On Being A Professional Photogapher...Tell us your story, please...

[jovo]

You asked for it.

Yeah, I did. Interesting story, as are all of these posts. Coincidentally, I grew up in Havertown so all those place names...Bryn Mawr, Norristown, Plymouth Meeting etc. were part of my neighborhood way back when. I left the area in the late 60's though, and only return occasionally to visit..a lot when my parents were living, and very little since. Even though I've lived two thirds of my life in New York, both in 'the city' and in counties to the north and west, I still think of the whole western suburb of Philly as home.

 

[vet173]

Although I have done some weddings, I do not consider myself a pro. Been shooting 35-8x10, and darkroom just for myself since 71'. I also figured out, I could afford a lot more paper and film working as a diesel mechanic. The difference between an amateur and a pro? An amateur does it till he gets it right, a pro does it till he can't get it wrong.

 

[Nicole]

Resurrecting a very old thread I stumbled across...

Written by vet173 above
"An amateur does it till he gets it right, a pro does it till he can't get it wrong."

Vet, if you're still on apug, as a pro I can assure you mistakes are part of being pro as well. I'm thankful for this as I would otherwise stop learning and there would be nothing left to strive for. The journey would be over. Actually, I don't consider myself a pro, I'm just very grateful that I get paid to do what I love, photography.

 

[2F/2F]

My stories are pretty simple, because I don't consider myself a professional photographer...although *technically* I am, since that's what I do at my job.

My story: I don't think I can ever be a professional unless someone else is the person running the business. I hate all that other stuff. The people skills, the business skills, etc. As long as I am working for someone else, I am a relatively happy camper. I love assisting, being a second shooter, and I love being on staff where I am now. When working for myself, I find the wealth of other crap that goes with being a professional to be near unmanageable. I truly admire those who can do it all! I plan on working photographically for other photographers or on staff at businesses rather than going independent, and doing whatever the hell I want to do for my own enjoyment when not working. I don't plan on making a dime doing the work I truly love!

So there!

My recent revelation is that I need to become a staff photographer for the Catholic Church. Travel the world, stay in good digs, eat good food, shoot interesting stuff, meet very interesting people, and hopefully be able to move to Italy! I wonder if they will hire an atheist with a strong understanding of Christian history as opposed to a proper Catholic.....

Oh yeah...and I am working on a photography degree so I can become a teacher. I am about halfway there...transferring to Art Center next year...

 

[markbarendt]

My story: I don't think I can ever be a professional unless someone else is the person running the business. I hate all that other stuff.

My recent revelation is that I need to become a staff photographer for the Catholic Church. Travel the world, stay in good digs, eat good food, shoot interesting stuff, meet very interesting people, and hopefully be able to move to Italy! I wonder if they will hire an atheist with a strong understanding of Christian history as opposed to a proper Catholic.....

I learned this principle about myself the hard way. I like your goal too, I want to do the Jewish side.

 

[pentaxpete]

I started in Photography in 1951 at School when I joined the School- photo-Soc. In 1955 I went into the British Army, Royal Army Medical Corps and did Pathology as there were NO Photographers in the Army then and the RAF wanted you to sign on for 27 years to get into Photography!
Eventually I took some Photo Exams and passed quickly and got a job in the Civil Service at £7 odd a week in the Ministry of Aviation. I had a stint as a School Photographer with two different companies where they said I 'could earn £15 a week'which never materialised, so joined a local Studio whose Partners did local Press Photography -- my introduction to Press work, at again £7-15-0d a week, then as they didn't keep their promise to make me 'Manager' of another Branch, left and got a job at £12 a week with University College London. Geolpogy Dept doing Scientific Photography where I was for 8 years until 1970 when I left to keep an eye on what my first ex-wife was doing and to start up on my own as a local Freelance doing anything !
Now still struggling -- hardly any work coming in -- good job for my Government Retirement Pension !!
The 'Busy Days' are OVER for local Photographers who are going out of business--- NO Council work ( the Girl from the Office does it ), NO PR work ( the Girl from the Office does it), NO Portraits ( they take their own and take their memory cards to Boots the Chemists), Nobody getting married any more -- they all live with 'Partners' and do not want 'Wedding Photos', only two local newsapapers will pay anything -- the others want the photos for FREE --- I bet if they needed a PLUMBER they would PAY!! Whoever has heard of a Poor Plumber, Solicitor, Accountant or Dentist ? But there are dozens of Poor Photographers giving up !!!!

 

[PaulC]

It's no surprise I'm the only microstock photographer to have posted so far (and am probably loathed and despised for it by many) but in many ways my story is similar to several others. After an early interest in photography that I couldn't keep going when I had to start paying for nappies and then school fees etc, I found myself in a high-pressure, high profile job, running a newspaper. Eight years ago, I got the digital rebel and stumbled over microstock. I liked that people paid a bit for some of my pictures - and then the money got more and more serious.

By the time I parted company with the day job, five years ago, I found I could live on the money stock was paying me, so I never went back to "work". I go through periods when I find producing microstock-type pictures emotionally unrewarding, so then I go back to experimenting with film and old or antique cameras and devote time to studying techniques. That's an endless source of fascination to me. Fortunately, so far the money just seems to keep coming in, even if I do very little "work" for a month or two so I'm on a sort of permanent sabbatical.

One advantage of shooting film is that it isn't the right medium for microstock (even though I have a number of film shots on sale there) so carrying a Crown Graphic, Mamiya TLR or a Super-Ikonta frees me from the "will it sell" mentality that I get into with my 5D II.

 

[vpwphoto]

I'd love to uber-specialize in only film B+W photography, but here in rural Indiana, I have to be a generalist to earn an ok living.
I was much entertained Blansky's paragraphs, I liked the thought of being laid often, but actually I was looking for one nice girl, which I married, and doesn't like to be photographed... neither does my daughter.

 

[PaulC]

I suspect Blansky is just a pen-name for Bruce Testones. http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en-GB&v=QBG8RhmW_N8 (this sums up the philosophy perfectly)

 

[jtk]

This is a very old thread, but I'll mention significant personal prophoto-factoids:

When I decided to "go pro" it was an easy step. Thanks to Conrad Forbes, a Minor White direct student, I was doing good large format art photography in Northern California. I showed portfolio to an architect, did good work for him (B&W), then got as much architectural photography as I could justify from his company and others: architects pay poorly after taking their time paying.

So I moved to San Francisco, worked in a pro-photo warehouse kind of place, then ran an E4 and audio visual production company...got fired for attitude...

I asked someone I admired how to re-start shooting solo for money. He said that was easy, all I had to do was to make a list of 100 possible clients, go down that list showing portfolio. In the first week, by the 6th interview (as I recall) I was getting work, mostly 4X5 E4, food and tabletop. $400 minimum day rate, nothing by the hour. I never lacked work for more than a couple of days for the next ten years but decided to pull the plug and change careers when I realized I didn't want to socialize with clients.

I quit to join Merrill Lynch, quit that after a couple of years because, again, I didn't want to socialize with clients.. became a self-employed headhunter, suddenly did very well with that after first several months...a wonderfully successful business for a decade or so without having to socialize with anybody. My clients were mostly banks...9/11 killed that, probably a blessing

 

[harris92]

My name is Harris, I grew up in a small town in the south of Texas and from childhood admired the native Texans, these are special people - strong-willed and with unbending principles. I started taking pictures of friends, relatives, famous personalities of my town. When photographing, I try to penetrate the essence of a person, to reveal his character. I use the professional portrait camera Canon EOS Rebel T5. Despite being an entry-level camera, it can offer its user various quick settings for taking quality photos under different conditions. I realized that in this profession it is important to love your business and the people that you shoot. The camera is now not just a hobby for me, it's like an arm or a leg is an inseparable part of me.

 

[jtk]

This is a very old thread, but I'll mention significant personal prophoto-factoids:

When I decided to "go pro" it was an easy step. Thanks to Conrad Forbes, a Minor White direct student, I was doing good large format art photography in Northern California. I showed portfolio to an architect, did good work for him (B&W), then got as much architectural photography as I could justify from his company and others: architects pay poorly after taking their time paying.

So I moved to San Francisco, worked in a pro-photo warehouse kind of place, then ran an E4 and audio visual production company...got fired for attitude...

I asked someone I admired how to re-start shooting solo for money. He said that was easy, all I had to do was to make a list of 100 possible clients, go down that list showing portfolio. In the first week, by the 6th interview (as I recall) I was getting work, mostly 4X5 E4, food and tabletop. $400 minimum day rate, nothing by the hour. I never lacked work for more than a couple of days for the next ten years but decided to pull the plug and change careers when I realized I didn't want to socialize with clients.

I quit to join Merrill Lynch, quit that after a couple of years because, again, I didn't want to socialize with clients.. became a self-employed headhunter, suddenly did very well with that after first several months...a wonderfully successful business for a decade or so without having to socialize with anybody. My clients were mostly banks...9/11 killed that, probably a blessing

addendum August 2018...

Turns out that quitting professional photography a few years ago didn't mean people would stop wanting to pay for photography. This isn't likely to pay many bills, but I don't need that.

The reason photographers fail when they want to become pros boils down to laziness/fear: won't step up to the plate and show their work directly (in person) to LOTS of selected-in-advance potential clients.

 

[CMoore]

....... won't step up to the plate and show their work directly (in person) to LOTS of selected-in-advance potential clients.

I am not a photographer, just curious, but.....What does this mean.?
......"show their work directly (in person) to LOTS of selected-in-advance potential clients".

 

[jtk]

I am not a photographer, just curious, but.....What does this mean.?
......"show their work directly (in person) to LOTS of selected-in-advance potential clients".

Sorry.. sometimes I'm too telegraphic. The likelihood of professional success is high if one shows his work (portfolio) in person (not online) to potential clients he's identified in advance. That might mean knocking on a lot of appropriate doors without appointments . If the portfolio consists of architectural photos, show those to architects. If portraits, show to advertising agency art directors and graphic designers. If the portfolio is not focused, it needs to be. I don't think anybody hires generic photographers.

 

[CMoore]

OK.....Gotcha.

 

[removed account4]

since the early mid 2000s ( thanks to 9-11 )
in some cities they won't let you in
without an appointment. and collateral
( mailers, post cards, samples ) you drop off
for specific people get circular file'd.
a successful hr person i consulted
maybe a year ago said
don't call or stop by unannounced
remove any information regarding age or experience from your resume and "linkedin page"
because millennials are doing the hiring and if you seem more experienced or older than them
you might not get the door, never mind your foot in the door ,,,
whole list of don't's
i scratched my head and said "remove all information about experience from my resume and linked in page?
i was under the impression these things were supposed to show your experience ... " the response was YES !
seemed kind of strange ... but it's worked. i usually show up with my jeans belted halfway down my thighs
and the whole encounter is done face to face via text

 

[jtk]

I'm in the West.... jnanian's friend may be real in some other world...but you're kissing your photo dream goodbye if you buy into the popular folklore about "millennials". By the way: do a spell check on that word.

In many businesses the RECEPTIONIST or a family member does the photography when a less-than professional will do. That's your dead end if you consider yourself a job-seeker rather than photographer. And that's who plays with LinkedIn.

IMO most people who hire real photographers are members of charitable organizations, museum boards, and, always, their own professional associations...which usually welcome outsiders for less than the cost of lunch. Think about who they are if you ordinarily wear sagging jeans

Professional photography is a business. Business marketing involves positioning. If one wants to work for skateboard magazines, perhaps sagging jeans are part of positioning. If you want to position yourself as an accomplished professional photographer, perhaps you personal presentation would be different. It's up to you.

 

[removed account4]

jnanian's friend may be real in some other world

ummm i don't make up composites ...
please show us your portfolio, thanks.

AND please keep your condescending remarks + insults to yourself ...

 

[faberryman]

Hey, it worked in the '80s.

 

[removed account4]

Hey, it worked in the '80s.

sure did, and the 90s too but after that not so much...

 

[jtk]

In many businesses the RECEPTIONIST or a family member does the photography when a less-than professional will do. That's your dead end if you consider yourself a job-seeker rather than photographer. And that's who plays with LinkedIn.

IMO most people who hire real photographers are members of charitable organizations, museum boards, and, always, their own professional associations...which usually welcome outsiders for less than the cost of lunch. Think about who they are if you ordinarily wear sagging jeans

Professional photography is a business. Business marketing involves positioning. If one wants to work for skateboard magazines, perhaps sagging jeans are part of positioning. If you want to position yourself as an accomplished professional photographer, perhaps you personal presentation would be different. It's up to you.[/QUOTE]


More about getting started: Even in 2018 pros do pay real dues: Thousands of wannabes pray that they won't have to pay those dues, that their alleged profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr...and right here on Photrio...will make it unnecessary to step up to the plate, meet dozens of prospective clients in person, showing them real work.

Sending emails to prospective clients un-invited is a sure way to become disrespected and blocked: it's spam. That's the top reason real photographers market themselves to clients in person (or via Agents, just as most professional writers have ALWAYS done... but that's another discussion).

Compare my suggestions with whatever else you find. It's your life.

The best "getting started" advice comes from working professional photographers, face to face. That was critically important to my own success.

 

[removed account4]

In many businesses the RECEPTIONIST or a family member does the photography when a less-than professional will do. That's your dead end if you consider yourself a job-seeker rather than photographer. And that's who plays with LinkedIn.

IMO most people who hire real photographers are members of charitable organizations, museum boards, and, always, their own professional associations...which usually welcome outsiders for less than the cost of lunch. Think about who they are if you ordinarily wear sagging jeans

Professional photography is a business. Business marketing involves positioning. If one wants to work for skateboard magazines, perhaps sagging jeans are part of positioning. If you want to position yourself as an accomplished professional photographer, perhaps you personal presentation would be different. It's up to you.

More about getting started: Even in 2018 pros do pay real dues: Thousands of wannabes pray that they won't have to pay those dues, that their alleged profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr...and right here on Photrio...will make it unnecessary to step up to the plate, meet dozens of prospective clients in person, showing them real work.

Sending emails to prospective clients un-invited is a sure way to become disrespected and blocked: it's spam. That's the top reason real photographers market themselves to clients in person (or via Agents, just as most professional writers have ALWAYS done... but that's another discussion).

Compare my suggestions with whatever else you find. It's your life.

The best "getting started" advice comes from working professional photographers, face to face. That was critically important to my own success.

nice post
but this thread is called
On Being A Professional Photogapher...Tell us your story, please...

since you are a head hunter and marketing promotional professional and not currently a professional photographer
how about starting a thread in the marketing an promotional forum with this exact post so people interested in
learning this stuff can find it, rahter than bury it in a 12 year old thread that won't be found for another 10 years.

while i agree face to face is good, and junk mail, post cards to random people who worked "there 5 months ago" isn't good
and comanies that provide names and lists like agency access, and places like alt pic and handfulls of others are better ..
part of the problem is that ad agencies don't apprecaite off the street drop ins ( they get pissed )
you need appointments to get an audience whether you are in eastj'apee-pee or ny city ...
professionalism is important, no one who has posted in this thread has said otherwise.

 

[jtk]

jnanian , you might want to re-read the name of the thread: seems to me to ask for reflection on "being a professional photographer."

Photographers don't need to be loved, or even liked by ad agencies...all they need to do is get in front of art directors et al. That is obviously done today, even by photographers who are fearful about agency doors. Agency decision-makers do have outside lives and certainly are available through professional associations and charitable groups. That's just a hint to people who do want to work for ad agencies.

As well, for people whose work is adequate, enough looking around may find photographers' reps...agencies...who MAY be helpful. IMO they're as demanding as art directors,....reps can be handy for winnowing out the wannabes, saving tremendous amount of time .... same has ALWAYS been the case with print publishers.

By the way, although I don't call myself a professional photographer these days, I do get occasional paying assignments..see recent post on this thread.

And I do dress reasonably well: Might seem ridiculous in my world for a 74 yr old guy to wear sagging pants (same as a 25 yr old pro).

Thanks for reading my Photrio profile so carefully.

Everybody's free to share their own experience . I appear to be the only guy who has positive experience.

 

[removed account4]

jnanian , you might want to re-read the name of the thread: seems to me to ask for reflection on "being a professional photographer."

LOL

OK ...
On Being A Professional Photogapher...Tell us your story, please...

doesn't ask for advice on portfolio presentation maybe i am reading the wrong post ? ...

Thanks for reading my Photrio profile so carefully

i didn't, read it at all you advise like a headhunter/placement agent.

I appear to be the only guy who has positive experience.

ummm, this thread is 4 pages + 70+ posts long
and there are many many postive experiences ( including mine posted in 2006 ) maybe i am reading the wrong post ? ...

can you share your portfolio of professional images please ?
( they may offer-up more credence to your posts, advice and opinions. )

 

[jtk]

jnanian ...your experiences as a professional photographer seem to have been similar to your experience with publishers. Maybe I've misread your recent complaint about agents..

How about reviving your advice from 2008 ? If it worked for you back then it'd be good today. Right?

Or maybe (not likely, but maybe) you can share more recent helpful advice from your own experience finding assignments as a professional photographer.

I only share portfolios in direct personal presentation. They're assembled for the particular prospective client. If some potential client needs to see my work, I make sure they do...in person. However I don't see people as potential clients any more because the occasional paying work I do these days has never been sought. For portfolios I use a couple of dedicated non=ring Japanese binders. My (few) images in Media are, except for two ongoing inkjet print exchanges the only online images I allow. My few Photrio images introduce me adequately to Photrio.

What you refer to as my "helpful suggestions" don't relate to marketing or promotions. They have to do with the OT: getting started, getting work.

Meeting with a potential client is a type of personal sales. Selling is not similar to marketing or promotion. The only photo marketing I've ever done has consisted of a few unusual prints, mailed directly to existing clients: for example, for a long-ago Valentine's day I once mailed Ciba 5X7 prints of a red, heart shaped soap, enveloped in bubbles to existing clients. Selling brings work, marketing may simply maintain friendship. IMO

One of the best things a photographer can do beyond what I mentioned previously is to invite prospective clients to studio. I dearly miss studio If I had a few thousand to spend on photography, I'd spend that on a basic studio space.