Hi, there!

311Photo · Oct 12, 2016

Hi!!
I am new to this forum and an amateur photography aspiring to have my own photography business. I'm currently in the developmental phase where I am doing session at no charge in order to build my portfolio and gain experience (and also because I just don't feel comfortable charging for the quality I'm currently capable of producing.
I shoot with a Canon EOS Rebel T2i.
My favorite and most comfortable photography is nature, but I am working toward portraiture. I have my first newborn shoot this weekend! :-O
I use Photoshop Elements for editing, but my understanding of it is *very* limited.
So I'm here to learn!!

Big Mike · Oct 13, 2016

Welcome aboard.

Be very careful with your plan of not charging to get started. If you don't value your work & time, then neither with others. And you certainly don't want to build a reputation for being the 'cheap' or 'free' photographer.
And if you're not comfortable charging for the quality you are producing....then maybe the priority should be on improving before taking gigs.

That being said, it's a bit of a catch 22. Getting experience will help you get better.

Of course, everyone has to start somewhere. We all have our photographic origin stories.

Designer · Oct 13, 2016

Welcome!

Gary A. · Oct 13, 2016

Welcome to the forum. On the flip side of the coin ... not charging for your work could also be construed that you have a high bar for your 'professional' work. That you are not willing to charge for work that does not meet your personal expectation of professionalism, I think is a good thing ... and shows respect for the client and self-recognition that you haven't attain the level of skill and experience required for receiving payment.

I think Big Mike and I are stating the same thing ... just in different terms.

zombiesniper · Oct 13, 2016

Welcome to TPF.

311Photo · Oct 13, 2016

Thank you all for the greetings!!
Big Mike, I do greatly appreciate your response and place a lot of weight on the opinions of experienced photographers such as yourself. That's why I am excited to have found this forum and pick brains such as yours!
My thought progression for why I've decided not to charge for the time being was very much in line with what Gary A. said. In my first newborn, headshot, or family shoots, I just don't know what will turn out. But I do appreciate the opportunities to get that experience. At this time, I view it as a win-win for myself and my customers - they get a free jump drive of all the best images (very little cost to me) and I get some more experience under my belt. I feel like once I've done one newborn session, I'll feel more comfortable charging some amount for the next, and my prices can increase with my experience and corresponding skill improvement. I am a visual, hands-on learner, so as much as I can read and take courses, I have to actually put the methods into practices in a session setting to really make marked improvement.
But I am very open to hearing how others have started out. I know everyone has to start somewhere!

Big Mike · Oct 14, 2016

Many years ago, I took a class from an old, very experienced photographer. The class was about getting started in the photography (wedding) industry. The whole class could be summed up by saying "Experience should not dictate price".
He related many stories of photographers who didn't make it as a business and he concluded that the main reason was that they weren't charging enough right from the start.

Of course, this leaves us with the catch-22 of not being able to get better without experience while not being able to get jobs because we lack a great portfolio (and maybe the skills to have a great portfolio).

The old photographer gave us a few examples of how to create a portfolio of great images, without having to slug through a bunch of free or cheap weddings. One idea was to make it a specific project that you carry out. Hire models, rent or borrow clothes and take a day to shoot them. You don't need a ton a shots, just a few very good ones.

I don't mean to say that doing free shoots won't work, plenty of photographers do get started that way. I just caution you to make it very clear that you are only doing this to build a portfolio and that your rates will be going up. Your rates should be based on the quality of the work you produce (and the market that you're in).....and if your work isn't yet good enough to command the price you want to charge, then concentrate on improving rather than lowering your price.