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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Where to begin
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03/18/2014 10:19:39 PM · #1
I've recently gotten into photography and quickly fell in love, it has become one of my passions and dreams to make it a career. I'm already three years into college majoring in behavioral analysis,obviously my photography background is not extensive and I'm mostly self taught in light-room which is the extent of my post-processing. Honestly, where could I begin a potential career, as i said i really know nothing of the photography business or much outside shoot and import. Any input could help!
03/18/2014 10:38:33 PM · #2
First things first. Finish your degree. Even if you never ever use your degree, there will be a point in your life where the fact that you have a degree in something will give you options that you won't have otherwise, and you'll be glad you finished.

Beyond that, one of the cool things about being in school is they have these things called classes that you can take. Does your school offer any photography or art classes? If that's available, the fact that you're already in school is a good opportunity to try them out. If not, or if you must wait until you finish your degree, a lot of community colleges have good, reasonably priced photography programs.

In the meantime, start entering challenges on this site. A lot of us learned more about photography by getting beat up in challenges than we ever would have otherwise.
03/18/2014 11:12:29 PM · #3
Skip Rowland has a ton of useful links related to the business of photography on his profile page -- keep scrolling down -- in addition to innumerable helpful posts; I suggest you start there. Try searching through a few of the other threads in the Business of Photography section, and there are a few Tutorials (under the Learn menu) which are relevant as well.

Oh yeah, enter challenges, don't worry too much about the scores, and try to make lots of comments -- learning how to recognize what "works" (for you) and, more importantly, why those things work (or don't), will help you when creating your own pictures.
03/18/2014 11:13:28 PM · #4
Thank you! I've already considered all that and I'm well aware of the class phenomenon lol, unfortunately my school does not offer them. I meant more along the lines of gaining clientele whether it'd be creating a website or a blog, and best way to start selling photos, or somewhere that does not require a degree outside of challenges, that I can gain hands on experience/training on the job.
03/18/2014 11:14:57 PM · #5
Thank you general, i will definitely give the website a look!
03/18/2014 11:16:59 PM · #6
Originally posted by Reillym93:

Thank you general, i will definitely give the website a look!

Those links all on his user profile here ... though I'm sure there's a link to his own site somewhere in there ...
03/19/2014 11:33:41 AM · #7
Originally posted by Reillym93:

gaining clientele whether it'd be creating a website or a blog, and best way to start selling photos, or somewhere that does not require a degree outside of challenges, that I can gain hands on experience/training on the job.


As much as we all want a career that just happens, like one of those tents you toss and it pitches itself, it takes a LOT of work. Even if you are extremely lucky and talented, it will take you at least a couple of years to earn a living from your work. And listen to Ann: get your degree!!

First things first:

* narrow down what sort of photography you want to do. As much as we all love shooting (almost) everything, people look for a specific type of photographer (headshots, weddings, fashion, landscape, etc.). No photographer successfully does everything. Except maybe Joe McNally...
* "barriers to entry" - how difficult is it for someone else to do what you are doing? Remember that the easier [by this I mean equipment, access to people/places, not "talent"] the type of photography, the more competition you will have. On the other hand, the really cool assignments (NatGeo, etc.) are HUGELY competitive and require you to be extraordinarily good.
* consider stock photography. Although no longer the money earner it used to be, there are enough people making a living off this type of imagery that it's an option.
* learn basic camera technique and editing. DPC is the best place to do it for next to nothing.
* be honest about your work - just because people rave about your images on FB doesn't mean they're any good. This is also a good place for that.
* develop a thick skin. Again, this is the place :)
* develop a port with work that's worth buying, or that someone would hire you for. Don't bother with a site until you have a good port.
* consider interning with a successful photographer as his/her assistant
* don't automatically discard "boring" (i.e. repetitive, not creative) work because it will interfere with your "art". Many successful photographers (defined as photographers who earn a living solely by their photography) often have lucrative ongoing assignments that may seem "boring" but pay the bills and allow the luxury of "personal projects". Sometimes these personal projects pan out and they no longer need to do anything they don't LOVE. Just don't count on it.

When Skip joins this thread, he will have a ton of useful information as well, most of which is on his page here, as GeneralE pointed out.
03/20/2014 09:12:53 AM · #8
welcome to the infirmary ;-)

you've been given some good life advice so far, some of which i'll echo.

1) definitely get your degree!

2) going into photography is no different than running away and joining the circus or thinking your garage band really is the next van halen. like anything else, it takes time and commitment to actually be able to reproduce excellent results on demand rather than by accident. it also takes business sense to be able to run a business operation.

3) make sure you are competent before you start taking money. a working pro has the equipment necessary for a job, the skill to know how to use it, and the experience to get the job done right, consistently.

4) don't confuse a passion with a career. while there are a number of career opportunities in photography, you have to be realistic about what you actually want to do, because not everything pays well enough to cover a mortgage, all your living expenses, saving for retirement, etc. you might have to work a number of different jobs and work on your photography on the side before you are ready to make a go of it, and even then, it just might not be worth it; it might just be better to have fun taking photos and not have the financial pressures of making a living with a camera.

5) if you would rather start out working in photography, you really need to take a long, hard look at your options. while there are still some job opportunities out there, the better ones are reserved for those who have degrees in photography (not just BA degrees, but MFA degrees), or a LOT of experience. the worse jobs barely pay minimum wage, mainly because everyone with a camera would like to have a career in photography.

i'm not trying to rain on your parade, but this is not something to simply "go into". the problem is that technology has made photography a commodity more than an acquired skill. consequently, companies and people don't pay as much as they used to, and that makes it hard to make a living. it's not impossible, but it takes a lot of time and effort. A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT.

consider this. there was a guy in high school. he was about 14 or so when his younger brother got a guitar. his little brother taught him some stuff and he liked it so much that he started monopolizing the guitar until his brother wouldn't let him play it. he threw a big enough fit that his mother bought him his own guitar. and he fell in love with it so much that he couldn't put it down. he dropped out of school just so he could practice 8-12 hours a day. every day. for whatever reason, his mother didn't mind (guess she had too much other stuff to worry about, being a widow). (his younger brother stayed in school, though.) anyways, this practice seemed to pay off. after nearly 5 solid years of doing nothing but practicing the guitar he was ready. he and his brother had put together a couple bands and had played around locally, but when his brother finished high school, duane allman was ready.

what's the point? he took advantage of the opportunity to master his craft, honing it full time for nearly five years. yes, he made some money here and there, and he had some odd jobs here and there, but he paid his dues well before taking to the big stage.

the questions for you, or anyone else considering this type of venture, are:
* do you have the financial support necessary to make the commitment to mastering the craft?
* do you have the ability to make that type of time commitment (it takes about 10,000 hours)?
* do you have a written plan detailing exactly what you want to do and what it will take to make it happen?

it's very easy to get bitten by the bug. it's just a question of whether you have what it takes to live with the disease, or if you should opt for the antidote.

in any event, good luck, and have fun!
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