help a kid make some dough

dc502 · Jan 30, 2007

Hi there everyone at TPF this is my first thread ever in this community. Glad I can be here.

To get to the point I am a 16 year old junior in high school with a passion for photography. I wouldn't say I am lazy but the only jobs I basically can get are in the restaurant busyness as a bus boy or something close related. I do not like the restaurant busyness. I am looking for a way I can make money off of my skills at taking photo's. I wouldn't say that I am that skilled in photography but I am rapidly learning. I have learned of istockphotos.com and am interested in it but it looks confusing. Are there any ways for me to make money off of this passion of mine?

Thanks for all the help.

peace.

Sw1tchFX · Jan 30, 2007

dc502 said:
Hi there everyone at TPF this is my first thread ever in this community. Glad I can be here.

To get to the point I am a 16 year old junior in high school with a passion for photography. I wouldn't say I am lazy but the only jobs I basically can get are in the restaurant busyness as a bus boy or something close related. I do not like the restaurant busyness. I am looking for a way I can make money off of my skills at taking photo's. I wouldn't say that I am that skilled in photography but I am rapidly learning. I have learned of istockphotos.com and am interested in it but it looks confusing. Are there any ways for me to make money off of this passion of mine?

Thanks for all the help.

peace.

Don't diss the restaurant business, I worked in a restaurant as a host for a year and that's how I got the money for a lot of my equipment. When I was your age, I printed my best photos and entered them in school and county contests. Other prints I made, I hung up in our house so that when we had guests over, they could see my work. I made a few hundred bucks from that alone. I also volunteered to shoot for anyone that needed a photographer in my spare time, and when other people saw me out in/on the field, they offered money for prints. I made a few bucks from selling prints of athletes for the parents.

Dont just look on istockphoto, buy books, subscribe to magazines, those are some of the best ways to figure out whats what quickly, short of going to a school/workshop.

dc502 · Jan 30, 2007

Yeah man I hear ya... I am not dissing the restaurant business but its just not for me. I can get very stressed out with customers causing the waitresses to get less tips...

Thanks for the tips though I never thought of contests I don't even know if my school does that. Got to do some research.

Big Mike · Jan 30, 2007

I would think that the best way to make some money, in this field, at your age...would be to find a photographer and work for them. Carry their bags, get their coffee etc. You will learn a lot...which is practically better than money at this stage.

Remember that there are always people who are older, better and more experienced than you (or any of us)...which makes it hard to compete. The more experience you can get...the better prepared you will be to make some money.

Jim Gratiot · Jan 31, 2007

First off, I wouldn't publicly write:

I wouldn't say that I am that skilled in photography

Second, I agree with Mike... at your age, the best thing to do is to find a photographer who is doing exactly what you would like to do... then try to learn everything you can from then.

Actively seek out this mentor. This experience will be more valuable than any book or any class. It will also help you to avoid many of the "newbie" mistakes... or at least speed up the learning process.

Offer your services for free, if you have to... because when you look back at your life in 20 years, I guarantee you'll say that finding a mentor was the most important factor in your success as a photographer.

Good luck,

Jim