Anyone does photography for a living and if so WHERE SHOULD I START

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DinoS

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hi

i am maybe intrested in doing photgraphyas a cjob any advice on where to start. Is it best to work for a professional and do it that way or how else could you do it.

many thanks
M
 
If you want to do weddings then i would work with a pro for a bit, if you can find one who will let you help out. Other then that go and watch a few pro photographer shoot a wedding. I have been a pro wedding photographer for 16 years now and i always stop and watch other wedding photographers work.
 
Best way to start is go out and take photos. Build up a 'portfolio' of good images you can show to prospective employers but it depends what type of photography you want to do.
 
Hi

thanks Hopefully commercial photography working with businesses to sell there products. Forexample sunseeker boat, shooting a advert for one of there boats is where i would like to end up.
 
Why dont you go along and ask if you can do a few free shots for one businesses. Then a least you have a few shots to start off with, then put an add in your local paper and build yourself a website. Try Mr site www.mrsite.com it is easy to build and only cost £35, also put an add with photographers.co.uk thats will cost you around £30-£50 http://www.photographers.co.uk and you should start to get a bit of work.
 
I am just making thoughts about what i may want to do, it is something i am very intrested so asking your opinions.

who knows i may end up being a MD of another company nothing to do with photography so i am just looking through each of my open doors
 
Sure, if you enjoy photography as a hobby it may be best to keep it as a hobby though, when it becomes your work you might find the fun goes out of it.
If you are good enough and you find a niche it's certainly worth a try mind you.
 
doing it for a living is a lot more work than you think.
try and get some time in with a pro to gain experience of the job.
anyone can set themselves up as a pro , but keeping it up, and actualy MAKING A LIVING is the hard bit.its hard work getting as good rep. and very easy to get a bad one.
 
I wouldn't say I'm pro, but during the past four months I've drifted into a part of photography that has done well for me. I've basically tried to fill a 4 month gap inbetween 2nd and 3rd years as a mature student on a degree course.

A few years ago I started off wanting to shot transport. That was no good for me, there were better people doing it than me. Then I tried lifestyle photography (inspired by a photographer could Chris Rout). This got me images with a picture agency and some on file with magazines, but still others photographers were far better at me and paying models wasn't making financial sense even though I was getting them to work for peanuts.

During the last four months, I've stumbled into another type of photography which has done well for me. My best week so far had 4 pictures published in 3 national magazines. I supplied a few pictures to a relevent picture library and now they send me on other jobs. I only get paid for the photos they sell, so I could go out shoot lots of pictures and sell nothing. I have tight timescales to work to and I usualy get to bed by about 2 -2.30 in the morning after getting home and wiring the images.

Perhaps when I finish my degree I may continue with this, but during it I will still work 2 maybe 3 nights a week for the agency. The only other downside is that if you do sell pictures (in this type of photography) it can take 3 months before you see the money. Most people give up, so I'm told, before then.
 
How much photo experience do you have? Is your equipment good enough? How are your people skills? Photoshop skills? Business skills? Do you have a portfolio?
 
I have been doing it for about a year and i am coming up to choosing my carrea. I am just trying to find what to do.

My equipment is just a 400D what would i need if i did it.
 
'doing it for a year' - as what a hobby? a student? freelance? That's not a long time - I've been doing it for 40 years! :) You'll need a lot more equipment - but what exactly depends on what sort of photography you want to do. My equipment list is in my profile.
 
I wouldn't say you need more equipment. I know a photographer that is making a living with a 400D and the kit lens, plus external flash unit.
 
Natjag what is the photographer photographing. I do not want to do it by my self more of about how to get to be a freelance commercial photographer. Is it about getting experience mainly.

M
 
does he make much out of it or is it hit and miss

M
 
400duser said:
does he make much out of it or is it hit and miss

M
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Your sounding more and more interested in the money side of the job over the actual passion for photography. Many pro's lived on Tesco beans on Tesco bread for many years. The only thing that kept them going was their pure passion for taking photographs.

Might sound harsh, but its the picture your painting in my eyes.

King.
 
If you want to do commercial photography and advertsing you'll need a lot of kit (or be able to hire at short notice) - and the experience to be able to cover a lot of situations. Snapping celebs at night is not top of the range pro work I wouldn't think.
 
i am a bit of a money freak although i also love photography ideally mix too together. Prehaps it is worth staying with photography as a hobby
 
THe Guy I mentioned makes a living, but not a fortune. It's what he has chosen to do and enjoys the challenge. He once told me, if you want to make money, photograph weddings.

I've just had a look at your web site. You may want to consider sending images of to relevant magazines. You'll need to add caption information, what, where why, when type of thing. As you know the makes and models of each you've got a good starting point.

If you do decide to send them off, and they come back with a rekection slip, it doesn't mean your photos are bad, just not right for that publication.

Just something else you may wish to consider.
 
400duser said:
i am a bit of a money freak although i also love photography ideally mix too together. Prehaps it is worth staying with photography as a hobby
Click to expand...
If you're not 100% committed to doing it professionally then keep it as a hobby.
 
Since things went digital there is a general misconception amongst amateur photographers that all you need is a DSLR and a kit lens and you can be a pro. The reallity is far different. Some make it - most don't. Some just do the profession a lot of harm by kidding the customers that they are professional when they are no where near that in quality. If you think your pictures are good enough and you really want to be a pro then keep going and you will get there most likely. There is a lot more to it than meets the eye though.
 
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