gsgary
Been spending a lot of time on here!
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2008
- Messages
- 16,143
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- Location
- Chesterfield UK
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
The biggest problems with amateurs that are working full time jobs outside of photography is that they can first of all, afford to buy the gear, second of all, don't have to charge as much because they aren't dealing with eveything else that goes along with trying to work full time as a photographer, and they have a regular pay cheque coming in. Digital changed everything and over the past 5 years it has gotten worse for alot of full time professionals. I know way too many that are seeing their work drop off in huge chunks, some have had to close their studios and work from their homes, these are photographers with decades of experience. The standard with which people used to expect has been lowered, people will now accept mediocre as good, because they don't see the difference anymore.
I have some great clients that respect the work I do for them, I have lost some clients because someone on their staff has decided they can do the job, they quickly prove the opposite and I end up charging them more to fix the mistake. I adjust my fees based on job and not so much on an hour/day/week rate, offering up packages for events, plus charge digital and computer time as well now. The bottom line is that I used to turn down some jobs, now I take eveything that comes my way and negotiate out a fee that works for both myself and the client. Working is better than not working, and each job you accept offers the potential of meeting new people that may turn into potential clients.
The full time job amateurs with cameras playing in the pro market have no understanding what they are doing to the professional business, and for the most part they don't really care. Sadly it is the way photography has changed.
I am going to interject a tad on your first sentence. I work a regular full time job but I certainly am having hard time affording the equipment. I want to make photography full time, and this year it looks like I am well on my way as I am pretty booked, however just because I have another job doesn't mean that I am a hobbyist that can afford this stuff. I agree to a degree however that the people who don't want to make a living out of it and just do it for fun seem to have a lot more money to throw around. I sold a vintage lens to a guy who didn't really like photography but thought it was kind of neat to pass the time and had gone out and bought himself a D7000...something I know many a pro are drooling over.
In response to Christopher Coy: I don't have as much to insure, so the cost is pretty low for that. I don't have a studio, I don't have employees. I never hire a second shooter unless a client requests it, but if they do, the price certainly goes up so that I can pay that second shooter well for their time and effort. Once this is a full time job for me you better believe that my prices will be higher as I have to pay rent somehow!!! Do I want to upgrade my equipment? Well of course, who doesn't always want something bigger and shinier? Right now the only thing that I need is the D7000. I have some great lenses in my wheelhouse for all kinds of occasions, 4 strobes, wireless triggers, backdrops, umbrellas, brollies, stands, remotes, tripods, props, the whole nine yards. All I am really interested in getting into full time is Sports photography. I have everything I need for that except for a better low light camera and the job. Lol. I do see where you are coming from though that there are a lot of costs associated with this. To me, bringing in $1200 from one event is my rent and car payment for the month that I don't have to take from my paychecks from my other job and for me that is huge. We all come from different walks of life. Some live paycheck to paycheck like me, others are very comfortable. It all depends on the photog I guess!
You don't have the lenses to shoot sport