Pro's and Semi-Pro's ... what's your 'story'?

preilly79

Hi,

Maybe it's the time of the year that i'm looking into options, maybe it's wishful thinking, but for the past few months i've considered doing some paid photography work (to justify purchases, to validate proficiency or lack thereof). The thought naturally progresses to 'what would it be like to do this full-time?'. I wonder what it takes to get there, and what it's like when you get there.

So, professional and semi-professional photographers of Boards, would you like to help me understand what it's like? I'd love to know:

1. What age did you make the move?
2. Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography?
3. If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you?
4. With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago?
5. Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist?
6. Do you have any regrets?

Ok, so a lot of those questions might be a little private for some of you to answer on a public forum. That's cool, I understand. But I would really love to get to know more about the pro's among us. And if there's any words of wisdom that you would love to share with somebody wishfully considering their options, please feel free to share them.

Thanks so much.

Borderfox

1. What age did you make the move? 35
2. Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography? Made redundant from a 19 year career
3. If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you? Worked out very well, I would have marketed more in the beginning in hindsight but I still got to the same place in the end
4. With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago? Some choice were made for me (redundancy) but most choices I would have made the same. I would have had counselling from the redundancy as that led to some depression.
5. Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist? Getting there
6. Do you have any regrets? None, living the dream as far as I am concerned

gsxr1

Borderfox wrote: »

1. What age did you make the move? 35
2. Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography? Made redundant from a 19 year career
3. If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you? Worked out very well, I would have marketed more in the beginning in hindsight but I still got to the same place in the end
4. With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago? Some choice were made for me (redundancy) but most choices I would have made the same. I would have had counselling from the redundancy as that led to some depression.
5. Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist? Getting there
6. Do you have any regrets? None, living the dream as far as I am concerned

ad·mi·ra·ble adj \ˈad-m(ə-)rə-bəl\
1
: deserving the highest esteem : excellent

Thecageyone

Good stuff Borderfox, proof that it's never to late to boot. Been made redundant twice myself over the years, now 35 and out of work a couple of year through injury. You gave me some good tips the night of the photowalk, all noted in ink now. It's all about getting that break

Thecageyone

Eh, no it's not. By gear I mean the whole set. All you need for the job at hand. But feel free to just argue every point for the sake of it. Think I'll stay going by Borderfox's advice.

DO you consider yourself a full time pro? You're happy with what you do, good for you, I want something different, i need equipment for what I'd like to set up. Takes money, no two ways around it.

zerohamster

Its interesting to read how people got to where they are now and what made them decide to do what they do now.
I wanted to be a pro and I love taking photos but after I started taking cameras and lenses apart I found something I prefer doing and something I want to make a living from. Im only 21 but its strange how things can just fall into place and you can realise what you want to do.

Thecageyone

Everyone has a different goal I believe, and if you found your niche, great!

What I'd like to do requires some set up, and money to set it up. Don't see how that's hard to grasp? I'd like to focus mainly on portraiture, I'd like to be mobile and have a small studio too. An eye for a picture isn't really helping on that front.

zerohamster

Id say having the startup money is a great help as well as a boost in confidence and I can understand needing cash for a mobile studio especially having a car etc... but as for the camera I think its about the eye and not at all about the camera...sure a better camera+lens looks more professional but with most applications even the lowest body, an average lens and a good photographer will result in just as stunning photos.

obviously each type of photographer needs certain aspects of their camera to be better then others which costs them but overall I think a good eye can operate on any camera but I understand that sports photographers certainly can use the extra frames per second and battery life of a 1D etc.. and that costs money.

just my 2 cents from what I see from repairs.

Thecageyone

I was getting as much praise for my shots off the old bridge cam as I am now with the dslr ... I get that completely. I can take a decent image with a camera phone. I wouldn't try taking someone's portrait with it though!

nice delete Humper

LeoB

Thecageyone wrote: »

Going by your strange logic a lot of pro's could get away with having mediocre or even crap gear and still get those stunning shots and make a good living, yeah? I think not.

And a true elitist would never touch digital! :P

Some dont have all the top gear and they produce quite good images. Also most professionals I have seen over the past few years were using digital (and some film)

zerohamster wrote: »

Id say having the startup money is a great help as well as a boost in confidence and I can understand needing cash for a mobile studio especially having a car etc... but as for the camera I think its about the eye and not at all about the camera...sure a better camera+lens looks more professional but with most applications even the lowest body, an average lens and a good photographer will result in just as stunning photos.

obviously each type of photographer needs certain aspects of their camera to be better then others which costs them but overall I think a good eye can operate on any camera but I understand that sports photographers certainly can use the extra frames per second and battery life of a 1D etc.. and that costs money.

Its a progression to reach a certain standard and build up your kit/gear.
Do you need the latest Camera gear to shoot good portraits? NO. You will get really good quality images from most half decent cameras
Do you need an 11 D reg car to go from shoot to shoot? NO. There are people who must drive a new and fairly decent car. I have never had a new car and dont intend buying one either. I may need a second car (family car is 04) in a month or 2 for work (5.15am start) but I will be looking for the most economical 2002/3 car I can find, small engine save on tax and insurance

Thecageyone wrote: »

I was getting as much praise for my shots off the old bridge cam as I am now with the dslr ... I get that completely. I can take a decent image with a camera phone. I wouldn't try taking someone's portrait with it though!

People wouldnt expect you with a camera phone but I am sure with your dslr and a little thought using your talent you could make a living.
IM 31 yers in my job and would love to be a Pro photographer but I am not sure its for me. I like taking pictures and would love to try it sometime. I know I could do it but just dont have the drive or the passion some people have for their photography
I think what you need as much as anything is CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE

pete4130 wrote: »

WTF is going on in this thread?

Good question

zerohamster

Oh yeah I completely understand the progression of gear to a professional standard with cameras being more durable, better ISO, more fps and a longer shutter life etc... as well as looking professional but for an artistic side even a 1000D or D3000 can produce stunning images in the right hands.

Im also confused as to why there are alot of posts missing from last night.

Borderfox

I have tidied up the thread as the question preilly79 asked has merit and I would like to hear from other posters on their story keeping to the format that preilly79 asked.

Thecageyone

[edit] explained ^

Of course you don't have to have the high end gear, it just helps. For what i want to do, I would need better gear, and a wee studio would be great. It all costs. transport is another big issue.

LeoB

Thecageyone wrote: »

[edit] explained ^

Of course you don't have to have the high end gear, it just helps. For what i want to do, I would need better gear, and a wee studio would be great. It all costs. transport is another big issue.

But as zerohamster pointed out you dont need all the top end gear to make a start, the thing is make a start.

If you can put in place a 2 year plan where you can work and at the same time upgrade some of your gear.

You might start off in a mini but you may end up in a merc:)

Thecageyone

I wish I had a mini even!

I have made a start, basic, but a start. And I have some work upcoming.

I'm not a gear-head, I work with what I got and can afford. But I know I need more. As said, by gear, in the first place, I didn't exactly mean camera bodies, or even better lenses [much as I'd like them]

I did a family portrait shoot the other week, it was a pretty large group, and I only have the one flash unit/stand/brolly. I got a nice tripod for Christmas, before that I had a €30 Argos job that was beginning to fall apart.

That was one thing crossed off my list. But I wish on the day I'd had another, maybe even a couple more units with some decent softboxes. I also had to be picked up and brought home from the house ... bit embarrassing, a photographer with no car!

It's actually tragic that there are some who deem someone who wants better equipment to do the best they possibly can, an elitist.

Better cameras for instance, usually mean better ISO noise handling, that can be worth splashing out more for in itself.

gbee

preilly79 wrote: »

1. What age did you make the move?
2. Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography?
3. If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you?
4. With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago?
5. Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist?
6. Do you have any regrets?

Started fairly young in school, then took work for ages then had a successful wedding business at the weekends and went full pro after redundancy in 1988 at aged 35.

Weddings were a mixed blessing it was impossible to get enough of them on a regular basis so it was feast or famine. I fell down on promotions as all my referrals were word of mouth. Eventually I simply ran out of sisters and brothers and had to look elsewhere for work.

I had always done a bit of magazine work and it was well paid but sparse, and also the news media took pictures occasionally and I started getting little assignment from them.

However about seven years ago the news took over completely and I had no time for anything else, but the pay cheques kept arriving so I kept working. Unfortunately the news media has been in turmoil and almost totally collapsed so much so that I'm now in debt and not entitled to any help and my local paper is advertising for free readers pictures ~ that's how bad that's got.

My regret is starting too late, I actually had two business in my youth and in hindsight I SHOULD have kept them going. But I did not like being paid for photography, if I took a good photo and someone wanted to buy it, great. It's much harder to reproduce that great image under the pressure of being paid to do so.

Regrets: One: Equipment: Not buying the right camera and being under equipped.

Equipment two: The transition to digital decimated everything, for too many years everything was being spent on the latest camera, this was driven by clients who once gusshed over the Nikon Coolpix900S and today want the tonal transition for the large format digital back [again] so out goes that market.

Equipment: Three: Today I could do an acceptable wedding with a phone camera and video. A child can get beautiful pictures because the camera is so good today and the child can get places where an adult photographer with a large camera would be intrusive.

I's very hard today and prices paid are far too low to allow anything but rudimentary work practices, you're gonna be paid the same for producing a nice 10x8" on the client's sofa as you are if you bring a portable studio and wide screen viewing.

The market has contracted, photographers have mushroomed, the NEED for photographers has almost vanished ~ and the government never brought in any legislation, anyone can call themselves professional photographers or artists.

In fact, as an artist one might have some tax breaks, now that might be worth it alone.

stcstc

I kinda work in photography, fulltime. but not really taking photos.

I do a little bit of taking pictures

I built my business from the ground up, and now have around 150K worth of kit

BUT

the kit isnt that important over all,

when i started i just had a mount cutter, and got other people to build the frames, then got another piece of kit which ment i could do a little bit more of the work etc

be keen to do business, but dont be shy of taking rubbish jobs etc

and then dont be shy of turning down jobs too

i started while still working fulltime, and used all the money i earned doiing nixers to equip myself better for the tasks.

I now work full time doing photo printing, framing, mounting etc

it may sound silly but starting small and borrowing bits of kit etc to do jobs, takes a lot of time.
BUT
your working for yourself and NOT for the bank etc


most businesses also take around 3 years to get to the point that they are self sustaining, so be aware its not gonna pay dividends for a while

squareballoon

• What age did you make the move?

36

• Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography?

I have had various job in art. started as an animator working in computer games, then as a lead graphic designer and 3d modeller, 10 years ago I started freelance and worked from home as a 3d modeller and illustrator, and 3 years ago I got interested in photography. For the last 18 months I am solely a photographer (with the occasional illustration in Gloss)

• If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you?

It's worked out really well but it's a LOT of work for not much money

• With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago?

yes

• Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist?

Put it this way, I'm glad I don't have to be the sole provider in the house on what I earn

• Do you have any regrets?

No

daycent

Squareballoon, you've done all the jobs I'd love to do. I want to be you when I grow up

preilly79

Thanks all for taking the time to respond. It's so invaluable to get some insight into what, for many and myself included, is a bit of a mystery.

Photography seems to be a bit of a lurker for many people. It's always there with you but it's not until you're pushed or pulled into it that it becomes more than just a hobby. I'm at the stage where I would love to at least give paid work a try. But doubts about my abilities hold me back.

It's great to see that so many of you had the courage to just go for it and do the best you possibly can. It's something to look up to

smelltheglove

[*]What age did you make the move?
26

[*]Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography?
I took a 'career' break for baby no. 2 and went from there to photography.

[*]If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you?

Great, I gave up the great opportunities I had when I was young by deciding to work part time retail to look after my first born alone. By the time I was ready to do something meaningful my experience was too outdated to mean anything. I started photography for the love of it and just to get out, now I get out often and love it more. My friends say Im the luckiest around as I really look forward to and enjoy going to work.


[*]With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago?

Its a hard one, if I could have started sooner then I would do that but I was never in a financial situation to afford photography before I was given my first dslr as a gift. The best gift I have ever ever received.


[*]Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist?
I will never be financially secure as I am brutal with money, I have a target set for where I want to be with regards to the amount of work I do and this year, in my 3rd year photographing professionally, looks like I am getting close to it but it has been a struggle and there were times I thought why did I bother.


[*]Do you have any regrets?
God, thats a hard one. I regret that I didnt consider photography as a career coming out of school, would have saved a whole lot of wasted time but then I would not have met some of the people I have met and life would be different, so besides from a regret of not being able to afford photography before my husband buyig me a dslr no, not really, to me photography was a pleasure that I could not afford as my baby came first, pity I dont have tonnes of baby pics of her though.

mehfesto

1. What age did you make the move?
   21.
   
   
2. Did you move from an established career or profession outside of photography?
   Sort of. I was 6 months away from becoming a qualified nurse. I couldn't stand the job and knew I wanted something more interesting. I went into a really bad place after dropping out. Very dark indeed - got a shake up from a photographer when I was invited over to America by a friend and he put me on the right track. I couldn't sleep so he's take me out for walks around Boston at midnight and he taught me the basics.
   
   Got a cheap camera when I got home and soon took out a loan for another one.
   
   
3. If you did make a career change to photography, how well or poorly has it worked out for you?
   Well, I'm in college so far, but it looks likely that by the end of it I'll have a well paid job waiting for me at the end of it. (*fingers crossed*). Other than that, I've made some nice friends and connections and am fairly well-known on the Irish Music scene.
   
   
4. With hindsight, would you have made the same choice all those years ago?
   It was only four year, but definitely. All my friends have emigrated and while I had to give up drinking to afford it all, I'm enjoying myself so much more these days. While it was dark for a while, I found the light at the end of the tunnel.
   
   
5. Do you consider yourself to be financially secure in the profession or are you the ever-typical struggling artist?
   Struggling at the moment. Have a part-time job for petrol money etc., but I'm not really living it large at the moment. Had to stop drinking and buying really unnecessary things, but I survive!
   
   
6. Do you have any regrets?
   Sometimes I wish I had my own place, but then I remember how much I hated nursing and I reckon I'm probably a happier man now despite house sharing!

preilly79

Thanks Mehfesto, that's a bloody fantastic body of work you have on your website and fair play for getting through the hard times.

Intended or not, this is a wonderful photographic pun ... "While it was dark for a while, I found the light at the end of the tunnel."