The Business of Photography

[Kielan]

I thought that this would be a good thread idea for those of us who are in the business of photography. A good place for discussion and the do's and don'ts of making money in this field, and ways to take it from just a hobby.

I'll begin with a question that I'm sure many of us ask, "How do you get to be taken seriously by potential clients and start getting paid for shoots?"

[Dudermagee]

How do I sell my dope instagram pics?

[Dudermagee]

can I get a viable source of income from "selfies"?

[Withers]

What kind of work are you planning on doing? Weddings? Portraits?

[K.Stockdale]

For me, the question is, how do I get noticed for sports or action photographs - I want to shoot for a snowboard mag or related publishers some day.

[gdogg16]

For me, the question is, how do I get noticed for sports or action photographs - I want to shoot for a snowboard mag or related publishers some day.

submit submit submit submit submit

Send your best fresh work to all the mags consistently. Have a good clean website (no flickr pages) that show cases YOUR work, not your web designers work and with that have good SEO. Then, get a good print portfolio and sit down with as many people as you can in the industry to show your work too. Print portfolios are SOOO important these days.

[Francois Dillinger]

For me, the question is, how do I get noticed for sports or action photographs - I want to shoot for a snowboard mag or related publishers some day.

I would suggest moving out of Arizona.

[Kielan]

What kind of work are you planning on doing? Weddings? Portraits?

Portraiture, I wouldn't mind being a 2nd shooter for weddings.

submit submit submit submit submit

Send your best fresh work to all the mags consistently. Have a good clean website (no flickr pages) that show cases YOUR work, not your web designers work and with that have good SEO. Then, get a good print portfolio and sit down with as many people as you can in the industry to show your work too. Print portfolios are SOOO important these days.

This, you'd be surprised how far submitting can get you.

[Oxer]

I would suggest moving out of Arizona.

I laughed out loud.


Good topic Kelly, I as many others have thought about the possibility, but with the amount of people doing it with large budgets for equipment, I've come to the conclusion that its easier to just have it as a hobby.

[Dudermagee]

Portraiture, I wouldn't mind being a 2nd shooter for weddings.

It was bound to happen sooner or later.


But I guess to stay on topic
who here is a professional, featured photog (not counting the forum owners\staff)

[gdogg16]

But I guess to stay on topic
who here is a professional, featured photog (not counting the forum ownersstaff)

Me.

[Dudermagee]

not bad

http://www.gregkeysar.com/

[K.Stockdale]

I would suggest moving out of Arizona.

I live in Flagstaff, so shooting snowboarding and skiing is a more common occurrence than you'd think. But I do agree, moving out of Arizona is definitely on my list of things to do.

[Jorge]

I spent some time working with this guy, http://www.johncolley.com/ He is very old school and now only really works with his homebuilt studio for magazines but used to attend Rally events in the 80s and that was how he started.

I asked for the same advice, how do I take it seriously and try and progress. His advice, get out there and keep shooting. He said attend every event you can find going, and try to cover them in an aspect that is a bit different from the normal. Build up a portfolio and submit to magazines. As above, keep submitting until they take note and ask for work. Persistence and perseverance in the key.

[Withers]

I don't do weddings or portraiture, but I do know quite a few people that do.

Lenses you would want to have in your bag: 24-70 f/2.8, 85L, 135L, 70-200 f/2.8L. Also you'll want to have a 580exii if you don't have one already.

To get on as a second shooter shouldn't be that difficult and is by far the best way to get started. It takes the pressure off and let's you get acquainted with shooting weddings. To get on as one, you'd need to 1) find a photographer that you really respect, or at least one that produces some quality work, 2) build a portfolio using your friends as models, and 3) try to set up a meeting with the photographer to show them your work. If you're willing to work for free to start with just to help prove yourself you'll probably have better luck.


I mostly do commercial work for local marketing companies. I like it better because I get to treat it as a hobby, and then occasionally I'll get a call with an offer for a gig to make some cash on the side. Win win.

I've found that as soon as I try to turn a hobby into a job it stops being fun, so for me photography will always be primarily a hobby unless I lose my full-time job.