Interested in Photography--where to start?

I figured I'd post this here because I know there are alot of LIF ladies that have made very successful careers out of photography.

I have no experience in photography other than I take pictures of everything and everyone. Buildings, children, trees, haha. I just am interested in it and I love taking pictures. I'd love to explore it more but I don't know if I should start by taking classes or if I should try to find a photographer to take me on as an apprentice...? I really think I could make a career that I love out of this but I don't know where to start?

Any suggestions?

TIA!

Re: Interested in Photography--where to start?

I didn't make a career out of it but I did landscape photography as a hobby and would sell my prints at local outdoor art shows out here in the Hamptons in the summer. I also got into a local gallery...don't do it anymore but perhaps try getting a booth at a local/craft show and see how your do. Good luck!

Re: Interested in Photography--where to start?

Kat, start by taking some photography classes and start taking photos of family and friends and build up your reputation that way. Then you can expand your portfolio and start charging for sessions.

Re: Interested in Photography--where to start?

Very few photographers will take on an apprentice. They are keenly aware of teaching someone, only to have them open their own business & compete against them in a market that is flooded with people that still shoot on Auto & call themselves a photographer aka as fauxtographers because they really don't know what they're doing.

My suggestion is to get take classes & really get an understanding of exposure & composition and editing BEFORE starting a business. You can develop a portfolio, understand what works, what doesn't. See how light looks from different angles & develop your style.

Once you really know what you're doing, you need to make a business plan. It sounds really boring, right? You need to figure out what you want to make as your salary. A large % of photography businesses do fail. It's nice to come from a shot with a few hundred dollars. When you start to count costs, gas, the number of hours you worked, etc, you may find that it's costing you money. Most people will say "How could it cost you money if you just earned a few hundred for a few hours of work". It's not a few hours. You need to count the time it took to take the photos, edit the photos (which if you don't know editing could take hours), order photos/upload the photos, how much you spent in props, in equipment, marketing, advertising etc. Some realize if they worked at minimum wage, where the employer was contributing to their retirement accounts, etc., they would be earning more money.

It's really easy to start a photography business. It's more difficult to stay in business. If you don't distinguish yourself as someone who really knows photography, you're only going to be the person who undercuts the other photographers - which works until someone else undercuts you.

Everyone loves getting great pictures of themselves & their children. Once they start paying for them, the expectations are different.

There are many fields of photography. Some which I think are still untapped even on this site.

Feel free to FM me. I'm pretty opinionated about photography for someone who isn't a photographer.

Re: Interested in Photography--where to start?

Posted by nrthshgrl

Very few photographers will take on an apprentice. They are keenly aware of teaching someone, only to have them open their own business & compete against them in a market that is flooded with people that still shoot on Auto & call themselves a photographer aka as fauxtographers because they really don't know what they're doing.

My suggestion is to get take classes & really get an understanding of exposure & composition and editing BEFORE starting a business. You can develop a portfolio, understand what works, what doesn't. See how light looks from different angles & develop your style.

Once you really know what you're doing, you need to make a business plan. It sounds really boring, right? You need to figure out what you want to make as your salary. A large % of photography businesses do fail. It's nice to come from a shot with a few hundred dollars. When you start to count costs, gas, the number of hours you worked, etc, you may find that it's costing you money. Most people will say "How could it cost you money if you just earned a few hundred for a few hours of work". It's not a few hours. You need to count the time it took to take the photos, edit the photos (which if you don't know editing could take hours), order photos/upload the photos, how much you spent in props, in equipment, marketing, advertising etc. Some realize if they worked at minimum wage, where the employer was contributing to their retirement accounts, etc., they would be earning more money.

It's really easy to start a photography business. It's more difficult to stay in business. If you don't distinguish yourself as someone who really knows photography, you're only going to be the person who undercuts the other photographers - which works until someone else undercuts you.

Everyone loves getting great pictures of themselves & their children. Once they start paying for them, the expectations are different.

There are many fields of photography. Some which I think are still untapped even on this site.

Feel free to FM me. I'm pretty opinionated about photography for someone who isn't a photographer.