A question you probably get a lot

lifesdisciple

Hello Andy. My name is Michael and I have been shooting for about 10 years now. My question is, how do you become a pro or at least get some paid jobs. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love photography and will continue to take pictures regardless if I am paid to or profit from my work. It's just I've submitted photos to stock art companies, magazines, newspapers, contests, you name it. I very rarely get bites. I've hosted a few of my own galleries and usually just break even. I don't feel right charging a lot for my work. I just want people to enjoy it. It just seems that it's more of who you know than what your photos look like. IMO anyways. The few jobs I do get a call on usually shy away due to the fact that I am heavily tattooed. I really didn't think this would be an issue since photos speak for themselves. I don't know, now I am rambling on. I just read the why you were here thread and feel a connection. I would love to have a career in the field instead of just dreaming about one. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for your time. Michael

Andy

lifesdisciple wrote:

Hello Andy. My name is Michael and I have been shooting for about 10 years now. My question is, how do you become a pro or at least get some paid jobs. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love photography and will continue to take pictures regardless if I am paid to or profit from my work. It's just I've submitted photos to stock art companies, magazines, newspapers, contests, you name it. I very rarely get bites. I've hosted a few of my own galleries and usually just break even. I don't feel right charging a lot for my work. I just want people to enjoy it. It just seems that it's more of who you know than what your photos look like. IMO anyways. The few jobs I do get a call on usually shy away due to the fact that I am heavily tattooed. I really didn't think this would be an issue since photos speak for themselves. I don't know, now I am rambling on. I just read the why you were here thread and feel a connection. I would love to have a career in the field instead of just dreaming about one. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for your time. Michael

Hi and thanks for posting!

What are your shooting styles, and areas of interest? Is it stock, portraits, events? Tell us some more, and we can help you.

lifesdisciple

Andy wrote:

Hi and thanks for posting!

What are your shooting styles, and areas of interest? Is it stock, portraits, events? Tell us some more, and we can help you.

Well. I mostly enjoy shooting still life, flowers, landscapes, nature, that sort of stuff. But I am an avid fan of photography and try not to limit myself. I have posted some of my work and will continue to post on my page. http://lifesdisciple.smugmug.com

Most of the work I hae submitted was in the Nature genre and my gallery consisted of flowers, nature, and portraits. I used to do volunteer work shooting portraits for those who couldn't afford it and people who wanted candids of their children in their own environment. I would go their homes and just kinda blend in with the background photographing their children at play. That was very rewarding. I guess if I could make it my career I would love to shoot sporting events or anything with children. They know how to enjoy the little things in life without the weight of the world on their shoulders.

I would love for you to take a look at my work and give me some honest critique. I love to have people look at my photos. Thats the main reason I signed up. What's a photograph if others can't enjoy it. Thanks for your time and look forward to your replies. Michael

Shay Stephens

Can anyone reply?
If you want to go pro, subjects to generally avoid are:
Pets
Photos from zoos
Flowers

Why you may ask? Because those are the subjects that everyone and their mother shoots everyday and there will never be a lack of such photos. And generally no matter how good you are, the photos will never grab the attention of people who buy photography because those subjects are around us everyday. They are too common.

So my advice is to reach out and expand your horizons. Shoot stuff that people don't see every day, or in a way people will find novel or in other ways irresistable. And many times all it takes is a single photo that grabs peoples attention that can launch a photo career. So don't think you have to have a massive portfolio. And be open to new directions. You may just sniff out a niche market that you are suited for that you never would have thought could be the case.

The shots on your website are good quality, there is no problem there, the subject matter is just too...pedestrian, if you will. Time to try something exotic

Art Scott

Shay is correct....I would like to know about the area you live in....Connecticut is not that large....but how large is the city (town) you live in?? Are there any nice Cafes / Resturants that might let you hang some of your landscapes and such.....Take some of your best lanscapes and have them printed in nothing smaller than 11 x 14 and mount them to show as your paper portfolio.....You say your interest lie in nature and lanscapes...so for me Nature is animals in the wild not showing that priviacty fence or the neighbors back yard when shooting that Hummer buzzing your flowers or that terdy point buck stand ing the ditch next to the hiway....make look like he is in the wilderness......

One thing I think is missing is ......I did not see a large file of your banner photo...that is agreat pic from what I see....How does the full photo look....

I do disagree with Shay on your flower pics...this could be a strictly an locale thing but prints like some of your flowers sell real well in Farmers Markets and Artsy coffee Houses in this part of the Mid west and not for a dollar or two...but 8x10's for 50bucks and personally I thought they sucked..but the buyer was thrilled and was discussing having custom frames made out of OLD Barn Siding....those fromes sell here for a couple hundred.....As I said it might just be locale thing.....

If you decide to hang 1 or 2 of your best Landscapes (just for instance) make them LARGE....30 x 40 inches and either just mounted on hardboard with glass over it (held by clear clips...used alot around here) or in a nice frame.....with a business card holder under it.....If it a realy nice upscale Cafe / Resturant with large walls near the entrance LARGE PRINTS....smaller artsy coffee shop smaller prints (16 x 20).....if it a busy hole in the wall (11 x 14's or mabe 8 x 10) but not tiny prints unless you want to sell as post cards ...make sure the prints are all signed, either gold or silver pigment pen...can be purchased for under $10 and makes sure they are ACID FREE.....

AntoineD

Shay Stephens wrote:

If you want to go pro, subjects to generally avoid are:
Pets
Photos from zoos
Flowers

…except if you are dead good on those subject

The main point's always to be the photographer one would call for a certain thing.

lifesdisciple

Shay Stephens wrote:

So my advice is to reach out and expand your horizons. Shoot stuff that people don't see every day, or in a way people will find novel or in other ways irresistable.

The shots on your website are good quality, there is no problem there, the subject matter is just too...pedestrian, if you will. Time to try something exotic

First off, thanks for the reply. I have been waiting for someone to help me out. I see what you mean about pets and zoo animals and such. As far as expanding my horizons, not sure what exactly you mean. Also, too pedestrian.. What would you consider exotic. I saw your portfolio and it is very nice. Your cityscapes and such are very vibrant and beautiful. There are not that many scenes like that where I live unfortunately. I have been taking the time to map out key scenic areas and have started shooting them. Here is an example of shots I took yesterday. http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=47644
Do you think this could be my niche? Thanks again for your help and I will be changing my portfolio around a bit. I have other photos that I have not uploaded that I thought would not be worth it but I think after looking at other galleries they may be what you are talking about. Thank you for your time. Michael

lifesdisciple

Art Scott wrote:

Shay is correct....I would like to know about the area you live in....Connecticut is not that large....but how large is the city (town) you live in?? Are there any nice Cafes / Resturants that might let you hang some of your landscapes and such.....

One thing I think is missing is ......I did not see a large file of your banner photo...that is agreat pic from what I see....How does the full photo look....

I live between the 2 largest cities, Hartford and New Haven. In a small Historical town called Naugatuck. I have tried to bring my work to the local library, small resturaunts and such but, now I know this sounds a bit judgemental, people wont give me the time of day. Having tattooes on my face limits things I get to do. You may think I am over reacting and yes I know, I did it to myself. But it does make people shy away. They tell me to bring my stuff and they'll sit with me but then they are either not there when I return or tell me just to leave it and then it sits there and gets ruined. I had my wife bring stuff a few times but I feel thats a bit shallow and I am who I am and dont want people to think I am ashamed. But I'll have to admit, rejection gets to you after a little while. Like trying to score your first date in High School.

As far as the header pic. I will upload that today. I just upgraded to a pro account and need to make some visual changes first. Thats todays plan. Then I will reorganize and add more images and maybe remove a few. Thanks for your time and advice and look forward to hearing more from everyone. Michael

Shay Stephens

I know of a photographer about an hour from me who has a studio in a little town of New Paltz. It is a very tiny town. But he sells fine art landscape photography to tourists who want to take home a piece of what they saw, or didn't get to see.

It would seem to me that you could capitalize on the historic aspect of the area you have next to you. Shoot it in the style of post cards (one suggestion to start with). Capture it's detail in the best way possible. Romanticize the details, the architecture, the history. Also shoot the stuff a tourist might not get a chance to see. Shoot stuff that only the most veteran residents know about. That is partly what I meant when I suggested to get "exotic". Offer a view that is out of the ordinary. Something every Tom, Dick, and Harry won't see themselves just walking down the street.

As far as the face tattoos go, all you have to do is structure your business to have a minimum of face time with people. Be the "elusive artist". Wrap yourself in a "mystic". If done right, the tats will add to that. You could turn it into a "feature". Make it like the Dale Chihuly eye patch (i.e. you are what you are, and there you are).
http://www.chihuly.com/chihuly.html
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/fireworks_ofglass/aboutdale.htm

My wife just mentioned something else. Having a representative is a good thing. I am rather shy talking about myself and my work. But she can talk till the cows come home about how great this or that is. Secondly, there is a networking technique called, I think, "eat out more often". It basically means you go out and mingle with the people, the vendors of your area. You use their services. They get to know you. People talk, and you start getting referals. You become known locally, tattoos or no, you build a reputation because people get to know you.

One last thing. You said in the initial post:
I don't feel right charging a lot for my work. I just want people to enjoy it.

You have to change that mentality yesterday. If you don't value your own work, no one will. Absolutely no one will. And when I say no one, I mean no one. You have to charge for your work. Get that book "Pricing Photograpy", it is a place to start in constructing your mentality toward making it profitable enough for you to go pro. It will never happen with your current point of view.

System

I am rather well inked and I've found that unless I make an effort to disarm people and put them at ease I can be rather intimidating. Usually all that is required is a smile and light hearted self effacing comment. Facial ink is pretty hardcore so you might have to work a bit harder.

Sam

Art Scott wrote:

Part of post snipped.

If you decide to hang 1 or 2 of your best Landscapes (just for instance) make them LARGE....30 x 40 inches and either just mounted on hardboard with glass over it (held by clear clips...used alot around here) or in a nice frame.....with a business card holder under it.....If it a realy nice upscale Cafe / Resturant with large walls near the entrance LARGE PRINTS....smaller artsy coffee shop smaller prints (16 x 20).....if it a busy hole in the wall (11 x 14's or mabe 8 x 10) but not tiny prints unless you want to sell as post cards ...make sure the prints are all signed, either gold or silver pigment pen...can be purchased for under $10 and makes sure they are ACID FREE.....

Art,

I would like to know more about 30 X 40 prints mounted on hardboard. That's a pretty big print. What kind / size, etc hardboard are you talking about? Now that I am writting this, I have remember companies that mount prints on what looks like a wood composit material. Down side is they must to do the printing, and the whole project is not cheap. I would never recomend having the glass in contact with the print. This will over time cause damage.

Sam

lifesdisciple

Shay Stephens wrote:

It would seem to me that you could capitalize on the historic aspect of the area you have next to you. Shoot it in the style of post cards (one suggestion to start with). Capture it's detail in the best way possible. Romanticize the details, the architecture, the history. Also shoot the stuff a tourist might not get a chance to see. Shoot stuff that only the most veteran residents know about. That is partly what I meant when I suggested to get "exotic". Offer a view that is out of the ordinary. Something every Tom, Dick, and Harry won't see themselves just walking down the street.

Thanks. Never thought about that. It is a tight community here and there are a lot of nice places of the beaten path or main roads that would make nice photos.

Shay Stephens wrote:

As far as the face tattoos go, all you have to do is structure your business to have a minimum of face time with people. Be the "elusive artist". Wrap yourself in a "mystic". If done right, the tats will add to that. You could turn it into a "feature". Make it like the Dale Chihuly eye patch (i.e. you are what you are, and there you are).

Never thought about that either. I like the elusive artist idea. I think I can make that work.

Shay Stephens wrote:

One last thing. You said in the initial post:
I don't feel right charging a lot for my work. I just want people to enjoy it.

You have to change that mentality yesterday. If you don't value your own work, no one will. Absolutely no one will. And when I say no one, I mean no one. You have to charge for your work. Get that book "Pricing Photograpy", it is a place to start in constructing your mentality toward making it profitable enough for you to go pro. It will never happen with your current point of view.

That I have to work on and I will pick up that book. Thanks a bunch for the advice, info and links. Much appreciated. Michael:D

lifesdisciple

truth wrote:

I am rather well inked and I've found that unless I make an effort to disarm people and put them at ease I can be rather intimidating. Usually all that is required is a smile and light hearted self effacing comment. Facial ink is pretty hardcore so you might have to work a bit harder.

If they give me a chance and let me speak I can usually turn it all around and end up building a quite nice relationship. It's the initial shock that I have to figure out a way to overcome. Thanks for the advice and tips.

Andy

w00t great stuff in this thread!