Where to find a job?

So, I want to do this for pay, I don't need to get paid alot, I just want to work with someone and get some real time behind the camera (that isn't at a Sears studio). Where do I look?

find a local photographer and see if you can second shoot for them or start off as someones assistant...

bdpaco wrote in post #13198985
find a local photographer and see if you can second shoot for them or start off as someones assistant...

+1 Determination plays a huge factor in landing a photography job. Just go for it!

Where do you live?
Did you look in Services Needed?

Looking for work as an assistant

So You Want To Be A Photographers Assistant

PhotosGuy wrote in post #13201581
Where do you live?
Did you look in Services Needed?

Looking for work as an assistant

So You Want To Be A Photographers Assistant

Outside New Haven CT right now...I just responded to a Craigslist for Wedding photo PP. Could be a good start I guess, though kind of weird to work on someone else's photos....

I'm in Milford, CT and am starting to finally get my business up and going. A lot of work is ahead. Your screen name sounds very familiar to me. Has it been used anywhere else?

Eventually I will need assistant/2nd shooters available to help me. I'm almost finished for this year though and have a few booked for next year through my friends business I shoot for.

What do you shoot? We do weddings.

I forgot to mention I find I enjoy getting together with other photogs and do some impromptu shoots. I always find bouncing ideas and watching others work gives me ideas, tips, and other useful info. Usually, it helps me to see how we mesh.

I had a 2nd shooter at a wedding a few weeks ago who owns his own company, and found he shoots differently than me, but together it worked well. I also liked him as a person and can see myself working with him again.

Find photographers you like in the area and try and see if you can contact them about 2nd shooting and/or assisting positions.

jamesb wrote in post #13202037
I'm in Milford, CT and am starting to finally get my business up and going. A lot of work is ahead. Your screen name sounds very familiar to me. Has it been used anywhere else?

Eventually I will need assistant/2nd shooters available to help me. I'm almost finished for this year though and have a few booked for next year through my friends business I shoot for.

What do you shoot? We do weddings.

I forgot to mention I find I enjoy getting together with other photogs and do some impromptu shoots. I always find bouncing ideas and watching others work gives me ideas, tips, and other useful info. Usually, it helps me to see how we mesh.

I had a 2nd shooter at a wedding a few weeks ago who owns his own company, and found he shoots differently than me, but together it worked well. I also liked him as a person and can see myself working with him again.

Find photographers you like in the area and try and see if you can contact them about 2nd shooting and/or assisting positions.

He, yeah, I use this screen name all over the place, but I generally don't take responsibility for the transgressions of my alternate personalities.

I've dabbled in a bit of everything from family and friends parties to senior portraits. I enjoy events and I've done as much work with FD/EMS as I can manage. Some $$$ to live on on the side would be great, but I'm more interested in learning and developing on my own...I just lack opportunity to shoot lately and I'm rather unfulfilled by my professional studies. I'm trading in my old D60 for a 5D mk ii tomorrow and I really want to get back into this seriously if just to develop myself.

I'm in Hamden, btw. (...and I'm not any of the people on Craigslist with the horrendous photos....)

Well many decades ago; I knew I was soon going to be out of work once my apprenticeship as an electrician was finished; there was very little work; I made up my mind then. I will find a job that involves me & a camera. I am not going to rely on anyone else. I want this job and I made up my mind to go to work. Find work, generate work. - I was obsessed with photography and some how; some way I just had to figure this out.. I am happy to say that I did figure it out, through much trial & error.

Now four decades later, I can share some of my secrets on how to achieve a successful business in photography. First of all this business or field has a very wide diversity. There are so many different ways to make money using your camera. You gotta think different. Too many people are trying to do the same thing;

Every single construction job: NEEDS photographs, BUT digital cannot be used, it must be film only.

Purchase (every year) a copy of Photographers market book and learn how to prepare delivery memo's and read that book. Learn how to market your images through many different types of media that purchase images. Corel, Adobe, Hallmark and 10's of thousands of other sources pay good money to "lease" photographs.

Read and learn ASMP rate structures. American Society Magazine Photographers.

Invest and purchase a small post card turntable stand - Invest and purchase a small note-card stand. Fill these up with your favorite photographs and place them in stores and such in your area.

Once you know which photographs the public wants to purchase. Then take that photo and have color separations made, Use those to have high quality litho copies printed up.

These high quality litho copies sell for $20.00 each. The entire package should cost you about 2,000 dollars for each print you have published. That print will fetch $40,000 - If you sell them all.

I much prefer to sell volume @ much cheaper prices. That is the key. Post cards & Notecards can bring in a lot of money. The trick is to have many stands or racks of note-cards & Post cards out doing the work for you.

The internet is not the way to make big bucks with your photographs. My strongest ability was to create photographs of complete total strangers; then sell those same prints to different total strangers!

You need to be out there daily working (on your own). You always have a camera and a portfolio with you. Talk to people, show your images, how desperate are you to become totally self employed working on your own?? Then you have to get out there daily and learn how to take NO for an answer.

It doesn't matter what you want to learn how to succeed with. First you have to fail before you can ever succeed! Learn how to think different by taking the time to think.

I've given you ample information for you to ponder. You will not succeed over night. You have to work at it every day - Get out there and learn & good luck. Once you quit chasing your dream, then you have failed.

Majik Imaje wrote in post #13203237
....... You gotta think different. Too many people are trying to do the same thing;

Every single construction job: NEEDS photographs, BUT digital cannot be used, it must be film only.

Purchase (every year) a copy of Photographers market book and learn how to prepare delivery memo's and read that book. Learn how to market your images through many different types of media that purchase images. Corel, Adobe, Hallmark and 10's of thousands of other sources pay good money to "lease" photographs.

Read and learn ASMP rate structures. American Society Magazine Photographers. ......

You've posted some very good advice and information here. I have some good friends who still shoot large format film, but there's is a specialized area and a small part of today's marketplace.

Your advice about the ASMP rate structures and American Society Magazine Photographers solid and helpful.

As for the comment "digital cannot be used...." Well, this was certainly true at one time when color separations were done in this fashion for print, but it is no longer the case.

Film still has its applications and I wouldn't tell people never to use it. But the vast portion of the marketplace has shifted to digital for it's speed of turnaround, flexibility and portability across numerous applications. To totally avoid digital would really constrain your markets, opportunities and creativity.

sapearl wrote in post #13204900
You've posted some very good advice and information here. I have some good friends who still shoot large format film, but there's is a specialized area and a small part of today's marketplace.

Your advice about the ASMP rate structures and American Society Magazine Photographers solid and helpful.

As for the comment "digital cannot be used...." Well, this was certainly true at one time when color separations were done in this fashion for print, but it is no longer the case.

Film still has its applications and I wouldn't tell people never to use it. But the vast portion of the marketplace has shifted to digital for it's speed of turnaround, flexibility and portability across numerous applications. To totally avoid digital would really constrain your markets, opportunities and creativity.

Digital images are not allowed in construction photography to document progress reports. That used to be the norm on all projects I have worked on. That is the only instance I know of where film has to be used.

Results are too easily changed or altered using digital. I've heard that from many inspectors.

Another great way to generate $$ from your camera is to visit construction jobs. Using a good zoom or tele create stunning photographs of people @ work. Iron workers - walking steel are great photographs to capture.. Them crazy people will buy lots of what you make!! They love em!!

When I first got into photography working on Revere High School. All crafts began work @ 7:30 a.m. Electricians didn't begin until 8 am. I used this time to wander and create photos. This was in 72. I would come back the next morning with gorgeous 8 x 10 color prints and sell them for 3 bux each.

This is the method I used to purchase new equipment. I would approach a worker and show them the image.. then say 3 bux ?? if they said no.. I would immediately rip it up and throw it away in a trash can. (chuckle) Next day I would approach that person again and say last chance !!.. they always jumped and gave up the 3 bux. At that time it only cost me less than 50 cents to make a color print in the darkroom.

You have to use a lot of physcology (sp) at times in certain situations to get what you want.

Don't be afraid to visit Golf Courses etc. I made a lot of money doing this. But by far the biggest money maker I stumbled upon was "Teaching"!

Learn to print your own Color and develop color film. I put an ad in the newspaper. 8 week course. $200 bux. Each student got 8 rolls of film form me after they signed up. During the course they themselves printed 50 8 x 10's 10 11 x 14's & 5 16 x 20's. They were happy. I had 25 new students every 8 weeks. (5K) - For years...

All you have to do .. .. is just take the time to think. - What can you teach in that garage of yours ?? Printing ? Photoshop techniques ? Web design (I'll sign up for that).

Do you have a high end professional printer ?? Let people know about it and make $$ from YOUR PRINTER. I can list so many methods I use to generate $.. just remember 5 T's .. .. Take The Time To Think!!!!! Do not 'follow' the crowd - Learn how to think "different" !! Good Luck

Majik Imaje wrote in post #13204968
Digital images are not allowed in construction photography to document progress reports. That used to be the norm on all projects I have worked on. That is the only instance I know of where film has to be used.

Results are too easily changed or altered using digital. I've heard that from many inspectors.

Another great way to generate $$ from your camera is to visit construction jobs. Using a good zoom or tele create stunning photographs of people @ work. Iron workers - walking steel are great photographs to capture.. ....

At one time that was also true in law enforcement, but it has now been accepted. Perhaps that applied to some construction projects in your area but I know that here in the Midwest digital is widely used.

I've been working with one of the construction managers photographing the largest bridge project in Ohio and we both use digital:

http://pearlphoto.blog​spot.com …at-construction-site.html

I do agree that construction sites can make fascinating photography, but be careful about work rules. I am not allowed on site without a hard hat, glasses, safety vest, and accompanied supervision by an employee.

I spent 40 years in the trade - then retired 'young' at age 50 !!

Majik Imaje wrote in post #13205444
I spent 40 years in the trade - then retired 'young' at age 50 !!

You started when you were 10?

cdifoto wrote in post #13216200
You started when you were 10?

Walked to school 10 miles, every day, uphill both ways, in the snow?