[mr.b.snowden]

Hello,

Over the course of the past year and a half, ever since LBA hit hard and I found the joy of old film lenes and me working on my composition, I have found myself wanting to enter the paid gig arena. I have shot numerous events for free for my church, for friends (birthdays and cultural events), a concert, and even a CA-based Filipino American community blog. I have received numerous comments from friends about the quality of the work, both online and offline comments, and I know I have the skills. Besides the business cards and word-of-mouth, how do you find paid gigs? I have posted on Craigslist and constantly monitor the site to find anyone needing a photog in the SF area, but have had few nibbles. Maybe I'm priced too high for people? My hourly rate is about 3x my day job rate without taking into account the travel fee, which helps account for overhead and processing, with a two hour minimum for all shoots. My main things that I'm interested in, for pay, are events and portraits. If people see my macro capabilities and think I'm great for product shots, that's fine with me too. I'm hesitant to do weddings, as I want to be a 2nd shooter (paid) with full control of my own images without giving up copyright to the main person. I won't open a ModelMayhem account, as I don't have a desire to do fashion/edgy shots, just nice individual/family/business-oriented portraits and any event (outside of weddings) that people are interested in. Please share your advice and criticisms with me. My Flickr's been updated with a bunch of event coverage from the past weekend, so please tear into that and let me know what I can/shouldn't do. Most of the stage/BTS shots were shot between my K50 f/1.2 and my AT 85 f/1.8 I know a few of the pics are not up to my usual par, but I have had friends wish to see even some of the blurrier pics, for memory sakes, so that's why I posted a few sub-par (for my standards) on Flickr.

Thanks,

Brian

[TomTextura]

A few points, in no particular order. This isn't in any way from the voice of experience but rather an assortment of the advice I've heard/read.

• Have an online portfolio, i.e. website, where you show only your very best. Quality of quantity is the idea. I'm still working on following that advice myself; I have some housecleaning to do with my website. Wordpress, which is free for the most part, has been decent for me and it generally is thought of as pretty good for photographers. Some themes they have are better suited than others. Of course, having a website alone isn't going to get you paid work.
• Develop a distinguishable style, that is, have a look that stands out from the crowd. Another thing I'm working on myself.
• Try to get published. Submit your work to local and/or online papers/magazines, enter contests, etc.
• I remember Zack Arias saying in one of his videos that he had to pound the pavement, go into businesses in person to promote his services, to start getting some commercial gigs.
• Word of mouth is always important and shouldn't be underrated.
• I know you've already done free gigs but maybe some more in an official capacity, such as through an internship or where the work will be sure to be published online, could be beneficial.
• See what you can find in terms of the latest marketing strategies that you think will work for you. CreativeLive.com has some business and marketing video tutorials that if you catch them when they're streaming are free but later are pay to play.

That's all I got. Good luck!

[Kerrowdown]

The best advice I can offer you, is "no more freebies"

You try and get other professionals in various trades to work for free and see how far you get. It also doesn't put dinner on the table either. I know it can be hard at times, but you do yourself and others around you a great disservice as long as you continue to do 'em.

I suggest IMHO to network like crazy, build a web presence, specialise - offer something a little different, maybe in terms of style or approach and if possible have some sort of USP (unique selling point). This could be a name, an offer, a technique, just something that make you different to all the other wannabe pro photogs in your area.

Good luck, it's a hard nut to crack, but stay focused (no pun intended), I wish you well.

[mr.b.snowden]

Thank you both for your help! How much time each week do you find yourselves marketing your services? This could be online and in person (such as advertising through a storefront, gallery)? Do you both sell your wares online too (such as prints via SmugMug or another service) or do you prefer the offline route of working with vendors where you can QC the final product and sell the photos at a higher profit margin? I'm curious, as I've had some comments made about some of my shots, namely my macro shots, that could be worthy of a gallery. I don't know if this would be marketable or not, as I would love to sell prints, including on canvas, but don't know where to start. I don't want to spend money on a service where I can sell my items without breaking even or even posting a profit. I have used Costco for my canvas print and know how great of detail the canvas retains, even at something like 3.5 ft by 5 ft, so I know some of my landscapes might be profitable, albeit costly for the clients. Please let me know what your advice would be for selling actual prints, as I know I need to do more to get my name out there in order to actually get the paid gigs that I really want.

[wanderography]

as a self employer in the world of art the keyword here is network... network... network... NETWORK!!! The best in any field knows how to network, hanging with other photogs and talking to other photogs will get you no where cause honestly the advice on the internet is outdated and other photogs dont need a photog. And the funnest thing to do is network, join clubs, go to free events, take free dance classes, free art classes, free anything... Go to gatherings just for the hell of it, meet people for who they are dont throw your card in there face, and than when they get to know you they find out your a photographer and than the networking begins...

[mr.b.snowden]

bmonki, thanks for the networking advice. I'm in the East Bay too, so what good clubs are there in our area? I've tried joining a MeetUp group and was rejected as my photography style wasn't quite what they were looking for, so I am kind of at a loss.

[snake]

Connections. Find out the style you think you can do in your travel radius and go out and do it. Nothing more. When you're good enough and you stop giving stuff away for free, you'll see where to go.

[LamyTax]

While great photography skills are a help, they don't matter much.
First of all, you can learn most technical stuff in short time. Same with art. You'll not be a master quickly, but you'll be able to produce good looking photos that look professional enough to be sold. These two are usually overrated.
The organisational stuff for a shooting is usually not talked much about, but it is very important. But that can be learned, too.

What really matters is this: learn to sell. You're the product. Your services (=your photography) need to be sold. You might make the greatest, most individual photography, but chances are, somebody who maybe isn't that great, but can copy any style the customer wants (not perfectly, but hey, if they really cared, they would have hired the guy who did the original) will get the jobs if he knows how to sell. I know a couple of really mediocre or outright terrible photographers who make a load of money. They have hoards of people following them in social networks, they get jobs normal photographers can't even dream about, they travel the globe, have the newest equipment. Because they know how to sell.

Of course, there are also extremely great photographers who know how to sell. I know a guy who makes 2500$ a day, his shots are as great as some other guy I know, who is happy to pay his rent. Difference between these two -- you guessed it.

[Rupert]

Hard work. That's the key in most any successful business, assuming you have all the other ingredients and skills.

I am about to open a new studio for portrait work, and probably won't break even, and more likely will remain open on my own dime. Photography is a tough way to make a dollar, and I am just too lazy to do what it takes. I made my living, and a good one, as a plumber and did all the networking, hard work, and responsible management necessary to make a few dollars. Now I just want to spend them before I am too old to enjoy.

Never the less....I do have a business plan for my new studio. I plan to do portraits for less than anyone in town....less than Walmart, less than that guy down the street with a new Canon Rebel...less than anyone! Instantly view your portrait on a big screen, and if you don't like it, it's free! Bring your kids or grandkids, your boyfriend or girlfriend, and get some great shots that will cost you less than a nice meal out.

Not sure it will work, for various reasons, but I have nothing at all to lose, I'm already going to be footing the bills. No weddings (been there done that, but not again!) no events, no travel, you come to my studio, grab a slice of Pizza and a drink, relax and we will take some nice shots. If I wanted to work hard, I'd go back to plumbing...@ $115+ an hour, I can beat photography just working a couple of hours a day.

Discouraging? Shouldn't be...if you work as hard at photography as I did at plumbing, you can make it. Have a plan, then work hard at it. Self employed people don't get a day off or a vacation most often, it is tough, but it can pay big rewards. One more thing.....never allow a dissatisfied customer....no matter what it takes. In 25 years I never spent one dime on advertising......I had HappyCustomers, they did more advertising for me than I could keep up with!

Regards!