When is it time to start looking for money making opportunities?

To start off, I'm 17 and a senior in high school. This may help explain where I'm coming from on a few topics.

Anyways, I'm really starting to get my photography rolling. I'm starting to find the style I've been looking for, starting to actually be able to say "You know...I actually like that picture I took." So, I decided to do what I thought would get me out there as quick as possible, sports. I'm a very athletic kid, I have played sports all my life. I love photographing sports. But, I really don't have much to photograph. I would take pictures of my brother's hockey games, but that was about it.

Blah blah blah, I just got the opportunity of receiving a photo pass for my school's sporting events. Finally, I'll be out on the field, with the pro's. Instead of sitting in the stands with my buddies staring at the photographer's, I'll be able to be the photographer. The deal is, I am not getting paid to do this. I am doing this solely for my own experience and practice. I will not be giving my pictures away to the school, nor anybody else, they will be used simply for my own gratification and, well, to help build up my "website."

I also just got the word from the owner (he's extremely cool, young guy, great rider) of a huge dirtbike track here in Upstate New York that I would be able to shoot some upcoming races and next season's races. I have a meeting set up with him this weekend to go receive my vest, sign some waiver forms, and be off doing my thing.

I also plan on talking to the ski mountain to see if I'll be able to go and take pictures of all my friends that have been begging me to come up since last winter. Also, Watkin's Glen Road Course to shoot track days next spring/summer.

Now, my point of all this... It cost a lot of money to be involved in this addicting hobby. Whether it be gas, memory cards, that new body or lens that everyone has to have, etc. When is it time for me to say "Enough with building up my website. I need to start making money so I can afford 2-3 memory cards a week. Or, a new body that will allow me to shoot in low light. Or, that gorgeous 300/400 2.8 IS that will give me the perfect bit of reach on the football field or track."

Don't get me wrong, photography is a hobby of mine and it will be for the rest of my life. But, I don't think I can justify all of this without making at least a little money back in the process.

I hope this all made sense, and I hope that you all see where I'm coming from. And, if I could get some tips/advice to when/how you decided it was time to put the whole hobby part of it aside for a little bit so that you could continue to take pictures.

I'd start with very simple natural-light portraits of friends and family. Charge them fair market value (IOW, don't just give it all away for free...) and offer them images on disc or a simple print package and let word of mouth work for you at first.

Here's the dirty little secret of photography. With the possible exception of the very top two photographers in any genre (Sports, Weddings, Landscapes, Portraiture, Commercial, Product, Automotive, Aviation, etc, etc, etc...) everyone else makes money off whatever kind of photography they can find to do and it all involves working with people.

Get past the nerves and jitters and get good at working with people first and the rest of your photography (at what ever level you pursue it) will be much, much easier from both a personal and a professional point of view.

Usually, the ones who can deal with people the best are also the best at sales and marketing and that's where the money lies!

You're young and have many years ahead of you to explore photography so don't be in too big a rush to climb Mt Everest right out of the gate. Take any and every opportunity presented to you and exploit those chances to the max. Chances become contacts and contacts can become gigs.

And see, it leads back to people... I wish you much luck and success.

I would love to get into portrait work, but I'm really interested in sports and motorsports at the moment. I have had a few lady friends come to me and ask me to take pictures of them but I just don't really know much about portrait work to feel confident enough to take them out. Obviously, I wouldn't charge the first couple customer's, as, I don't expect the results to be that great. But, I just haven't had the time between school, work, and other photography things to get out with a friend and take pictures.

Now, I think my post came off the wrong way. I do not have the mentality that most 16/17/18 year old "photographer's" have. I am in this hobby for just that, a hobby. Something about the images that can be produced is like a drug to me. I can't get enough of it. I don't plan on making money in photography, at least at 17 years old.

Granted, I am not giving my pictures away, like I said in the OP. But, eventually, there's going to come a time when the gas money/memory cards/equipment/etc. are too expensive to justify going out and taking pictures for my own good.

So, I'm really wondering where that line is and whether or not money opportunities will come naturally or if I have to be assertive and put myself out there?

By the way, I am not afraid to talk to anyone. I have no problem going up to strangers and starting conversations or asking if a location will allow me to take pictures of events they are holding or whatever the case may be.

This doesn't have to be complicated. Here's an excellent example of what you can do with a cam, lens, & the right natural light with manual exposure. A couple shots have flash fill. Notice the detail in the black coat & white boa.
Angeline outdoors

I was shooting a car one evening & this lady walked up & asked if I shoot weddings? I said not unless someone holds a shotgun on me, but opportunities come from every direction. For any situation that you want to get paid for, your work should speak for itself. Take great shots & show them to the people in your target market. They'll ask what you want to take some shots for them. Have an answer ready.

Cole_Schmitt wrote in post #10996923
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So, I'm really wondering where that line is and whether or not money opportunities will come naturally or if I have to be assertive and put myself out there?

By the way, I am not afraid to talk to anyone. I have no problem going up to strangers and starting conversations or asking if a location will allow me to take pictures of events they are holding or whatever the case may be.

The answer to your first question is probably intuitive. Yes, opportunities will come naturally as Photoguy's experience showed. But the more assertive you are and the more you "put yourself out there" the more opportunities you will see. It is Sales 101.

When I got started I called the show manager of every horse show I knew of within driving distance and asked if I could be the official photographer. Just do the same thing with your events. The key is to find out who is the person that can make the decision. If that person says "yes" then write up a generic contract and have you both sign. It shows professionalism and protects you from others getting in.

I rarely call shows anymore. They call me and ask if I will do their show. There is one however that I have been trying to get for years and I just got it this year:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=928740

The couple that have been doing it really don't do that good of job but they have been entrenched for years. I called the show manager and told him that I would provide a free 8x10 with the show logo on it to the winner of every class. It got me the contract.

Don't be afraid to think of something similar to get your foot in the door.

I see where both of you are coming from.

Frank, like I said, I would love to get into portraiture work. But, I'm still trying to achieve the style of pictures I want to achieve and I think, without being satisfied with my images yet, portrait work would be extremely challenging. Yes, if I was offered an opportunity I would take it in a snap, but I don't think going out and asking all of my friends if I can take them to the park and take pictures of them is where I need to be focused at the moment. If that makes sense.

matonanjin, that is what I have been doing. I contacted my school's AD and he got me the field pass. I contacted the owner of the dirt bike track he wants me to shoot a big race on Sunday. I am going to contact the ski mountain soon to see if I'll be able to go out and get pictures of friends. All is well and good and the opportunities are rolling. But, none of this is for money. And, if I keep on contacting these places to say "I am just looking to do this for experience" I'm never going to advance beyond that point. However, if I close myself off from any volunteer work, I don't think I'll ever have anything to photograph.

I'm confused as to how I would go about asking to take pictures of the races for myself to asking to take pictures of the races for money. And, no, I do not want to give my work out for free. Once I do that, I will never get business.

I'm sort of hoping that by going out to all of these events numerous times, eventually I'll get asked by someone; a spectator, owner, rider, company, etc., to possibly get an opportunity to have a solid position as a photographer somewhere.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #11000373
Angeline outdoors

it's hard to take a bad picture of a girl like that

OP, if you want to take good pictures of girls, find hot ones


and, sure, do it for experience, but don't give the pics away.

when you talk to the track operator next time, ask him if he has any rules about you selling your pictures to the racers. He probably doesn't care one way or the other, but common courtesy says to ask.

you also need to ask the event organizer (often not the same person). If a club rents the track out they may have a deal with a photographer who 'owns' the event, or they may be happy to know you will be there, and want to support your efforts.

Your doing the right thing by asking, for sure. -

If your serious about charging for pictures, make SURE you know the rules of 'being in business' for your area. you probably have to collect sales tax for the state, etc, which means you have to register yourself, pay your fees, etc. It's a lot of work to do it 'right' but if you do find yourself raking in the cash, the last thing you want is for someone to look into how your doing your business, and find out you havn't been paying 'the man' his share.

Running your own business is 80% marketing, 20% whatever it is your selling