How did you become a pro (or semi-pro)?

[Aylwin]

Not sure if this is appropriate here, but... I thought it would be interesting to hear your story. It'll be good for amateurs like me to see if I ever have a chance of taking this hobby to the next level.

- have you always wanted to do this or is it an accidental evolution?
- how long had you been taking photos before turning pro?
- how old were you when you started making money from photography?
- what were you before becoming a photographer?
- for the vets: do you still enjoy photography for fun?

[IndyJeff]

Originally Posted by Aylwin

Not sure if this is appropriate here, but... I thought it would be interesting to hear your story. It'll be good for amateurs like me to see if I ever have a chance of taking this hobby to the next level.

I'm particularly interested in the following:
- have you always wanted to do this or is it an accidental evolution?
- how long had you been taking photos before turning pro?
- how old were you when you started making money from photography?
- what were you before becoming a photographer?
- for the vets: do you still enjoy photography for fun?

Damn so many question I had to quote to answer them.

Yes I always wanted to do this. I just knew how difficult it was and never really gave it a shot until I was older. It was more luck than accidental.

I got my first camera in 1967 for Christmas, been shooting ever since.

I was 37 years old when I made my first $100 from a camera.

I have been a lot of things, a bouncer, a bartender, a salesman, supervisor, drove a truck, a cab, supervisor for a multi million dollar construction company (if you are ever in Indianapolis and see the IUPUI Natatorium I ordered the big round glass window that faces NY street). In the shadows lurking always, was my photography tho.

Yes I still enjoy it. More and more of my income is coming from photography and the thrill of of good catch is still a rush. When you push that shutter and see the results it is a "pat on the back for being on it" type feeling. I guess for me it is like a touchdown catch or a game winning shot or hit type thing. The satisfaction of knowing you did what you were supposed to do is such a high for me.

Most guys I know who do some sort of sports photography knew someone that got them hooked up. Once they had the foot in the door, they proved themselves.

Everybody wants to start out shooting the NFL or the Indy 500. Most don't and never will get the chance to do it. My suggestion is start small, a local high school football/baseball/basketball game, a local small oval race track, anything local. They often are dying for someone to do the shooting for them. Sow your seed where it will grow and you never know what a good crop you may reap. You will make connections that may land you a chance at a higher level of that sport.
Example: I have a nephew who is playing HS football, he is a senior this year. My sister called me and asked if I could call the coach and see about getting some shots of him during the game. I called the coach and proposed that I could cover their games and post the images on my site for sale. In return I would provide images for their website at no charge. He jumped at the offer. Last night was the first game I covered. A local online news site called me at 8am this morning. They wanted to buy some images for their news site. Guess what? I now will cover as many games as I can, post the images for sale, supply some for the team website and sell images to this news site for their use. They will not only pay me but will put up a link to advertise my site. FTONews.com I was surprised because I didn't think the shots were all that great. It is my first attempt at HS football but, the guy just loved what I had. Can't wait to see what he says when I figure this out LOL.
I am telling you, it all just falls together once you get started. Just remember, one way or another you gotta get paid, from somebody, someway.
While on the sidelines of that game last night, I met a publisher of a small local that probably will use some of my shots, two reporters for other newspapers who wanted a card, and an ex-pro quarterback. Getting people to know your name is what it is all about, that is how the money is made my man.

Damn I ramble on don't I?

[defordphoto]

- have you always wanted to do this or is it an accidental evolution?
- how long had you been taking photos before turning pro?
- how old were you when you started making money from photography?
- what were you before becoming a photographer?
- for the vets: do you still enjoy photography for fun?

First off, I am a semi-pro. I hold a regular 5-day-a-week job as a Construction Project Manager for a major property management firm based out of Portland, Oregon.

I always had an interest in photography. From the first (my first camera) Kodak 126 film camera, to my first SLR, a Hanimex-Praktica, to my newest baby, the Canon MKII.

I always remember as a kid looking at the big, black Nikon and Canon cameras. Always wanting one. They looked so cool. I read so much back then about photography. Any magazine, tons of books. I was feeding my brain in a frenzy.

And, as it turned out, had a natural knack for photography. My relatives, neighbors and friends over the years always wanted prints. I never sold them. Just gave them away.

I was not really aware of the talent I had and I always strive for more. I see so, so, many samples of things I'd love to shoot. Some of them I have achieved, many I have not. There's always this hunger eating at me to shoot better. Shoot more. Shoot different.

So, anyway, the answer to #1 is that it's an accidental evolution, but a natural one in my case and I've already answered #2. I will be 51 this Friday.

How old was I when I started making money? I've made a few bucks here and there over the years, but it's started to snowball here just in the past year via my website. I have never promoted myself for work (yet).

Already answered #4, though I have been anything from a Jet Engine Tech (USAF) to an apartment manager and maintenance tech.

#5: I can't imagine not liking it, but the larger jobs do present some time management issues because I still hold a regular job. Other than that, it's a freaking blast.

[Aylwin]

Wonderful stories, guys! Keep 'em coming!

Jim, I have a day job too and have every intention of keeping it. I work in telecommunications and make a decent enough living. Still, I find the prospect of making money from photography very appealing. It's fun just to think that someone would actually be willing to pay for something I do as a hobby. And who knows? Maybe one day I'll be good enough to become a real photography (after I retire, of course).

[sGu]

I'd say i'm a semi-pro, simply because i'm not living on money earned from photography, at least not yet; but consider amount of photography related work i do, i'd say it's pro amount.

I shoot for premiership football in England, pretty much 2-3 games per weekend, also F1, hopefully grand slam at wimbeldon this year.

And every important press conference with different clubs here, also interviews with paper i'm working for.

Soon my friend and I will start marketing our studio and wedding photography, then i'll be REALLY busy

[IndyJeff]

sGu I know your football and my football are different yet there are many similarities when shooting. I was wondering when your shooting do you use more than the center spot focusing? I used the center spot Friday night and was wondering later if I should have used all 3 spots.

[Dave2003]

Originally Posted by Aylwin

Not sure if this is appropriate here, but... I thought it would be interesting to hear your story. It'll be good for amateurs like me to see if I ever have a chance of taking this hobby to the next level.

- have you always wanted to do this or is it an accidental evolution?
- how long had you been taking photos before turning pro?
- how old were you when you started making money from photography?
- what were you before becoming a photographer?
- for the vets: do you still enjoy photography for fun?

One thing I am interested in is if anyone has made any decent amounts of money from Stock Photography and evolved to being a Pro this way? I am a member on Can Stock Photo, and they pay up to $4.00 commission for each photo they sell.

By the way I am just starting out so would be interested to know.

[sGu]

Originally Posted by IndyJeff

sGu I know your football and my football are different yet there are many similarities when shooting. I was wondering when your shooting do you use more than the center spot focusing? I used the center spot Friday night and was wondering later if I should have used all 3 spots.

Hi Jeff,

Sorry for this late reply, I do use centre point to focus, but not all the time. It depends if i shoot landscape or portrait format, if portrait, i set focus point where player's eyes are, then switch back and forth when i rotate camera.

[midastouch]

sGu ..I'm interested in your path to sucess.

How did you get from nowhere to Premier league in 7 months?

[sGu]

well, i'm one of the lucky ones, i'd say.

when i first started shooting, i had no intension to become a pro, just purely interests. Then i started reading more and more about techniques, how to and especially how to make money from it.

Couple of months ago, i had a chance to sit in a meeting with managing director of a major sports publisher in Asia, and they showed a lot of interests in my work and would like to see more, especially sports shots.

I took their trial and they applied accreditations for me, here i am, been shooting premiership games whenever i get accepted for accreditation. Hopefully soon i'll have a premiership license, then things will be much better and i'll of course be much busier.

It's a short version of a long story, but i hope it gives you an idea

[cmM]

I guess I could chip in here, since I had my first paying job a little more than a week ago, shooting a few fashion shows for a local clothing line. I'm shooting some more fashion and a wedding this coming month.

I just kept trying to spread the word by giving away business cards, sending people to my website, and eventually the designer's asistant e-mailed me and asked me to do this for them. I'm expecting more to come since instead of charging the industry standard (or somewhere close) I charged for my expenses only and the rest of my services to be paid in advertising.

[Tiger1]

Aylwin,

I'm not a pro or a semi pro, actually I am a little new to digital and trying to become a good, better, best "digital" photographer. However, I have literally thousands of film shots that I have taken over the years as reference photos for my watercolor art career which is extremely good. I've been published twice by major publishers and am in negotiations with another international publisher for my artwork. I exhibit in about 20 major fine art festivals in 7 or 8 states a year and my work is in about a dozen retail art galleries across the US. I also have original artwork in more than 30 states in the US and in 17 foreign countries.

I try to compose my reference photos for composition, interest and variety so they can be "almost" exactly what I paint, subsequently, the photos have some artistic value, even though they are not as "photographically" sharp, clear and free of noise as I would like them to be or as they should be photographically. Remember, these were meant to be reference photos. Folks who purchase art from me and others from my public exposure have seen these photos for their artistic value and have asked to purchase them. Therefore; my purchase of a good digital camera and lenses and my reason to become as good as I can become with digital protography.

So the only reason that I reply, and I repeat that I'm not a pro or a semi-pro, is to give you another perspective or avenue for not only an avocation but a business in photography -ART. There are many other photographic paths out there for photographic business success, you just need to investigate and use your imagination.

Good luck to you!

[Aylwin]

Tiger1, great story indeeed! Thanks for sharing!

[golfecho]

Originally Posted by Aylwin

Wonderful stories, guys! Keep 'em coming!

Jim, I have a day job too and have every intention of keeping it. . . . It's fun just to think that someone would actually be willing to pay for something I do as a hobby.

Aylwin,

Its funny, but that exact thought has passed my mind many times early in my career. I'm talking about flying though. Soon, I was flying in the military, and over and over again I thought how great it was to be paid for doing what I love. My only thought is, if you really love it (such as the photography), them make in happen. I think it is far better to be happy doing your work, than working to be happy when you never quite get there . . .

Gordie

[Jon, The Elder]

- have you always wanted to do this or is it an accidental evolution?
- how long had you been taking photos before turning pro?
- how old were you when you started making money from photography?
- what were you before becoming a photographer?
- for the vets: do you still enjoy photography for fun?

I was pulled in to my brothers industrial ad agency to "help out".
I immediately discovered the excitment of both medium format, still work and 16mm film Cinematography. I was "taught" (read IGNORED) by the resident "professional photograper already on staff. He soon threw one too many temper tantrums and was let go (read FIRED).
This put me into a sink-or-swim situation as the 'senior' guy. What a wild ride that was for quite some time.

Learning three similar crafts (Video phased in about 1982) has kept me in this crazy business since that time.
Image capture in one form or the other has been a large part of my life since then. Not always lucrative, but always interesting.
There are a few regular contributors in this forum who understand the strange fascination and passion that photography can have for someone. If it truly gets into your blood, then it is there for life.

Yes I shoot for enjoyment. No matter what the subject matter, if you pull off the shot, that little tingle that belongs to you for an instant, is yours to enjoy.
Ask Indy Jeff or PhotosGuy...they know what I mean.