Beginner tips and questions!

[Crwill299]

hey all! I am wanting to get into photography, I have messed around with different editors and cameras. I have even had a few sessions with family and friends to practice my skills.
Curious how the professionals got started, I would love to start growing a business. I am just not comfortable charging people when I don't see myself as "professional" quite yet.
So a few questions!
-How did you get started
-best camera for taking quality photos
-best photo editor
-did you take photography classes?
-at what point did you start marketing your business?
Thank you all so much!!

 

[chuasam]

Best Camera for taking photos is the last thing to worry about...that being said "Nikon D850"
Best Photo Editor - Adobe Photoshop CC
Yes I took classes

I still really suck at marketing...and these are hardly beginner questions.

 

[snowbear]

Welcome aboard.

Find a camera that "feels right" in your hands - size, weight, and button locations. The camera is only part of a photography system; lenses need to (eventually) be considered. With that in mind, I'll also put in a plug for Nikon (though not necessarily the D850) because of the used lenses that are available.

I'm not a pro, nor do I intend to be. I took classes but more as an excuse to get back into a darkroom and learn a little about the digital processing. I was also trying to find something to fit my schedule, as I was working full time and could't always get something in my major for the time slots I needed.

Adobe Lightroom serves me for 95% of my editing; Photoshop for the remaining 5%.

 

[benhasajeep]

I started making money with a Nikon 6006 and a Minolta X-370. Had no marketing. Honestly, people came to me. I was working for college newspaper at the time, and got lots of pictures printed (was one of the few who were paid). So, people found me when they wanted me to do something for them. I have been using Photoshop since version 6.0. But I am using Lightroom more and more for the majority of my work. I didn't go to a photography class until after I worked for the paper. Easy A for an elective I figured. But I was really glad I did it. I was very familiar by that time with B&W darkroom having my own. But was introduced to Color negative and positive in the class. That started me going down the road of doing my own slide work at home as well.

Other than business cards I still do not market. No, craigslist, I'm not on facebook, but wife is, no twitter. Nothing. But again. People know my wife and I do photography. And we get enough work for what we want to do. We are known to do favors occasionally for people who otherwise would not hire a photographer. That probably gives us more good publicity than dozens of paid for ads. We are careful with this though. And we make it sound like we had a contest and the people we give the very low cost or free service to won something. Helps keep away the other's that say "well you did it for them!" We have also used "New equipment practice" as an excuse. We turn down more work than we do. When talking to potential clients I am actually interviewing them. It helps keep away the some of the bad clients. But not always. Wife has worked in realty for 10 years now. So we also get some realty work for the higher priced homes. Most of the times other realtors are too cheap to have good pictures taken. They will only pay up if they have a high commission property they think they can sell within the contract period. In our area anyway.

Neither of us do it full time. If I were to switch to doing it full time. I would definitely have to start marketing. Just to keep income at the same level. Wife has no interest in doing it full time. She enjoys taking the pictures. Doesn't like the post work.

Best camera is the one you have! Now if your going to buy one. That's a whole new ball game. As I can tell you to buy a $200 used one, to a $50,000 medium format digital!

 

[Dragster3]

If you have good business sense you will have a successful business.

Your good business sense will tell you what business to be in.

Yes go take some college courses on photography. They will tell you what camera you need.

Yes take some business courses...

Start at the beginning. There are no shortcuts.

 

[BananaRepublic]

If you have good business sense you will have a successful business.

Your good business sense will tell you what business to be in.

Yes go take some college courses on photography. They will tell you what camera you need.

Yes take some business courses...

Start at the beginning. There are no shortcuts.

There is a vast difference between what is useful advise and horseshit advice

 

[Dragster3]

If you have good business sense you will have a successful business.

Your good business sense will tell you what business to be in.

Yes go take some college courses on photography. They will tell you what camera you need.

Yes take some business courses...

Start at the beginning. There are no shortcuts.

There is a vast difference between what is useful advise and horseshit advice

I guess if getting an education first is horse****, then I'm full of s***.

Sent from my RS988 using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app

 

[jcdeboever]

Before you start a business, plan one. Don't just jump into it. Make a detailed business plan. This is going to take time and research. Know your market, plan your hardware purchases, set goals for growth, set goals for improvement. Find what area gains the fastest return on investment and focus on it. Focus on continuous improvement in all aspects within your plan, be flexible, and look for opportunities to maximize profit.

I am not a professional photographer but I am a business man. I succeed because I plan for it. Many people do not succeed because they fail to plan. What are you selling? How are you going to sell it? Who does it the best in your market and why? What do the best fall short on and why? How are you going to differentiate yourself from them? Why are people going to buy from you? How much capital is it going to take? How much do you have to sell in order to generate the profit needed to sustain growth? These are only a fraction of what's needed for a strong plan, but they are a good start and will lead to the others.

Always pay your vendors promptly. Consider your business type, LLC, inc., or S Corp, etc. Get a DBA

 

[smoke665]

What JC said^^^^^.

I started my first business at 22, 45 years later, I'm still going , though from a passive stance now.

Roughly 20% of all businesses fail within the first year, and roughly 50% fail within the first 5. Going into business without any knowledge of the industry, contacts, or business skill is like trying to swim with your arms and feet tied together.

Do your homework, learn the skills, and accumulate a war chest, because you will need it.