New Uk photographers

Hi people.

leonfoto wrote in post #18958639
Hi people.

the more I read this forum, Facebook etc I am thinking that unless you have been established for years the market for almost any market is all but dead over here in the UK?

There are photographers in the town where I live (25000 residents) doing photoshoots from as little as £10... I quoted someone £175 for a christening and recieved no reply. I quoted a wedding to a friend of a friend and they ended up shooting the full thing on a phone.

I'd love someone to point me in the right direction.

leonfoto wrote in post #18943614
if I had the contacts and luck my dream would to cover BTCC for a living...or Rally. (never going to happen!)

leonfoto wrote in post #18953635
I managed to obtain a press pass for Croft for the last race of the season last weekend. Having worked for BARC at harewood many times and being invited by a small team the pass was fairly easy to obtain., Not sure it would be possible for BTCC or the Porsche cup etc.

leonfoto wrote in post #18955657
as said above, my dream would be to cover Motorsport, I spoke to a well known British photographer last night who told me there's almost no point trying to do it over here in the UK, s there simply is no budget fr photographers. I'd be happy to start covering events for local papers etc, I have contacted a few and recieved no reply.

I am covering a local rugby match this weekend as a start, they want pictures, and I want to build a portfolio up, I am not getting paid but it's a mile from my house so not a problem really.

I think you need to decide what it is that you actually want to photograph.
Once you have done that you then need to start at the bottom and put in some hard graft and gain a reputation instead of whinging about and whining about it. If you have the skill and the talent you can make a living from photography, even in the UK.

Oulton Park is an hours drive from where you live, BTCC race there every year, BSB race there twice a year, surely you must have taken some photographs there; why not post them here. For someone who aspires to being a motorsport photographer you don't seem to be doing much about it.

john crossley wrote in post #18958704
I think you need to decide what it is that you actually want to photograph.
Once you have done that you then need to start at the bottom and put in some hard graft and gain a reputation instead of whinging about and whining about it. If you have the skill and the talent you can make a living from photography, even in the UK.

+1 to what John says.

1. Where is your portfolio? If you want to be paid proper money you need to be able to show you are worth proper money. Show us your portfolio and we will critique it.
2. If you want to succeed you need to be known for something. You need to focus on a market. If you try to shoot for two different markets you dilute your effort and your marketing. It is hard enough to establish yourself in one market let alone two completely different ones that require their own separate marketing. watch this https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=Sr416Xi7Ptw note the bit where he says he had to struggle for two years to break out of the middle ground/no mans land and establish himself in his chosen niche. Like John says... hard graft. Also watch this https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=KI7MER9hYao

leonfoto wrote in post #18958639
... I quoted someone £175 for a christening and recieved no reply.

How did you arrive at £175? Please show your costings.
What does the client receive for £175?
Are your photographs worth £175?
How many christenings have you actually photographed?

tut