Hey everybody, please give me advice!

caitcait

Alright.

So, I'm 16 years old, still in highschool, with a dream in photography so high I'd be in another universe if there was no gravity keeping me down.

I want to find ways to start off, you know, have a good start on my life career.

Does anybody have any stories or ideas for me about how you started out being a photographer?

All I know is calling up my local newspaper, Free Lance Star, and ask for an internship, and put together a good portfolio.

I might also talk to my school about helping out with photography for the school paper, or bullentin boards, etc.

I just really want to get off my feet.

I met this guy, and he started out when he was 17 for a newspaper, and now he's taking commerical shots for bands, professional bands, and he's now just turning 19.


That's where I want to head, start young, and perhaps blow out soon.

I might not be making any since, I just need ideas.


Please help me ouuut!

Mitchell

Get involved in your school. You listed some great possibilities including your school paper. I got into photography at your age shooting for my high school yearbook. Spent most of my senior year in a darkroom as the photography editor.


Is there a photography club at school? Look into these avenues and good luck!

caitcait

I tried the school yearbook, but this year, all they needed was writers.. and I didn't want to do the writing. I'm picky.
No, they don't have ANY photography clubs.. I've checked.

Thank you for helping me! You're wonderful!

Mitchell

No photography club?? Care to start one? Talk to someone in administration or maybe one of the art teachers about starting a club. You could have monthly contests with themes like we do here.

Shay Stephens

If you don't have anyone to train and or hire you, then just start shooting. Spread the word that you are a photographer and shoot stuff that needs to be shot. Get some books on the business aspect of photography and apply them to whatever you do.

The secret to getting started is to just start ;-)

caitcait

I'm actually thinking about that.. make my own cards, my own site (probably one on here!), and get it out, help some people out who want portraits done, or band photos, and such.. anything is a start! Thank you for helping out!

caitcait

That's a great idea! I'll talk to my principle about it tomorrow and let you know.

Chase

I am 17. Same sort of boat. Started out taking pictures of high school sports, then some little league with a digital rebel and a 28-300 tamron. I just got a new 20d w/grip and have a few thousand in glass now, mostly paid for by my photography work. I am shooting a football game tommorrow afternoon, and a concert sometime in the next few weeks.

Let your friends know that you are wroking on this. Get in good with parents (thbey have the $$$). Provide a professional service and a competitive price and that is all there is to it really.

caitcait

Haha yeah, definitly good with the parents.. my old camera broke, and when they got me a new one, I thought it was going to be a cheap one, but the one they got me was $500, so I'm pretty sure they're out there to help me out.. and my friends give me verbal support alot, which automaticly helps me too.

Thank you.
Have fun at the football game!

JimM

I would continue to talk to the HS yearbook and newspaper. There will be events they want photos of and can't cover themselves. Same with your local newspaper. Just stay in contact with both of them. I spent my last 3 years of high school inhaling the sweet smell of FIXER. Shooting is always more fun than printing though.

Good LUCK!

wholenewlight

When I was 17, I was completly consumed with anything photography. Every class I could take (even college extension non-credit courses). My dad had an old minolta (SR-7) and I took it over - he didn't have a chance at it again. It was junk but I made it work.

I tried to get a job related to photography (photo counter sales at local dept stores) but could not get hired.

My mother, recognizing my passion, helped me get a real loan from a finance company. I bought darkroom equipment and a single Norman studio flash unit. I started hounding everyone I knew to shoot family pics, portraits, etc. I also shot everything I could at school. I still have some of the shots - pretty sad looking now!

Eventually I paid the loan and got another one for medium format equipment and handle mount portable flash units. I went on to do weddings and bigger jobs.

I only slowed down my enthusiasm after I got married and needed more $$ than my advanced hobby would provide at the time. Now many years later, I've returned to some of the "focus" I felt before - Yeaaa for dslr's and digital darkrooms!

My advice, make a list of the things you can shoot now - and identify the ones that might pay for your services. Secure enough $$ to get a basic setup to do the kind of photos that excite you and some that will pay for your work. Look for a niche that you can eventually do better than someone else. Get a cash flow coming in (even if it's small) and put the $$ into your beginning business. Use smugmug to handle your transactions - why bother with the back-office headaches - let someone else take your orders. As you have some success, see if you can get a local newspaper or tv to do a story on you - "local young person, a photo entrepreneur"?? Participate in as much online education as you can (and school and local classes if applicable).

Get busy and have fun!

flyingpylon

Woody Allen (if, at 16, you even know who he is) said "80% of success is just showing up". That is so totally true. Most people dream but never show up. Just do what you want to do, do it to the best of your abilities, and learn to improve your abilities every chance you get. Things will happen for you. At your age, you've got absolutely nothing to lose. It's when you're 40 and have a job, a family and a mortgage that "just doing it" becomes a lot more difficult.

By the way, I think Chase meant to get in good with other people's parents (as well as your own). Parents will pay good money for good photos of their kids. Heck, they'll often pay good money for bad photos of their kids...