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Question from Lisa: “How do I become a professional photographer?”
KarlandSuzi: Take the tine to learn the camera, lighting and all the business entails. Continue to grow and practice 🙂
Eldred: Find someone or something you love and take a few pics 😉
Christine: I have learned that you can’t just become one…
Anna: Get your business ‘ducks’ in a row. Make sure you’ve got a business plan and know the laws and regulations of your area/state, etc
E Shay: Start with research, education, trial and error…and THEN get a mentor, someone whose work you LOVE, and find out if they will let you be a second shooter or similar. Learn everything you can…become a sponge…take it all in…then when you feel ready…JUMP. ♥ 🙂
Geneva: Study, study, study. And I do not mean just read. I mean you learn to shoot your camera IN MANUAL, you learn what the bells and whistles do. You learn that you do not just shoot then “fix it in photoshop.” I have been shooting since I was a kid. It began as a hobby and by my teens I was full on into it. I began shooting bands and learned how to work in low light settings. Today we still shoot bands, but we also shoot weddings and babies and families and events. When we are not shooting we are perfecting ad learning – we take classes, study new technology, and I could go on and on. But the bottom line is knowledge. When you hang your shingle out you have to know that beyond a shadow of a doubt you can capture moments with no hesitation. You have to know that with that black box in your hand you are holding someones future memories. You can’t retake a wedding anymore than we can ask Alice Cooper to do the guiiltine trick again. You have to know….I see so many people want to “become” a “photographer” and that is great, but I have seen so many photo sessions ruined by people who go into business unprepared that it breaks my heart..and angers me for those of us who have been at this so long! I hope this does not come off too harsh – it isn’t meant to. But you asked and I will tell you. knowledge is everything. Just as there were people who shared that same advice with me years ago! P.S. Brooke Bustillos has AMAZING guides. She is straight and to the point – read them! They are awesome at helping!
Alison: I’m just starting out, yeah im not that great yet, everyone has their flaws and thing they need to work on just like you probably did when you started out. Be encouraging. Yes some people really can’t take a photo, but with practice you can! I’ve done a few sessions here and there and each one I get better and better! not everyones perfect at first. It takes time. With TIME you grow and become a better photographer then you started out. It might not be all fine and dandy at first, you have to spend money to make it. Just saying
Geneva: Alison – everyone starts somewhere! 🙂 That’s why I was saying I hope I was not sounding to harsh. I really just think knowledge is the biggest way to become better 🙂
Oona: Agree with Alison. I am a newbie & I am learning every day. Had 3 sessions this week & I learned something from each of them! Just shoot! And shoot! And shoot some more! That is how you learn.
Leigh: never stop learning. YouTube everything! bfind a photographer in your area who mentors. hands on is always the best way to learn. go along as a second shooter and most of all make mistakes and make them again. that’s how we learn.i wish you all the best and good luck! ♥
Justina: Well, I can tell you how not to do it. Don’t buy fake certifications or badges online to pretend you are from a newspaper or other “legit” business. Do everything legit. Keep all your receipts and look up information on running a business in your area. The laws are different everywhere! And buy bp4u’s how to price when you are starting out guide. (I think that’s what it’s called) I ENJOYED reading it and I think it helped. Go to workshops! I’ve been doing this since high school, started with film, and I still learn from workshops and books. You can ALWAYS get better. Oh, and marry an accountant to do your books. 😉
Christine: Geneva, I agree – knowledge is everything! I’ve been taking photos since I was a kid – (young teen) and friends/family would always tell me how they loved my work. As a result, I felt confident…until I bought a DSLR and started taking courses and realized how much I did NOT know! Then I thought it would be easier to go back to point and shoot because there was less for me to think about but now I can’t get out of manual mode. I continue to learn, practice and improve.
I’ve also joined a local camera club where I can enter images in competitions and receive feedback . Very helpful!
Michelle: I would have to say that it’s a never ending process and I’m not sure that I will ever feel like a “Pro”. But I do know that I love capturing those moments that matter most to people. Always be open to growing/learning and throw the word “Perfect” right out the back door because it doesn’t exist… lol Oh… and it doesn’t matter how expensive the camera is – it’s the person behind the lens that makes the difference, so learning all you can about your camera will help you grow as a photographer. =)
Bobbi: Maybe seek out a mentor, and schlep for a bit? Not glamorous, but you can learn a ton. And from day 1- separate business and personal. Your profile should never be your website. However share you professional page to your personal page to share with your friends. But you don’t want a Saturday night ‘oops’ to turn into Mondays ‘oh no!’ And with all things photography, have a back up. Wether it’s gear, a plan b, files, you name it. Just have a backup in place for all the unexpected
Andrea: Play with light and embrace it
YouTube things you want to learn
Another fun thing is if you are able rent a different lens on multiple weekends and enjoy the different views from each one
Take workshops…
Learn your equipment, let it become natural to you and you will move so quickly
Lightroom is a great program to start with for editing 😉
Cheryl: I love all the advice and I have “taken pictures” since I was a kid and now I do photography sessions (I think its different because now I know my gear lol) I decided to jump this year and start doing sessions and even from my “freebie ” sessions in July to my last paid session this weekend I have grown a lot, just from advice from sites like this, submitting pics for critiques, fast advice from other Fb photoags and.YouTube…..OMG I did not know the vast and AWESOME help from YouTube….whoda thought? I say do it, do freebies for friends, buy lightroom (good start and cheaper than photoshop) and talk as much as you can, some photoags aren’t willing to share info….selfish I think but many are…..asked about where Pretty pic was taken and was told to backoff and find my own…..I was just curious so don’t let those jerks stop you and you will find those people. ….this is a fickle business but so many are awsome:)
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