Entry level photography business

<p>Now Joseph, don't let these comments steer you away from what is really a great source of information, however, I can certainly testify that I could have continued getting the information without spending the subscription fee and just lurk and read what's already posted, but, I have been doing that for about 7 or 8 months and I thought I should contribute my share for the use.

<p>I don't totally understand exactly why my posts always seem to get negative replies and responses. This same thing happened before months ago when I was not a member and under another name. I do know that some just love to cause ill feelings and do it intentionally, others, I think just misunderstand the intent or message and reply in a less than tactful manner.

<p>I have decided just to ignore the negative comments, take what I can from the positive ones, build a portfolio and go from there. When I get to the time when I am offered, or have a chance to photograph an event for pay, I will decide too, or not too, based on my own intuition and not on any scare tactics displayed by anyone here on Photo.net. I will take my experience gained and maybe come here and offer it to someone who asks a similar question as mine.

Every getting started story is different. I started out as a pro in my late 20s, having been an avid amateur since age 11.By sheer word of mouth, I had shot a variety of gigs as an amateur, from weddings, to products, to portraits, to kids, to pets, to realestate listings, to interiors, to coins and other collections, to paintings and sculpture for artists, galleries, collectors, and insurance companies, to you name it. I also did custom processing and printing for serious amateurs and pros, and worked out of my home. After a while, I rented a store front on a commercial street in a rather poor (not poverty, but lower middleclass) neighborhood. I built a fully equipped B&W lab, a small studio, and a token retail counter. I took out minimum listings in the yellow pages under 4 different categories.All this on a borrowed $2700 and a LOT of hard work. The business just grew. I never put together a portfolio of any kind, and never a printed price list for shooting. I estimated each job. I had surplus copies of all my past jobs in a box, and if anyone wanted to see what I could do, I simply showed them a few. Worked every time. The quickest money at first is in things like weddings and event photography, portraits and family stuff, products, and things like legal, medical, and stuff for local merchants and business people. The slowest is artistic or creative shooting. There is no magic formula, and you need sound business sense as well photographic ability. If it were easy, EVERYBODY would be doing it. Good luck.

This is my first post in the forum. Just my two cents, but I recently decided to part time pro after a few years of being a hobby. My goal is to make enought money to provide me with income to engage in the artistic side of the art. For my own pleasure and at request I shoot cars, auto races, etc. My advice is to establish your goal: What do you want to get out of it? Then get a website, build your portfolio, get business cards, and all the other great advice that you have already received.

 

As a person who has just started out, the most important advice I have is stay motivated. Set your sights on the goal and do it. Nothing is beyond our grasp if we really want it. Im not a salesman and I hate selling myself, but in order to be successful in this field I have forced myself to do those things I hate. I shot a wedding last year as a favor, and the photos turned out really nice. I hate weddings, but Ill shoot them or whatever else to make money so that I can pursue my personall interst.

 

I hope this helps and is not to spaced out.

Richard,

I think that more people should ask questions like you. When I read the responses to your questions I felt insulted, even if I did not post the original question. I was also impressed by how you responded right away, very assertively, by challenging people why they attacked you verbally.

Anyway, I can share an experience of a friend of mine. The person started by taking portraits at people homes by sending out business cards. The guarantee was that if the people didn't like the pictures they would not pay. It actually worked. Initially he didn't charge a lot, but word of mouth got him some good clients, who liked his approach. Now he has a small portrait studio. Nothing spectacular, but he does what he likes. I intend to follow his path when I have enough experience. For now friends sit for me for free.

Otherwise I gave some of my prints to some people, who work for a gallery. So far I haven't sold anything, but the presence is important for me and it is a learning experience of how your pictures fit next to others.

Good luck!