Survey for Photographers

[Adrianaclaire]

I'm a high school student interested in working as a photographer when I'm older and have some questions listed below; if some professional photographers are kind enough to share their experiences, I'd greatly appreciate it!

1. Name:
2. Link to your gallery:
3. In what areas of professional photography do you work?
4. Are you employed by a photography company? Are you a member of any organizations? If so, which ones?
5. What are a few typical aspects of preparation and completion of assignments?
6. Did you complete any training or photographic studies in school?
7. What is a typical photo assignment like?
8. How many hours per week do you usually work?
9. What is your favorite part about working as a photographer?
10. What is your least favorite part about working as a photographer?
11. What is the most crucial equipment to your business?
12. To what extent do you retouch portraits?
13. How did your interest in professional photography begin?
14. Do you market your services? If so, do you do so primarily on the Internet or through other sources?
15. How crucial is marketing to your business?
16. To what extent would you say that the photography industry has been affected by the recent economic slump?
17. What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
18. What has been your most memorable experience as a photographer?
19. What do you think is the best way to enter the industry?
20. How do you determine pricing for your services? How often do you change your rates?

[OsmosisStudios]

1. Name:
Adam "Osmosis Studios" Montpetit

2. Link to your gallery:
Osmosis Studios - Adam Montpetit | Photography, Web Design, Graphic Design | Ottawa, Ont. (or OsmosisStudios on deviantART)

3. In what areas of professional photography do you work?
Mainly portraiture work, but also do some landscape/architecture and events.

4. Are you employed by a photography company? Are you a member of any organizations? If so, which ones?
None at all.

5. What are a few typical aspects of preparation and completion of assignments?
Lots of planning. Making sure everything is clear and organized, getting gear together and packed.

6. Did you complete any training or photographic studies in school?
No.

7. What is a typical photo assignment like?
This depends greatly. For the most part I work freelance, but the occasional "assignment" I get is events coverage.

8. How many hours per week do you usually work?
0. At least not at this.

9. What is your favorite part about working as a photographer?
Being able to create something

10. What is your least favorite part about working as a photographer?
When I cant get ideas, or when I'm left without a model.

11. What is the most crucial equipment to your business?
My eyes. I can direct someone to take a shot, but if I cant see something, it's useless.

12. To what extent do you retouch portraits?
Very little. Some basic colour correction and blemish removal. Sometimes some skin softening. I try to get as much right in-camera as possible.

13. How did your interest in professional photography begin?
I've always been a creative person, and photography is the most compelling way i've found of doing what i want.

14. Do you market your services? If so, do you do so primarily on the Internet or through other sources?
I have a group on Facebook, but that's it.

15. How crucial is marketing to your business?
Very little. Word-of-mouth is the best thing.

16. To what extent would you say that the photography industry has been affected by the recent economic slump?
Personally? Little/no change. On the whole? Probably not a whole lot either.

17. What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
People. The most compelling subjects are the ones that not only make me smile, but can smile back.

18. What has been your most memorable experience as a photographer?
The first time I got a lighting setup right, from memory, just as I wanted it. It was at a fundraiser event, no less, so I was super excited.

19. What do you think is the best way to enter the industry?
Start out by learning. If you cant tell the difference between good work and not so good work, you're not gonna go anywhere.

20. How do you determine pricing for your services? How often do you change your rates?
Based on competing local photographers, the event/product itself and how much money I'd like to make. My rates have changed one in the last 2 years.

[Rina Minca]

Thank you so much, I should've asked the same questions ages ago.
I really anjoy hearing and understanding about the photography profession.

[no.absolutes]

1. Name: Becky Brewer

2. Link to your gallery: No Absolutes Photography {NC Portrait Photographer}

3. In what areas of professional photography do you work? lifestyle, childrens, portraits

4. Are you employed by a photography company? Are you a member of any organizations? If so, which ones? No

5. What are a few typical aspects of preparation and completion of assignments? Being organized helps... I use an accordian file to hold all paperwork, which I then scan and store on an external hard drive as soon as I get home.

6. Did you complete any training or photographic studies in school? I was on newspaper stuff, but no, I was completely self taught.

7. What is a typical photo assignment like? It depends what I'm shooting. If it's a newborn shoot, it's a lot of waiting. If it's kids, lots of running around. Family, lots of trying to get X # of people doing the same thing at the same time. Then of course there is all the editing afterwards.

8. How many hours per week do you usually work? I spend a LOT of time "working" when I really shouldn't be.

9. What is your favorite part about working as a photographer? Knowing that my clients love my work and will proudly display it... plus I love being creative.

10. What is your least favorite part about working as a photographer? Some days I just need a break! I haven't edited a single client's photos today and I feel guilty...

11. What is the most crucial equipment to your business? My imagination, my camera, and my computer. My imagination is the only thing that limits me. I make the photos, not my camera... but without my camera, there would be no pictures! And my computer... well, I have an old one now, and it definitely hinders me. I cannot wait for my upgrade to arrive.

12. To what extent do you retouch portraits? It depends what I am shooting. Event photography or sports... minimally. A few presets for neat colors and then several just to fix the lighting... but if it's portraits, I do edit them a lot... I like for my portraits to look like paintings, maybe? I don't know... Every photo is different, but I want them all to look their best.
13. How did your interest in professional photography begin? I'm not sure... My husband just knew it was something I always wanted to do so we just took the plunge and I'm doing it... It happened so quickly that I'm unsure about how it happened. I've always loved photography, but then I realized other people loved my photography.

14. Do you market your services? If so, do you do so primarily on the Internet or through other sources? Mostly I market online and by word of mouth through facebook, craigslist, and my website.

15. How crucial is marketing to your business? Marketing is pretty important... It's like they say, if someone has a good experience, they only tell one person... but if they have a bad experience, they tell EVERYONE!!! Well, I'm hoping for only good experiences, but I can't just rely on that word of mouth.

16. To what extent would you say that the photography industry has been affected by the recent economic slump? I think people are looking for the most economical packages, to an extent. I mean, why save up for months come to a lifestyle photographer when you can go to Wal-Mart and get a package for less than an hours worth of pay? On the other side of that coin, I have clients willing to pay extra for travel feels for me to shoot them, so I guess it just depends on the clientelle.

17. What are your favorite subjects to photograph? I like teenagers and older children because they will really listen and do what you want... I like newborns because the outcome can be amazing... I like families because the product will be cherished forever... I love all sorts of photography

18. What has been your most memorable experience as a photographer? I think being able to document my own children's life is going to be the greatest experience ever. I have 15 more years of my son living at home and I'll never forget any of it because I have it all in pictures.

19. What do you think is the best way to enter the industry? Just do it!

20. How do you determine pricing for your services? How often do you change your rates? I started out offering free shoots and once I felt my portfolio was good enough, I started advertising and charging a little less than the average rate. I've changed my prices twice... including a complete overhaul of my business plan. I used to offer a CD of images at no charge and not offer prints... I've since realized that wasn't very cost effective for me.

[SusanH1970]

1. Name: Susan

2. Link to your gallery: Susan Harrington Photography - Connecticut*Child and Family Portraits - Home

3. In what areas of professional photography do you work? Child/Family/Maternity/Newborn portraiture

4. Are you employed by a photography company? Are you a member of any organizations? If so, which ones? Nope, and not yet, but plan to join PPA and perhaps CTPPA.

5. What are a few typical aspects of preparation and completion of assignments? In a nutshell, but really much more detailed: Speak/meet with client to discuss shoot/what to expect/be sure of a clear understanding of my policies and client expectations. Night before shoot: be sure gear is clean, batteries are charged, memory cards are clear and all equipment is packed and ready to go. After shoot, upload photos, back up, process, order proofs. Take order, order prints, package, deliver.

6. Did you complete any training or photographic studies in school? Nope.

7. What is a typical photo assignment like? Crazy and fun, and sometimes stressful.

8. How many hours per week do you usually work? I shoot on weekends and do the computer/biz aspect during the week – it really depends.

9. What is your favorite part about working as a photographer? Working with people and seeing their faces when I deliver the final order to them. A few clients have gotten teary-eyed and almost all hug me – it’s why I do what I do. Bringing that much joy to people through my art is so amazing and fulfilling!

10. What is your least favorite part about working as a photographer? Paperwork, finances, all that crap (which is about 80% - 90% of the job! Thank goodness the good outweighs the not-so-fun, LOL).

11. What is the most crucial equipment to your business? My brain.

12. To what extent do you retouch portraits? It depends on a balance between what my client wants and what my personal style as a photographer is.

13. How did your interest in professional photography begin? I’ve always loved it and used to “steal” my mom’s camera when I was a kid. I only seriously got interested in it in the last few years.

14. Do you market your services? If so, do you do so primarily on the Internet or through other sources? Local free advertising, SEO, Facebook, business cards, WOM/referrals, Internet referral sites.

15. How crucial is marketing to your business? SEO and WOM have been my best sources. Most of my clients either find me through search engines or previous/current clients have referred them to me.

16. To what extent would you say that the photography industry has been affected by the recent economic slump? People might not spend $5K on prints, but they still are willing to pay for a professional session, even if they don’t buy as many prints. I had one client literally put aside money every week for a year because she wanted to be able to purchase prints for 20+ family members for Christmas gifts.

17. What are your favorite subjects to photograph? Newborns and kids.

18. What has been your most memorable experience as a photographer? When a client I did a newborn session for called me up in tears of joy when she saw the sneak peeks I posted on Facebook – she said it was exactly what she had in mind, and more. I started crying with her, LOL!

19. What do you think is the best way to enter the industry? Start off S….L……….O………..W. Please don’t decide that you want to be a photographer, go out and buy a DSLR, and hang out your shingle. Take the time necessary to learn how to get images correct in-camera, how to deal with difficult shooting situations, how to post-process images cleanly, and learn the business aspects before even thinking about it.

20. How do you determine pricing for your services? How often do you change your rates? I compare my pricing to others in my area and adjust accordingly. Don’t want to be too cheap (and GAWD I hate the “I charge you only $50 for an all-day session and will give you all the high-res images on disc for you to print anywhere!” people), and don’t want to be so ridiculously high that no one can afford me.