A Living With Photography

[Ishyid]

Originally Posted by JerBear

I know it is just out of curiosity, but it reminds me of the times I would interview job applicants and their responses to questions. If I got the feeling that they were more concerned about how hard it would be to learn and work, then I would usually pass on them. The few times that I compromised and hired them, it never worked out. They would usually work to the point that was necessary but never go the extra mile. They were driven by the money, not the profession.

To be a pro and make a living, means hard work, BUT with that hard work brings a lot of satisfaction and self worth.

Good luck,

JM

I completly understand what you are saying. I was just asking, because I am just starting out in the photography world and am trainingg to become a firefighter. As of now, I am looking for another arear to train in, or for that matter learn, because It takes time to find a firefighting job. There is a lot of testing. I am only 19 so there are so many different directions I can go towards. So In other words, I was wondering if I should start to learn photography as a possible field of work, or keep it as a hobbie.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by hugy789

Don't you mean F-stops and shutter speeds?!?!?!?

I'm confused...

of course F-stops and shutter speeds. Just a typo.nothing to be confused about

[JerBear]

I think I hear what your saying and to put a point on it, you do not sound like someone who has "Found" what he or she "Wants" to do yet. Sounds like you want to go for firefighting work but that takes time and luck of the draw to get in. Not a bad gig if you can get in, but, yeah, hard to get in. Have you thought of joining the service and getting some experience there? A recruiter can show you what areas you can apply for and what is available. Get a couple of years in, then, with that experience and all, you should jump higher on the selection list, than someone without. When I got out, I had the GI bill to help put me through college and all. Unfortunately, my area of expertise in the service was not conducive to civilian work, but I did mature a lot and once out, focused.

If that is not the route you want to go, try community college for a couple of years focusing on Firefighting courses, get your AA. You can always take some photography courses while your at it. Try to intern with a studio in your area, get some experience that way. If you decide to "Go for it", it is going to take you at least a couple of years to get the photography income to the point where you can "make a living".

Goof luck

JM

[sdphil]

the answer if quite simple. Once you have the knowledge down ( we all assume you'd have that) then self employment comes down to proper servicing of your clients. You need to develop a business plan that your customers feel that can not be easily had elsewhere.
I guess in the photo bus it would be. Creativity, pricing and rapport with people involved as well as professionalism.
I don't know about a photography business but I own a handy man service and I can say even though I am not cheap my regular clients don't even consider going elsewhere.

As for making a living in photography, I think as in the music business I have heard many BAD musicians that are very successful and many great musicians that do other things to make a living.
I have also see some what I consider to be very uninspiring images from very well known photographers that make tons of money taking pictures.

I did a shot of a friend that was blown out and overexposed, the sun was behind her and I tried to fill her face with flash and opened the lens for shallow depth of field. The entire upper background was nothing but white and there was little detail in the lower part. I was able to adjust the exposure PP and bring back some color and detail to her face.
Technically, the shot was trash but it did have a "look" to it. My friend LOVED it and I am sure she would have paid for it by her response to it.

So, we live in a free market especially when it come to art. I don't think anyone can tell anyone they don't have what it takes to make money being a photographer
If you can find a client that is willing to pay you then your in business.

[Ishyid]

Originally Posted by JerBear

I think I hear what your saying and to put a point on it, you do not sound like someone who has "Found" what he or she "Wants" to do yet. Sounds like you want to go for firefighting work but that takes time and luck of the draw to get in. Not a bad gig if you can get in, but, yeah, hard to get in. Have you thought of joining the service and getting some experience there? A recruiter can show you what areas you can apply for and what is available. Get a couple of years in, then, with that experience and all, you should jump higher on the selection list, than someone without. When I got out, I had the GI bill to help put me through college and all. Unfortunately, my area of expertise in the service was not conducive to civilian work, but I did mature a lot and once out, focused.

If that is not the route you want to go, try community college for a couple of years focusing on Firefighting courses, get your AA. You can always take some photography courses while your at it. Try to intern with a studio in your area, get some experience that way. If you decide to "Go for it", it is going to take you at least a couple of years to get the photography income to the point where you can "make a living".

Goof luck

JM

I'm going to a fire school now at a community college, and am looking into joing the coast guard actually. I'm not sure how things are with them and how it all works, so I am going to call the recruiter tomorrow and see if I can set up an appointment to sit down and talk. What branch did you serve in?

[daniellebarker]

Originally Posted by tulsidas

i think it is hard! and costly.
whats getting me right now is that you do so much work to prepare photos and then they may not buy.

If it's not worth it to you unless they buy prints, you should think about a different pricing model. Either charge a session fee that makes it worth your time even if they don't buy prints, or charge enough for a disc of images that makes it worth it to you. They're going to want either the disc or the prints (or there's no point in hiring you), so just price it in so that it doesn't matter if they buy prints.

[JerBear]

Originally Posted by Ishyid

I'm going to a fire school now at a community college, and am looking into joing the coast guard actually. I'm not sure how things are with them and how it all works, so I am going to call the recruiter tomorrow and see if I can set up an appointment to sit down and talk. What branch did you serve in?

Hello Ishyid,

Sounds like you got your head screwed on straight. You are heading in the right direction as far as I can see. When you talk with the recruiter, be very upfront on what you want and were you want to go with respect to your future.

The Coast Guard is a great service, in fact, a long time ago one of their river boats saved my squad from a very sticky situation.

I served in the Marines.

Good luck to you....stay focused.

Semper Fi

[thewrongkind]

The military also has photography jobs, and they pay you throughout training. Free photography training and a guaranteed job afterward! You may have to have higher test scores for this; I'm not sure. But it's definitely something to look into if you're already thinking about joining the service.

(I am assuming you're in the U.S., though other country's militaries probably have photographers also)

[Jim Bryant]

I was in the Journalist rating, not a Photographer in the Navy for 10 years, but I shot my own pictures to go along with my stories because there wasn't too many photographers who had the same passion for photojournalism that I did. They were happy shooting grips & grins, inspections, and official portraits. Most of my work, since photojournalism is 24 hours a day seven days a week was outside the 8-5 grind. The PH weren't thrilled about taking pictures outside their normal eight hour a day job. They would take a technically perfect picture, but weren't all too creative. So, I never had any use of them.

I believe the only true photographer job left in the service is in the Air Force, whereas most of the other, Coast Guard, Army and Navy have all combined career fields. The Navy and Coast Guard combined, the Journalist, Draftsman, Lithographer, and Photographer's Mate ratings into one job, they give you just enough training to become dangerous and you learn by on-the job training, getting switched from one type of job to another every six months. I believe the same is done in the Army, but not. The Coast Guard, Navy and Army students go to DINFOS, which is situated at Ft. Mead, MD. I believe the Air Force has their own school.