Beginner needs help!

[NinaRoxanne]

Your kidding right? This is a joke someone put you up to it. Your actually going to sell edited cds for $50 dollars? This is like the joke about the guy who buys pencils for 7 cents and sells them for a nickel. He's going to make it up in volume! So, if you shoot 3 sessions a day, three days a week, for 52 weeks a year, plus spend two or three days every week editing, and another day taking care of taxes and general business chores, your willing to do all that work and gross less than 25k per year? Subtract your operating costs like equipment, supplies, props, and taxes. Girl your gonna have to get another job so you can afford to go to work. Sorry if this sounds harsh but I can't believe your gonna take peoples hard earned money, call yourself a photographer, and you don't even know what kind of lights you have. Please tell me this is not for real.

I have nothing against you becoming a photographer but what your doing is a recipe for disaster, it's like opening a law office, then asking lawyers how to practice law. Learn the craft first, then open a business. Your work is not bad, you have a good eye for composition and it appears you can work well with children, but IMHO your still a long way from quality portraiture. Please for your customers sake, get that horse back in front of the cart. A love of photography is essential, in this business, but not enough. You currently need both competent photography and business training to succeed.

:er: I don't believe I came here with "jokes". & I believe you read my prices wrong. $35 & $65 would be correct.

Also, If I already have a studio, 2 different Nikons, all the lights I need, backdrops, CS4... why would I spend anymore money. It was a one time investment of money.. that will continue to bring in money.

I do not HAVE to get another job. Thank God my husband brings in enough money to support a family of 4. Thank you United States Army. :thumbup: So I will not be needing another job.

So I dont know what kind of lights I have.. I play around with them.. take a picture, see if it works that way and when it doesnt, I move it.
I'm glad your all fancy smancy with photography. Maybe you love the "classic" look of photos. But not everyone has the same style.
I'm sure there will be people who LOVE my photos over yours. Of course they aren't technical with the picture saying, oh the white balance in the picture isn't correct. No.. they are going to see a great looking pictures because I do great looking pictures. Weather or not its up to your "quality" or not.

I'd rather pay $50 for my photos. Than $100 for one photo of ANYONES.
Also the entire reason i bought the studio is I had a professional photographer come to my house to take newborn photos for me. I loved them all... could I afford them no. I also went to Sears and had photos later on taken of my son. I loved every single one of those photos. Could I get them all ... of course not.
I spend about the same amount of money on the studio that I would have spend on having my sons photos taken for the entire year. I love the photos I take of him, and I can keep every single one of them.

Now tell me... do you think ALL families want to come to you for ONE photo, or come to me for good photos and have all of them.

I have had NO problem what so ever with anyone disliking my work.

 

[NinaRoxanne]

Chas, seems like you missed the big news story called "Baby On Board, and
a Photography Business, Too", published by the New York Times in 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/business/yourmoney/15cameras.html

The OP is a member of a huge, growing trend of female shooters who are new to photography, and yet are beginning photography businesses.

:hail: AMEN!

"Because the overhead can be minimal — some business cards and a lot of chatting on playgrounds — and because many new photographers have either a full-time job or a husband with one, they can afford to charge less than professional photographers. The professionals, who assert that they offer better quality because of their experience and studio equipment, may charge from $50 to several hundred dollars for an 8-by-10-inch print."

 

[NinaRoxanne]

Some people just have too much money to spend. Ive been doing photography for 6 years now, semi pro for a year and i wish i could afford a studio.. Instead people who still need to learn before doing anything else get whatever they like. Meh Bitter much? ...lol.

I only wish I had "too much" money to spend. I think 6 years could have saved up for it by now :thumbup:

 

[NinaRoxanne]

I would also like to share to ALL of you.

"Photography Beginners' Forum & Photo Gallery Brand new to photography, or brushing up on some of the basics? Don’t be shy! Talk to other beginners and ask all your basic photographic questions here. Show us some of the photos you have taken so far and get some review - so you can learn where there is room for improvement!"

i posted in the right forum right? So why the need to jump down my through for owning the studio, owning the camera, and calling myself a photographer.

I know some car salesmen that sell some pretty ****ty cars and can still call themselves a car salesmen.

Look up your definition of photography, and professional photography.. I did not come in here saying I was any kind of professional.

But I'm also not putting my child in day care, driving to locations, having people in my home for free. So what if I charge.

 

[manicmike]

The point is you're a beginner and you're opening a photography business. You should be knowledgeable about your product before you sell it in any business.

 

[mom2eight]

Nina,
Im new to photography only had my DSLR for about a year. This group is very honest, and sometimes brutal but all in all you can learn a whole lot if you can get past the in your face approach. It's difficult to get CC but if its done correctly it can be very helpful. I also have a love for photography but ive made the choice to craft my skill before I try to get paying clients. I don't want to just be a photographer, I want to be a great photographer. Take your time, and practice, practice and practice some more. Everything in life worth something takes time and focus. Dont give up and don't let a little harsh CC stop you, let it drive you to be better. I look forward to seeing you around the forum posting some more photos. By the way im a military spouse also, we gotta stick together. LOL

 

[PatrickHMS]

I got a photography website built, got a photography business started.

...guess I better get a camera and learn how to use it.

These same kinds of threads, over and over and over andoverandoverandover again just kill me.

I don't know where this happens any more than in photography.

She says "Look up your definition of photography, and professional photography.. I did not come in here saying I was any kind of professional."

Not real clear how you can open a photography business, take pictures, sell them" and that not be called a professional photographer?

 

[keith foster]

As one who responded to your OP and wasn't very helpful I would like to explain why I replied as I did. You did post in the beginners forum which is for feedback on those who are getting started and learning to get better just as you pointed out. However, you represented yourself as a professional, with a clientele and a history.

How your photography was critiqued was based on the fact you are selling your photos and charging for your services and presented as professional work looking for feedback. Obviously a different standard than others who post in the beginner section asking how to improve their work so that they might someday be able to sell their work and be comfortable they are delivering a quality product worth payment.

Good luck in your venture. I hope you continue to be successful.

 

[NinaRoxanne]

Nina,
Im new to photography only had my DSLR for about a year. This group is very honest, and sometimes brutal but all in all you can learn a whole lot if you can get past the in your face approach. It's difficult to get CC but if its done correctly it can be very helpful. I also have a love for photography but ive made the choice to craft my skill before I try to get paying clients. I don't want to just be a photographer, I want to be a great photographer. Take your time, and practice, practice and practice some more. Everything in life worth something takes time and focus. Dont give up and don't let a little harsh CC stop you, let it drive you to be better. I look forward to seeing you around the forum posting some more photos. By the way im a military spouse also, we gotta stick together. LOL

:hug:: Oh I'm use to brutal and honest ( I'm also part of a military spouse board). & I certainly can dish it right back :mrgreen:

I'm one to give help and not judge. Hopefully there are others here that will continue to help me, give me advice, and answer my questions. Which I could just delete the post that I receive that have nothing to do with the original post or any words of advice.


Also some advice for you.. (since i'm nice like that and can help rather than put down

There is a program MyCAA that will pay for a professional photography course for you being a military spouse through the New York Institute of Photography .... completely free... once again thank you United States Army. If you have anymore questions about it, I can help you sign up for it

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I'm sure there will be people who LOVE my photos over yours. Of course they aren't technical with the picture saying, oh the white balance in the picture isn't correct. No.. they are going to see a great looking pictures because I do great looking pictures. Weather or not its up to your "quality" or not.

Yeah! Who cares about white balance!! :thumbup:


"New Your Institute of Photography"
What? Really?

 

[NinaRoxanne]

As one who responded to your OP and wasn't very helpful I would like to explain why I replied as I did. You did post in the beginners forum which is for feedback on those who are getting started and learning to get better just as you pointed out. However, you represented yourself as a professional, with a clientele and a history.

How your photography was critiqued was based on the fact you are selling your photos and charging for your services and presented as professional work looking for feedback. Obviously a different standard than others who post in the beginner section asking how to improve their work so that they might someday be able to sell their work and be comfortable they are delivering a quality product worth payment.

Good luck in your venture. I hope you continue to be successful.

"Not many barriers to entry to the field, cheap p&s camera, 2 flashlights and a couple of old bed sheets, we're in. "


That made me laugh. Who's to say what kind of studio I have.. I have great equipment. & I do know many photographers who have a sheet set up and can take great photos also.


So "professional" photographers can change oodles of money for their pictures.

My prices are cheap. Which means I know I am NO professional.
Just because I'm no professional doesnt mean I can't sell something I see as art. Something that a person agrees to buy because they love it.

 

[NinaRoxanne]

I'm sure there will be people who LOVE my photos over yours. Of course they aren't technical with the picture saying, oh the white balance in the picture isn't correct. No.. they are going to see a great looking pictures because I do great looking pictures. Weather or not its up to your "quality" or not.

Yeah! Who cares about white balance!! :thumbup:


"New Your Institute of Photography"
What? Really?

New York Institute of Photography.
Woo hoo... i made an error. OH MY.

I also wouldn't let a complete ass take my sons photos either.

 

[PatrickHMS]

You cannot hold a logical discussion when there is logic on only one side of such discussion.

This is the kind of thread where nobody wins.

 

[NinaRoxanne]

:lmao: Is there an ignore member feature on this board. I'd like to use it.

Giving someone advice/telling someone what they would change about the photos is completely different from being plain rude.

 

[PatrickHMS]

OP has great equipment, just doesn't know what kind of lens to use.

Because that is something a photographer learns, in time...

These guys come here with an attitude, asking ridiculous questions for one opening a business, then get insulted when someone answers their question honestly, telling them that they are nowhere even close to ready to being a professional photographer.

Somehow, methinks that a professional photographer would know what equipment to use in almost any situation, because they have experience and they know their craft and their equipment.