[MJB DIGITAL]

Dont forget to SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT.

if you can get the hang of shooting hundreds of pictures everyday, processing them and still get your homework done, i have faith that you can run a business.

an easy way in is to find a local pro and start assisting/interning.
i shoot weddings mainly, moving into fashion.....
my business is very small and it is still a lot of work.

good luck

mitch

[PaulAndAPentax]

If the OP decides that is of interest to him, he probably needs to move quickly. When I joined the Navy (1983) the job rating I was most interested in was PM (Photographer's Mate). I discovered it was a highly popular choice and that there was a waiting list over a year long. It's a hard field to get into and advancement is painfully slow, since it is a relatively small field and folks who go into it have a tendency to stay a loooong time. It wasn't unusual to see PMs who were still E4 or E5 despite having service stripes on their sleeves showing they had been on active duty for 12 or more years. Not that there was anything lacking with them as individuals, just that they had to wait for somebody to retire before a higher-ranked billet opened up, and even then competition for the few higher billets was tight. That so many folks who get into it stay in it despite the relatively poor opportunities for advancement speaks very well for it, I think. See the world, get kewl photo opportunities, get a regular paycheck, free medical/dental/housing, 30 days paid vacation, and a not-so-shabby retirement plan? What's not to like?

Excellent points, Mike. When I went in I didn't even know you could be a photographer. And you're right, advancement in that field was slow...

[simons-photography]

firstly photography is a service business and mostly a service business that serves a service business so its not a prime necesity like industrial jobs, its viable when people have money to spend on the products you are in (photographing), its not rocket science so many people are in it its not hard to pick up, you just nned to find that way to shine I know i certainly never will but IU'm happy with it as a hobby and you never know

[kent vinyard]

PaulAndAPentax, Sorry, I just overlooked your comments about a college degree. I guess I am sensitive about it as I didn't finish college and I missed a good photo editor job with a wildlife publication because of it. Too soon old ---too late smart!

---

Last edited by kent vinyard; 04-28-2008 at 01:29 PM.

[navcom]

I agree with the posts that recommend you attend college, but I would have to agree with one of the posts that recommended getting a major in business and minor in photography.

Personally, I would even recommend a major in marketing with a minor in business...and take some good photography classes on top of it. As Simon's pointed out, learning to use photographic equipment in and of itself is not that difficult. The art of photography itself is something you must learn as well and is tougher, but many great photographers never attended school to learn the trade.

But learning about business and marketing is a must. Whether you work for a company or own your own business in any field you choose, you still have to know how to sell and market yourself and/or your product. I have been in manufacturing most of my life from the engineering side as well as owning my own company. And I can tell you from experience, it isn't finding the right invention or nitch that makes you successful...it's knowing how to market and sell it. If you know how to market and sell your product, you can manufacture just about anything and succeed. There are many people out there with great skills and ideas, but there are fewer that know how to sell their skills/ideas to make it work for them. Those who can are the successful ones. This on top of pure motivation in the face of adversity plus a hugely positive attitude.

There are many folks out there with bachelors and master's degrees in this or that who cannot find a job in their field or are asking you "do you want fries with that?". Then there are those that never attended a day of college in their lives and they have a fantastic career. The secret isn't aquiring vast knowledge. Learn how to market yourself and your skills/ideas and you will succeed. If that means college, do it. And keep a positive attitude, stay motivated, and don't let anyone tell you that you cannot succeed.

Good luck!

[PaulAndAPentax]

PaulAndAPentax, Sorry, I just overlooked your comments about a college degree. I guess I am sensitive about it as I didn't finish college and I missed a good photo editor job with a wildlife publication because of it. Too soon old ---too late smart!

I hear ya Ken. I went back and finished a degree last year. I wish it could have been in photography, but being older, had to do what was convenient and what I knew...it's never too late!

[deludel]

try to beat the other 50-100 applicants I got nowhere but then I'm not qualified or interested in fashion type stuff

I'm afraid its a competitive world

photofreak - I don't have much practical advice, but I encourage you to follow your dreams. I was very interested in photography in highschool, and was told by many people "it's a phase", or "Its a competitive world" , or "You have to be GOOD to do that", or "It's an expensive hobby". I listened to all the naysayers, and am now 34yrs old, trying to get started! (read more of my boring story on my bio page on my website )

Ansel Adams was once in highschool, I am sure. Imagine if he had listened to the naysayers in his life? Think of anyone you know that is good at something, and is making money at it - they were all young once with an idea of who they wanted to be.

The only person who can chart your future is YOU. College is always a great start .. but it's not always practical if you do not have the resources. If money is an issue, you might be better off investing what money you do have in solid equipment. I am pretty successful in corporate america due to hard work and the will to learn, and my lack of a degree has yet to hold me back. However, I am not doing what I want to be doing!

I woke up sometime last year and remembered that it's up to ME to make something happen .. so here I am, trying to learn as much as possible.

I did hear something about an amazing summer photography school in Montana .. makes me wish I was 18 again and had the freedom to do that .. but it's a costly idea.

Good luck to you - and remember who's in charge of your future

[APEHAUS]

photofreak - I don't have much practical advice, but I encourage you to follow your dreams. I was very interested in photography in highschool, and was told by many people "it's a phase", or "Its a competitive world" , or "You have to be GOOD to do that", or "It's an expensive hobby". I listened to all the naysayers, and am now 34yrs old, trying to get started! (read more of my boring story on my bio page on my website )
snip...

I think a lot of us were told that growing up, and boy did it do a lot more harm than good.

/31 years, and getting started with my life...

Edit: I got 'Evolutionist' on the Pentaxian site

[rmtagg]

I got started last Aug. Started learning and shot a lot and I mean tons of stuff. All I really had to shoot was flowers and I started learning about me too. what I liked, what I enjoyed and what I was developing as a style. All very important things you need to find out in order to focus and move ahead. I found I was very good at flowers and impressionistic style photos. I got some professionally printed, matted and framed them. That is a start, you have to have some work to show, a portfolio. Depending on what area you are drawn to you might not need matted and framed prints to take with you when you successfully land an interview or meeting. Networking is very important. For me I started a web site, got a photo accepted to the Mercer Museum for a special event. After that validation I decided why not take some of my work to a gallery. I had no idea the gallery I went to was owned by an artist and that he has 3 galleries. When I arrived I found it to be a fine art gallery but that did not deter me. I walked out 45 mins later with a commitment from him that he will be hanging my work in the near future. I just attended the grand opening of his 3rd gallery where post card size paintings sold for 800.00 and other sizes form 3,000.00-35,000.00. They sold a lot of paintings that night too! So unless you are fearless and just do it you will have a harder time succeeding.

Now about school. I have no college but wish I did. I have a friend who is in the art inst of Philly right now. And while she says she probably did not need to go to school for this she has learned a great deal and found her niche because of it. She had to use on of those big old bellows type cameras and when she shot me she did nothing but fuss and complain. I was chuckling telling her this was going to turn out to be her thing. Well turns out she is now getting one for Christmas this year. The more you expose your self to the more you find your place and what you want to do. Best of luck to you

[navcom]

photofreak - I don't have much practical advice, but I encourage you to follow your dreams. I was very interested in photography in highschool, and was told by many people "it's a phase", or "Its a competitive world" , or "You have to be GOOD to do that", or "It's an expensive hobby". I listened to all the naysayers, and am now 34yrs old, trying to get started! (read more of my boring story on my bio page on my website )

The only person who can chart your future is YOU.

YOU ARE SO CORRECT! Set your goal, make a plan, implement it, and stick to it. You can re-evaluate as you go, but stick to the goal.

In my 40+ years, I've made it a habit to study successful people...not just their jobs or skills, but their traits. Almost all of the very successful people I've known have a couple of things in common: 1) They have a VERY positive attitude and really try to learn from their mistakes, because everyone makes mistakes...not learning from them is a lost opportunity. And 2) they had written out their goals and had a written plan of action to obtain them.

If you have a passion to become a photographer, write out your goals. Be specific...in 5 years I want to be a self-sufficient photographer in this or that field, etc. Then determine what you will need to do to achieve that goal and in what order you need to do them...i.e. schooling, practice, internships, costs, etc. This is your "business plan". Look at it regularly and update it for changing conditions when they arise. But remain focused on the goal.

Thomas Edison failed hundreds of times trying different materials to make the first light bulb. But he remained positive and learned each time he encountered a set back. It was this building block of learning upon learning that finally gave him the answer. If he didn't make mistakes and wasn't so persistent, he never would've succeeded.

Expect set backs...they are just stepping stones to your goal. Expect nay-sayers. When they come around, ask yourself what expertise they have to make such a judgment on you. My guess is they are probably not very successful themselves.

[khardur]

Judging by a few of the previous posts, there are many of us who were discouraged early on in life from taking photos. Glad to see a lot of us coming around to working at our dreams. Lots of people make lots of money, working at jobs they hate.
It doesn't matter what business you go into, if you do it on your own it's going to make life challenging.

I'll share a quote I read a long time ago, and I had to look it up to make sure I wrote it down correctly.
"You miss 100% of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky

[navcom]

"You miss 100% of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky

Hooah! That's the stuff!

[rmtagg]

Henry Ford "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, either way you are right."

[simons-photography]

YOU ARE SO CORRECT! Set your goal, make a plan, implement it, and stick to it. You can re-evaluate as you go, but stick to the goal.

In my 40+ years, I've made it a habit to study successful people...not just their jobs or skills, but their traits. Almost all of the very successful people I've known have a couple of things in common: 1) They have a VERY positive attitude and really try to learn from their mistakes, because everyone makes mistakes...not learning from them is a lost opportunity. And 2) they had written out their goals and had a written plan of action to obtain them.

If you have a passion to become a photographer, write out your goals. Be specific...in 5 years I want to be a self-sufficient photographer in this or that field, etc. Then determine what you will need to do to achieve that goal and in what order you need to do them...i.e. schooling, practice, internships, costs, etc. This is your "business plan". Look at it regularly and update it for changing conditions when they arise. But remain focused on the goal.

Thomas Edison failed hundreds of times trying different materials to make the first light bulb. But he remained positive and learned each time he encountered a set back. It was this building block of learning upon learning that finally gave him the answer. If he didn't make mistakes and wasn't so persistent, he never would've succeeded.

Expect set backs...they are just stepping stones to your goal. Expect nay-sayers. When they come around, ask yourself what expertise they have to make such a judgment on you. My guess is they are probably not very successful themselves.

problem is paying the bills in the mean time I'll never give the hobby up and considering my income (that at times has been the doll) I've invested quite a bit in my "hobby" I've only ever had one paid assignment. If I was offered a job in photography I'd jump on it but I sure can't start up a business in it. of course everybody's circumstances are different but like I said a service business can thrive when people have money to spend on such services that are not essential and at the moment I don't see alot of money going round

[*isteve]

I'm in high school and I'm looking into photography as a career choice. I was wondering if anyone would have any suggestions about how to get a start on that. Please post any insight u might have. P.S. I should mention I'm also home schooled.

Firstly I really think you need to decide what type of photography you want to do. Its very hard to make a living without specialising in one (or at most two) fields but there are so many fields to choose from.

Secondly do you want to freelance (eg like Ben) or do you want to work for a commercial studio or agency? Commercial studios will take care of product launches, advertising etc, agencies will deal mainly with news and sport but will also cover travel and other editorial and documentary type requirements (think National Geographic). Freelancers will specialise in a number of areas, but they have to be pretty good to get consistent work coming in and they have to network like mad. Studios pay less but they take a lot of the stress out of it. Agencies supply you with regular work if you meet their requirements and standards.

Or do you want to be a local domestic photographer, covering local weddings, events, personal portraits and small business work - perhaps also doing a bit of stock work and trying to sell your art prints in local restaurants.

If its the latter, its unlikely you will send your kids to private school but if you work very hard you can make a living. 90% of the job is grind - marketing, promotion, production etc. Its not glamourous and most business fail within 2-3 years. If you a very good you could end up with your own studio and actually make it into the semi-big time but this is getting harder to do.

Of course, there is that rare breed, the successful art/landscape photographer. Yes, some people manage to make a good living making trendy coffee table books or filling up rich city homes with photo-art - its very trendy these days - but this is incredibly hard to break into unless you are very hip or very very good. The ones that make a consistent living are generally exceptional photographers but for every one of them there are thousands of good but starving landscape photogs.

My recommendation would be to ask a local studio if you can assist for a summer for minimum wage, and see if you really enjoy it. If you do, consider going to college or maybe asking for a full time job. Note, most of my friends who make a living as photogs started out this way and only a few had degrees. However, those that did not did have a decent body of work to show off.