Taking the Leap

[smackitsakic]

I'm learning the craft, but struggling to excel.

I bought my camera in May of 2010 and, with a backpack full of enthusiasm for the hobby, I now have about 5,500 exposures snapped through my Canon. I have done a couple of brief photoshoots for friends as favours, nothing 'professional'. It's been fun.

I've spent a lot of time on these forums and i've spent a lot of time reading Bryan Peterson books, which certainly helped.

I picked up Photoshop CS5 and have been slowly learning the importance of editing and shooting in RAW (wow, what a difference RAW photos make for editing).

I've invested in a macro lens and have a flash coming to me in weeks. I want to take the next step to becoming better than just an amateur.

I'm sure there are many posts on here about many others that want to do the same thing as what i'm trying to do. For those of you out there who are professionals at the craft, what can you share with a beginner who wants to take the leap of making photography a hobby to making photography a money-making side business in addition to a M-F, 8-5 career?

When you were starting out, what defined you as a photographer? What took your abilities from the level of a beginner to snapping photos that are profound, displaying images in a way that make people look at them and say 'wow!'?

If you can take the time to help me out with a response I'd greatly appreciated it.

 

[Derrel]

"....wants to take the leap of making photography a hobby to making photography a money-making side business in addition to a M-F, 8-5 career?"

Well, study, and practice. What used to be called a test book. Before the digital era, one had to learn how to expose different types of film, process film, scan film, or make prints or have prints made. One used to have to KNOW,and really understand the underlying fundamentals of photography: Guide Numbers, exposure compensation, how to use the light meter, how to do basically, everything. With almost zero help from post-processing. Digital has introduced the ability to edit so,so many aspects of pictures it's not even funny. My advice is to study the actual CRAFT of photography by reading books, web articles, and so on, and then practicing and compiling a "test book" that helps you work through all the types of challenges you will face in the kind of side business you plan on establishing.

Not sure what kind of side biz your envision, but you need to KNOW how to handle the types of photographic challenges inherent in your side biz....for example, if you shoot motor sports events for example, you need to KNOW how to pan, to achieve several different types of effects. If it's portraits, you need to KNOW how to handle the types of shoots you undertake. You have had seven months with your camera...not very much time...you probably do not know how much you do not know,yet...but researching what is expected of a shooter in your sub-field would be a good place to start, then learn how to successfully master the needed techniques/methods.

We see a lot of beginners showing up asking simple questions about "how to do XXXX?" the week, or even the day before an assignment....please, do not be "that guy"...

 

[KmH]

The one thing that separates an amateur from an advanced shooter is the effective use of light to make the subject 'pop'.

Making

"the leap of making photography a hobby to making photography a money-making side business in addition to a M-F, 8-5 career?"

is another matter entirely, and has mostly to do with business acumen, not photographic skill.

The average retail photographer in the USA today makes about $30,000 a year, and works more than 8-5 and M-F. Of course average means 1/2 make less than $30,000 a year. The last info I linked to here on TPF in another thread showed only the top 10% of self-employed photographers made more than $56,000 a year.

Fully 75% of new photography business don't make it through year 5. Not because they were unskilled photographers, but because they weren't good enough at running a business and had to close the doors for financial reasons.

 

[itf]

couldn't help but notice that your camera is left handed or maybe its a mirror...

 

[smackitsakic]

couldn't help but notice that your camera is left handed or maybe its a mirror...

Yes, photo'd through a mirror.

And for the other comments - i'm not wanting to be a full time professional photographer, just one who can make some small funds on the side every now and again. Before I take that leap, I need to improve my skills further.

 

[Patrice]

What have you learned from your 5500 photos?

Learning the skill of photography is no different from learning any other set of skills. (Remember that being skilled does not mean being talented.) You need a structured and directed approach to acquiring the necessary skills. You can do this on your own. You need to make yourself a learning plan. Ex: today set out to learn how to shoot handheld. Make a shooting schedule, jot some ideas for shots that will do handheld, take note of the shooting parameters or note the exif data for each shot and then critically analyze each of your images. Repeat until you understand the process, how to do it and are able to do it. Then move on to the next topic.