Photography as a career

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#PHOTOGRAPHY PHILOSOPHY

chauncey

11 years ago

It is my humble opinion that choosing photography as a career is an exercise in naiveté, unless you are able to establish yourself as a wedding or fashion photog.

It is quite rare to see photographs displayed on the walls of high-end homes or in hotels or anywhere, except for the occasional museum.

That begs the question...what do you do with your stuff?

And...do we have a page that displays the most popular works from this site, in terms of sales?

Nick Holt PRO

11 years ago

I don't think it's an 'exercise in naiveté' at all. I know many professional photographers who make a good living out of commercial photography.

Camillo Franco

11 years ago

Well, yes, there is a bit of Naivety in all endeavours. But that is the beauty of it.

Not all love affairs end up in a happy life and not all business are listed on the NYSE.

You cannot experience the feeling of walking on the sand without walking on it.

How will you know that choosing Photography as a career is an exercise in Naivety.......unless you experience it and not profess it.

Give me Naivety any time with a dose of Delusion and an artery shot of Passion.

Marc Petzold

10 years ago

I'd never start or would like to become a pro, but just do my pictures, 99% for my own joy and fun, but like any other human being, and that's a fact - being happy if other people do like my images, besides that, the term "Amateur vs. Pro" couldn't be better described as here (google translation)

... the thing Amateur vs. Professional ... but very nice described online ....

"... An amateur is someone who does something out of love for the cause.

The word amateur comes from the Latin amator, "lover", and "love" from amare.

That you should never forget, because the word is the key to success:

What not to do with love, you will never make really good.

Related to photography means that if the motive that you want to shoot, not "love" - ie,

feels no real interest in him - should one go and pick up the film for better for an opportunity

because the photo just can not be "good".

Here Amateurs have a priceless advantage over the "pros".

Professional photographers earn with photographing their livelihood [...] they are not "free".

In contrast, Amateur photograph only for their own pleasure. When her own master they can do whatever they want ... "

[Andreas Feininger, Richtig Sehen – besser Fotografieren, 1973]

Alfred Forns CREW

10 years ago — Moderator

Excellent Marc, does make a strong point.

The main difference between a Pro and Amateur is not quality, expertise etc It is that a professional has to comply with a specific requirement from the client and the amateur can do anything he/she wants.

Chauncey, I think in part you are referring to stock photography. In that respect it has gotten difficult, not many stock agencies, one absorbing others etc ... and many people just giving their work away to be published.

Other than the types you mentioned for an income, I could add teaching or rather doing workshops. Can be a way to earn a living, takes time to establish yourself and afterwards is hard work.

Although my wife and I do see images, we rather engage photography as a pure hoppy. We keep our photos in our own website and several galleries. The printed images are few and tend to be very large, five foot prints. Lately we have been trying to do series of images, going for twenty as a story, all having similar theme, color etc. Makes going out to shoot more interesting and challenging.

... one last thing, when working professionally, how can you tell if the image is sharp enough? ... when the check clears :)

Marc Petzold

10 years ago

The funny thing for myself is, i get from time to time print requests on my deviantart account - and then i'd always reply with the same answer, when i'd sell prints: when i am good enough for my own taste, being better than the 10% i count myself...maybe in some 10-20 years, maybe in 25...but perhaps never....and even *if* i'd sadly sell my photographs in terms of prints (not jpeg and also not raw files) i'd do perhaps 25 of each photograph, all hand numbered, with autogram, on special paper, and with a print quality i'd except from a professional service provider...but i am just a nobody all my life doing & enjoying my own photographs - so in short term, the time & effort to do so would only satisfy my closed friends, and myself - but not other people, because i'd think it'll cost something more then usual.

Eliza Powell

10 years ago

Hello all,

I work here, in East Africa, as a professional photographer. I do agree that, in many cases, it's hard to make a living from it expecially when you're in a very crowded marketplace and you have to work very hard to get yourself out there and get the work coming in.

Here it is perhaps easier due to where I'm based and the type of work that comes my way. Also I am less of a one-style of photographer (for example, only doing weddings or portraits) as here you have to be more of a jack of all trades as - in this market place - there are not that many of us. My primary work comes in from NGOs (international and regional) covering their projects within the region and also marketing/promotional photography for safari companies, schools, hospitals, restaurants. I photograph maternal and child health projects, water projects, refugees, safari camps, lifestyle shoots, interior shoots, fashion shoots, food shoots...you name it, I rarely say no to a job. That is where I am lucky and where this particular environment does make things different from what are talking about in the thread.

I do disagree with the quote mentioned here (from the internet) that a professional photographer "is not free" and that we don't have a love for what we do. Perhaps I am just lucky then to be doing the kind of photography that I love and am passionate about, perhaps that is what makes the difference. Yes it's always work for a client, with a brief that I have to follow, but I'm lucky that it's also the kind of work that I very much enjoy. I love what I am doing now more than anything I have ever done before, I love having a camera in my hand and not necessarily knowing what I'm going to find when I get there. I love that my life is concentrated on being a photographer. I don't particularly like not knowing when the next $$ are going to come in, when the next job will come my way, always having to push yourself out there to get work, to get known, to get your work discovered etc etc...that never stops. But would I be doing anything else?? Definitely not! My 10 cents worth anyhow :)

(What I would say - to add - is that knowing your marketplace is KEY!!! I've lived in Africa for 20 years and have the advantage of being very familar with the safari industry throughout those 20 years....that and knowing the area, speaking the language etc. I went into photography as a career with a lot of knowledge as to what I would be doing and how to get out there to do it. That certainly helped/helps!! I think you also approach photography with a different mindset, perhaps one that comes with more discipline (if that's the right word) as you have to earn a living from it...it doesn't make it less an enjoyable career, only that you balance your passion for taking pictures alongside the work element of everything I've mentioned above)

Gerard Sexton

10 years ago

I really suspect that Chauncey was throwing a boulder in the pond here as his assertions are more naive than he suggests others are. Nothing wrong with naive in fact we are are all naive since none of us know what will happen in the next hour let alone the next months or years.

"Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what now or how... The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark."

Agnes de Mille

And I suggest you visit some more homes and galleries because the world I live in is vastly different to the world you live in. Funny how you haven't replied in 7 months to the responses that have been added in the meantime...

I like your input Camillo as yes you cannot feel the sand until you walk on it without shoes. Nice analogy.

I apply my skills in a professional environment as a sports shooter though I am not a professional since the term relates to someone who earns the vast proportion of their income from their endeavours. Yes it is a tough uncompromising environment with many bitter and insecure individuals operating in it but also many great guys and girls who go about their jobs studiously and in many cases effortlessly. I learn a lot from my peers and in fact there is the deal never ending improvement and that is the aspiration that inspires my continued involvement. And I might add that had I had the knowledge earlier in my life it would have been my career of choice.

Eliza is so right as our own individual visions will be those that are the template for success. And yes nothing is easy or comes for free. If you think work sucks then it will suck. Photography as any "artistic" endeavour looses some of its romance once we enter the commercial world but how we deal with this is down to us an individuals. If you can't stand the heat in the kitchen go and sit on the veranda.

My own experience started in 2009 starting as an intern at 56 sort of turns things on its head and yes it was a steep learning curve but multiple minor successes added up and enthused my continued efforts. I started in cricket and have since shot horse racing snooker tennis polo and rugby. I still love what I do once I overcame the difficulties of balancing the aesthetic with the clients needs but I know I bring my own vision my knowledge of most sports particularly because I played both cricket and rugby at varying points during my life.

I repeat what Camilllo stated there is nothing wrong with naiveté it is I think the cupboard of ideas...