Been wondering if I have the skill for professional work?

So I've been am amateur photographer for quite a few years now off and on. It's become a very important passion for me as the years have slipped by. I will admit to not being the most skilled of technical photographers but I like to think I have a pretty good eye for what I like. I've found the hobby amazingly rewarding and meditative. It's helped me through some dark times in my life, I have struggled life long with depression and other issues. I find myself now at a bit of a crossroads in life. I've made a lot of progress against some of my personal demons and I now want to focus on what I want to do with my life with a bit more zeal. I've worked retail the past 10+ years and now manage a store. None of this is bad and I'm good at my job and enjoy the people I work with. But I'm also burned out and need to find something that fuels me with passion.

 

Photography is one such thing. I am a lonely person, have been most of my life and there is something uniquely fitting about this hobby that speaks to something within me. However the other road that I am looking at perusing is academia, to return to school to get a degree in the sciences, likely physics or math. I can of course always keep this as a hobby, and will! I also realize that asking people on an online forum should not be how anyone gauges what they want to do with their life. Believe me I am not going to make my decision based on anyone's opinions here. But I don't get many chances to show my work to people other than my friends and the occasional person who stumbles across it online. I know most people here are amateurs as well, but I'm curious to know what people think of the work I've done. Do you feel I have a good enough eye for the work to possibly find professional work?

 

My portfolio of just my favourite shots is here:

Favourites

 

And my slightly broader portfolio here:

The Lonely Light

IDK. Great images in that portfolio! But: The single portrait in there <link> and

not being the most skilled of technical photographers

trigger alerts in the back of my head.

 

What would professional photography be about?

• 60% + x: "Selling yourself" - 10+ years retail & store manager -> check!
  
• 40% "creating the images a customer might demand in a sufficiently competitive way." - No comment; your portfolio tells too close to nothing about those for most fields of photographer employment.
  

I am not primary a photographer by trade, although my employer files me as "our shutterbug" and uses me to get the corporate "grab & grin"s and product shots taken.

 

Ask yourself: Could you do your current store's website?

• Shoot every employee to proof you have the friendliest & nicest staff and make all those pictures look similar enough to put them on one page?
  
• Every product in a studio?
  
• Help every customer you encounter with their online dating &/ job search?
  

Also:

• How good are you at documenting events? Can you nail highlights of a concert or theater rehearsal? Sports?
  
• Can you stage something; i.e. hire models bring lights and pick a location to materialize a pre-visualized shot?
  
• Do you have an eye for fashion?
  

You 've been a fortunate wanderer with your camera so far, according to the linked portfolio. - Professional photography seems a lot about creating what somebody wants to see imaged Involves lighting and frequently also people skills.

 

Maybe you could create a personality cult on YouTube that makes Patreons finance you living your dream. Getting hired by national geographic & similar seems even harder (but I am no expert!).

 

From what I heard from my peers / encounters: Photography is a tough field. Wannabes try to out-starve each other. For that reason employees don't get paid well. German late 80s stats: 70%+x of apprenticeship survivors ended migrating into different fields of employment.

 

In doubt: Most shiny jobs are taken. - How appealing is photographic grunt work to you? Elephant in the room: How good are you at post processing? Taking shots is one thing, culling and polishing them might consume enough time to break a business' neck. - I've been on anti depressants too. - I know I can "catch the flow " somewhere behind my camera but I am freaking glad that I don't need to weed out 100s of images every night, to see half a dozen in my newspaper or spend 24h in front of my screen after a wedding. - YMMV

It's become a very important passion for me as the years have slipped by.

On retirement I was talking to an old friend about turning one of my hobbies into a business as he had done. Can't recall his neat phrase at this moment, but the gist of it, I would spoil the hobby and soon come to dislike the business. Retail is tough to take after a while, but Freelance Photography can be pretty hand to mouth. Did both in former years. Good luck and happy landings with your decision.

Some twenty years ago I retired from a full time professhional job that had nothing to to do with photography. and which required international travel. I hooked up with a local paper on retirement where I photographed news and sports and this led to my taking on a wedding involving a paper employee. It was all film then and that wedding led to others and I found myself in business. I also photographed for the paper. I sent my wedding work out. I did this growing the business until about the time digital came out. I used Bronica and Canon gear. It got to be hard work. In those days of film one had to know something. My photo business grew because film work took some knowledge and wedding work took good word of mouth. There was no real competition in the seacoast town where I retired because film took work and knowledge that not many possessed. Digital ultimately changed all that. I got so busy I went travelling in a motor home during the winter and took Spring and summer weddings only. It had gotten to be a lot of work and even for an old pilot weddings were a lot of pressure. Nothing like an unhappy mother in law. I actually made a little money but when digital came out I decided to shut the business down. Old and tired. I have been photographing sports to this day; mostly swim meets. I have participated in shows but never made much money out of picture sales.

It's very hard to make a living as a landscape/nature photographer. You probably could count on both hands the number of people in the U.S. making a living doing only this. Most photographers who are successful and make a good living solely as photographers shoot people (something which is lacking in your two portfolios you've shown here). Photographing people would be included in fields such as: sports, photojournalism, weddings, corporate and to some extent music (although most music photos end up being shot by friends for next to nothing).

 

I think you have some beautiful photos, but you need to show some people photos if you expect to be able to make a living at photography. Sometimes it's better to keep a fun hobby as just that, a fun hobby.

. . . Do you feel I have a good enough eye for the work to possibly find professional work? . . .

 

Yes.

 

***

 

Been wondering if I have the skill for professional work?

 

The "skill" for "Professional Work", is not just about Photographic skill -

 

To sell your work, (and yourself) you'll need to change your pitch and in general, the personality that comes across to your Prospects. (If you are in business, then everyone is a Prospect.)

 

For examples only -

 

> You're asking folk here, some with years of experience, some with a wealth of talent, to take time out of their day to firstly read your post and then to take more time to construct a reply to it - if this is the case why would one add: "Believe me I am not going to make my decision based on anyone's opinions here." Such a statement of fact immediately undervalues and demeans the opinions which you seek.

 

> Think about your business name - sure it might not be a proper business name yet, but, "The Lonely Light" - what thoughts does that place that in the Prospects' minds?

 

> "I'm good at my job and enjoy the people I work with." it is not clear what that exactly defines; managing a store does not necessarily mean being successful in a Sales Manager's Role; enjoying working with your colleagues does not define the depth and breadth of talent that you have to use so you can create quick rapport with Prospects.

 

I think it is important to understand that in any business, especially a small business, mastering People Skills is a crucial element of the skill set.

 

***

 

You've made a first step. That step is always the most difficult step; if you really want it, whatever it is - then don't rest on that first step, but build upon it.

 

Good luck with your choices.

 

WW

60% marketing + 40% photo skill. At least 70% of your income should come from photography business if you are a pro.

Try to find your market where your skill fits.

In general, yes.

 

Your work shows that you understand what it is that you are doing. Your photos are not as bold and dramatic as they could be, but we all get better as we gather experience. You aren't excellent with a capital E, but you are better than a few well paid photographers I've seen over the years. You approach some subject matter better than I could, so I tip my hat to you there.

 

Some tips, FWIW, if you want a more rounded, commercial-oriented portfolio: bright, but not obviously exaggerated colour always sells. Fill the frame. Find interesting objects to shoot - they could be toys, stationery, food, consumables, whatever. Have you ever browsed through stock collections? Do that and you'll find new ideas to explore. Even old catalogues by The Image Bank are worth looking through.

 

Another tip, if you want it: learn about cinematography and learn how to use Resolve. You never know if you'll be asked to work on video projects, but if you do you'll have the knowledge that most photographers don't.

 

Most of photography is about business skills, but I am not the one to ask about that. ;-)

 

Two things, though.

 

1. This shot is affectatious and the 1990s is going to call any minute to ask for permanent custody. Be glad that you will not have to pay child support:

 

You Have Mail!

 

2. This one is just not good enough to make the cut - those clouds are just too distracting. And the light is boring. You should have waited for the clouds to disappear and/or waited for nicer light. If you didn't have that luxury, you should have deleted the file as soon as you viewed it when you got home. Not worth it:

 

Mountain Reflection

IDK. Great images in that portfolio! But: The single portrait in there <link> and

trigger alerts in the back of my head.

 

What would professional photography be about?

• 60% + x: "Selling yourself" - 10+ years retail & store manager -> check!
  
• 40% "creating the images a customer might demand in a sufficiently competitive way." - No comment; your portfolio tells too close to nothing about those for most fields of photographer employment.
  

I am not primary a photographer by trade, although my employer files me as "our shutterbug" and uses me to get the corporate "grab & grin"s and product shots taken.

 

Ask yourself: Could you do your current store's website?

• Shoot every employee to proof you have the friendliest & nicest staff and make all those pictures look similar enough to put them on one page?
  
• Every product in a studio?
  
• Help every customer you encounter with their online dating &/ job search?
  

Also:

• How good are you at documenting events? Can you nail highlights of a concert or theater rehearsal? Sports?
  
• Can you stage something; i.e. hire models bring lights and pick a location to materialize a pre-visualized shot?
  
• Do you have an eye for fashion?
  

You 've been a fortunate wanderer with your camera so far, according to the linked portfolio. - Professional photography seems a lot about creating what somebody wants to see imaged Involves lighting and frequently also people skills.

 

Maybe you could create a personality cult on YouTube that makes Patreons finance you living your dream. Getting hired by national geographic & similar seems even harder (but I am no expert!).

 

From what I heard from my peers / encounters: Photography is a tough field. Wannabes try to out-starve each other. For that reason employees don't get paid well. German late 80s stats: 70%+x of apprenticeship survivors ended migrating into different fields of employment.

 

In doubt: Most shiny jobs are taken. - How appealing is photographic grunt work to you? Elephant in the room: How good are you at post processing? Taking shots is one thing, culling and polishing them might consume enough time to break a business' neck. - I've been on anti depressants too. - I know I can "catch the flow " somewhere behind my camera but I am freaking glad that I don't need to weed out 100s of images every night, to see half a dozen in my newspaper or spend 24h in front of my screen after a wedding. - YMMV

 

It certainly does sound glamorous!

Lonelylight, taking into consideration of some of the realities that have been expressed, if you think you have the passion, energy and skills to promote and run a business then I would say your photos are polished and professional looking and if you could produce that quality consistently you probably have the photography skills to do it. But most of the "successful" photographers, commercially that I've met, started back in the 70s. I only know a few local photographers who went to LA or NYC and are doing ok, but they all really had to hustle to do it. I couldn't do it.

I've been fortunate enough to turn a hobby into my job, and as time passed, the hobby was gone. It had become work, and the passion I had for it became simple professional dedication to being a bit better at doing that job.

The vacant spot in hobby-land was taken by photography, and I've always realised for myself that it should never become a job - because I need the creative outlet, and the stimulus of that creative activity. And I like photography for that - but I know it means I have to do it on my terms, and my terms alone. So that pretty much rules out working with clients that pose requirements :-)

 

Not saying you shouldn't do it, but apart from the "warnings" above about running a business and doing the necessary marketing, do consider that there might be a difference between making photos without any consideration other than your own creative vision (when you like to, the way you like to), and delivering professional work on demand, the way the customer asked. We're all different in this respect, so maybe for you it's no issue, but as a consideration upfront, it's worth thinking about.

Photography was an integral part of my profession as an archaeologist.

My daughter trained at the Art Institute and in college as a professional photographer, but the situation nowadays is not very favorable for making a living at photography, per se.

It's much more like the other fine arts these days. Most people who are photographers either teach the subject or have a "day job".

As in sports, it's really hard to get out of the minor leagues.

IDK. Great images in that portfolio! But: The single portrait in there <link> and

trigger alerts in the back of my head.

 

What would professional photography be about?

• 60% + x: "Selling yourself" - 10+ years retail & store manager -> check!
  
• 40% "creating the images a customer might demand in a sufficiently competitive way." - No comment; your portfolio tells too close to nothing about those for most fields of photographer employment.
  

I am not primary a photographer by trade, although my employer files me as "our shutterbug" and uses me to get the corporate "grab & grin"s and product shots taken.

 

Ask yourself: Could you do your current store's website?

• Shoot every employee to proof you have the friendliest & nicest staff and make all those pictures look similar enough to put them on one page?
  
• Every product in a studio?
  
• Help every customer you encounter with their online dating &/ job search?
  

Also:

• How good are you at documenting events? Can you nail highlights of a concert or theater rehearsal? Sports?
  
• Can you stage something; i.e. hire models bring lights and pick a location to materialize a pre-visualized shot?
  
• Do you have an eye for fashion?
  

You 've been a fortunate wanderer with your camera so far, according to the linked portfolio. - Professional photography seems a lot about creating what somebody wants to see imaged Involves lighting and frequently also people skills.

 

Maybe you could create a personality cult on YouTube that makes Patreons finance you living your dream. Getting hired by national geographic & similar seems even harder (but I am no expert!).

 

From what I heard from my peers / encounters: Photography is a tough field. Wannabes try to out-starve each other. For that reason employees don't get paid well. German late 80s stats: 70%+x of apprenticeship survivors ended migrating into different fields of employment.

 

In doubt: Most shiny jobs are taken. - How appealing is photographic grunt work to you? Elephant in the room: How good are you at post processing? Taking shots is one thing, culling and polishing them might consume enough time to break a business' neck. - I've been on anti depressants too. - I know I can "catch the flow " somewhere behind my camera but I am freaking glad that I don't need to weed out 100s of images every night, to see half a dozen in my newspaper or spend 24h in front of my screen after a wedding. - YMMV

 

Lol thanks for the sobering reminder. In truth I knew these answers when I posted my question. I suppose I was simply in something of a mood when I posted. I will continue this as a hobby however. Herhaps I can make enough money on the side from selling the occasional print here and there locally at cafes and the like or online to find some equipment purchases.

 

When you mentioned the single portrait in my portfolio I'm assuming you mean the fact that aside from it I have no shots of people? That the insutrt, where the money is be made, is in photographing people? Or were you referring to the photography itself?

 

The idea of grwating a YT personality cult sounds rediculous and ego filled to the extreme lol. An ego being something I very much almost totally lack... Which honestly is probably another red flag because photography as a business is about selling yourself and your work, which is a lot about ego boosting.

 

I have no designs or interest in the soul sucking world of wedding and portraiture photography, which I am aware is where the money lies.

 

Basically I guess I'm saying I'm aware that professionally this is not an industry for me. Which is too bad but it is what it is.

 

Thank you for the initial compliment regarding the images in my portfolio. That is what ultimately mater's to me. Nothing else.

On retirement I was talking to an old friend about turning one of my hobbies into a business as he had done. Can't recall his neat phrase at this moment, but the gist of it, I would spoil the hobby and soon come to dislike the business. Retail is tough to take after a while, but Freelance Photography can be pretty hand to mouth. Did both in former years. Good luck and happy landings with your decision.

 

Thank you. Indeed I kind of knew this answer but aksed anyway lol. I will keep it a hobby. I suppose what I wish to do really isn't to make a living but to make enough pocket change on the side to fund my development of the hobby.

It's very hard to make a living as a landscape/nature photographer. You probably could count on both hands the number of people in the U.S. making a living doing only this. Most photographers who are successful and make a good living solely as photographers shoot people (something which is lacking in your two portfolios you've shown here). Photographing people would be included in fields such as: sports, photojournalism, weddings, corporate and to some extent music (although most music photos end up being shot by friends for next to nothing).

 

I think you have some beautiful photos, but you need to show some people photos if you expect to be able to make a living at photography. Sometimes it's better to keep a fun hobby as just that, a fun hobby.

 

Thank you for the compliment. Indeed many people have told me exactly what you just did. As in my replies above. I was kind of aware of the answer before I posted. I am slowly branching out into photographing people. Truthfully though I have little interest in where the money actually lies in the industry, weddings, sports, portraiture, events etc. For the longest time I didn't photograph people because, we'll probably due to my social anxiety. But that's bebeen changing over the years and I'm branching out into street photography little by little for my own pleasure. As mentioned perhaps in time I can at least suppliment my income here and there with the sale of a print or two or something to make enough side money to pay for the hobby itself.

I suppose what I wish to do really isn't to make a living but to make enough pocket change on the side to fund my development of the hobby.

That is most likely quite possible. Did that very thing while working retail. Delivered photos for all sorts of uses - products, sports, animals, martial arts demos, slide shows for presenters, you name it. Good work at reasonable prices delivered promptly. I still have lenses I bought with that money. Advancing from there into freelance was not as successful. More available time didn't increase the available work!

Yes.

 

***

 

 

 

The "skill" for "Professional Work", is not just about Photographic skill -

 

To sell your work, (and yourself) you'll need to change your pitch and in general, the personality that comes across to your Prospects. (If you are in business, then everyone is a Prospect.)

 

For examples only -

 

> You're asking folk here, some with years of experience, some with a wealth of talent, to take time out of their day to firstly read your post and then to take more time to construct a reply to it - if this is the case why would one add: "Believe me I am not going to make my decision based on anyone's opinions here." Such a statement of fact immediately undervalues and demeans the opinions which you seek.

 

> Think about your business name - sure it might not be a proper business name yet, but, "The Lonely Light" - what thoughts does that place that in the Prospects' minds?

 

> "I'm good at my job and enjoy the people I work with." it is not clear what that exactly defines; managing a store does not necessarily mean being successful in a Sales Manager's Role; enjoying working with your colleagues does not define the depth and breadth of talent that you have to use so you can create quick rapport with Prospects.

 

I think it is important to understand that in any business, especially a small business, mastering People Skills is a crucial element of the skill set.

 

***

 

You've made a first step. That step is always the most difficult step; if you really want it, whatever it is - then don't rest on that first step, but build upon it.

 

Good luck with your choices.

 

WW

 

Thank you. This is a very insightful post. As I've mentioned above I suppose I was asking the question as much as anything to see if people thought I had the professional skill which you and others have helped validate for me. Honestly that is the most comforting thing and validating thing I take away from these replies. What you and others say about the business side itself... Well, I kind of knew about this struggle already. I'm likely to just keep it as a hobby. Although the people skills, that is something I've been working on for many years in general and I've grown leaps and bounds beyond where I used to be, believe it or not given the self depricatory nature of my post. Perhaps in time I will simply reach a point where I myself will know. But like I said... Thank you for answer in the positive the real question I had.

In general, yes.

 

Your work shows that you understand what it is that you are doing. Your photos are not as bold and dramatic as they could be, but we all get better as we gather experience. You aren't excellent with a capital E, but you are better than a few well paid photographers I've seen over the years. You approach some subject matter better than I could, so I tip my hat to you there.

 

Some tips, FWIW, if you want a more rounded, commercial-oriented portfolio: bright, but not obviously exaggerated colour always sells. Fill the frame. Find interesting objects to shoot - they could be toys, stationery, food, consumables, whatever. Have you ever browsed through stock collections? Do that and you'll find new ideas to explore. Even old catalogues by The Image Bank are worth looking through.

 

Another tip, if you want it: learn about cinematography and learn how to use Resolve. You never know if you'll be asked to work on video projects, but if you do you'll have the knowledge that most photographers don't.

 

Most of photography is about business skills, but I am not the one to ask about that. ;-)

 

Two things, though.

 

1. This shot is affectatious and the 1990s is going to call any minute to ask for permanent custody. Be glad that you will not have to pay child support:

 

You Have Mail!

 

2. This one is just not good enough to make the cut - those clouds are just too distracting. And the light is boring. You should have waited for the clouds to disappear and/or waited for nicer light. If you didn't have that luxury, you should have deleted the file as soon as you viewed it when you got home. Not worth it:

 

Mountain Reflection

 

Thanks for the compliments! And actually I rather agree with your cutting of those 2 inages too.

 

There are multiple reasons why I probably am not cut out for pro work. The people skills aspect as mentioned above being the main one. The other is output ratio which honestly would just come with time. These photos have been collected over years and I tend not to get that many good shots when I go out to shoot. I definitely am not just randomly shooting mind you and culling from thousands of pics those that look good. Indeed I tend to be pretty methodical and sparing with what I shoot, usually not seeing much of anything and when I do almost always realizing to my disappointment that a shot that I'd love is ruined by some element or another. Even on holidays like the 6 days in HK this year I may onyl shoot maybe 200 shots at the most and from that I may only like a single shot, maybe 2. This output ratio would need to drastically improve. But that's really just about getting better and shooting a hell of a lot more which I really should do anyway, even as a hobby.

I've been fortunate enough to turn a hobby into my job, and as time passed, the hobby was gone. It had become work, and the passion I had for it became simple professional dedication to being a bit better at doing that job...

 

Thank you!! What you just said is the ultimate reason I probably can't do pro. It would ruin the passion. Random ironic correlation. The store I said I manage is a retail store selling video games and pop culture merchandise. I find managing this business has rather sucked the fun out of gaming and the like for me lol. As I said I like the people I work with but this connects with what you said. I couldn't have the same thing happen with photography for me. It really for me is about the thrill of seeing a shot I love. It's the skip of a heart beat when I see I've captured something I feel proud of, that I feel is beautiful. While I wish that were commercializable, and it kind of is, I don't want to ruin that aspect of it by getting into the trenches, where the money actually is.

The problem I see is that while your shots are good, there is no indication of what you would do professionally. There is no significant market for what you show in your portfolio and no indication of what you would do on assignment. The higher-paying (if it can be called that) of today's professional photography is fairly mundane, time consuming, and requires skills not mentioned above, particularly patience when shooting and speed when processing.

 

I made more money doing real estate photography than sports photography, live concert photography, or portraits, all of which I liked more. It paid extremely well and I had no deadbeat clients. But it was boring as it could be, it often involved waiting, and it required really fast turnaround. Sports required far more waiting and much more intense turnaround, a hundred shots processed for the web by 2AM after getting home at 12:30 (typically). Portraits, well, there were people that never showed up, people that didn't pay the remainder and wanted photos, etc. etc. I also did corporate events - conferences and that sort of thing - and while that had no payment problems, it was also quite boring and clients wanted fast turnaround.

 

The problem a lot of people who enjoy photography find when they look at becoming a professional is that other than using a camera is little connection between the personal enjoyment activity and the professional activity.

When you mentioned the single portrait in my portfolio I'm assuming you mean the fact that aside from it I have no shots of people? That the insutrt, where the money is be made, is in photographing people? Or were you referring to the photography itself?

Lighting wise it doesn't look like a professional money shot to me.

I am not sure where the money is, in this world. - I am not professional enough to tell and haven't taped a huge well. My dad used to say: "It is cheaper to buy a postcard of the Leaning Tower, shot in great light, than to shoot it yourself" (on film, starting empty handed from scratch). - People OTOH need their pictures taken and used to be the biggest market for photographers. - Maybe things have changed and the "our kids" generation doesn't need no photographers, due to the countless selfies it is shooting?

You don't need to have skills with people to find employment as a photographer; museums & manufacturers, maybe also real estate sellers might still need somebody to shoot things. - Just don't expect spectacular income from such jobs.

Selling landscapes seems hard to do, to me, and the market might be small. OTOH: The Internet might be helpful. Best of luck to you anyhow!

Good answers above. I don't think many people pay for photography these days, unless the job is so difficult or so horrible that they can't just grab the nearest person with a dSLR or even a decent cell camera. An observation on personality types. I think photographers tend to be observers and spend a lot of time looking at scenes, lighting and people. I know I'm usually on the outside looking in. I've photographed people having fun, but it's not a concept I easily grasp myself. The traits that make you sensitive to images and maybe the degree of OCD necessary to execute all the details well, can lead to a bit of discomfort with people and the world in general. Just food for thought.

It’s better to make your work fun than to make your fun work.

An observation on personality types. I think photographers tend to be observers and spend a lot of time looking at scenes, lighting and people. I know I'm usually on the outside looking in. I've photographed people having fun, but it's not a concept I easily grasp myself. The traits that make you sensitive to images and maybe the degree of OCD necessary to execute all the details well, can lead to a bit of discomfort with people and the world in general. Just food for thought.

Have written on this before, but awareness of the inclination to be watcher rather than participant is the first step in balancing recording and doing.

The traits that make you sensitive to images and maybe the degree of OCD necessary to execute all the details well, can lead to a bit of discomfort with people and the world in general.

read about salgado and his work with native tribes and people worldwide or see the documentary about him by wim wenders, salt of the earth, it’s not true for him

 

photographers like avedon, leibovitz, karsch didn’t strike me as uncomfortable with people. brassai was very involved with the people in places he shot

 

for me photography is about social contacts as much as the finished print

 

the personality type you describe would apply to some but probably not most photographers