How do you know you're ready?

[Aapoll]

How did you decide you were ready to start charging people for your time? What made you feel you better then average?

I'm just curious. I won't be looking at making any kind of cash flow for at least 4 years. Then it will just be something I do when my children are in school. I am not looking to make a full time living.... But... How do you know your images are good enough? I take pictures, I have people asking me to take pictures and offering to pay. I do the pictures but without pay because I do not feel like I have enough experience to charge. I can't take money for something I'm just learning. I feel like the experience is payment enough ATM. That's just some background on me but what made you decide you were good enough to compete?

 

[ronlane]

I'll get this answer out of the way. "If you have to ask......". It may help others if you post some of your work here. Without seeing anything we cannot help to say yes or no.

 

[Juga]

I'll get this answer out of the way. "If you have to ask......". It may help others if you post some of your work here. Without seeing anything we cannot help to say yes or no.

She isn't asking for us to judge her. She is asking when does oneself feel ready.

 

[kathyt]

I think for me I just knew when the time was right, and then I just starting getting all of my ducks in a row to begin my journey.

 

[Aapoll]

Thanks juga that's exactly it. I know I'm not ready, I was just wondering how does one know when they are? Did you pass a course and then head right to it? Did you spend 1-10 years taking lots if pictures before deciding you better then average and your images are worth something?

 

[The_Traveler]

I'm still working on it.

 

[Overread15 3]

You're worth paying when someone is willing to pay you for your time and photography.
How much they pay you depends on your skill; their expectations; their budget and your sales skills.


In the end you've got the make the choice, if you even have to (there are many very skilled photographers who are never more than a hobbyist and very happy with that). You don't need a course and there is no examination to take - you can compare your work to the works of others and see how you line up and listen to the critique and comments of your peers. Also learn to critique and how to really cut an image up and assess its worth - then do that to your own work and compare it to others. The more you learn the more you'll be able to judge what is good and what is bad as well as where your strengths and weaknesses are.

 

[imagemaker46]

No one can honestly answer this question. If you have been working at it long enough and feel comfortable that you can deliver consistent images worth charging for. If you can accept photo shoots without stressing to the point of puking, then you may be ready.

It's all up to the individual. Some people will say just buying a camera gives them the right to start charging, other people that have been shooting for years and probably could be charging but don't because they haven't got to the mental stage in their photo life to believe in themselves.

 

[bratkinson]

Never in my life have I ever expected to take pictures 'for pay'. But after more than 50 years behind a camera, I had someone ask me if I would be willing to do a shoot for a private school advertising brochure just yesterday. I was stunned, to say the least...but I turned it down. Partly out of fear (would what I shoot turn out a flop or disappointment to them?) and the rest out my my philosophy of doing it for free and giving the pictures and CDs away.

For what it's worth, I think I'm 'good enough'. My gear is all 'good enough' too (5D3, L lenses). I just don't feel 'ready'.

So, from my perspective, I guess it's a matter if you really feel 'ready' or not. If you're confident of your work and able to produce the results in, say, a week or two, then I'd say 'go for it'.

 

[12sndsgood]

I felt comfortable when I could go out in the majority of situations and come back with good photos. then I started learning business and marketing, and accounting, the stuff a photographer spends 80% of the time doing, and when I spent about 6 months on trying to learn the in's and outs of running a business and found out I wasn't bored, I was still enjoying what I was doing, and I was comfortable knowing the majority of the work isn't behind the lens I new I was ready. when I looked at a paying job and turned it down because it wasn't something I had learned skill wise and then went out to learn that skill on my own time instead of the customers time I felt I was ready. When I walked away from a client's shoot and felt I hadn't done a good enough job for the client and went back and did another shoot for free so I could give them a product I could be proud to have hanging on the wall I felt I was ready, When I prepared for a shoot months in advance making sure every base was covered, making sure I was fully insured, had enough backup gear that I can pretty much plan for most worst case scenarios and wouldn't have to worry about the government or the tax man knocking at my door on the day I opened for business I felt I was ready. Now that I have been doing it on the side for the last year and a half I know there is still So, so so much I have to still learn before I will truly feel like a real business but I still keep trying and pushing forward I know that i'm ready.

 

[pgriz]

There are different levels of "ready". Being able to deliver as promised when everything works is a very different place from being able to deliver as promised when everything goes wrong.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I was thinking along the same lines as Ron in that if you have to ask... you may not yet be ready since you're questioning it. I think too that when you're ready, you just know. Then it's a matter of figuring out how to do everything that's involved.

 

[AggieBecky]

I have pretty much the same plan as you--- to really go into business when my kids are old enough to be in school. In the meantime I figured I would do photo shoots for free in order to get the experience. Well, I've done a handful for free, all of which wanted to pay me but I wouldn't let them, and so far everyone has loved my work and I have dozens of other friends wanting to pay me for shoots. But what I've found with the shoots I have done is that, even though I love it, it's A LOT OF WORK and time away from my family. So, I've decided from now on I am charging. I feel like at this point I am good enough to make a little money at this.