How go to Pro

[bennielou]

This topic was simply a question, nothing was said about not knowing the business side of things, taxes, legal representation, etc. I'm well aware of those topics as I currently DO pay taxes and all the legal junk.

This was simply curiosity, when can you call yourself a professional? Based on the legitimate responses, its a personal choice and a call that's entirely up to the person.

Thanks.

Really? I see no evidence of you paying State Sales Taxes, but I will leave that to your competition. (It only takes a simple look up). Legal junk...like have responsible insurance and soforth?

You were given real legit help. If you don't want to listen, then don't. Pay now or pay later. No one that I can see is out to get you. Frankly at this point, based on your work, no one will care one way or another.


You asked for a definition, and you were given several.

It's very easy, to act on the internet, as if you know it all. It's much different to prove it to clients and the state you reside in. It's hard to get jobs against other pro photographers.

I'm sorry you didn't like my answer, but you asked the question. You can put any inflection you want on the question, but it comes out the same way. Its' OK not to know it all. I don't know it all, and I've been doing this full time for many many years. The best thing you can do if you truly want to be full time is LISTEN to those that do so year after year. You don't have to do the same thing, but LISTENING wouldn't kill you...for sure.

And if this is about "calling oneself something", I could call myself Darth Vader.....doesn't mean I am.

 

[bennielou]

"Professional" is not a word I'd go throwing around even if I felt I was deserving of it. It's not something that is going to get you more business or attract more customers being that anyone could put that on their website/business card. Most people paying for your services (and unaware of the industry) will assume that you carry that title anyways. Plus, the customers who know photography will more heavily scrutinize your equipment/skills/pricing/etc. which adds more pressure than it's worth. Just be a photographer, no need to add other words to describe yourself as your work should be doing the talking.

Bingo. Totally dead on. If you have to use words to sell your photography, then photography maybe isn't for you. Your images sell your photography.

 

[bennielou]

Earning a living a photography is very difficult. Once I sat down and tried to come up with a number for what I would have to make to break even with what I make currently at my day job I was pretty surprised by how bit that number was.
Now just doing to make some extra cash is a whole other proposition.

Go to a website where a lot of professional wedding photographers hang out. Post some of your work on there and see what they tell you.

I have seen none of your work, having shot some weddings etc, does not mean your work is any good, there are a lot of really BAD photographers out there charging money for their services, and a LOT of people who can't tell the difference between good photography and bad, paying them for those mediocre services.

If people who obviously know what they are talking about tell you your stuff is good then go for it, and I wish you the best of luck.

Agreed. If you would like to gauge your work, honestly, maybe go to a site called www.digitalweddingforum.com. It is a pay site, but you can go there as a guest for a short while to kind of size yourself up.

Again, I wish you well.

 

[SrBiscuit]

there were some very informative responses to the question in this thread, by some obviously knowledgable people.
good thread regardless to whether the OP likes the responses or not. very informative.:thumbup:

 

[Olympus E300]

...good thread regardless to whether the OP likes the responses or not.

Well...To come to the original poster's side for a moment : more often than not, its not the answers that one dislikes but rather the seemingly implied attitude behind those answers. I've been a member here for a short time and while I have come across so many knowledgable people here who are very eager to help, sadly I must report that there seems to be an equal number of people with a certain arrogance about them. A vulgar attribute indeed! Sometimes, one simply has to approach this board with his/her BS filter firmly snapped into place.

Having said all of that, one must also realize that some people find it more difficult than others to put there thoughts into words while at the same time relaying the intended emotion behind those words. It is for this reason that people are often misunderstood on discussion boards such as this one. Now with that said, I do find that this forum is one of the better ones!

Just my observations...LoL. Carry on...Cheers!
- Dan

 

[KmH]

Your images sell your photography.

I'd say it depends on the type of photography you're talking about.

Commercial and Editorial photography, I agree your prior work sells your photography.

In Retail photography, having salesmanship skills can sell a lot of so-so images.

 

[bennielou]

Your images sell your photography.

I'd say it depends on the type of photography you're talking about.

Commercial and Editorial photography, I agree your prior work sells your photography.

In Retail photography, having salesmanship skills can sell a lot of so-so images.

I agree. I know a few really amazing photographers that got killed last year in this economy. Amazing people.

Those of us who were strong in sales kept afloat. I guess it's like anything else.

And that's why it's so important to really know all the ins and outs. While we are all artists in our own way, we also have to be good business people. (Not the fun side of things, but neccesary).