Interested in photography as potential career/don't know where to start

At the moment I am focusing on improving my skills, my knowledge and experience with photography, but I am growing restless and looking for advice on where you should start if you are just beginning to take a step into photography as a career. I've heard ideas like small weddings, or going to your city zoo and asking if you could do some photos for them, and things like that, but I would like some more advice. Right now my husband and his band are doing gigs at bars, river camps and things like that, I'm using them to improve my people skills, and besides going outside into nature and things like that, I still don't feel like I know which direction I should try and head in. Can anyone give me some clear ideas or advice, or some inspiration.

Hi Andrea. We've found a combo that works for us, but it's a reflection of our own interests, market opportunities, and fluctuations in the economy. I hesitate to recommend any one venue, short of telling you to look at the need for photos in your immediate area, and if they interest you, to develop those markets first before branching out.

After 20 years at it, our business if fairly complex with about 80% of income derived from being paid to shoot photos and the remainder being from stock sales. I was doing scientific photography when we started the business and my wife opened her studio. Over the span of years we've evolved eight diverse photo genera for our business. That's important for us due to fluctuations in the economy, both locally and nationally. It's always worked out that as one sector of our business declined for a year or two, another picked up to compensate. If we had been specialized in any one venue, we'd be broke. As it is, we've paid for the commercial building that houses our studio, and lots more while still taking home an income. Our web site is still under development, but you can get a glimpse of the scope of our business here.

Bottom line is my wife's favorite quip: "A photography business is 5% photography and 95% business." For the long term it's not simply how much you make, but how you use the money and grow the business. Things like retirement, investments, depreciation, business plans, advertising and more have to be accounted too.

Someone with mediocre skills capturing images but possesses sound marketing and business practices will succeed more likely than someone who possesses great skills capturing images but lacks sound marketing and business practices. Hank's wife has it right - """A photography business is 5% photography and 95% business."". While trying to improve your skills capturing images, make sure you get a sound background in business management. With that said, it seems you might be interested in the "people" side of photography - portraiture. If so, there is a big difference between taking good pictures and capturing a good portrait. "Seeing the light", knowing your equipment, understanding the rules of composition, depth of field, the horizon line and subjects breaking the horizon line, and having a knowledge of posing techniques will be the backbone of the photography side. I started a portrait studio as a second career and quickly learned there was a big difference between "taking good pictures" and capturing a portrait. I joined a local affiliate of professional photographers. It took me months to grasp the concept of "seeing the light", of looking into the subject's eyes and seeing the light there and not looking at the background first. This is moreso for on location then in studio. I still remember the moment when I "saw the light" in my subject's eyes. After that, it became easier.

Do you have a local professional who is willing to work with you? Have you assist? At weddings or in the studio? Wedding, family, senior (a niche not big in all areas, and a niche that has become extremely competitive and investment intensive to build and maintain), maternity, glamour, commercial, business portait, studio, on location, pet, architectural and sports as well as other locally recognized needs are different venues to explore. Not to mention nature, scenic/landscape, fine art. Location is a factor. Both in terms of operating out of a home, having a store front or specializing in a carriage trade type operation as well as the community or area you live in or work out of. From my years in developing my business I feel that the basics of posing and lighting are not promoted enough on the teaching circuit. And venturing into photography professionally incurs a different mindset in equipment then when it is a hobby. Back up equipment, both in studio and on location is important. And with digital, I am not only referring to the camera equipment and lighting equipment.

Do you have a business plan? Are you sole proprietor, LLC, incorporated? Do you have your DBA? Have you talked with an acocuntant? A lawyer? Is this a second/side career, where you have benies (mainly health) from another income stream (spouse)?

The competition is fiercer now then ever. In "professional" circles, there are terms for people in the profession who are in it as MWC/DWC (mom's with cameras/dad's with cameras) socor moms, and other terms for people drawing an income because they enjoy photography, have a camera and "take good pictures". And they may. And often their camera may be equal, better, fancier or newer than "the pro".

The current issue of Outdoor Photographer magazine has an article on the serious upgrade or coming of age of the correspondance school such as NYIP and another. Local community colleges sometimes have programs in photography. Camera clubs and local professional affiliates as well as guilds are all resources available to help you grow. And then there is the web, and sites like this one. Your resource pool for developing your craft and learning has never been greater. NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals), workshops, seminars, PPA (Professional Photographers of America), WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) and other professional affiliations are available.

Good luck and best wishes in your pursuit.

I thought this might amuse some of you, or might already sound familiar. Recently, I have had an exhibit at our local library and another at one of our churches each showing 22 images matted and framed. No one bought so far, even though it was clearly stated that all photos are for sale. However, I got several request for photo donnation for their silent auction.
I think that just about tells the story about today's economy. Unfortunately, I do not know of any one who was making "fortunes" selling their photos.

I'm expecting the annual call from a local charity. When I stated working with this charity it was to raise my professional profile in the community but continue to do it as it is a small community in which the efforts of charities play a large role.

Professionally I only shoot stock here, I'm just not prepared to do the work that is needed to compete against the amateurs and semi-pros who can discount prices as it isn't their main source of income. Unfortunately with many buyers it is price rather than quality that dictates their choice.

Whether it is our remote location or the switch to digital, there are even professional buyers here that believe photography should be free or cheap. One local government agency demands that you surrender all rights but bear all legal responsibility if you submit work to their database.

As others have stated it is a business first, knowing your local market may be the first consideration.

My interest in photography as a career is mainly a second or backup at the moment, I am in college, majoring in Business Management/Administration. Next semester I plan on taking a photography class aside from the classes I am needed to take. I've thought about talking to Management at my city zoo, seeing if they need any new or fresh photos of their animals and park, I've thought about some of the parks around here also, right now I'm working with my husband in our company, which we create/build and sale accessory parts for the Saiga-12 shotgun, I run the office for the most part, customers, inventory, shipping, advertising and checking our sales and seeing what needs to be done to keep us afloat. I've always loved photography though, and I HATE sitting in an office, I know this is going to make some of you laugh, or get on to me for admitting this, but my dream since (god, so long ago) has been to have something to do with National Geographic. I love the idea of traveling, I absolutely hate sitting or standing still and staying in the same place, I love getting dirty and going through crazy shit, but it wasn't until a little over 3 years ago that I finally got a decent, very nice camera to really play with and get into. My first camera ever was a Polariod, when I was like 8 or 9, but as soon as I ran out of what little film I had, nobody bought me any or I couldn't find the right film. But no, my biggest, craziest dream is to work with National Geographic some day. Two years ago I saw that they have two paid photography internships, the one I'm interested in is where you must send in a portfolio of no more/less than 30 of your best/recent shots, a reccomendation from a reknown photojournalist/teacher in your area (and there was something else). The internship is for fourteen weeks, either spring or fall, that is what I am trying to work up to at this moment (all resumes/portfolios are to be turned in each year by December/January), even if I wasn't to get a job afterwards, it would be worth it. Anyways, I'm trying to focus on so many different things right, I don't want to jump right into the photography business just yet, just want to get my feet a little wet and check things, learn from others and scratch the surface some.

Hi Andrea. You stated that you hate sitting in an office and want to be out and about. However that contradicts what it takes to earn a living even as a photographer. Unless you can afford someone or have a spouse to handle the business side of things you are going to have to put in the work just like anyone else with a white collar job.

If all you would like to do is travel then perhaps being a cruise ship attendant or traveling English tutor would be a better bet IMO.

Well, I like knowing that I can choose to get up and get out for a little while, I'm kind of a fidgety person and very anal about always having to exercise or be active (which is the main reason I hate sitting). My biggest issue is being stuck inside while everything outside is beautiful and just unbelievably gorgeous weather, I can't teach anyone anything, the best bet for someone if they were to learn from me would be to sit there and watch cause I will just forget that they are there and keep on going. I don't know if I could make a living on a cruise ship, one I'm superstitious and even though I love danger and doing things a little crazy, feeling trapped and like I have nowhere to really go (caving, out at sea, up in a plane, etc.) is something I am not crazy about. I put things together and know that I love seeing new things, I LOVE being outdoors and being around animals, I've always wanted to travel, and I love being able to take photographs of things I do, or of people and animals without them knowing it, I LOVE catching things/people/animals in their natural habitat and behaviors on photos. I mean I'm not quite sure yet of what area I want to focus on, but I do know 75% that it isn't studio work (if I can help it). Photography and videography are some interesting things to me, I actually make DVDs from the photos and videos I take, mainly family events right now but I am hoping to step up and make one of my husband and his band's shows and stuff. Okay so I might not completely hate sitting down or still, but I guess I'm the type of person who loves working up a sweat and breaking my back and getting dirty, but I love art (of any kind) and have always loved drawing for one, but I've never quite been able to get exactly what I see in my mind on paper, so photography just feels and satisfies me better. I just like the idea of having some sort of direction or know what I'm trying to strive for or represent in a set of photographs, I mean as I said before, this isn't my main focus for a career, but I would like to dig even more into it and get serious enough to make some money or see my photos (even one) in a magazine, or (crossing fingers big time) getting to actually talk to Brian Skerry, doing an internship with National Geographic, that would be a once in a lifetime chance and I could die happy. Does anyone on here know Brian Skerry, I mean have you heard of him?

Here's a useful number for you Andrea, based on 20 years of clock watching in our business. We have to because we need some foundation for establishing our rates. It seems pretty consistent, no matter what kind of shooting we're doing:

For every hour of shooting, we put in an additional five hours in the office on uncompensated time. Based on that, we charge 5x what we consider a minimum hourly rate for actual shooting.

Hmm......glad I'm going to school cause I was always shabby with math, haha. And the whole office part is pretty much photoshop or editing the photos and just making them look better (not manipulating)? If there is more to it than that, let me know because I'm still a newbie with that stuff also, I pretty much want to know exactly what comes with photography as a career. I mean as long as my fingers and hands and eyes are doing something, I'm okay with the office deal, but I have to get up and dance around the room to reggae music for 15 minutes every hour just to keep my sanity. That sounds like the whole for every hour that you are in class, you must commit to double that outside of class. Also, the first week of October Evansville has a Fall Festival, rides and food and crowds; and I'm thinking of inviting some of my young photography friends with me to go down and work on some photo shots of the crowds, kids and people on rides and things like that. I don't want to look like I'm stalking anyone, though I can look pretty unnoticable anyways, but at night I'm afraid that I might need to use my flash. For example: the rides, I mean I will take some during the day (a lot) but I'm interested in the night time also, but I want to catch the people's faces, but I don't want to blind them, any advice for any of this? Also we will be having a parade at the end of the festival which lasts a week, and once again it is at night (well it starts at like 8 p.m.), but I don't want to blind anyone. Any advice?

Lots of stuff. Meeting with clients/returning phone calls, advertising/promotion, accounting/bill paying, gear maintenance, preparation for shoots, followup from shoots, correspondence, and yeah, image processing and distribution, to name but a few. Then there's facilities maintenance, if your place of business is separate from your home.

Thanks those had totally slipped my mind, I mean I figured all that when it would be time to get real serious and make this slightly larger thanjust side job.

One bit of unsolicited advice:

Be very thoughtful in how you name your business. We made what I perceive to be a serious mistake in naming for ourselves (Pennington Photography). Mistake? Yeah. Big time.

Think about the day far down the road when you want to move on to something else, or even retire. Do you simply close the door and walk away, or do you sell a functioning business? If the former, no problem. If the latter, big problem.

Are you also selling your name along with the business? And what about all the photos you've generated over the years? How do you distinguish between them and the ones shot by the new owners? Or is your photo inventory a gimme to the new owners when you sell? We're in the lengthy process of changing the name of our business to free up our own name so an eventual sale can be done "cleanly." Even after the name change, we'll continue to © all photos in our own names.

We made a conscious decision from day one that we wanted our business to become a concrete asset we could sell at the end- more than a box of old camera gear and a marginally organized set of photos. As a part of our retirement plan we've systematically built it as a discrete "turn key" entity that someone could buy and start operating the next day. All photos are separate from the business and ours to keep when we sell out, unless the new owner wants to pay (dearly) for them.

What will the new buyer get when we sell? Name recognition, real estate, a long list of established clients, a substantial collection of studio equipment, a financial track record they can use to forecast and meter their own income after the sale, whatever camera equipment we decide to sell rather than keep. And if they want our photos, those will be extra.

I could put a fair market price on our business tomorrow using standard business measurements and inventories, and the prospective buyer could use our numbers to forecast future potential and payoff schedules for their investment. Very business-like. And quite different from simply selling off a box of battered camera gear, your name, and a mishmash of old images.

Yeah, I never thought about that. If I do go on to have a business doing photography, I definitely don't plan on using my name, I've thought of a few (haven't checked to see if they are already taken yet) and Universal Flame is one of them, but I'm not completely stuck on that one. But as I said before, at this very moment I'm not planning on diving right in until I know for sure that I can do well in it and succeed (I especially want to know how and what goes on in a business of photography). Thanks again.

You have to approach your photography as a BUSINESS. I have over 6000 images (good, great, super, not bad, and some I should remove) on my website. After all that shooting, I still do not run a business out of it. I never started doing photography with the intent of making it a career or a business. If I did, I might not still be shooting images! hahahaha You have to decide which market you want to be in. If you are shooting (pun!) for a stock business, then you have to research they heck out of stock companies and what they want. Just because if you have thousands of great images does not mean they are ones that will sell as stock. If you want to be a wedding photographer, you need to know how many companies are already doing that where you live...can you compete with their quality, amount of equipment they bring to the table, and something for the public to see so they will choose you. You must know business acumen or you will fail quite fast regardless of how good you are. Looks like your major will help you with that.

It seems like you are asking us to tell you all you will need to know. While we can help you with some of the broad strokes, you are the one who will have to buckle down and figure out what you are interested in. You will have to build up your photographic and computer hardware and software to meet the challenge. You may need to get a loan to purchase what you need.

You said you want to ask the zoo if they need photographs. They get these requests all the time from folks. What you need to do is get out there and SHOOT the animals in ways that the general tourist has not. You should get to know the zoo keepers while you are there. You should be going there so much that they recognize you. After they know you, you might ask when the best times are to photograph THEIR special animal. Make them feel that their animal is special. You should build a portfolio of THEIR animals shot in beautiful light that are special. You should join the zoo and then join whatever insider FRIENDS of the ZOO that they have. Then, donate time at that zoo doing things that are needed. Along the way, make wonderful images. Before long, you will be a zoo insider and these zoo keepers will know you have more interest in the zoo than just scamming some money off of some quick and easy photographs. This will make YOU special in their eyes. And you will know when something special (like a new birth) is going to happen and be positioned to be asked to document it. Many times documenting things will not get you the money shots you are looking for. BUT, every now and again you will. Plus, like I said earlier, they will know and trust you and give you advantages that the general public will never get. If you do all this, you just might turn out to be a reknowned zoo photographer. You may then be asked to photograph/document all their events. If you really are good, then your name will be given out at zoo conferences and such. You will be asked to come to other zoos and document something special there - even though their are certainly hundreds of photographers living nearby. They want YOU! You must throw yourself into this and almost drown in it! You will learn to "swim" and maybe even be a gold winner.

Whatever you do, you must RESEARCH it fully. Know everything there is to it. You must know a heck of a lot more about photography. Why are some images stunning and some are not. Why would you use 1600 ASA with no flash? IF you are dead set in getting into photography as a business career, then maybe you are in the wrong major! I do not know you, you may already be a gifted photographer. The "business of photography" is as huge as the actual "business of shooting images"! Without a direction, it is hard to tell you what you need to know.

You want to shoot the festivals mentioned and are worried about your flash. Many festivals are shot better without flash! You have to know your equipment and what it can do. You do not mention your camera gear. If it is not a good camera and you have crappy glass, then your results will probably be mediocre overall and you may not understand what you are doing wrong! You will have to make an investment here.

I guess that's enough! Immerse yourself in learning what a camera and its associated equipment can do. Decide if you want to do portraits in a studio, weddings on location, specialize in some criteria or several criteria. But first of all, you need to learn photography and have the inner eye that allows you to know if you actually are any good. Many photographers spend tens of years before going pro. They have learned their craft during those years. Many have gone to schools specifically for photography. They learn the same things in a short time. And others are anywhere in between. Good luck!
Troup

Well since you mentioned the "not mentioning my gear", I'll mention it . I have a Sony a100, really good condition (I've been told by a more experienced fellow photographer) and my only 2 lenses (yes I need to get more, or at least upgrade to one more) is the factory one with a wide angle lens mounted to it, last but definitely not least, my baby is a Sigma 70-300mm, 1:4-5.6 with macro. I know I need a faster lens but I can not afford it right now. I started out with intentions of action shots but mainly with animals, and my interests broadened to nature, landscapes, catching animal/people in a natural or nonartificial state, which my husband calls it stalking. And in just the past months I've become interested in shooting this rock band I know, going to their shows and right now I'm doing portraits and single shots of them for their page and my own practice and improvement. The only difficult part is that they don't quite take me seriously (so it is a little difficult). It's probably going to take another year or less to figure out what area I am truly interested in.

My biggest thing is that I want to have an idea of how the business of photography works, and hear other fellow photographers' own accounts of how they began. I like observing people, learning from others and then deciding my own path. Right now I'm so wrapped up in me and my husband's business that all I have time to do is improve on my photo taking skills, editing skills and what not. I think it will be a couple more years before I can really start doing more than that, I mean I don't and can not travel anywhere right now (Evansville is really not a happenin' place, but I am just learning what my real interests are too). I'd like to know what to kind of expect and how difficult it can be in this field, I know I'm not good enough yet, and definitely not confident enough yet to just go out and sale my work. So what I was really asking from everyone was "how did you began?" If I have an idea where to start or begin something, I will most certainly find my own way of finishing it or continuing. Again, thank you everyone for being so open and helpful with advice, more is definitely welcome.

Find a local photographer who needs an assistant. You might not get paid a lot but you'll get the most important thing--on the job training which is priceless. You basically need to do an apprenticeship to learn the business if you plan to make this a career. This way you'll learn fast whether you want to make this a career or not.

I can speak firsthand that it only works in big cities, Larry. We get those kind of requests frequently in our business----- all from people who hope to start their own photo business in our small town.

Why would we want to give away all our secrets and client contacts to an aspiring new competitor?

NOT!!!!!

I can definitely understand that Hank, but would Evansville, IN be considered a big city (it doesn't feel like one). I don't know if you know or have seen Evansville, but it is the 3rd largest city in Indiana (there's Indianapolis, and I think Terre Haute). Anyways, thanks for the advice everyone.

This is definitely a wild shot in the dark Andrea, but if there is more than one full page of photographers listed in your local yellow pages, I'd call it a big city and it would probably be worthwhile to look for apprenticeship opportunities. Less than a page? I'm betting the opportunities would shrink in direct proportion to the decreasing number. Our town's yellow pages? There's one photographer listed.

You should know that on very rare occasions we do HIRE an assistant or technician for big jobs. I'm of the old school that doesn't believe in asking people to work for free, and we HIRE the techs because of skills they already possess. They're knowledgeable photographers, lighting techs, makeup/wardrobe specialists or general organizers of people, but they already have skills that we need and are willing to pay for. In those same big cities you're likely to find techs listed in the same yellow pages or photo-specific publications such as PDN or Rangefinder, and they're folks making a living as professional assistants to photographers. It's a good gig and they charge about the same rate as photographers, but it takes a lot of pro photographers in an area to add up to a living for them.