New to Forum...New to Photography.. So what should i do now?

[chaminda.madawala]

Hello friends,

i am new to this forum and new to photography. i bought my first DSLR on this month. it is a D90 and did some sport event shootings and i am happy with it.

Sad to say that i kindly lost my job (lets don't talk about it) on last week which is boring web designing . So i am thinking about been a professional photographer and i always love to shoot wedding ceremonies. But never did it professionally.

Is it wroth to do a photography diploma over the internet which is cost near € 2500 by distance learning? Because in Sri lanka there are no institutes which gives photography dip or a certificate)

OR

Is it wroth to learn photography from DPS forum and books while spending those money (€ 2500) for camera gears? As camera gears now i only have Nikon D90 ant its kit lens which is 18 - 105mm VR. I know these gears not enough to cover a wedding

[zona5101]

Hi and welcome.
Plenty of people are successful photographers without a certificate or formal training. Maybe you have mad skills and that’s great but for a lot of folks, their abilities come from time & experience. Have you thought about how much time you will allow yourself to start to earn enough money to be self-supporting? Do you know how many people here make their living as full time photographers? (think small percentage) Do you know how many people here shoot events and weddings for experience or for small, less than professional fees? (think bigger percentage) You're ready to make a career out of photography and you've had your D90 & a kit lens for a month. Why not buy a scalpel and study to be a surgeon, I hear they make good money.
That may seem a bit harsh but think about what you're asking.

[Cypher]

Hi and welcome to the forums!

To answer a few of your questions:

- Photography is one of the professions that you CAN be good at without having a fancy diploma, however getting educated is extremely important if you want to improve. There are plenty of resources online and even here that will help you on your way.

- As for your kit: Take it slow find out if this is really what you want before purchasing expensive glass

- Find your drive, find out what you really love taking images of and see if the passion stays for longer than lets say a half year.

- As for weddings, I personally have the nikon 17-55 and a prime lens on a second DSLR
what I usually do is rent the second camera this is a great option if you are on a low budget

Best of luck welcome again

[chaminda.madawala]

Originally Posted by zona5101

Hi and welcome.
Plenty of people are successful photographers without a certificate or formal training. Maybe you have mad skills and that’s great but for a lot of folks, their abilities come from time & experience. Have you thought about how much time you will allow yourself to start to earn enough money to be self-supporting? Do you know how many people here make their living as full time photographers? (think small percentage) Do you know how many people here shoot events and weddings for experience or for small, less than professional fees? (think bigger percentage) You're ready to make a career out of photography and you've had your D90 & a kit lens for a month. Why not buy a scalpel and study to be a surgeon, I hear they make good money.
That may seem a bit harsh but think about what you're asking.

Hey thank you for your suggestion friend. i know i can't be a professional photographer in one night. I'm just asking it is wroth to do a diploma or it is wroth to learn buy self study.

Have you thought about how much time you will allow yourself to start to earn enough money to be self-supporting?

How about 24 Hours a day
It may sound like funny. but yes. i can spend that kind of a time for photography.

[chaminda.madawala]

Originally Posted by Cypher

Hi and welcome to the forums!

To answer a few of your questions:

- Photography is one of the professions that you CAN be good at without having a fancy diploma, however getting educated is extremely important if you want to improve. There are plenty of resources online and even here that will help you on your way.

- As for your kit: Take it slow find out if this is really what you want before purchasing expensive glass

- Find your drive, find out what you really love taking images of and see if the passion stays for longer than lets say a half year.

- As for weddings, I personally have the nikon 17-55 and a prime lens on a second DSLR
what I usually do is rent the second camera this is a great option if you are on a low budget

Best of luck welcome again

Thanks for your suggestions pal

[renegade1]

Hi there. Welcome to the forum.

Speaking from a personal point of view, I think you just need to get out there and take photo's. I am fairly new to this forum myself, and its great.

Post your photos for feed back. Good or bad, it all helps make you better.

I did a Freelance Photography course which took me 11/2 years to complete. I decided to do it purely to see if i had an eye for photography. The course was run by professionals and the feed back i recieved was worth it. Most of it was good, but i took alot from the negative comments too. I was took i had an unusal eye with lots of really cool and interesting veiws.

I've been taking photo's for years, but only in the last 4 years have i taken it more seriously. I have also found in the last year, that i really like working in Black & White. I take my photo's in B&W, i don't photoshop them. I want to be like the photographers from years past, long before people started changing and creating on the compuor.

As i said, just get out there and take lots of pictures and you will find what you enjoy.

Good luck.

[chaminda.madawala]

Originally Posted by renegade1

Hi there. Welcome to the forum.

Speaking from a personal point of view, I think you just need to get out there and take photo's. I am fairly new to this forum myself, and its great.

Post your photos for feed back. Good or bad, it all helps make you better.

I did a Freelance Photography course which took me 11/2 years to complete. I decided to do it purely to see if i had an eye for photography. The course was run by professionals and the feed back i recieved was worth it. Most of it was good, but i took alot from the negative comments too. I was took i had an unusal eye with lots of really cool and interesting veiws.

I've been taking photo's for years, but only in the last 4 years have i taken it more seriously. I have also found in the last year, that i really like working in Black & White. I take my photo's in B&W, i don't photoshop them. I want to be like the photographers from years past, long before people started changing and creating on the compuor.

As i said, just get out there and take lots of pictures and you will find what you enjoy.

Good luck.

Thanks for your idea friend. One day i went to shoot a motocross event. one rider came to me and asked "Hello there, do you have my pics on your camera, can i see one?" and i said of course you can. I give him some preview's from my Nikon D3000 (i have a D90, but i took my friends camera on that day). Finally he asked me "Did you follow some photography course" and i said i didn't follow any. He said "Hmm..." and went a way. I never forgot his face expressions and i got very nervous at that point.



Is following a photography course will bring some professionalism to a photographer?

[Cypher]

Is following a photography course will bring some professionalism to a photographer?

Professinalism in photography is a large subject it can refer to a Pro that is someone that earns all income from photography

Don't let anyone bring you down, stay confident keep shooting and you will be making quality images soon enough

[chaminda.madawala]

Cypher. thanks you agin. i will keep shooting

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by chaminda.madawala

Have you thought about how much time you will allow yourself to start to earn enough money to be self-supporting?

How about 24 Hours a day
It may sound like funny. but yes. i can spend that kind of a time for photography.

No, back to reality...how much time or better said how much money do you have stored away that you can live on until you make enough money to live as a professional photographer.

good luck! cheerio! don't let anyone get you down! follow your dream! and all that, but you gotta eat.