How do I start my Photgoraphy buisness before I turn 18?

LydiaK100 · Feb 10, 2011

I would but I don't have any because no one has contacted me about my photography.

New Hampshire · Feb 10, 2011

I am not sure you realize exactly what kind of financial investment this will take. I am just an amateur who photographs for himself, and I have spent a good couple thousand over the years just to have what little I do. A friend of mine is a pro landscape photographer, and over the years he has spends many thousands of dollars. Pro level lenses are not cheap. Full sized sensor cameras are not cheap. While you may be able to get away with cheaper gear, in the long run if you are going to be serious about this you will need the right equipment. Are you ready to lay that bill in your parents lap? That is what it may come to since, as you have alluded to with your age, you would not be able to get a bank loan of your own to satisfy your equipment needs.

And that is of course just equipment. As has been mentioned real advertising and infrastructure is also an expense you will have to worry about. A reliable vehicle to get you to your shoots. Gas money for said vehicle. The list goes on and on. This is why so many pro's progressed over the years into their businesses. I can't imagine anyone, if any at all, simply went out cold turkey and started gathering equipment and jumped into their business. If you are really serious about this as a future endeavor then it will be there when you have gained more experience and age.

Brian

Overread · Feb 10, 2011

LydiaK100 said:
I would but I don't have any because no one has contacted me about my photography.

You must have some photos in order to have had the idea to start doing photography as a job instead of just as a hobby. An idea of the kind of photos that you can take, even if its not in your specific subject area is still important.

However I'll also echo the thought that if you want to offer a specific service of photography you need to have photos in that line of photography to show potential customers what you can do - that you can work and get photos of livestock that are of suitable quality to be paid for.

e.rose · Feb 10, 2011

o hey tyler said:
LydiaK100 said:

I would but I don't have any shot's because I haven't had anyone contact me about my photography.

Click to expand...

Okay, this confirms that you are not ready. A portfolio would be one of the first things to work on, and you shouldn't be charging people to build your portfolio if it's not even started yet.

I didn't see that response at first.

I agree with Tyler.

If you don't have any photos because no one has contacted you about photography, that means you haven't taken any photos.

The first step to starting a business is *learning* how to do what you want to go into business for.

Just because you own a powershot, doesn't mean you know how to take good photographs.

You need to lay down the business idea for a while and just practice and learn.

LydiaK100 · Feb 10, 2011

How am I suppose to make photo, out of things that I don't have. I do plan on staying in school but where in the rules does it state that I can't do photography and stay in school. Your statements of reasons why I'm not ready sound like your asking me to do the impossible. Please explain how you would expect me to do these things that would in your opinion make me "ready"? Just because I am young and I haven't had the opportunity to build a portfolio doesn't mean I'm not ready.

RauschPhotography · Feb 10, 2011

LydiaK100 said:
How am I suppose to make photo, out of things that I don't have. I do plan on staying in school but where in the rules does it state that I can't do photography and stay in school. Your statements of reasons why I'm not ready sound like your asking me to do the impossible. Please explain how you would expect me to do these things that would in your opinion make me "ready"? Just because I am young and I haven't had the opportunity to build a portfolio doesn't mean I'm not ready.

It doesn't say anything about doing photography as a hobby, does it? Just getting out and testing your abilities doesn't mean interfering with your schoolwork by any means.

o hey tyler · Feb 10, 2011

LydiaK100 said:
How am I suppose to make photo, out of things that I don't have. I do plan on staying in school but where in the rules does it state that I can't do photography and stay in school. Your statements of reasons why I'm not ready sound like your asking me to do the impossible. Please explain how you would expect me to do these things that would in your opinion make me "ready"? Just because I am young and I haven't had the opportunity to build a portfolio doesn't mean I'm not ready.

Yes it does. It means you haven't TAKEN ANY PHOTOS. Walk to a farm and take photos of Livestock. You're not going to get paid for it, because you don't have a P O R T F O L I O or E X P E R I E N C E. But it will be a start. This is what you have to do. You can't get a camera and expect instant satisfaction and start charging clients. It just doesn't work like that.

LydiaK100 · Feb 10, 2011

RauschPhotograhy: I agree just because I own a Powershot doesn't mean I can take good photographs. But placing in photography competitions against both minors and adults I believe does show I have some photographic quality.

Overread · Feb 10, 2011

Yes it does sadly - you need a portfolio in order to get any photographic jobs.

Now you say you don't have any livestock - what stops you heading out to find some? Ask a local farmer or two if you can take some photos of their livestock - explain your needs and your intent and maybe even give that farmer the photos after as a form of "payment" from you to the farmer for the time (since I'll assume that for specific photos of livestock you will need someone to help handle the animal to show the best possible pose and positions and the key features).

Which also raises the question of do you yourself know the key parts and aspects of the various animals to show the differences between species? If not this is another clear area you'll need to work on

Biggs88 · Feb 10, 2011

You want to start a photography "buisness" but you have no idea what your doing, a very bad camera, and you have been on this earth less than the Nikon F3's professionals shoot for fun now'a'days!

No offense, but your not ready to go pro.

The WHOLE point of paying a pro is because they have the degree and/or MANY years of experience with pro photography, $20,000+ in professional equipment and ofcourse a paying person would want their "pro's" signature to hold up in court!!! (which untill your 18, it does not)

Just shoot photos. Save your money, get a DSLR and shoot some more. Join a photography club in highschool. Go to college for photography. Add to your gear over time. eventually get the professional dslr body, a handful of lenses, oodles of lighting equipment, filters out the ass, ect. . . . .

While in college for photography, get a job at a chain photography place in a mall shooting kids and passport photos.

Do TFP shoots on Craigslist for experience aswell.

At about the same time your done paying off your student loans, you will be ready to open a studio and start charging for your services.

e.rose · Feb 10, 2011

LydiaK100 said:
How am I suppose to make photo, out of things that I don't have. I do plan on staying in school but where in the rules does it state that I can't do photography and stay in school. Your statements of reasons why I'm not ready sound like your asking me to do the impossible. Please explain how you would expect me to do these things that would in your opinion make me "ready"? Just because I am young and I haven't had the opportunity to build a portfolio doesn't mean I'm not ready.

o hey tyler said:
Yes it does. It means you haven't TAKEN ANY PHOTOS. Walk to a farm and take photos of Livestock. You're not going to get paid for it, because you don't have a P O R T F O L I O or E X P E R I E N C E. But it will be a start. This is what you have to do. You can't get a camera and expect instant satisfaction and start charging clients. It just doesn't work like that.

EXACTLY. You don't *have* photos of livestock? Go knock on some Farmer's door and ask him if you can take a few photos of his cows or something.

Would you hire a driving instructor who has never driven a car before to teach you how to drive?

Would you hire an Algebra tutor to help you with your Algebra homework if they've never done algebra before?

No one is going to hire *you* for livestock photos if you've never taken pictures of livestock.

So go take pictures of livestock.

And then don't stop there... take MORE pictures of livestock.

Learn more about photography in general... IMPROVE upon your livestockography and THEN when you're ready... you can start thinking about a business. :sillysmi:

RauschPhotography · Feb 10, 2011

LydiaK100 said:
RauschPhotograhy: I agree just because I own a Powershot doesn't mean I can take good photographs. But placing in photography competitions against both minors and adults I believe does show I have some photographic quality.

That wasn't me, that was actually erose.

And about the competitions, where are these pictures? Obviously you have something to show?

LydiaK100 · Feb 10, 2011

New Hampshire: I do not plan to lay that bill down in my parents lap at all. In fact I had most of the money for my camera I got for my birthday saved up and they paid for the rest. But as of now I can't just a job at the local Wal-Mart. So I'm doing what I can do.