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

[Stephen.C]

Childish???
How dare you!!!

I was referring to her.

Oh, so you are picking on a poor, defenseless, home schooled child.






How dare you!!!

Hey, she isnt a poor defenseless child, after all, she won a photo contest with pictures we havnt seen! She sounds like a pro to me.

 

[JenKat]

Childish???
How dare you!!!

I was referring to her.

Oh, so you are picking on a poor, defenseless, home schooled child.






How dare you!!!

Yep. Pretty much... :thumbup:

Stephen: LMAO!

 

[DerekSalem]

On this topic...if you look in my sig you'll find roughly $5,500 of stuff that I'm currently using. Add in another $3,000 of stuff I've used and gotten rid of and I'm in pretty deep. I've been trying to improve my photography skills for around 3 years now and have spent quite a bit of time doing so. I've won 3 or 4 photography contests for shots that I knew weren't my best.

But I wouldn't dare start a photography business or even sell my photography. Why? Because I haven't improved to a level capable of doing so. Creating and maintaining a photography business involves a *LOT* of work, a *LOT* of talent, and a *LOT* of perseverance.

It also *demands* the ability to take advice.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

To answer the OP's question...

If you are going to start a business, you really need an SLR camera. A point and shoot just won't do.

I am getting ahead of myself though...

The very first thing you need is a Logo. Every business has a logo. They can take time to get right, so concentrate on that first.

Then after you have a logo all sorted out, get a facebook business page that you can put your logo on.

Now you are ready to start taking pictures. Post your pictures on facebook for everyone to see.

Then you can advertise on Craigslist, and point people to your facebook business page. Here they will see your logo, and know you are a pro. Then they can see your photos, and they will hire you on the spot.

So start getting all your ducks in a row...Logo first.

Oh, and take some pictures of ducks. Everyone loves pictures of ducks.

I LOL'd at this pretty hard.

Why?
It's for real.
I did it myself, and it worked for me!
I made a logo, a Facebook business page, threw some photos on it...

...and BAM! Successful business.

Oh, hey! Go ask Tyler, he's a fan of my Facebook page!

 

[JenKat]

It also *demands* the ability to take advice.

Amen.

 

[JenKat]

Why?
It's for real.
I did it myself, and it worked for me!
I made a logo, a Facebook business page, threw some photos on it...

...and BAM! Successful business.

Does it work with geese too? oh, and how about swans? I've got pictures of those on my facebook page... I think I'm ready...

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Logo?

 

[JenKat]

Crap... I forgot that part... Let me go open Paint and draw something up... Give me a minute...

 

[adversus]

I have like 300 pictures of water fowl

 

[Stephen.C]

I mean, if she had pictures of Dinosaurs...I think we would have an Ansel Adams on our hands.
Screw livestock
A big row of dinosaurs.

 

[LightSpeed]

On this topic...if you look in my sig you'll find roughly $5,500 of stuff that I'm currently using. Add in another $3,000 of stuff I've used and gotten rid of and I'm in pretty deep. I've been trying to improve my photography skills for around 3 years now and have spent quite a bit of time doing so. I've won 3 or 4 photography contests for shots that I knew weren't my best.

But I wouldn't dare start a photography business or even sell my photography. Why? Because I haven't improved to a level capable of doing so. Creating and maintaining a photography business involves a *LOT* of work, a *LOT* of talent, and a *LOT* of perseverance.

It also *demands* the ability to take advice.

Oh I don't know about all that. I haven't taken anybody's advice here and I sell my work all the time. In fact, I have work hanging in finer restaurants. I can't keep it there. An image I posted here critiqued by Siskel, Ebert, Larry and his brother Darryl , and his other brother Darryl , has sold over and over again. 26 prints. 160.00 per.
I'm not kidding.

Critique is nothing more than an opinion. Sometimes it's better not to dwell on the opinion and move forward. You can't please these people. That is never going to happen.
I always see this critique: Well I wish this would have been here, or that would have been there. And then before you know it, the photograph turns into something someone else didn't create.
If you put all this time and money into something as simple as pressing a button, and you have won contests and still think your work is not good enough to sell. Stop now. You sold yourself short and you have no confidence.

It's not that hard. Trust me.

 

[Stephen.C]

I think he means advice from the customer.

 

[FoggyLens]

So hey guys I have a stethoscope how do I open my own Family Practice? LOL

This made me laugh!!

 

[LightSpeed]

I think he means advice from the customer.

Doesn't matter what he means. He's beaten before he gave it a shot. According to him. He doesn't know what someone else see's. None of these people do. That's why you so often see differences of opinions on images. What one likes the other doesn't. Put it up for sale in the right place and 10 people will walk by and not notice. But sooner or later one will walk by.
Go ahead and listen to these people. See how far you get without your own drive and determination while basing your skill set on their beliefs. Instead of creating an income, he's pouring money into the equipment pit.

People don't want pictures of people over their fireplace. They want the unusual. People are not unusual. The seldom seen is. The things you yourself pass by without noticing until it's 24 by 36. Families want photos of people. They want photos of THEIR family. They aint coming back. It's a one time thing most often. That's why portraiture does nothing for me while I see all these folks wanting to be portrait photographers. It's a thing of the past.

You want a customer or 10?
Get an unusual image and a marketing strategy. Realize that it takes money to make money.
There are probably 100 people on this forum that have an image that will sell, but they can't sell it.
Or they sell one and spend the money like dummies instead of putting the money back into the image.

 

[LightSpeed]

So hey guys I have a stethoscope how do I open my own Family Practice? LOL

This made me laugh!!

Nice smart alec reply. Impressive.
Is there something wrong with someone wanting to become something? Or are you just trying to fit in?

This is what makes me laugh.

And of course, this thread has nothing to do with me. I don't have all the answers and I'm not above all in photography. But you are. Huh? A young person thinks about becoming something, and you add this to the discussion. This isn't critique, nor is it advice. It's about you wanting to fit in.

And again, this makes me laugh.