Turning pro after 2 weeks with a 20D

I have just bought a 20D and a 17-40mm lens. Before this I had a EOS 300, no 'D', so know the basics of photography, but am not exactly pro. Especially in digital, still working out white balance and the CFN 4-1......

In the last two weeks I have been approached to take some photos by three different people. This to some extent is the fact I am an expat in a foreign city and there are not many other photographers about - other than Chinese.

Now, I feel rather intimidated in this whole thing. I never expected anything like this. My main focus in photography has been travel and city shots. Now people want to pay me for my stuff.....

These people want; office situations (I knew this may come up and posted about it ages ago) for use in brochures and training material; real estate shots; and lastly products for trade catalogues.

Now I must first decide if my skills are up to the challenge. Then maybe buy a tripod!! and a few other bits and bobs. Then think of prices. Then legal stuff. And then I am about ready to go crazy.

Not sure if this post is looking for encouragement, adivice, tips or what.....So, anything you wish to say, please do!!!!

Anyone??

Hey if people want to pay you, give it a go. Make some more money to buy new equipment, learn some new skills, I don't see any major downside except for the investment in additional equipment you might want if you turn pro or semi-pro.

If you're even considering this, you're ready. You just need a boost and a kick in the pants. So consider yourself kicked in the pants. What are you waiting for? Start working!!

"If you own a camera, you are a photographer. If you own a violin, you own a violin."

A friend of mine went to a three year photography school and picked up what I thought were pretty good skills. He booked a wedding & I spent a number of hours coaching him on what to expect during the shoot. The results he got were OK - I thought - and especially for a first wedding. But the day so unsettled him that he walked away from photography and now he's a successful graphic designer. I don't think that he did a second commercial photography assignment. He told me that he thought that nothing was under his control and that he was so nervous about making mistakes that he almost threw up.

The approach that I'd suggest that you take with these prospective clients is to tell them about your experience, or lack thereof; and that you'd shoot the assignments on a contingency basis. The price would be X, but they'd only have to pay it if they liked the results. This will take the pressure off of you, and those clients will have an honest understanding of your skills.

Tim - Even if I don't turn pro, I can see myself making the investment as I love photography with or without it paying for itself, so may as well spend now rather than later!

CyberPet - Thanks for the kick!!

David - Thanks for your insight here. I think going down the honesty line is the best strategy, take a sample and see if they like what they see.

I am putting one of the clients into action to start, the others can follow. Here is what the guy asked me in the email:

I was wondering if you could help us out with some photos we need for the marketing materials of our new company. I’d like a batch of about 50-100 shots to use in our brochure, website, training products etc. I’d like shots mostly of Chinese business people in common business situations, e.g. in meetings, 1-2-1 conversations, giving presentations, walking down the street etc and some head shots.

Now, what do I need to do.....I guess find out where he plans for these to be taken and plan locations - this I think he can sort out. Now, as a not quite yet pro, to take a bunch of photos and say end up with 50 after selection and post processing, how long - I know its hard to tell - would it take to do? From this I can think about the cost.......I plan to keep the copyright but let him have unlimited use of the 50 shots he chooses - is this the right way to go? What else? Am I overlooking anything?

I hope some of you can give me some more advice on this one.....Thanks a million.

Remember, they approached you and asked you to take the job. Go for it....have fun and have great success. Let us know how it's going from time to time.

Be clear what the client wants the shots to say then plan maybe 6-8 situations that reflect that. You can be angry or miserable or happy, or in negotiation, or whatever in a meeting, for example, but what does the client want the final shots to say to the viewer?

Then take a load of shots of all kinds of interactions within each situation, possibly showing a few different emotions for future reference.

Get the people comfortable. Tell them exactly what they need to 'act'. Use a tripod and flash if you need to. Practice beforehand in similar conditions to estimate camera/flash settings in advance. Plan ... then plan ... and then do some planning ... but keep it light and spontanious Don't forget your CF card

Have fun ...

Wedding photography is not for everyone. Lots of stress, emotions etc.

I agree with DaveG about telling the prospective clients your experience.

Glad to hear you bought a 20D. I have one and it's a great camera for the price. I also have to say that doing 1 job or even one now and again, or selling a print or two does not make a Pro out of you or anyone sorry to say. A professional is someone who's profession is X, not the occasional assignment. I believe you could look it up in the dictionary for clarification. If i'm wrong I will accept it.

Don't wish to upset any of you, but the word Professional Photographer gets used alot hear. I believe in teaching and it's what I do with my staff now and it is what I alway have done with my assistants or people seeking information. It's how I was taught and trained. My entire life (I'm 42) and income after High School has come from photography. I only considered myself a professional photographer after I started shooting on myown every day which was after 4 years as an assitaint in a commercial studio.

I went for telling him my experience and it was agreed I'd show him what I had and then take it from there. But.....

It has turned out that this guy needs me to organise the locations and people - both foreign and chinese interacting together. This makes the task a little more difficult and is now under discussion. He thought I'd be able to walk into a bunch of offices and set up my stuff and take shots, all for free and in different places. Errrr, I think not......

As for being a pro.......I used this more to attract attention to the thread. The word pro is used throughout this forum and anyone reading this thread would be able to see that maybe I am not a real 'pro' - even if I did manage to get the assignment done!! As for teaching, I too am a teacher, but I don't see the need to teach people this word as they already know it. Half the words in our language are used out of context and in the wrong manner everyday, from this forum to world leaders and international newspapers. It doesn't mean people don't know this, quite the opposite I would have thought.

As for dictionary definitions, there are more than one and yes, maybe some of the people here fit into the latter of these definitions (taken from Cambridge online dictionary):

Professional:
Someone who does as a job what people usually do as a hobby:
She's a professional dancer/photographer.

Or semi-professional:
People who are semi-professional are paid for an activity which they take part in but which they do not do all the time:
semi-professional musicians/rugby players


Anyway, pro or not, thanks for all those who posted here. If there are any developments in this first assignment, I'll be back!

Ben