How did you get started?

[Jack Skunk]

Howdy folks!

Okay, I'm pretty much new here although I have been haunting the forums and this site for a minute without registering, so my apologies if we've had this kind of discussion before, but I didn't really see it on searching so here goes...

I'd like to hear from some professional photographers about how they got started in the business. I know that there are various levels of involvment and people have different definitions of a professional photographer, but I'm talking about people who have pursued photography as their main career and who make the majority of their income from shooting.

I'm personally just starting out and actually do manage to make all of my money with a camera but I just take tourist souvenir photos and am working for someone else and my goals are set much higher. I went to college for a bit and studied photography but the program was not any good so I dropped out. I'm working on getting together my portfolio to set up a website and facebook with, and I'd like to start getting paying jobs doing portraits, bands, or commercial stuff. I'm really interested in shooting rock shows and in editorial/reportage stuff, but I know that wont pay the bills right now.

So how about you? What machinery did you rub that elbow grease on? Any pits you've fallen in you'd like to warn some newbies about? Or are you working your way up like me and feel like you have something to say? Thanks everyone!

[andyw]

I'll be interested to see what sort of responses you get to this question.

For my part.............

Firstly I would have to say that you need to decide what area you actually what to try for.
"portraits, bands, or commercial stuff" are all different these days and the routes in are different for each.

I started with photography in the 70's and things were a bit (a lot) different then so my route in is not really relevant these days.

I started with an instamatic, snapping away the normal tourist rubbish around Brussels. Also snapping shots of friends and other ex-pats at the local pub.
This led to people wanting to buy copies of the prints which gave me enough for my first SLR (a Pentax ME super I think).
Which led in turn to me getting more "into" photography and learning more about it including getting stuck into the darkroom.

I used to be a bit of a sportsman then and so was shooting around local events which led to me being asked by participants and the clubs etc to shoot specific things which in turn led to getting some pictures published in the local papers.
Carried on doing this as a hobby with the occassional sale when I moved to Frankfurt and then again when I moved back to London in the 80's.

By then I had worked as a stringer for a couple of papers in Germany and also had a few images published in various other publications so I decided to concentrate a bit more on the photography and less and less on the "office job".

I joined a couple of organisations (Bureau of Freelance photographer first and NUJ later) which gave me a lot of ideas and help until eventually (after about 3-4 years) I was getting more work as a photographer and could do it full time.

Since then I have done a bit of everything from shooting kids through to fashion, packshots, travel and just about anything you can think off.

These days it is mainly travel or basically what I want to do rather than what others want me to do.

It is a lot tougher these days than when I started. Everyone and their grandmother has a "decent" camera and it seems everyone thinks they are taking great images.
Plus the markets have changed dramatically and publishers criteria are different.

It is relatively easy these days to maybe sell some work but it is a heck of a lot harder to actually make a living from the business unless you really work at it.

I would advise anyone starting today to spe******e more. Seriously study the market you want to get into and learn everything there is to know about it.
When you pitch for jobs then make sure you have a good book to show - relevant to that particular market.

Unless you land a job as a staffer somewhere (unusual these days) then you need to have a good business head.

Be prepared for a lot of rejection and disappointment but if you can stand above the crowd then you will eventually get there if you are determined.

[Jack Skunk]

So what I'm hearing from you is "shoot always and work hard." I definitely need to shoot more often, especially music shows, which I'd like to make my specialty.

Nice photos on your flickr by the way. I was wondering, do you sell prints of those or sell them to magazines or where do you get your business? Thanks again.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Jack Skunk

So what I'm hearing from you is "shoot always and work hard." I definitely need to shoot more often, especially music shows, which I'd like to make my specialty.

Nice photos on your flickr by the way. I was wondering, do you sell prints of those or sell them to magazines or where do you get your business? Thanks again.

Basically yes, shoot loads and work hard is the way to go.
Once/if you ever do become a pro in any field you will likely find that you end up spending as much (or more) time doing paperwork and marketing than actually shooting.

When you are trying to get started then you need to shoot loads. Not only to just build up your stock of images but the more you shoot the more second nature and the easier it becomes to be able to adjust to all the differing conditions you will encounter.

When on a job there is very little in the way of excuses if you don't come back with the goods.


Getting into the music area is pretty hard going from the little I know about it. It is something which many think is very glamorous but in reality I doubt it is.
You need to start small and try and break in that way really.

Thanks re the Flickr. Most of those images are from my personal stash and a lot are just me playing around with different things although there are a few there which have been sold or were taken on a commission (mainly the France and Japan shots).
A few of the French shots are sold as prints in some shops in places in S. France and a number were sold to various hotels and restaurants as large prints.

The Harajuku shots have been in a few magazines and the Pride 2010 shots were taken whilst doing a commission for a charity organisation.

Mostly I now shoot for stock or specific clients who I have worked with over the years.
I have been around for about 30 years and am a bit of a jack of all trades in this game.
Done loads but not really a "spe******t" in anything in particular.
Nowadays that is not really the way to go purely because of the amount of people trying to get into the game in general.