Really need some help getting started

[The Empress]

I have only really done two photoshoots, and both of them were for really good friends so I didn't charge. I am living in Okinawa Japan since my husband is in the military, so finding a job will be hard and even if I do find one it won't pay well. I was thinking of starting to do photography on the side. I have a few friends that have already volunteered to do free shoots here so I can add styles to my portfolio. My question for here is.....are there any legal rules that I have to abide by if I am only doing photography part time? Also what is a user friendly way to make a website, or should I just use facebook or something starting out? I'm really sorry if these are really dumb/basic questions, but people photography isn't really my first choice, just going to do what I have to

 

[stephras07]

Can't help you much, since I'm just starting out too (I use facebook right now btw) - I just wanted to say Konnichiwa I'm up in Yokosuka lol. Spent a couple months down on your island this last spring after the earthquake/tsunami up here, and my son was born while we were there.

 

[EPPhoto]

You can always start a blog. Then when you update blog posts about a recent shoot, you can tag the people on Facebook to your blog link. That helps build traffic to your blog (and your business) because when you tag them, ALL of their friends see that you tagged them. And then hopefully they go to your blog to see the pics of their friend.

Hope that makes sense lol. It's a VERY effective FREE marketing tool!

 

[tirediron]

As far as the legal aspects of it, you'll have to talk to a lawyer; being a US citizen and member (spousal) of the armed forces, there are two sets of laws that will have to be looked at. I would suggest seeing if your local JAG office can offer any advice.

As far as web-hosting, Facebook does seem to be almost a necessity these days, but I would work on a separate, personal website (eg www.<Yourname>.com or www._____Photography.com ) as well, so that you can do "what you want, when you want".

 

[orljustin]

I have only really done two photoshoots, and both of them were for really good friends so I didn't charge. I am living in Okinawa Japan since my husband is in the military, so finding a job will be hard and even if I do find one it won't pay well. I was thinking of starting to do photography on the side. I have a few friends that have already volunteered to do free shoots here so I can add styles to my portfolio. My question for here is.....are there any legal rules that I have to abide by if I am only doing photography part time? Also what is a user friendly way to make a website, or should I just use facebook or something starting out? I'm really sorry if these are really dumb/basic questions, but people photography isn't really my first choice, just going to do what I have to

If you don't really want to do it (isn't really my first choice), then you're not going to be very good at it. This isn't going in to McDonald's and turning on the fryer. Assuming you want to do portraits (because you never really said what you need help getting started doing), takes concentration, composition skills, an understanding of all the facets of your equipment, knowledge of lighting etc. You have to be all into it to be able to be a good portrait shooting, because you need to be thinking of all these things at the same time. Pointing a point and shoot in the direction of people smiling is not the kind of photography people will pay for.

Who is your target market? Because if it is the people around you, they are likely in the same situation as you, money-wise, and won't want to pay much or anything (witness the eagerness to "model"). You have to think of all these things.

 

[The Empress]

Can't help you much, since I'm just starting out too (I use facebook right now btw) - I just wanted to say Konnichiwa I'm up in Yokosuka lol. Spent a couple months down on your island this last spring after the earthquake/tsunami up here, and my son was born while we were there.

Konnichiwa lol I am loving it here and can't believe i get to spend the next 3 years of my life here

You can always start a blog. Then when you update blog posts about a recent shoot, you can tag the people on Facebook to your blog link. That helps build traffic to your blog (and your business) because when you tag them, ALL of their friends see that you tagged them. And then hopefully they go to your blog to see the pics of their friend.

Hope that makes sense lol. It's a VERY effective FREE marketing tool!

That does make sense Thanks for the input, I will def keep that in mind!!

As far as the legal aspects of it, you'll have to talk to a lawyer; being a US citizen and member (spousal) of the armed forces, there are two sets of laws that will have to be looked at. I would suggest seeing if your local JAG office can offer any advice.

As far as web-hosting, Facebook does seem to be almost a necessity these days, but I would work on a separate, personal website (eg www.<Yourname>.com or www._____Photography.com ) as well, so that you can do "what you want, when you want".

Thanks I may have to go by legal!

If you don't really want to do it (isn't really my first choice), then you're not going to be very good at it. This isn't going in to McDonald's and turning on the fryer. Assuming you want to do portraits (because you never really said what you need help getting started doing), takes concentration, composition skills, an understanding of all the facets of your equipment, knowledge of lighting etc. You have to be all into it to be able to be a good portrait shooting, because you need to be thinking of all these things at the same time. Pointing a point and shoot in the direction of people smiling is not the kind of photography people will pay for.

Who is your target market? Because if it is the people around you, they are likely in the same situation as you, money-wise, and won't want to pay much or anything (witness the eagerness to "model"). You have to think of all these things.

I do want to do it, I love shooting people and I have done it before so I know what all it take to produce a good portrait. It is just being on this island I would rather just shoot all the pretty landscape and nature, but those aren't going to make me any money. I have done a maternity shoot, a wedding, family, and single portraits. Being stationed overseas with the military presents a huge market, which is why I was thinking about doing it. With everyone being this far from their families, people are more dependent on photography to document what is going on it their life, from having a new baby, to getting an updated family photo because your family hasn't seen you in a few years, to wives wanting to take photos for a deployed husband.