chauncey wrote in post #18220621
"Feeding that beast" is, IMHO, of prime importance, especially if one has a family to provide for.
There is nothing more important.
Yep it aint easy. Thats why you need every edge but if you are fully prepared and have done all the right things then you certainly increase to odds of making it and you can make a good living doing it. But how many want to do what is necessary and have the persistence once they have done that. When just getting started I would say 80% in rejection. I have a friend that is a very good photographer. He opened an office in a very high exposure, high rent area. He thought if he built it they would come. He did contact potential clients and contacts but did follow up in a persistent way. He didn't last a year. My advice is get a rep in the beginning to put you in front of the right people. Plus most reps wont take on someone unless they have the chops. So if you can't find a rep to rep you, maybe you it's not for you.
One of my favorite local photographers, Marc Hauser, said he would go to all the major agencies that same day of the week, every week, with a portfolio under his arm. Finally one day, one of the agencies gave him a shot. IIRC he said he thinks it was more to get rid of him but he took full advantage of his opportunity. How many would stay with it and then how many have the real skills, people skill, the ability to put their own ego aside for what's best for the client, and the technical skills to make do it? I have found that most quit. Now I am talking about commercial work and the type of commercial work that pays.
I learned early on from a very successful photographer, in order to attract the right clients he had to open a separate commercial business. Separate from his very high end weeding business. He hired photographers that were very skilled in commercial work to shoot his commercial stuff. Many clients, especially the ones that you probably want to attract when talking commercial work, wouldn't hire a wedding photographer nor do they they hire only from a web site. They all know how deceptive web sites are and are rarely real reflections of what a photographer can do under pressure of being on the set, creating on demand at that moment, being able to collaborate and fit in with a team, and fully meet deadlines.
