which type of photography business is easier to break in ?

Scatterbrained wrote in post #10269286
show up at an event, take pics, pass out cards. Pretty easy. It doesn't have to be a pro event. I raced mtn bikes for years and we had a few guys that showed up with their cameras and took pics. People could order prints from their website. There was one guy who would show up for a 24hr event and catch photos of everyone on the first day. at the end of the event he would have thumbnails printed and people could buy prints right there.
There are lots of amateur sports and not many (if any) photogs covering them. Not saying you'll make a living but there is the potential to make money.

do you need credentials to show up at events?

StephenPG wrote in post #10266083
Huh? Ever heard of Scott Bourne? His entire business is selling bird photos.

never heard of him..but a quick google reveals he's more than just a bird photographer...:

picard wrote in post #10264363
which type of photography business is easier to break in ?

sport photography

wild life photography

or

Wedding photography

Generally, wedding/portraiture is the easiest type of photography business to start and it's mainly due to the fact that the skill level doesn't need to be too high and the initial investment in gear doesn't have to be that large. Also, there are more potential customers for wedding/portraits than any other type of photography.

But, my answer to your question is going to be a little different. I think that the type of photography that's easiest for a person to beak into is going to be the type of photography that he likes the most and is best at doing. For example, if a person is really good at fashion, then it'll probably be easier for him to break into fashion than weddings since the one comes naturally and the other does not. So if an aspiring photographer is trying to figure out what kind of photography to do for a living, he might be best served to imagine what he could be best at and just go for it....

Gentleman Villain wrote in post #10270157
Generally, wedding/portraiture is the easiest type of photography business to start and it's mainly due to the fact that the skill level doesn't need to be too high and the initial investment in gear doesn't have to be that large. Also, there are more potential customers for wedding/portraits than any other type of photography.

But, my answer to your question is going to be a little different. I think that the type of photography that's easiest for a person to beak into is going to be the type of photography that he likes the most and is best at doing. For example, if a person is really good at fashion, then it'll probably be easier for him to break into fashion than weddings since the one comes naturally and the other does not. So if an aspiring photographer is trying to figure out what kind of photography to do for a living, he might be best served to imagine what he could be best at and just go for it....

GV,
I don't disagree with this at all.

picard wrote in post #10269568
do you need credentials to show up at events?

At an amateur event. No. You may need to coordinate with the organizers, but that would be about it. If it's a major event there may already be a photog covering it, but for your run of the mill bike race or triathlon it's usually people doing it for the love of the sport and not much else so it receives little attention from people not directly involved in the sport. Hell, if you're there with some pro looking kit you're likely to attract interested people/potential customers just by carrying the camera around.

picard wrote in post #10265642
I talk to a wedding photographer who said his business is the toughest of all photography. one has to be photojournalist, portrait photographer, action photography.

Considering everyone and their dogs are doing it, I really doubt this. I don't do weddings, since I just don't like those things, but I did few of them, which is just enough to know what it's all about. Everyone are making such a big thing out of it, but in reality it's anything but that. I agree it's not easy job, but it's just as tough as sport shooting, photojournalism, nature photography etc., nothing more nothing less.
But wedding photography is definitely easiest one to get into it. You get body or two, kit lens or two, call yourself pro shooter and here you go. You will most likely even sell wedding or two. On the other side, if I look just job I'm doing (sport), things are everything but easy. Just that there won't be some misunderstanding. Shooting sport is easy (at least that's my opinion), it's not something only few can do. With 10fps, good af and proper lens, probably even monkey could do it. But from other side, things are different. You need a whole lot more of (expensive) equipment as for pretty much anything else (except wildlife), and when you think you get everything in grip, there comes art of selling yourself. And that's hardest part of photography. But that's same thing with PJ work, and most likely even a whole lot worse and a whole lot harder with nature photography.

Scatterbrained wrote in post #10269286
show up at an event, take pics, pass out cards. Pretty easy.

I agree... but after you pass out cards, nothing happens. Sport is one of hardest things to break in. And in this case, I know what I'm talking about, since I'm doing it every day. It's easy to get photo, but it's more or less impossible to get money and job. I know how much it takes to get deal with agency, and I know how much it takes to get deal with some company (let's say Specialized to stay with MTB) to do some commercial shooting for them (catalogues etc.). I don't do commercial shootings for cycling companies (except for few local ones), but I really doubt there's much difference between skiing and cycling when it comes to this. And it takes years of being there every day, every race, shooting for biggest world agencies, to even start talking with guys responsible for these things at companies supplying stuff to racers. So things are not as easy as you think

picard wrote in post #10269258
why do you think sport is easy to break in?

How does one get a foot hold in sport photography?

Take good pictures of atahletes!

picard wrote in post #10264363
which type of photography business is easier to break in ?

sport photography

wild life photography

or

Wedding photography

Look! The easiest type of photography business to break into is NOT sports, NOT wildlife and definetly NOT weddings. The easiest type to break into is "niche" photography. If you want to start making money right away and be known as the number one guy in your field then be the only guy in your field and specialize in photographing sonething no other photograpgher specializes in....

Make sense? Find something different and focus on it for money...Be a photographer of IDK...(looking around my desk) stickey notes! Shoot nothing but stickey notes and shoot them in all places...make them interesting...do things with stickey note photography that has never been done before (which BTW should be easy). Then call that niche all your own....You could be the worlds foremost stickey note photographer in just a matter of weeks. Then you develope a cult following...and strange stickey note fans from all over the world start calling and seeking your work out!

That being said this also brings up a point for your other three categories..dont be a wedding / sports / wildlife photog...Specialize...​be a midget wedding photographer, shoot only amature leauge field hockey matches or take pictures of rare and unusual earthworms!

I think thats the key in the photog world is to find a niche and specialize! Good luck!

CoolHandMatt wrote in post #10271792
Look! The easiest type of photography business to break into is NOT sports, NOT wildlife and definetly NOT weddings. The easiest type to break into is "niche" photography. If you want to start making money right away and be known as the number one guy in your field then be the only guy in your field and specialize in photographing sonething no other photograpgher specializes in....

Make sense? Find something different and focus on it for money...Be a photographer of IDK...(looking around my desk) stickey notes! Shoot nothing but stickey notes and shoot them in all places...make them interesting...do things with stickey note photography that has never been done before (which BTW should be easy). Then call that niche all your own....You could be the worlds foremost stickey note photographer in just a matter of weeks. Then you develope a cult following...and strange stickey note fans from all over the world start calling and seeking your work out!

That being said this also brings up a point for your other three categories..dont be a wedding / sports / wildlife photog...Specialize...​be a midget wedding photographer, shoot only amature leauge field hockey matches or take pictures of rare and unusual earthworms!

I think thats the key in the photog world is to find a niche and specialize! Good luck!

Niche is by far the hardest to get into because you usually have to have specific skills and real knowledge of the field. Like say medical photography which I do have some experience with. First you probably need to have worked at a hospital as a staff photographer for a while and that requires an education in photography. For the job I had its was at least a B/A in photography and 5 years professional experience and a smoke'n portfolio. The reason everyone isn't doing it is because its hard work and take years to just get started. 4 years of college for one. Weddings, yeah, thats tough. Just put your name on Craigs list.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #10272805
.. Weddings, yeah, thats tough. Just put your name on Craigs list.

Unfortunately, that's about as complicated as it gets. I've been to weddings where the skill level of the photographer was really surprising. A friend shooting the wedding because the bride/groom can't afford more is one thing, but a paid photographer on par with a friend shooting is sad.

interesting thread.


i'd guess porn.

how about porn photography?

Any type of photography can be broken into easily if you're willing to do it free, don't care whether you get badmouthed for being crap at it, and don't mind if you never shoot it again.

If you want to make a living, now that's different. The easiest to break into AND maintain is whatever you are best at and love doing the most.

picard wrote in post #10273242
how about porn photography?

Uh ok.....