What advice would you give...

[Ladybugsy]

to a novice who would love to take pictures well enough to open her own business someday? I find myself looking through the world like I'm looking through a camera. I have so many ideas, and no education to bring them to fruition. I have no idea where to start to get the information and education I need. Any points in the right direction would be appreciated.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Get a camera and start taking pictures. Lots of them.

Look at lots of pictures from other photographers. Lots of them.

Find out what inspires you and then start taking lots of pictures. Then look for resources online. There are tons and tons of good places to start.

 

[SrisonS]

I think you'd have to set a goal on what types of pictures you want your business to be about, then kinda go from there. Do you want to do portraits for people, or event photography? Or do you want something more artsy? But whatever you want to shoot... Shoot like Hell!!!! Really get comfortable with your craft, and try to define your style.

Of course all of this coming from someone who hasn't sold a thing; but I hope it's decent advice. I'm sure others can give more insight.

 

[ukcatfan]

I have been told that having a successful photography business is 49% marketing yourself, 49% business skills, 1% photography skills, and 1% editing skills. Those 1% are still really important though. If you are not good then you will not succeed. The point is that even being a great photographer does not mean you will make money. My warning would be to tread lightly before investing thousands of dollars in any sole proprietorship.

 

[Finally08]

Aside from all the technical aspects of being good at photography, you really need to look at the ins and outs of being a small business owner. Licenses, taxes, insurance, overhead, etc. Get a good business plan. Consider the amount of time and money you will spend before you ever see a return. Look at the other 30000 photographers who have opened up shop in your city in the last 6 months....and reeeaaallly think about if you enjoy photography and should feed your creative spirit...or if business is really right for you.

 

[Ladybugsy]

Thank so much for the replies. I'm interested in portraiture, weddings, kids, events, even modeling. I do currently run a small business and have an LLC, and all that that entails, but I guess what I'm really asking is this...is there a resource that will give me a good handle on the basics. I feel like I have a good eye, but I need to learn about the technical aspect. Light, camera settings, equipment needs, ect. Also, do most of you just use photoshop for editing?

 

[Anewman]

I would advise them to have fun taking photos... money is nice, but having been paid to shoot events in the past. I do not remember having fun at those events.

 

[ukcatfan]

I would start with a good book like "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. Then maybe consider a class at a local school.

 

[Frantasmic]

How about finding an older photographer in your town who may be nearing retirement (within 1-5 years) and asking to trail them on assignments with the understanding that you might be interested in purchasing the business someday.

 

[photo_chick]

Thank so much for the replies. I'm interested in portraiture, weddings, kids, events, even modeling. I do currently run a small business and have an LLC, and all that that entails, but I guess what I'm really asking is this...is there a resource that will give me a good handle on the basics. I feel like I have a good eye, but I need to learn about the technical aspect. Light, camera settings, equipment needs, ect. Also, do most of you just use photoshop for editing?

Consider a photography class at your local college.

 

[alloyd1170]

I was in that boat. I started shooting my kids, then their school and social functions. I would give the host or teacher a cd with the photos on it. I started getting comments about how I should go into business as my photos were so good. I found a photo certification course at our local community college and took it-not for the certification because now-a-days, that doesn't mean much. The info that I came away with (settings, hands-on experiences, photoshop techs, etc) were what I wanted.

I entered contests like our local paper, magazines, online contests, State Fair, etc. I've had my photos displayed all over the state. All of it was fun, and no pressure. Then I went to work for a local youth sports photo company. I got paid to do photo shoots of my friends, birthday parties, etc. It stopped being fun and I put a lot of pressure on myself to produce lots of good photos. I took a break and went back to doing the fun stuff (my kids, school yearbook shots, a photo trip to the Galapagos with National Geographic) and have gotten back into it again.

I thought about going to work for a chain photo studio, mainly to get the experience. Then I read reviews by employees and was turned off. It's not about taking the photos, it's about pushing the sales, which is not my style. Maybe I will bite the bullet and deal with it for a year.

I see you live in PCB. We visit there every summer and I love shooting down there! I especially love going over to St Andrews and catching the wildlife along the shores. I even got some shots of the Obama's in the bay last summer! Many of the shots I entered in contests were done in PCB. I thought about having a family portrait done by one of the hundreds of photographers there, but trying to pick one.....that's a problem. That's were making yourself stand out and marketing with a unique twist comes into play. I see them advertised in all the tourist books. I see their work hanging in shops, etc. But to me, they all look the same. When I find the one that does something different that I like, that will be the one I use. I don't know how to describe it, other than I will know when I see it.

So like the others have said-find a class to learn all you can about photography. Get out and just shoot away, playing with all the settings until you know them in your sleep. Find someone to work along with, even if it means putting up with the bad things. That's where you'll learn the most probably-the what-not-to-dos. Then come up with a marketing angle that makes you different from all the others in your area (and you have a lot of competition down there)! Most importantly, have fun because once that is gone, so is the passion!