Beginner Needs help!!

NPIXIE316 · Jun 24, 2013

Hello everybody my names Norma
I'm wanting to start my own photography business... Taking children's pictures.. Outdoors is my favorite ...And I need help choosing a camera and books that might help me understand photography better....I've always loved the art of photography... And now I have the opportunity to actually pursue this dream But I need help I don't know what to start... In advance I would like to thank you for your help :hail:

manicmike · Jun 24, 2013

amolitor · Jun 24, 2013

You need to take some basic business classes and some basic photography classes and then revisit this idea after that.

jowensphoto · Jun 24, 2013

Ummm... if you don't know where to start, it's probably not time to start.

Also, what's your work look like at this point?

jwbryson1 · Jun 24, 2013

manicmike said:

:hail:

cgipson1 · Jun 24, 2013

You should! It is so easy... just buy a camera, and open a business! Everybody does it... no knowledge or experience needed! You will be making millions in just a week or two...

Oh.. and I would suggest a Nikon D4... good entry level camera! Or maybe a Canon XTi... Might be too advanced though.. (can't ever keep those straight!)

KmH · Jun 24, 2013

Start here: Starting & Managing a Business | SBA.gov
Everything you need to know about buying a camera | The Verge

Info for those new to photography:
Digital Photography Tutorials
Digital Photography Tutorials | Learning Photographic Techniques
Learn Digital Photography Basics
10 Top Photography Composition Rules | Photography Mad[/B]
Advanced Composition -- Part I

Books:
How to Start a Home-Based Photography Business, 6th (Home-Based Business Series)
The Business of Studio Photography: How to Start and Run a Successful Photography Studio
Photography Business Secrets: The Savvy Photographer's Guide to Sales, Marketing, and More

Doug Box's Guide to Posing for Portrait Photographers
500 Poses for Photographing Women: A Visual Sourcebook for Portrait Photographers
500 Poses for Photographing Men: A Visual Sourcebook for Digital Portrait Photographers
The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images
The Design Aglow Posing Guide for Family Portrait Photography: 100 Modern Ideas for Photographing Newborns, Babies, Children, and Families

Photographic Lighting stuff:
Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Strobist: Lighting 101
http://neilvn.com/tangents/flash-pho...hy-techniques/

cgipson1 · Jun 24, 2013

KmH said:
Start here: Starting & Managing a Business | SBA.gov
Everything you need to know about buying a camera | The Verge

Info for those new to photography:
Digital Photography Tutorials
Digital Photography Tutorials | Learning Photographic Techniques
Learn Digital Photography Basics
10 Top Photography Composition Rules | Photography Mad[/B]
Advanced Composition -- Part I

Books:
How to Start a Home-Based Photography Business, 6th (Home-Based Business Series)
The Business of Studio Photography: How to Start and Run a Successful Photography Studio
Photography Business Secrets: The Savvy Photographer's Guide to Sales, Marketing, and More

Doug Box's Guide to Posing for Portrait Photographers
500 Poses for Photographing Women: A Visual Sourcebook for Portrait Photographers
500 Poses for Photographing Men: A Visual Sourcebook for Digital Portrait Photographers
The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images
The Design Aglow Posing Guide for Family Portrait Photography: 100 Modern Ideas for Photographing Newborns, Babies, Children, and Families

I would bet the those that write the books on "How to start a Photography Business" make much more money then the people who buy the books do....

amolitor · Jun 24, 2013

I'm currently writing a book on how to write books about starting businesses while daytrading.

orljustin · Jun 24, 2013

You didn't use the P word, so you're obviously not ready.

imagemaker46 · Jun 25, 2013

Seriously? My threads get locked down and here we go again with another one. I think this was on my sarcastic list.

I'm suppose to add a smiley face now, but haven't got a spare one.

bratkinson · Jun 25, 2013

Sorry to be so crass-sounding, Norma, but not knowing what camera to buy and in the same breath indicate you want to start a business taking pictures is akin to not knowing what car you want to buy but you want to enter the Indianapolis 500 Memorial Day race!

For starters, those that start a business typically know the underlying activity fairly well to begin with. One doesn't open a restaurant without knowing very well how to cook what they plan to put on the menu. And that's only the starting point. What about renting space? advertising? employees? and, of absolute NOT last but not least...the IRS?

Did I mention a business plan? While going out and taking pictures of kids sounds fun and exciting, what about the money end? Just your time alone should be worth $20 or more, then add in cost of trainsportation, post processing (eg, Photoshop or whatever), printing, delivery, GETTING the money, and it goes on and on. If you're thinking 10 shots of someones' children for $20, you won't even pay the cost of YOUR gas, paper, and ink!

I'd like to quit my day job and take pictures of nothing but dandelions and sell them on the internet! But who'd buy 'em? And how much to charge? Those are two VERY BIG issues in ANY business!