OK, so how do you make it work?

Cinka · Jul 7, 2009

For the last year and a half, I've been struggling to find my niche. I like doing headshots and events, but the jobs are few are far between. What I really want to do is photograph for magazines; either ads or editorials. Problem is: How do I start? Where do I start? I honestly have no idea. I figured I'd stumble onto the answer as best I could, but it's just not coming. I interned with a VERY FAMOUS photographer, but the industry secrets were too well guarded by others scrambling for the same things I am. Unfortunately, I got nothing out of my internship.

So now what? I'm not making any money, I'm not really doing what I want to do and I have no idea where to start. Needless to say, I'm very frustrated. Not giving up on my passion, just feeling very aimless.

Advice?

musicaleCA · Jul 7, 2009

Hrm. Well I'll say that I found Scott Bourne's Secrets to Selling and Publishing Photography is pretty helpful, at least for the general stuff like how to present yourself, and how to market yourself (as well that strategies that will increase the chances of say, an editor, actually remembering you and your work).

And you didn't get nothing out of the internship. You can say that you interned with <famous photographer> on your photography resumé now. That counts for something.

Cinka · Jul 7, 2009

musicaleCA, that looks very helpful. Thank you for posting. I'll spend some time with it tomorrow. I need a good dose of inspiration!

musicaleCA · Jul 7, 2009

It's helpful indeed. You'll have to pay to get access to the whole thing, but it's a good deal.

craig · Jul 7, 2009

All I can say is that you will not stumble upon the work. You will have to grab it and put everything you have into it. That may mean networking, buying lists, joining groups or simply beating the pavement with your book. There are no secrets. I understand your pain and have been there myself. You have a great book. Now people have have to see it and realize that. They will not come to you. You must go to them.

Figure out who your market is and target them.

Love & Bass

Jim Gratiot · Jul 7, 2009

craig said:
All I can say is that you will not stumble upon the work. You will have to grab it and put everything you have into it. That may mean networking, buying lists, joining groups or simply beating the pavement with your book. There are no secrets. I understand your pain and have been there myself. You have a great book. Now people have have to see it and realize that. They will not come to you. You must go to them.

Figure out who your market is and target them.

Love & Bass

Well put, Craig. That, in a nutshell, is the key to success.

You also make a good point about the work not coming to you... people talk about "hanging up a shingle" in this and other businesses. That's a start, but what you really need to do is throw the shingle at the head of your target audience so there's no chance they'll miss it.

Good luck, Kristen.

UUilliam · Jul 7, 2009

Join an Agency, they will promote you to Possible clients then once you get known you can leave the agency and start your own agency

I haven't been in the industrial side of photography yet, but hope to before im 25

(16 atm)

Just think smart and think about ways to get your name out there.
Start offering Model portfolio shoots and water mark the images with your name and webiste (or one or the other)
And hope that when the model shows the agents their portfolio, the agent picks up on your name and website and check out the website and see your images and then they will contact you to arrange future shoots with you possibly

There is ALLOT of photographers out there who would like to get into the industry but not everyone will, just like allot of people want to be famous actors, not everyone will.
Don't get your hopes TOO high as the chance of becoming and Editorial Photographer is pretty slim (for a well known magazine anyway.)