How to Earn a Living Being a Professional Photographer

[syv]

Hi,

I just published an e-book in PDF format: “Dreaming of Turning Pro, How to Earn a Living Being a Professional Photographer” that will tell everything you need to know to start. It's available at:

• How to start?
• How to get your first customer?
• Which equipment to choose? (Actually the choice has already been done for you)
• Where to promote your website? (And no, it's not Google)
• How to contact the buyers?
• What are the secrets (hint: lot of hard work and no real shortcut)

SPPPPAAAAAAMMMMMMMmmmmah.

[candidrachel]

I prefer corned beef personally......

[andyw]

- look ma, another book giving one mans opinion on how to do something.

Yawn..........


edit.
OH wow - having a quiet afternoon today and thought I would have a look at this "book".
You have just gotta download it. A big gold star for the funniest, most stupid. most obvious or just downright wrong piece of advice in it.
Believe me in the few pages I have looked at then there is plenty to choose from.

[wulf]

I'm feeling generous so I've only deleted the link and final sales pitch (for now) - you did at least find the right section of the site to post.

If you want to share some tips (as well as learn) then DPS is a good place to be, posting the tips here. If you become established as a helpful member of the community, sharing a link like that might not seem amiss once a in while but you have to understand that just jumping in and posting a link to your product on another site, even if offered for free, looks a lot like trying to take advantage of the popularity of DPS.

If you want traffic for your site, either buy advertising or expect the spamhammer!

Wulf

[Jim Bryant]

Damnnnnnnnnnnn! Wulf, I really wanted to purchase one of those ebooks.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by andyw

- look ma, another book giving one mans opinion on how to do something.

Yawn..........


edit.
OH wow - having a quiet afternoon today and thought I would have a look at this "book".
You have just gotta download it. A big gold star for the funniest, most stupid. most obvious or just downright wrong piece of advice in it.
Believe me in the few pages I have looked at then there is plenty to choose from.

I'd taken a quick look at it also, when the link was up. A fine source of amusement!

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by andyw

- You have just gotta download it. A big gold star for the funniest, most stupid. most obvious or just downright wrong piece of advice in it.
Believe me in the few pages I have looked at then there is plenty to choose from.

Send me it please!! al[@]alborrelli.com or send me the link.. would love to tear it apart.

[karen_s]

Just google the title ... you'll find it.

"Dreaming of Turning Pro, How to Earn a Living Being a Professional Photographer"

This person has been spamming this thing all over the place.

Here's a response that was damned good from DPreview

There's interesting stuff in your PDF - it does need a little more polish - but it's good enough for me to decide to keep a copy. I hope never to attempt to make money from Photography. I decided long ago that I want to get good and that I want it to stay a hobby so I can enjoy it. And frankly I don't need the pay cut for the privellege of being a photographer as I've seen put it.

Regarding turning Pro, here is how I've actually seen it done:

*

Take kiddy pics in the park at ridiculously low unsustainable prices using bottom end equipment. 30 full shots on DVD for $20 as a "promotion". Cut down to 20 when you realise 30 shots in an hour isn't possible. Blame high demand.
*

Draft a contract since you'll need permission to post the pictures on Facebook. - Overbook yourself till you're run ragged.
*

If there are multiple children don't allocate extra time - just charge per child, but only deliver a total of 20 shots. When your customers it's time to moan all about how everyone wants something for nothing on Facebook.
*

Refuse to onsell anything or negotiate on what the customer wants as you're not interested and you're way too busy.
*

Overprocess the pictures till they look like a Ken Rockwell landscape. Lightroom presets are a great way to get started. Edit a picture. Create a pre-set that captures that captures your artistic style and will be the starting point for every picture. What you want is a look nothing like what others will capture out of camera. This will make you stand out as an artist. So that look should ruin skintones, clip highlights and shadows and add enough contrast to make children look like cartoons.
*

You have permission thanks to your contract. So post your kiddy shoots all over Facebook. Post every shot. Don't be selective. If you've taken it, it's a brilliant work of art that needs to be shown. If anyone doesn't like your picture of their child act hurt. They paid peanuts so they should expect a monkey!
*

Ask your customers for advice on pricing. For good measure publicly declare that you've never considered yourself a pro. (I mean just look at how you're behaving). If they tell you you should be charging 10 times as much and don't criticise the quality, they must be your best friend. Constructive criticism, no matter how encouraging, (even in a private message) should be shunned and you should take offense to it - how dare they question anything that you do!
*

Offer to do weddings, commitment ceremonies, anything your customers are dumb enough to hire you for.
*

Wait till your only camera breaks down during a shoot. Publicly refuse a friend's offer to lend you an equally capable camera because it's not the brand you like.
*

Cancel all your sessions for the next 3 weeks while the camera is in the shop (Be sure to announce this on Facebook and nowhere else)
*

Rush around like a headless chook finding a repair shop. Keep your customers informed. Everyone on Facebook needs a blow by blow of your life. Mix in some personal drama for good measure.
*

Announce on Facebook that you've decided to buy another camera and that you are so excited! Go out and buy the newest least proven model on the same day. All your sessions are now back on! Customers may now rejoice! It says so on Facebook.
*

Go back to shooting and posting on Facebook! Your business model works!!! Ignoring expenses (as you do), it should only take you 50 or so shoots to pay off your shiny new consumer camera and the repair of your old one!

Sadly the above is not a joke or exaggeration. I've actually seen exactly the above scenario happen recently!!! Imagine if the camera had broken down during a commitment ceremony!