What made you become a pro?

It's something I've been thinking about a lot recently, I still have lot to learn, but, when I get it right, I get it really right, photoshop skills are good and getting better, camera handling and technical knowledge very good, good at looking in B&W, good at portraits landscapes and journalism, but no interest in weddings, I don't want to be rich, just get paid for doing what I like to do, not realistic I know However, I'm not good at networking, self promotion, marketing, I'm not one for putting myself forward, so I know my limitations. The reason I'm asking is that I came across a website of a local pro today, and, well, it was bloody awful. Even a basic shot of a few flowers was hopelessly out of focus, the 'portrait' was a woman who had no right wearing a bikini on a beach in the worst lighting and pose possible, I genuinely spat coffee on my keyboard. I was going to post the link but they're so bad, I'd feel bad for the guy doing it. So, if he can go pro, why the hell can't I? Sorry, just mumbling aloud really, why the hell don't I just go for it??

By "go pro", do you mean commit to working as a photographer full time?

I'm not a full-time photographer myself, my main source of income is a boring 9-to-5 desk job. I do earn money as a freelance photographer and journalist, as much as 10% of my total take-home pay in some recent years according to what I report to the tax man. I have no interest in going full-time as a freelancer, for a variety of reasons, but can give you some feedback around my personal experience as a working photographer.

First of all, websites don't always represent a photographers work. My website hasn't been updated in a really long time, and most of my current work is specifically requested not to be posted. If the check has enough 0's on it, I'll let a client do as they please with the images, even if that means I'm not allowed to display my work.

Second of all, I think the first step in moving up the 'photography' ladder is building your income from photographer. My first steady gig as a paid photographer was shooting photos in nightclubs in Hollywood. I would shoot 2 or 3 evenings per week, cull and edit images the same night to upload before I went to bed (often 3 or 4am), and get paid in cash at the next gig. I could easily fulfill this gig while I was going to school and working a regular job. Over time, I built up the number of one-off and freelance gigs, some from contacts I met while shooting photos at the club, some through other contacts I had. This grew from $100 or $200 gigs here and there to consistent $Xk gigs.

At some point, your 9-to-5 schedule will start to become a burden to accepting or fulfilling your photography gigs. That's when you'll need to make a decision regarding whether you should "go pro" and make photography your full-time job. There's no way I would suggest doing this without having 6+ months of steady income from photography. I have a few friends who still only do photography part-time but earn mid 5-figures per year only shooting nights and weekends (weddings and corporate contracts help with this).

Without getting into details, I'll say that my photography work pays for a nice vacation or two per year. I make good money at my day job, so it's not enough to supplant my career, but is enough to A) report to the tax man and B) enjoy the finer things in life as I see fit. "Going Pro" doesn't mean abandoning another career.

What made me become a "pro"...

I started a photography business to make money. The only reason for starting a business.

Photography ability has little to do with whether a business can be viable or not. It simply comes down to whether you can make enough sales at the necessary prices to be sustainable as a business whilst making at least the minimum profit you are prepared to make for your endeavours.

It is no different to any other business in that regard.

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17855640
I was going to post the link but they're so bad,

Being a professional photographer isn't just about the images you shoot, its also about having a professional attitude and posting a link to ridicule someone isn't a good move. Would you like it if someone did it to you?

I know a lot of professionals whose images aren't the best, and I include myself in this, but we are businessmen whose tool is a camera. We are not artists, we leave that to others

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17855640
. So, if he can go pro, why the hell can't I? Sorry, just mumbling aloud really, why the hell don't I just go for it??

He's a better salesman, a better businessman, and probably has better people skills?

Photography skill is a tiny fraction of photography business.

nathancarter wrote in post #17856546
He's a better salesman, a better businessman, and probably has better people skills?

Photography skill is a tiny fraction of photography business.

I couldn't agree more. I know of many successful photographers who book jobs because of their business skills. I feel like this is especially truthful outside of the wedding industry where creativity has a lot of weight on your work. As a real-estate photographer, I can say that my business skills bring probably half of my work.

I was pretty good and it, I enjoyed it, and there was money to be made.

The reverse question is almost as interesting - why am I considering not photographing professionally after ten years of it? Hugely increased competition means you have to be an exceptional photographer or a fantastic marketer (or both) to get business, low priced photographers taking a lot of the market and customers not being able to see the difference (until things go wrong), everyone being a photographer.

tim wrote in post #17856724
I was pretty good and it, I enjoyed it, and there was money to be made.

The reverse question is almost as interesting - why am I considering not photographing professionally after ten years of it? Hugely increased competition means you have to be an exceptional photographer or a fantastic marketer (or both) to get business, low priced photographers taking a lot of the market and customers not being able to see the difference (until things go wrong), everyone being a photographer.

I'm not an exceptional photographer nor a fantastic marketer. In fact, I spent exactly $25 on marketing last year for 100 business cards... I still have 60 of them in my bag. There is also heavy competition in my location but my clients know my work, they know how I am to deal with on a business and personal level. They also know how I interact with THEIR clients (which makes a huge impact). I picked up close to 200 real-estate shoots last year while turning down work due to time constraints. Next year I'm hoping for 350 listings and my marketing will still be very light.

If you're scared of competition you simply shouldn't be in ANY business and this isn't specific to photography. You will always have competition, you will always have another guy/woman coming in offering to do the same for less. It's your JOB to show your clients why they are paying you what they do. If you can't do that you should either work for someone who can or keep photography a hobby.

njstacker22 wrote in post #17856759
I'm not an exceptional photographer nor a fantastic marketer. In fact, I spent exactly $25 on marketing last year for 100 business cards... I still have 60 of them in my bag. There is also heavy competition in my location but my clients know my work, they know how I am to deal with on a business and personal level. They also know how I interact with THEIR clients (which makes a huge impact). I picked up close to 200 real-estate shoots last year while turning down work due to time constraints. Next year I'm hoping for 350 listings and my marketing will still be very light.

If you're scared of competition you simply shouldn't be in ANY business and this isn't specific to photography. You will always have competition, you will always have another guy/woman coming in offering to do the same for less. It's your JOB to show your clients why they are paying you what they do. If you can't do that you should either work for someone who can or keep photography a hobby.

Weddings may be a bit different, there are no repeat customers, so you're constantly selling yourself which I get pretty tired of. It's also partly that I'm a little bored with it and I'm ready for a new challenge.

tim wrote in post #17856771
Weddings may be a bit different, there are no repeat customers

I had a repeat client in May last year

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #17856835
I had a repeat client in May last year

Technically, if the client was the parents of the bride or groom, it would be easy to have repeat customers if they hired you to shoot multiple of their child's weddings.

My contract states that the client is the bride and groom. I've had a significantly number of clients who were family of others I've photographed, and many who were friends of course.

Some good food for thought there folks, thank you. I think the fundamental problem is that I'm not motivated by money, I'd deem myself a success if I was selling the stuff that I wanted to do, not if I made lots of money from doing it, so perhaps the wrong motivation, and I'm certainly not interested or skilled in the ancillary skills to be a successful businessman. I already run one hobby business doing fly fishing, maybe this should be another hobby business doing what I want to do, and if I'm lucky making modest sums from it, over the years just build up a portfolio of stuff I like and sell that from a website.

JacobPhoto wrote in post #17856838
Technically, if the client was the parents of the bride or groom, it would be easy to have repeat customers if they hired you to shoot multiple of their child's weddings.

I've never been hired by anyone other than the bride and groom.

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17856903
I'd deem myself a success if I was selling the stuff that I wanted to do

Yet you are happy to knock another photographer in your original post who is most probably quite happy doing what they are doing.

The only thing I really took from your original post (excluding the title which seemed disjointed from your rant) was undertones of jealousy that another photographer whom you didn't view as worthy was seemingly making it in business. It certainly isn't the first time you've posted being upset about other photographers making it and you not approving of the fact they are.

Why does what other photographers do erk you so much?