Thinking about starting up professionally

[Village Idiot]

OP - Is your left leg shorter than your right?

whats ur camera and lens?

What exactly does that have to do with running a business?

Would you hire some one with a mid level DSLR and some decent lenses or some one with a P&S if they both had the same skill level?

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Would you hire some one with a mid level DSLR and some decent lenses or some one with a P&S if they both had the same skill level?

If a client ever asks me what gear I have, I'll let you all know.

 

[rateeg]

whats ur camera and lens?

What exactly does that have to do with running a business?

its because ive seen his website and i wanna know what are his gears.

 

[Village Idiot]

whats ur camera and lens?

What exactly does that have to do with running a business?

its because ive seen his website and i wanna know what are his gears.

5" 30 tooth and 7" 50 tooth.

 

[LeftFieldPhotography]

If you are serious about starting up professionally, do the math here: NPPA: Cost of Doing Business Calculator
It will give you much to think about.

I have to agree with Double H--I used that calculator before I went into business for myself and it saved me the harsh reality of OMG the cost is insane. Also, there are perks OP. IF you apply and get accepted into some of the photographer honors--like WIPIA (think acronym isn't correct) PPA and so on and so forth, it can help with the overhead cost of starting your own business as they work exclusively with banks and photographers giving you a pretty hefty discount.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

whats ur camera and lens?

What exactly does that have to do with running a business?

Nothing, ( well unless you want to shoot pro sports with a bridge camera, then in that case probably everything)
However, the OP asked about their work, not for advice on how to run a business.

I think you look like you are doing pretty good from your images. I say go for it. I would work on your composition though. I am not liking certain framing of hands and subjects being clipped or falling too high or too low in the frame ( like the vertical lighthouse shot ).

 

[Derrel]

I went to your site and looked at all of your stuff. I think you need to improve your technical skills as well as your compositional fundamentals. In this thread, there is some good advice in amongst the B.S. c.cloudwalker's reply, as well as the financial calculator/cost of doing business post are both spot-on. As someone pointed out, in the music business, artsy images and images that might not make the grade are often used. Not sure what area you would plan on concentrating on as a professional photographer--there are many specialties, so perhaps you ought to select an area where your strengths match your personal likes and desires and background, such as, say, music promotional photos and CD cover artwork, for example; I doubt that you have the technical abilities/equipment to do say, high-volume, small-product catalog shooting. Best of luck to you. With the right attitude, hard work, and a little luck, who knows, you might become one of the greats!

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Also keep in mind that a lot of the stuff on that calculator goes out the window under certain circumstances. For instance, if you work from home and have no need for an actual studio. There is also no discussion of taxes including the ability to write off expenses (including the part of your home that acts as your office, and the vehicle used for work ) as well as being able to write off equipment purchases, and any losses.(very important if you are starting out and not making a profit yet. This could offset your taxes owed from your main income from your "day job" )

Edit: this applies in the US, so if outside the US you should research business taxes.

 

[KmH]

Also keep in mind that a lot of the stuff on that calculator goes out the window under certain circumstances. For instance, if you work from home and have no need for an actual studio. There is also no discussion of taxes including the ability to write off expenses (including the part of your home that acts as your office, and the vehicle used for work ) as well as being able to write off equipment purchases, and any losses.(very important if you are starting out and not making a profit yet. This could offset your taxes owed from your main income from your "day job" )

Edit: this applies in the US, so if outside the US you should research business taxes.

For those in the US.

The IRS has the option of reclassifying your 'business' as a hobby and disallowing 'business' deductions taken in previous years. They can them demand income taxes be paid on the total amount of those now disallowed deductions.
Business or Hobby? Answer Has Implications for Deductions

Home Office Deduction

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p463.pdf

 

[ababysean]

You spelled Photography wrong.

 

[melxclarke]

Hi, I'm actually female just to point that out, being called Melanie and all haha. The photos in my gallery come from a range of cameras over the years from a compact samsung digital to my current Nikon D5000. I've also used a lot of black and white film when being taught to process at college but am waiting to get a negative scanner for my computer to bring them back to existance.