How to make the transsition from working a normal local job, to pro photographer?

[Life]

I am in a crossroad per say and would like advice from someone who may have been here done that. Right now, I work a min wage job, really want to get to be pro and do that as my income, not cooking. Ive been wanting to do this for years now, but im finally close to making the transition, but how? I have a woman to support, bills to pay. How could I take the leap, with not really any money, just experience.

 

[jsecordphoto]

Are you taking in any income through photography at all right now?

 

[Ream]

I have been at a similar crossroad, with a few differences.. I am a stay@home Mom.. I started small portrait jobs with a cheap point & shoot GE. I then took $1,000.00, bought a CanonRebelT3i, backdrops, lighting, & a remote! Read.Read.Read... Learn.Learn.Learn.. And I say this because, if you start working without learning, you will find yourself stuck, taking quick, cheap pictures, for little - no money, and you will not be flattered @ your own work.. A little depressing.. But once friends & family know you take photos, you will be taking everyone's photo for free.. Shoot more, read more, learn more, so you can charge more.. Learn your own rate and then absolutely charge people your rate + printing.... I have spent so much money out of pocket for under bidding jobs.. Don't get discouraged. You can do it!

 

[EIngerson]

There are plenty of successful photographers. If you can support yourself through photography, great. but it's not an easy venture to establish a lucrative business. Making a living and being financially stable can be two different things. You can be an outstanding photographer, but if you are not business savvy, it's not going to work. I recommend getting a job with benefits.

This is just $.02 from the peanut gallery. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[Ream]

I have been at a similar crossroad, with a few differences.. I am a stay@home Mom.. I started small portrait jobs with a cheap point & shoot GE. I then took $1,000.00, bought a CanonRebelT3i, backdrops, lighting, & a remote! Read.Read.Read... Learn.Learn.Learn.. And I say this because, if you start working without learning, you will find yourself stuck, taking quick, cheap pictures, for little - no money, and you will not be flattered @ your own work.. A little depressing.. But once friends & family know you take photos, you will be taking everyone's photo for free.. Shoot more, read more, learn more, so you can charge more.. Learn your own rate and then absolutely charge people your rate + printing.... I have spent so much money out of pocket for under bidding jobs.. Don't get discouraged. You can do it!

Also... It takes time.. It's not anything like cooking, or reading a recipe.. I promise! It is always rewarding though! Just set your limits. Don't cut yourself short.. Bid high.. What type of equipment do you have now? What area of photography are you most interested in?

 

[Ream]

There are plenty of successful photographers. If you can support yourself through photography, great. but it's not an easy venture to establish a lucrative business. Making a living and being financially stable can be two different things. You can be an outstanding photographer, but if you are not business savvy, it's not going to work. I recommend getting a job with benefits.

This is just $.02 from the peanut gallery. Take it for what it's worth.

So true.. Photography is an expensive hobby and an even more expensive business.! $$$$$$$ Money to drive, money to shoot, money to edit, money to print, money to advertise..... It's an expensive love..

 

[The_Traveler]

I looked at your portfolio on 500px.
No people.
You need to get some experience with what you want to make $ at.

 

[imagemaker46]

What type of equipment do you have?
What experience do you have?
What area of photography are you interested in?
Biggest question, What do you have that will set you apart from the everyone else?

I took a look at your portfolio and while there are some really nice images, there are also 10,000 images that look the same being uploaded every day to the web. I can see that you enjoy what you do with a camera, don't ever lose that feeling. To be honest I was shooting the same type of thing when I was 16 years old, I've been shooting since I was 13, I'm near 60 now and still shooting, no bugs, no trees, no flowers, no animals, anymore. Bugs, trees, flowers and animals are a hobby. It's not easy jumping into this business anymore, you should be concentrating on people, none of what shoot, will buy your images.

If this is the only area of photography that you are interested in or have experience in keep doing it, look locally for any galleries that may be interested in hanging some prints.

 

[Vtec44]

Being a a full time photographer requires you to be both an artist and a business person. What kind of photography do you want to focus in and do you have a business plan? Being a good photographer alone doesn't automatically give you a successful photography business. The right clients have to find you. What are you doing now to have the right clients find you? Are the right clients finding you?

 

[dennybeall]

Look at the business side. Where is the money - people and buildings, perhaps events, children or sports teams BUT Not hardly animals unless you specialize in pets.
What's in your portfolio? stuff that doesn't make money pretty much.
re-focus!

 

[bribrius]

I am in a crossroad per say and would like advice from someone who may have been here done that. Right now, I work a min wage job, really want to get to be pro and do that as my income, not cooking. Ive been wanting to do this for years now, but im finally close to making the transition, but how? I have a woman to support, bills to pay. How could I take the leap, with not really any money, just experience.

how are you supporting a woman on a min wage job????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[runnah]

Stick with cooking. The earning potential is much higher than photography.

 

[Light Guru]

I am in a crossroad per say and would like advice from someone who may have been here done that. Right now, I work a min wage job, really want to get to be pro and do that as my income, not cooking. Ive been wanting to do this for years now, but im finally close to making the transition, but how? I have a woman to support, bills to pay. How could I take the leap, with not really any money, just experience.

You don't just leap. You work extremely hard on the side establishing a photography business while at the same time working your day job. You build it up to a level that it's not a leap it's simply stepping from one side to the other.

I recommend you read the the book Quitter by Jon Acuff
Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job: Jon Acuff: 9780982986271: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Forkie]

Currently going through this transition myself. I plan on it being a gradual process.

I am a pro-photographer as my day job, but work for someone else on a company payroll with no options for career progression with this company (I'm the only photographer, so there is nowhere above me for me to progress to) so, I plan to slowly switch it over to go full-time freelance.

I've spent the last year doing freebies in my spare time and taking advantage of as many portrait photography work in my day job as possible to build my portfolio and have my first paid, unsolicited by me, headshot session on Friday which for me is a perfect achievement in the timeframe I had in mind (I'd like to be able to leave my job at or just after next Christmas).

I plan to do as many private jobs as possible, taking annual leave from my day job to give me time to do the private work and once my private work pay almost matches my current salary, then (and only then) I will consider leaving the job and going freelance full time.

 

[imagemaker46]

A good friend of mine and a pretty good photographer had been working at the same camera store for 25 years, he shot weddings on the side, had all the best gear but was getting fed up with the direction the store was going,(started selling cell phones as a main) he figured he could do ok freelancing. A year later he is supported 100% by his wife, doesn't know what direction to go. He doesn't regret quitting, but he has replaced one stress with another one. Leaving full time jobs these days without having a solid plan. Huge mistake.