So you want to be a photographer?

[CatchingUp]

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that as more and more people get into digital photography these days, that it inspires them to go in to it as a paying profession.

Everyone is free to do as they please, but it seems to me and based on experience, that photography is an art... a way to express yourself in a creative way. For me, it is an 'outlet' that I simply love.

I teach in a public school. Reading- Jr high kids.

Photography was an old hobby of mine years ago that I got away from and then found my way back into the digital world and have fallen in love with it all over again.

I bought my first 30D two years ago and a basic zoom lens and just started to learn the trade all over again. For me, it wasn't about rushing out to make money with it...just to enjoy.

But a funny thing happened in the process. As I spent hours upon hours just learning how to navigate through Photoshop and the computer 'darkroom', I found myself developing my post processing skills. I learned tons of stuff on this site.

And then when I really got brave and ventured into making a website, things really took off.

I go to all the local high school games and shoot the kids playing football, basketball, etc. I post the shots of the kids on my web site and you'd think they were in a Sports Illustrated spread. I started getting lots of positive feedback which just fueled the passion.

Next thing you know, I'm being asked to shoot the local teams for their team/individual shots and didn't try to gouge them...just give them good pictures at a fair price.

I started seeing some decent money come in from that which enabled me to buy new and better lenses.

On my web site, I encourage the kids to download the images I post...for FREE. I crop them so they can make simple four by six prints...or use them for their myspace, facebook accounts, etc.

As time went on, more parents were going to the site to see their kids shots and then I start getting calls for family portraits and weddings and bridal and engagement shoots. Parents started calling for senior portraits.

I go to local events in town like rodeos and parades and such...and post my shots. People love them and more call for paying jobs.

I am asked frequently if I'm going to 'go full time' with this, and I am emphatic in telling them 'no way...I don't want to HAVE to do this! I enjoy it too much now as a part time hobby that pays for itself.

I say all this to encourage others...don't be in a hurry to quit your day jobs. Learn the craft...fuel your passion for your hobby. Don't worry about trying to drum up business. If you are good, the word will get out. If you are not that good yet, then you don't need to be charging people.

You won't make money at this because you have a clever name or fancy business card or flashy equipment.

I'm reminded of a saying that goes "A man's gift will make room for itself''

Work on developing your 'gift' and see what happens.

In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of sharing your gift with others because you love this gift you have. In due time, it will pay for itself, many times over.

:D

cheers

[eigga]

I see where you are coming from but also if you really analize it you will realize that your position as a school teacher more than likely gave you a lot of opportunities you otherwise might not of had. It also limits the need for advertising and makes you "safe" from the start to the public. I only mention this because being a teacher made a huge difference in the growth of my business. Are you in a small town?

because you have a clever name or fancy business card or flashy equipment.
But it helps you make more :)

[HuskiesD1]

Good stuff, Catchingup.

I'm very close to getting a 4 year degree in Mass Comms/Photo, but with the state of newspapers, I'm getting a 2 year tech degree first because I doubt photojournalism will work out right away.

Meanwhile, I'm kinda like you. Do the parts that I want and enjoy them :)

[CatchingUp]

Matt- I'd have to agree with you to a point regarding my current profession as a teacher being a help.

On the other hand, I like to see it as a 'bloom where you are planted' mentality.

Suppose I work as a fireman, or in an business office, or wherever. Most people are surrounded by other people... Who have families and activities and various interest, etc.

If you don't have smaller kids of your own that are involved with sporting events, then you have to know others who do. Showing up to take good pictures is a great place to start. Next thing you know, you hear somebody's kid is playing in a local band concert. Or performing in some talent/ theatrical event, a local rodeo or parade...and the list goes on.

Obvioulsy, you have to have a certain degree of skill/talent to produce the goods. But if there was one thing outside of that that I would have to point to that has generated a lot of business for myself, it's been having my own website. It's not fancy with a lot of bells and whistles. But it is by far, the greatest tool to showcase your work.

And believe me, the word of mouth is second to none when it comes to advertising.

And HD1- you are correct, newspapers across the country are hurting. Not trying to discourage you in pursuing the photojournalism...but whatever your passion is, guard it with all your heart. Do whatever it takes to nurture it. If there is anything that can extinguish a 'love', it's when it transforms itself from a 'desire', to a 'duty'.

[eigga]

Agreed... and I wasnt knocking you at all. Hard work, good personality, quality images all are a part of the equation....plus passion which you obviously have.

[Ceyber]

Did you ever have concerns about putting essentially "random" children on the internet? Did parents ever express any issues?

I teach in a small town, and LOVE taking pictures at local events and school functions. With the school stuff, its cool, I'm covered with every parent signing (or not signing) a release form, but local events, like Canada Day, I feel like I can't post shots.

So, ever run into issues?

[Vascilli]

..What if you don't have a dayjob?

[jbone]

I can only hope that I have the same outcome as you. It really is inspiring. I am a volunteer firefighter, and have considered in the past doing it as a career. Although I wouldnt turn it down if the oppportunity came knocking, I prefer to volunteer, and find another thing in life that I enjoy as a career. Just like you said, I dont want to HAVE to do it.

[eigga]

Yes random children are an issue.

But children you dont know but that are part of an event you have permission (or contract ) to shoot is not an issue IMO....passwords help some but my big policy is if you ask me to remove an image it will be done quickly and without question.


Note: This post may contain misspellings, grammatical errors, disorganized sentence structure, or may entirely lack a coherent theme. These elements are natural to the process of writing, and will only add to the overall beauty of the post.

perfect!

[SOK]

Thanks for sharing Tony.

Nice to hear from someone with a similar outlook to mine (regarding where photography fits in with the 'day job'...)

Granted, I'm not at the point where my hobby is paying for itself, but your story helps to keep the dream alive!

[CatchingUp]

Did you ever have concerns about putting essentially "random" children on the internet? Did parents ever express any issues?

I teach in a small town, and LOVE taking pictures at local events and school functions. With the school stuff, its cool, I'm covered with every parent signing (or not signing) a release form, but local events, like Canada Day, I feel like I can't post shots.

So, ever run into issues?

You do bring up a valid point, but to answer your question, then, No, it really never has been an issue. I suppose I can offer two reasons for this: The first one having that 'local teacher' edge where a lot of people know me or know of me and so I've never had any concerns with that.

Second, it is a rural small town/city area, which even if I wasn't a teacher, I think that enviornment helps. Obviously, the internet and web site are not restricted to just this local area. But so far, it has been all 'plusses' and no 'negatives'.

[CatchingUp]

..What if you don't have a dayjob?

Hmm...then I guess there's nothing to 'quit'. ;)

I've heard that quote before about finding something you love to do and if you learn to do it well, you'll never have to work a day in your life. :-)

That sounds good on paper...and might be true for some.

For me, maybe after two years of falling in love with my photography all over again having been out of it for thirty years, for the most part, maybe I'm still enjoying the newness of it all.

Can't say I've ever established or 'grown' my own business. So I speak as an 'outsider' regarding that matter, but it has always seemed to me that if someone wanted to go in to a business for themself, presumably doing something they really like, then starting out small and just working your way in to it would be the ideal way to go. Working another job to finance the dream, vs. going in to massive debt, hanging a shingle out front, then hoping for the best. :-)

But without a doubt, there are numerous ways to get there. Good luck to you.

[CatchingUp]

Agreed... and I wasnt knocking you at all. Hard work, good personality, quality images all are a part of the equation....plus passion which you obviously have.

Oh, I didn't think you were knocking it at all. And being a teacher yourself, you certainly had room to give a valid perspective on it, which I do agree with.

I guess I count myself blessed in multiple ways, because I really do Love my teaching job as well. So it's not like I'm counting the days before I get out of that job to go do something I 'really love'.

[DwightMcCann]

I like my job at UCSB, too, but will be happy to retire in four years and go full time into my much more rewarding venture as a photographer. :-)

[jgrussell]

I am asked frequently if I'm going to 'go full time' with this, and I am emphatic in telling them 'no way...I don't want to HAVE to do this! I enjoy it too much now as a part time hobby that pays for itself.I'm not nearly as far down the road into this as you are (since "paying for itself" is not a term I'd even remotely approach...), but I'm absolutely with you on the not HAVING to do this. Right now, photography is FUN. I want it to stay that way. I don't want to ever feel that it's WORK.

[superstes]

I don't want to ever feel that it's WORK.

OOOHH, I do.

Steve

[ilantis]

I am asked frequently if I'm going to 'go full time' with this, and I am emphatic in telling them 'no way...I don't want to HAVE to do this! I enjoy it too much now as a part time hobby that pays for itself.
I am glad to see someone else shares my view on hobbies. All the people I have said this to just didn't get it. :)

[divinemethod]

Tony,

Hopefully some would find the true meaning of your story inspiring: LEARN the craft and be passionate about it, instead of trying to make the quick buck with the camera.

I am in the same boat as you, last year I was walking around shooting ducks and lo and behold this year I've shot 8 full paid weddings and a slew of other journalistic work, all because of friends or friends of friends LIKED my work. I have a bachelors degree in Management, and have my job/career in that field working in telecommunications...but unlike you I wish to have the opportunity to just quit and go pro!

[whiskaz]

Great post. I'm sort of in the same boat. I have day job that at the very least I like and at the most pays awesomely and supports this hobby of mine. I never intended for it to be more than a hobby - a way to capture my kids growing up and so forth. My ultimate goal when I bought my first dSLR two and half years ago? Take my daughter's senior pictures. She was 3 months old at the time.

So I learned by shooting my daughter and my wife and this and that and it grew and eventually I got into studio lighting a little and then one day was asked to do senior pictures for a friend of my mom's. At first I declined. Then I figured if they were just going to go to Sears anyway, why not give it a shot - do something nice and maybe grow a little as a photographer by stepping out of my familial safe zone.

It went better than expected. Way better. I did the shoot for free, sold the prints at cost (a ton of them too, but I didn't make a dime and I was fine with that). I continued to shoot for free - mostly children, newborns, etc. I had half a dozen under my belt and a lot of people asking my wife (who works for the same large company that I do) and myself if I would shoot their kids and grandkids, etc.

I decided to convert my garage into a studio (albeit a tiny one) and go for it - on the side. I have two shoots under my belt, a 3rd and 4th scheduled, other potentials. So far it's fun. I don't charge much, not enough to cover the time I spend shooting or processing shots, but I'm growing still, learning, becoming more confident (maybe less shy, even).

Part of me feels sort of bad for being "that guy" and shooting for so cheap, but at this rate, I'm not exactly stealing anyone's business from them. For that matter, most of them would likely go to Sears or Walmart or not at all anyway.

I have no plans to quit my day job, it's too good and too secure to do something crazy like that and besides, I also don't want to HAVE to rely on photography. If I can make a couple hundred bucks a shoot then great. It beats the heck out of yard sales and ebay for making a little extra cash. If I ever get to a point where I'm not challenging myself during a client shoot and I'm just doing it for the money and I'm not learning anything or trying anything new, then I'll probably stop. That's not at all what I want to happen.

Now, secretly, I would love to be shooting high fashion, glamour and commercial type stuff, but who wouldn't? For now, that's a dream and who knows, maybe one day I'll attain that dream, but at the moment I'm happy with making a quarter an hour on a late week night doing something I really, truly enjoy.

[tjketa]

I am glad to see someone else shares my view on hobbies. All the people I have said this to just didn't get it. :)

I feel the same way -- I enjoy doing this way too much and I enjoy the passion of it as a hobbyist.

Tom

[CatchingUp]

I guess it can be said that the idea of getting paid to do this is just the 'gravy' or the 'cherry on top'.

I can certainly understand the thinking of why not get paid full time for doing something you like, and, for a lot of people, that works out great.

But if I do this for enjoyment and relaxation...what would I do for fun after I got off work if I was full time at this? :-)

I also enjoy wood work and carpentry for my own projects. But do it full time for the public? No thanks.

Life is good right now. :-) Glad to know I'm not alone in my thinking.

Cheers

[meglet]

Thanks for posting this, it's a timely reminder for me.

Photography is a hobby for me, to the point where I don't even post most of what I take anywhere online. I've recently been asked to have some of my photos used for a semi-commercial website, and have been going back and forth between "charge, no don't charge" for a few days. Spent too much time reading the stickied thread about not giving work away for free.

But you've reminded me that sometimes it's nice just to have your work appreciated by others, whether they pay you for it or not.

Not to mention, I've already turned a hobby into a career once. While I still enjoy my career in technology, I don't want to go down that road again for a while. It's nice to be able to just enjoy a hobby as a hobby that might sometimes bring in a little extra money.