What's the most difficult thing you're dealing with as a professional photographer?

[EduardoZepeda]

I want to listen about your everyday's issues in this business. Is it marketing your services? dealing with clients? obtaining clients? organizing your pictures? managing your website? is it something else?

 

[480sparky]

Back in the day, I clicked shutters for food. I got out as Bridezillas were taking over.

 

[webestang64]

Is it marketing your services? dealing with clients? obtaining clients? organizing your pictures? managing your website?

All of the above. My day job since 1985 is working in photo labs and shooting for clients has been a side job. I stopped seriously shooting for clients around 2006, main reason is I am a film shooter (not fast turn around) plus everything you listed turned sour for me. And forget art shows or trying to sell online PITA. I went into developing BW film for the camera store/lab I work in now and photo retouch, although retouch has fallen greatly since those beauty apps came along.

 

[Jeff15]

I used to be a people person but as I got older I now prefer Dogs.....

 

[Rickbb]

Back in the day when I thought I could make a living at it, it was people. Always the people. I too gave it up for the darkroom, but at a printing company.

 

[DigiFilm]

I used to be a people person but as I got older I now prefer Dogs.....

Never trust a person that doesn't like dogs, but definitely trust a dog if he doesn't like a person.

 

[snowbear]

Customers?

cats = dogs = goats. Just sayin'.

 

[ClintLloyd]

I was a personal trainer for most of a decade through my mid 20's and 30's. What I learnt was my personality isn't good for mixing passion and full time work together. The secret to working with most people is to not care, when you care too much it doesn't work out well for you. Especially with anything health related, the majority of people just want to look like they're trying, so accountability is a massive no no...

All the work I do with photography is through word of mouth so I might just do one or two jobs every fortnight or what not. It's a bit of a waste having the skills but not utilising them to help others, so a bit of work makes me feel good and it also makes them feel good to get a nice product for a great price.

My normal job is mechanical engineering, I enjoy working things out and putting theories into play so it serves me well. I also still do do a bit of health and fitness work as well, mainly nutritional stuff. I have a good balance.

 

[480sparky]

Old, but still makes the point:

 

[greybeard]

Back when I was shooting weddings and kids sports teams with a Mamiya C330 it was a pretty good side hustle. Today making a living or even a side hustle as a photographer is a lot like making a living as a professional musician. Cell phones and DJ's have pretty much taken over.

 

[EduardoZepeda]

Back in the day, I clicked shutters for food. I got out as Bridezillas were taking over.

LOL I didn't know what Bridezillas were, you have enlighten me.

All of the above. My day job since 1985 is working in photo labs and shooting for clients has been a side job. I stopped seriously shooting for clients around 2006, main reason is I am a film shooter (not fast turn around) plus everything you listed turned sour for me. And forget art shows or trying to sell online PITA. I went into developing BW film for the camera store/lab I work in now and photo retouch, although retouch has fallen greatly since those beauty apps came along.

My teacher, who also taught me how to develop film also quited photography for the same reason. Yes, I guess Cellphones changed photography forever, maybe for the worse.

Quoting Pedro Meyer: "Today we are all photographers, but with little visual culture."

Back in the day when I thought I could make a living at it, it was people. Always the people. I too gave it up for the darkroom, but at a printing company.

Sartre would say something like: "Hell is other people"

I was a personal trainer for most of a decade through my mid 20's and 30's. What I learnt was my personality isn't good for mixing passion and full time work together. The secret to working with most people is to not care, when you care too much it doesn't work out well for you. Especially with anything health related, the majority of people just want to look like they're trying, so accountability is a massive no no...

All the work I do with photography is through word of mouth so I might just do one or two jobs every fortnight or what not. It's a bit of a waste having the skills but not utilising them to help others, so a bit of work makes me feel good and it also makes them feel good to get a nice product for a great price.

My normal job is mechanical engineering, I enjoy working things out and putting theories into play so it serves me well. I also still do do a bit of health and fitness work as well, mainly nutritional stuff. I have a good balance.

Well, that explains your muscles. Many of the photographers that I know also have a second career, something that allows them to pay the bills, at least you can delight yourself with your skills, creating art is also some form of catharsis for some people. It's sad that working a full time job as an artist seems more difficult every day that passes.

Old, but still makes the point:

I don't get why this doesn't have more views, this summarizes most of my interactions with clients. They are always trying to bargain, even if it's just a few bucks.

Back when I was shooting weddings and kids sports teams with a Mamiya C330 it was a pretty good side hustle. Today making a living or even a side hustle as a photographer is a lot like making a living as a professional musician. Cell phones and DJ's have pretty much taken over.

Mamiya C330, damn those good old days! Yes, things have changed, my first camera was a Pentax K1000 but DSLR were already here back then, It makes me sad that you're not in the business anymore.

BTW Thanks for every reply so far, I enjoyed reading every one of your experiences.

 

[480sparky]

LOL I didn't know what Bridezillas were, you have enlighten me.

Definition of BRIDEZILLA

a bride or bride-to-be who is extremely demanding and difficult to deal with… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[greybeard]

LOL I didn't know what Bridezillas were, you have enlighten me.



My teacher, who also taught me how to develop film also quited photography for the same reason. Yes, I guess Cellphones changed photography forever, maybe for the worse.

Quoting Pedro Meyer: "Today we are all photographers, but with little visual culture."



Sartre would say something like: "Hell is other people"


Well, that explains your muscles. Many of the photographers that I know also have a second career, something that allows them to pay the bills, at least you can delight yourself with your skills, creating art is also some form of catharsis for some people. It's sad that working a full time job as an artist seems more difficult every day that passes.



I don't get why this doesn't have more views, this summarizes most of my interactions with clients. They are always trying to bargain, even if it's just a few bucks.


Mamiya C330, damn those good old days! Yes, things have changed, my first camera was a Pentax K1000 but DSLR were already here back then, It makes me sad that you're not in the business anymore.

BTW Thanks for every reply so far, I enjoyed reading every one of your experiences.

I shot 35mm (Minolta Srt 201) as well and it would have served me just fine but, I liked the color print saturation I got from the medium format C330 a whole lot more.

 

[AlanKlein]

Old, but still makes the point:

"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."
...Wimpy from Popeye cartoon.

How were hamburgers served in the 1930s?

On a bun. Although it is somewhat disputed as to who was the absolute first to serve a hamburger on the proverbial bun, Billy Ingram, the ...

petrifieddramaturgy.blogspot.com

 

[ClintLloyd]

Well, that explains your muscles. Many of the photographers that I know also have a second career, something that allows them to pay the bills, at least you can delight yourself with your skills, creating art is also some form of catharsis for some people. It's sad that working a full time job as an artist seems more difficult every day that passes.

We're going to see huge amounts of office workers and most other mainstream type workers unemployed in the coming years so it was inevitable that the outsider/artsy type jobs were number one in the firing line. The creative type jobs were always going to be the first to be obliterated by AI as they're easily replicated by this anti human technology.