Are you a "Pro" Photographer? How did you get there? Tell your story...

[RitchG]

Greetings.

Are you a pro photographer? That is, have you (ever) made money from photography? I'd like to hear your story of how you got there.

I've been lurking for some time (there never seems to be enough time to craft a informative/witty reply) but now I'd like to enlist your help.

I teach several courses in "Digital Media" at a local college, including a Photography class. The next group of students will be starting soon and part of the class introduction is to tell stories of how the pros got to be that way. Some came from the technical and some from the aesthetic and many from a combination of the two. Others just "fell into" the field.

The student demographic is a mix of twenty-something "life path discovery" students and thirty-to-fifty-something "re-learners" who want something to do part-time or who are looking to change careers.

Although I usually relate my story and several I have saved over the years, I am always looking for new stories. Can you tell me yours? I'd love to have a variety to re-tell to the class.
Thanx.
---Ritch

 

[OceanStateKelly]

Would like to hear also, I always loved taking pic's when I was younger but a big shortage of money put a whole in any dream I had. Now my daughter is going to a local college and wants transfer to URI for photograph. We have been trying to help her with equitment, bought her the D50 about 2 years ago and just got her the D80 a few months ago. So any Pro story would be great to hear.
thanks Kelly

 

[Finally08]

I am...story's not too exciting though.

Always loved photography...never had money or time to invest in getting good equipment to really learn. When my dd was born in '04 I started trying more, but only had a point and shoot minolta at the time. By Nov. '04 I got a dRebel and started busting my butt teaching myself, researching, practicing, etc. Not even thinking I'd ever be good enough to go into biz, just wanting to learn for myself. By Oct. '05 I was in biz though with a full studio set and all, and here I am a couple years later. Have a great little studio in a neat area downtown, and am so swamped with business that I turn people away and am booked about 2-3 months out.

I rarely get time to shoot for the love of it anymore...work keeps me too busy. But tonight I photographed what was my first real client for her 4th bday pics....I started with her 1st bday when I was still in my "learning phase." Her mom and I met online and have become great friends, and our girls love each other. This was today (the redhead is mine).

 

[Miss Kelly]

Sorry to interrupt, but is that a Babycakes backdrop Kimberly? Ahh....

 

[Finally08]

Sorry to interrupt, but is that a Babycakes backdrop Kimberly? Ahh....

Yes, it is! I also have the Zachary drop by her, and it is even more amazing.

 

[DVC Jen]

I am...story's not too exciting though.

Always loved photography...never had money or time to invest in getting good equipment to really learn. When my dd was born in '04 I started trying more, but only had a point and shoot minolta at the time. By Nov. '04 I got a dRebel and started busting my butt teaching myself, researching, practicing, etc. Not even thinking I'd ever be good enough to go into biz, just wanting to learn for myself. By Oct. '05 I was in biz though with a full studio set and all, and here I am a couple years later. Have a great little studio in a neat area downtown, and am so swamped with business that I turn people away and am booked about 2-3 months out.

I rarely get time to shoot for the love of it anymore...work keeps me too busy. But tonight I photographed what was my first real client for her 4th bday pics....I started with her 1st bday when I was still in my "learning phase." Her mom and I met online and have become great friends, and our girls love each other. This was today (the redhead is mine).

beautiful. I love them.

 

[ducklite]

I fell into it by accident while persuing my hobby after paying my dues in the music industry for years. 99% of my work is live shots of rock bands. I do a little promo shot work if I really like the band as a favor, but it's really not my thing. It generally requires being awake during daylight hours, and musicians are pretty much a surly lot before the sun sets.

I'm on staff for a local publication where I'm published monthly. I've sold my work to half a dozen magazines, a few management companies, a few major labels, and rarely to the public. I'm about to sign with an stock agency that specializes in the type of work I do as well, I've got an attorney looking at the contract as I felt some of the language was ambiguous.

Unfortunately I've been told by the webmasters that I'm not allowed to post my work or URL on the Dis, so I can't show you any of my favorites.

 

[MICKEY88]

Unfortunately I've been told by the webmasters that I'm not allowed to post my work or URL on the Dis, so I can't show you any of my favorites.

why is that ??

 

[DebºoºS]

I was and I too fell into it by accident. I bought my first 35mm with inheritance money from a dear relative. He was an adventurer and a free spirit. Since I had always wanted to get into photography but never had the money to buy a camera I took my windfall and bought the best one I could afford. I loved it and took travel pics and family pics for years. Then in the early 80's my hobby paid off. I was working in "The Hamptons" when I was asked to take pics of some fabulous houses to be used in architectural mags, NY Times mag section etc. At about the same time I was asked by celeb friends to take their pics at parties and events. Eventually word spread to their celeb friends and that grew into a full time job. I was their paparazzi. They called me and I showed up to take the pics. They owned the negs and chose the pics they wanted given to the press. Those were published in various newspapers. I gave it all up to stay home when my son was born.

 

[Suburbanmom]

I always hesitate to call myself a professional (I'm having so much fun), but I have been paid for my work. I just sort of fell into it and I'm still in the beginning stages of deciding just where I want to go with it.

One thing I do is real estate photos. About a year and a half ago, a friend who is a realtor asked me to do her a favor (she bought me lunch) and take some photos of a listing she had. I did and the pictures turned out great. Through word of mouth (she has a big one), I've added several other realtors to my client list. They only call me for the higher-priced homes, by work has been pretty steady.

In the fall of 2006, my son's football coach asked me to do the team pictures and at first I turned him down. I was just a mom with a nice camera. But they persisted and I agreed. It was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I really felt drawn to pursue photography as more than a hobby. I made up a flyer and sent it to other teams (who did not already have a contract with someone else) and have added 9 other teams to my client list.

A few people have asked me to do some portraits, so now I'm contemplating buying some studio lights and a backdrop (right now I'm borrowing a backdrop from a friend). Those Alien Bees are awfully tempting!

 

[DebºoºS]

Unfortunately I've been told by the webmasters that I'm not allowed to post my work or URL on the Dis, so I can't show you any of my favorites.

Did they give you a reason?

 

[ducklite]

why is that ??

They say it's a commercial site.

 

[Finally08]

They say it's a commercial site.

Wouldn't any pro photos site be a commercial site?

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

Unfortunately I've been told by the webmasters that I'm not allowed to post my work or URL on the Dis, so I can't show you any of my favorites.

Did they give you a reason?

When we signed up for the DIS Boards, we each agreed to follow a set of guidelines. These guidelines have been agreed upon by Pete and the webmasters and were designed for our benefit. There will be times when a poster will include content or links that contradict the guidelines in the webmaster's opinion. They will then ask the poster to eliminate the infraction. Because these decisions are based upon the webmaster's discretion they are not subject for public debate or discussion. They are usually managed through email or private messages between the two parties. I would therefore ask everyone to please keep this thread on topic discussion how you became a professional photographer and not turn this into a discussion on the rules to the DISboards.

Jeff

 

[RitchG]

Finally08:

I got a dRebel and started busting my butt teaching myself, researching, practicing, etc.

ducklite:

I fell into it by accident

DebºoºS:

I too fell into it by accident

Suburbanmom:

I just sort of fell into it

So we have one broken butt and three with accidental falls, all while committing photography. Pretty dangerous occupation, eh?

This matches what I see in class (well, not the extent of injuries), which is excellent. There are one or two that have studied photography in depth, on their own; but most find themselves taking photographs and want to learn how to take the knowledge and skillset to the next level.

Thanks for your stories. Does anyone else have one to share?
---Ritch

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well I'll chime in with something I've been pondering but it's more of a "how he fell out of it" story than "how he fell into it" one. I thought it was interesting and may be something to discuss here and with your class.

I took care of someone in the hospital recently whose employment was listed as professional photographer. I thought, cool, this will be an enjoyable shift. Turns out he'd been a pro for 30 years. I never even heard of the type of camera he had (European model). He came from an artistic family and even got his degree in photography.

Yet he said he no longer worked as a photographer.

Basically, his feeling was that he would never "go digital" as to him, that wasn't "real" photography. Real photography was shooting with film and developing pictures in a darkroom. He said "with today's cameras, anyone can be a pro". His work at one time was in demand but because of advances in technology, now was much less so and he found he could no longer make a living at it. I sensed a mixture of disappointment and sadness, and despite my enthusiasm for digital photography, he wasn't having any of it. He felt his time had passed in this area.

It left me a little sad and made me wonder if there were others like him. It was a pretty dramatic change in a relatively short period of time when you think about it. Oh and in case anyone's wondering, he was only middle age.

 

[DVC Jen]

That is sad and I feel for him - but the thing that I feel is saddest is his refusal to grow with the field of photography. Instead of embracing and learning something new and seeing the art and beauty in it - he decided to hang up the towel and well - in my opinion - let the world pass him by.

If he were much older I could understand better - but being middle aged. I dunno Either way - it is sad. Sad for him and sad for those who may have really learned and loved the work he could have done with this medium.

 

[jann1033]

i have to agree here, being middle aged when i switched...i felt like i had never picked up a camera in my life I'm not really sure why since most of the basics are the same but it seemed like something totally new and really made me feel inept ,,,but it kind of like shooting yourself in the foot if you don't keep up at least somewhat with technology...doesn't mean you still can't use film but you also need to develop other areas of interest or specialty imo, it's not always a bad thing to get out of your comfort zone . sometimes technology just makes things easier, i.e. just cause you don't paint on a cave wall with plant colors doesn't mean it's not art

 

[boBQuincy]

A similar story is told in "Boulevard Photographic", a book about the leading automotive advertising photographic firm through the 60's and 70's.
They perfected a means to show a car in perfect focus but moving and with spinning wheels, all done in the camera. When digital imaging arrived and all this could be done in post processing Boulevard Photographic decided to call it quits.

It's an interesting book, full of incredible photographs, but it's a shame they quit instead of continuing with digital and taking it to even higher levels.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

My interest in photography started with camera club in high school...my family had always used instant cameras, so when a manual slr was put into my hand and I was able to change how the photo comes out - i.e., depth of field and developing techniques - I was hooked~

I have since taken college classes, photography was my major until the office I worked for started paying my tuition, that's when I changed my major to Business Administration. As my friends saw more and more of my stuff I began getting invited to take photos at weddings and then to do promo shots for local bands.

My photography has always been more personal than professional. I feel I take pictures at a professional level but refuse to sell my abilities short by throwing my stuff at anyone who will take it.

IMHO: A good photographer is not good because of the equipment, they are good because of what comes out of the equipment. For anyone here who has used a digital slr, you know that good pictures still require alot of thought, different settings and a good eye.