. I found this very enjoyable, and it is something I would like to keep doing.

I'm trying to get in with a local newspaper to shoot for them at least part time and get my name out while developing my skills and getting paid. I've also thought of being a stringer for an organization like Getty or WireImage.

Best of luck in your career change. I wouldn't change jobs until I was making enough from the photography business to warrant quiting, but I hardly blame you. IT has a high burnout rate.

Hmm...here is another opportunity. There could very well be a market for IT in the photography field since everything is going digital.