Are College Graduates Unprepared As Photographers?

Are College Graduates Unprepared As Photographers?

One question most aspiring photographers ask is "should I get a degree in photography before starting my business?" Maybe a better question is does going to college actually prepare you for a career in photography? A recent article published by Kiplinger suggests that Film and Photography students (as well as graphic designers) are ill prepared in finding paying jobs upon graduation.

According to the study, the unemployment rate for accredited photographers is 7.3% with recent graduates reaching as high as 12.9%! The median salary for those majoring in photography is a mere $30,000 (only about twice that of jobs paying minimum wage). According to the article, those who graduate with a Bachelor's degree in the arts are likely to make $10,000 less than a student graduating with a BS in any other major.

Here is what Kiplinger has found for Film and Photography students:

Unemployment rate: 7.3%
Unemployment rate for recent grads: 12.9%
Median salary: $45,000
Median salary for recent grads: $30,000
Projected job growth for this field, 2010-2020: 13%
Likelihood of working retail: 2.6 times average

I'm not sure exactly what to think of these stats. On one hand, I feel like the market has grown for professional photographers. Whether it be headshots, weddings, real estate, commercial work, or small business marketing, the need for professional photography has never been greater. One the other hand, since photographers do not need to be accredited or licensed, the number of people working in the photography field has grown exponentially since the introduction of the digital camera. All that usually separates the successful professionals from the amateur photographers is the work itself and most importantly the marketing behind the business.

My own bachelor's degree was in Biology, and never in a million years would I have expected to become a photographer. In fact, the only photography class I ever signed up for was during the last semester of my senior year (it was either photography or another language). As any graduate knows, paying back college loans can be a tremendous burden. It is pretty scary to think that after you graduate, not only are you going to have a hard time building a sustainable career but you are likely going to start the whole process in tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt. Furthermore, in my experience at least, I've seen many professionals who have studied in fields other than photography (like business, marketing, or even science) build a successful photography business sooner and more profitable than those who have graduated from a 2 or 4 year art program.

The overall value of a college degree cannot be under valued, but I do find this topic interesting especially after reading such startling data. What do you guys think: on average, does pursing a degree in photography ultimately help or hinder the aspiring professional?

-via Yahoo Finance

Patrick Hall's picture

Patrick Hall is a founder of Fstoppers.com and a photographer based out of Charleston, South Carolina.

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You can't move to London because you spent thousands at school. A person doesn't go to university to be a nurse, and then start a clinic. They go work at a clinic. A person can go to school for photography - but there isn't "jobs" like other professions.

Look at every offering at university that doesn't have a profession attached, and you'll find loads of people who can't get work. Music (you end up teaching it), history (you end up teaching it), theology (you end up teaching it), arts degree (you end up specializing in something else), photography degree (you become a teacher?).

I can't think of one creative profession that requires credentials to make money. Just some thoughts.

I'm in the Film (and Photography) business and I worked my way up as I described before. Unfortunately there is no magic formula for getting work whether you go to school or not. For me this is how it worked: I introduced myself to every production company in town (networking! I made sure that everyone in town knew my name), told them I was very serious about getting into the industry and showed them my then limited portfolio. I asked if I could assist on a shoot even if it wasn't paid. After working a few jobs with the same producer, he learned to trust me and decided to give me a shot behind the camera. At that point it becomes more about honing your skills and getting bigger jobs. Never stop learning about all aspects of your craft no matter how good you think you are. And it's true what they say: "It's who you know". Most of the work I get comes to me because I called up all of those local production companies and introduced myself. I even asked if I could meet them in person because it's nice to meet others in the business. Eventually someone big hears your name through one of those connections you've made and the rest is history.
That's what I did to get a foot in the door. What can I tell you other than that?
Never give up.

It also has nothing to do with a degree. So here's why those statistics do not work: Firstly, analyze the ratio of those wanting to work in film and photography -> to those who actually achieve career goals. It'll be a similar statistic. The reason film/photo students have trouble finding jobs right out of graduation is because very few employers in film (rest aside large, inc. post facilities and camera houses etc) hire people based on their college accolades. The film and photo industry is very much a tested industry based on what you have worked on, who you know etc. The only thing an adequate film/photo degree actually does for you (and this is dependent on whether or not you go to a good program), is to prepare you with practical on-set/film & photo etiquette. Having this base of knowledge at the start usually means less learning curve when beginning as a PA or intern somewhere and generally speaking, will help the individual rise to the ranks much faster (although it is still challenging and very competitive). I have a film degree, but I have never once had it work to my advantage in finding a job. I rely on the applicable knowledge base from my actual education, rather than the piece of paper that says I am "more qualified."

Perhaps this is reflective of the quality of the photography programs. I'm hopefully transferring to SVA next Fall (I'm a freshman at my local community college) for a photography BFA, and then an MFA. SVA has a very strong focus on internships, and the learning of practical skills. Most of the faculty are accomplished photographers in their own right. I believe it's ranked as one of the best photo schools in the world. This post does scare me,  but I'm hoping that the sheer quality of the program I'll be entering will shield me from these.... Very depressing stats.

 I will also add, I know a degree will not mean my images improve. But surely it will mean my network will grow!

I think that this i a serious issue. Some people do great without the degree, but most people without it  really give crappy photos. I think it's important to go to school and have a base in photography. If everyone had to follow a course and be credited as a professional photographer we could raise the bar of the photography community. If we had to be a graduate to be able to work, then we wouldn't lose jobs because so and so thinks they can do weddings and charge 300$ for it instead of us charging 1200$ as a base package. Also I think it comes down to the college/university you pick. My collège is divided in 4 semester. The 4th one being based on marketing your brand, business classes, (contracts, how to do all the papier work that comes with licensing your name), a 3 week intership in the studio of your choice and we also have french classes in which we learn how to properly communicante (i study in french) we learnt a bit about film, but (it was one class in an overall 24 classes) because it is'nt the reality of the professional world anymore, they tought it because it was cool but then moved on. Also our teachers are not actual teachers, they're proffesionals who have been working in the business for years and who have their own business and studios that come in and teach us the classes. If u can find a college like that, then I would say the diploma and the 10 000 debt is worth it. (did I also mention that being tought by professionnals, gives u a lot of contacts?)

Also, the sentence which goes somewhat along these lines 

"Does who cannot do, Teach" is complete bullshit. Does who can do, should take the time to teach a class (what is one class out of your whole life) or make a really instructive video posted on youtube.

Because if we are always tought by the people who cannot do, how are we ever going to grow and get better as a community of photographers. By giving out your knowledge, it isn't like you are giving out the secrets of your business and will loose work. You will raise the bar higher. If every photographer as the skill set to sell 1200$ worth in an average sale, then that is how they will charge. That will become the norm. If that is the norm then all of our business will become more profitable. I'm sorry to plug in the following, but if you want more insight on this, visit www.creativelive.com and look up Sue Bryce, she is an australian portrait photographer and her insight into the business side of photography is truly amazing. 

I have a degree in history and sociology and currently manage a photography business worth over half a million. I often have younger people asking me how to get into the photography field and I almost always suggest getting a degree in business if they want to go the college / university route. As far as developing photography skills, I suggest that they subscribe to several photography magazines and blogs (fstoppers included) and that they offer to assist a professional for free. It seems to me that so long as the technical skills are pursued and developed, the more important factor is interpersonal skills and business sense. Yes, the art must come first, however I firmly believe that without the ambition and knowledge to put a business plan into action, many photographers fail to meet their full potential.

Im majoring in buisness right now, but was considering minoring in photography. I dont know if the photo courses will teach me anything, but one thing i noticed is that some jobs require a degree. Has anyone had any experience with this? While maybe applying for a staff photog for a newspaper or magazine or advertising agency, did they require you to have a degree in photography, or did they mostly look at your port? 

I must say though, this article really encouraged me to just stick it out and finish my buisness degree. 

The problem isn't having a degree in photography, it's NOT having one in BUSINESS. This is a field largely dominated by owning a business. Actual JOBS are there, but hard to come by. Most photographers aiming at professional work aren't looking to be employed by someone else, they are looking to either open their own business or be freelance-which is actually a business of a sort. You REALLY need to have a business education and coming out of an art program doesn't even begin to prepare a student for the reality of the business side of this.
I've said this repeatedly: Business is far more difficult than photography.

A person who is good at business and mediocre at photography can succeed wildly.

A person who is phenomenal at photography and mediocre at business will usually fail.

I studied Networking before I ventured to Photography. I funded the course myself, (roughly £3.5k) where I felt I never really learned more than I originally knew. I made some good contacts, met some great people & had access to a studio and equipment. At the end of the year I had a meeting with my tutor and decided it would be best just to go all out and get work. The money I would have paid for another year could be used toward Gear, Studio time, Travelling and trying to create a name for myself. Deciding to move to the city & shoot everything I can. Sometimes I wish I studied a business degree instead of what I choose. Think it would have been more beneficial knowing how to market, run a business and get yourself out there.

I don't think a degree in photography is a magic key to being a successful photographer, but then again I think that could be said for any job and any degree. A good education in photography and/or film can give you a foundation to build success on, and it cannot hurt. Photography is a self-marketing field and a lot of the success that photographers find comes from within. Yes there are a lot of really successful photographers do not have any formal education in photography, but could that education have hurt them? I don't think so... This article and topic is tricky, on one hand it could continue to push people away from getting further education; however, people should not go into these Arts fields thinking that an education is the skeleton key to money and success. You own personal drive, determination, discipline, and desire will always push you further than just education alone.

I have a degree in biology as well, and after working for a company for years in that field, I am now a children's photographer. But I value education, so took workshops and classes on my own for those things I felt I needed to know more about (lighting, business, etc). I tailored my education to exactly waht I wanted to learn, not what a 4 year program thought I should learn. Education is essential, but you can get that education on your own, it's the learning, not the piece of paper, that is mos timportant

I think it really depends on the school you attend and their focus.  If the school has planned it well you will have to take business classes to finish your certificate or degree.  I think that should be a must and was the biggest reason I chose the school I'm at.  Had they not required the business element and encourage me to take a secondary program aimed at entrepreneurship I probably would have entered the market ready to fail.  Each class I'm taking related to business has me thinking hard about where I want my photography business to go beyond just taking pictures and making money.

Other than the physical requirement to know how to use the basic camera tools, ( focus, iso, shutter speed, etc ) there's really no expertise needed to photograph something. Look at the quality of photos being done by bored housewives and retired lawyers. Onec you learn hot to fucus and push the shutter button, you can take a picture. What IS required, is a sense of what you want to capture in that picture. That may be a learn-able thing, but the sense of vision will always be a personal ability best learned through life experiences. Example, I took photography in grade 9. Using an old film 35mm with I guess you would call it a kit lens, We were taught only the very basics. On my first roll of film, I took 2 shots that won Awards. Not just a local school thing. This was from across all schools in Canada. At the time, I still needed help getting the film out of the camera. The point is, you may be able to teach photography, but the vision to take that great photo, is a very personal learning process throughout your life.  And then, some of us just get lucky. .  .

It really depends on how good of a photographer you are before you start a college program. I would never recommend someone who already has a strong skill set and good eye to major in photography. I have personally known several people who did that, and they were stripped of a lot of their own artistic style by having to learn how to replicate the styles of other photographers. If you have experience and want a useful degree, I would do as a lot of other people have said here and get your degree in business. 
   Or, you can do what I did and work for free for an established photographer. People baulk at the idea of working for free, but when you compare working in an actual studio for free, to paying to sit in a pretend one, the advantage becomes obvious. I started as an apprentice at a very young age. Not only did I learn photography, I learned customer relations, how to sell, how to promote, how to time manage, how to hire, train and when to fire people, all in the real world. I saw how a tiny mistake could lead to a loss of business for years, and how making one client really happy could bring in just as much work. I've seen photographers with a better eye than myself fail miserably in business because they had no idea how to run one. I also know photographers who's work I feel is subpare, that make more money than I do because of brilliant marketing. I've seen and learned all this because I worked in an actual studio, in the field that I wanted to get into. I had to sign a rather strict non-compete, but I am still friends with my mentor to this day. 

There's no College that can teach the person how to expand his knowledge and imagination only with his own hand. This is same in my country also and this is also problem not just in the Photography studies. The entire west education system is in crysis.
But, who feel the same affinity to learn new things by him/herself just like a freelancer and he graduating, he/she has much easier situation to become well-known (more knowledge and more personal connections from the College years with stylists, artists, models, another photographers, etc.)

The reason why we not here about all of the graduated photographers, because most of these photogs are the wrong persons on the right studies...

 

Strike “Photography”, put “English Literature” as a degree. No graduate
of Literature is naive enough to assume, once the ink has dried on the diploma,
that potential clients stand in line to request screenplays, novels or
newspaper columns.

The only thing they teach you is to hone you senses to your craft. That
does not necessarily make you a better performer, but it helps you to spot your
mistakes.

Some schools go one step further and try to make an artist out of you,
and they even might succeed, but they generally assume that the True Artist has
no use for mundane things, like a regular income.

On the other hand, the most important skill for opening a business (not
only photography or literature) aren’t taught in any school: the mentality of a
door- to- door- salesman.

I've always said photography is the easiest job in the world to make $10 000 a year but one of the hardest to make $100 000 (net) .  At first it seems like easy money.  The problem is that it gets exponentially more difficult to make $100 000 per year.  To make money at photography you need to be good at 2 disciplines...photography and business!  Without the business aspect of it, it's nearly impossible to make a comfortable living.  The problem go like this....you bring in $40 000/year gross (which is not a lof of money once you figure out the net)  and you are working 40 hours+ a week (probably more like 60 as most photographers would tell you).    If you try to double your gross with brute force you would need to work 80-120 hours a week, and 120-180 hours to triple it.  As you can see it simply doesn't work.  Making a decent living at photography is a lot more than just taking good pictures.  Unfotunately, most people don't take the time to learn the business side of things...trust me on this one, I'm still learning this the hard way after years of honing my craft but not my business sense.  Sometimes you need to put aside the photogrphy tutorials and pick up a few good business books

What about doubling your prices instead of your hours? Of course I've never run another $100,000 business but I'd say photography can be easier than most other $100k businesses I can think of

That was my point, the only way to make more money is to increase your prices. Most photographers work crazy hours so making more money from increasing hours isn't possible as their time is already saturated. So better business and photography skills are needed to increase their rate. But the thing about photography is that pay rate is exponentially more difficult. I knew 15 year old kids that made $10 000 a year as a photographer. It's pretty easy at that level. As the net income goes up, it weeds out a lot of people.

Unfortunately, you have to have an MFA if you want to TEACH photography at the University level, so sometimes the schools get you with that.  I have an MFA, but still freelance, because a decent Uni job is almost impossible to get anymore.

I teach at one of the much maligned for profit colleges and politics
and high tuition aside we definitely prepare our students to market themselves
and run real photography businesses.  I
got an MFA so that I could teach and make art, but we gear our curriculum
toward students becoming successful working photographers and for the most part
they are.

 

I started out as an engineering student in college. Chemistry and physics blew me out of the water. Photography back then depended upon chemistry. But I had calculus, not to be tossed away, and programming computers in my freshman class was fun. So I switched to computer science.

Am I a professional photographer? No. I am a hobbyist photographer. But I used my programming skills to write programs for 1) calculating the equivalent focal lengths for different film formats: 35, 6.45 x 6, 6x7, 4x5, 8x10; 2) Zone System caluations based on ISO, aperture, shutter speed and adjusting for the particular zone to photograph. I wrote these programs for Hewlett-Packard HP67 and HP41 calculators.

Simple fact is (that I learned after a BFA and an MA in Photography is...

To a professional photographer (one making their living solely on their photography), a degree is useless.
I learned a lot in school, and it made me the photographer I am today...
but had I started assisting in 2004 rather than enrolling in an overpriced school... I'd have learned twice as much, twice as fast, and gotten paid for it.
As it is now... (3 years removed from Grad school)...
I've been assisting full time for 3 years, and only recently secured my first BIG commercial client (the kind of client these photo schools promise you'll get right after graduation)
...
So I essentially wasted 5 years and $105,000 on two pieces of paper that their only photographic value are as fill cards.
...
NO ONE looking to be a professional photographer should go to school for it!
...ASSIST...and go to business school!

agreed!

Whaaa whoo! so glade I changed my major to marketing last year! 

I'm a pro and I feel that schooling is necessary to get proficient as a professional photographer. Does a full fledged degree do anything for the average pro? No. I've never had a client ask if I have a degree. My photography speaks for itself. However, school training did give me the foundation I needed to be a good photographer and truly understand the art. There are just too many "photographers" out there that really have no clue what they are doing and it shows. I always say you need four things to succeed as a professional photographer:
1) Training - You must know what you are doing.
2) Talent - All the training in the world won't make you good if you don't have "the eye."
3) Passion - If you are doing it only for the money, it will show. It's an art and you need to feel it.
4) Equipment - You have to have the right tools for the job. One camera and one lens doesn't cut it.

I guess you could also add a fifth one too: business sense.

Let me just speak for the small percentage of us who DID go to school for photography it seems. I graduated in 2011 with a BFA in Photography. Less than 2 years later I and now I work full time in a commercial studio making decent steady income with benefits.

It doesn't work for everybody but I will be the first one to say that a professional degree shows your sincerity to the craft and if you have interest in doing a commercial corporate route, it helps. Having a degree in photography makes it easier to grow into the ranks of an art director.

The only way to make it is to SUFFER

Passion = PAIN

There's a lot of people that talk about passion but few of them talk about pain. The one thing that all successful photographers have in common is that they suffered. If you're not willing to suffer for 10 or 20 or even thirty years....then quit now and admit to yourself that it's just a hobby.

As a vary recent graduate i would have to say my university Bachelor of Arts degree (based in Scotland UK) was a tremendous waste of time and has left me in tens of thousands pounds of debt. With recent cuts in throughout Art Schools the standard of teaching was extremely low (in fact, there was no standard as there was no teaching. Merely 'guidance'). In fact the lack of technical know-how from my tutors was extremely dis-heartening even during times of praise - as their praise was misguided through their lack of knowledge.
Purely from freelancing and assisting in the last two months i have learnt more about the profession of photography than my four years at university. From a technical standpoint i have taught myself everything (with the exception of dark room know how). I would overwhelmingly encourage anyone to get any type of assisting or work based learning experience over a University education (using my own experience as a reference point). However i would point out that in education we are in a difficult time during classrooms are old fashioned and locking someone in a classroom simply doesn't work anymore. 

It's interesting how most of these posts are from people that don't have a degree in photography (an art degree is not the same thing) saying that it is not needed. Having been a full time working pro for over 20 years and having had to hire, manage and fire many many a so called photographers. I can say those with a degree are much more knowledgeable and prepared to cover assignments in the industry. If all you want to do is hang your shingle and chase babies through the park set your camera on P and go for it. Humm I think my next career will be a doctor better get to those youtube videos. 

You're 100% right, Rob

As a 25 year old self employed full time photography now for 3 years, I am incredibly happy that I have my Photojournalism degree from Arizona State accredited to me. However in my professional life I wish I got a business degree and not a photography degree.  I skated through college and was a big fish in a big pond because I didn't learn much from the professors about photography, I was self taught and clung to a couple of professionals in the Tempe area. The secret to being a professional is branding, not a fancy degree.  Yes I still have plenty of debt to deal with, but I've never been happier supporting my family with my camera.

I am a community college drop out, but I am also an Audio Engineer and a part time Photographer. I took one B&W film photo class in college and I loved it, but I also realized that my actual learning would be done by reading/watching tutorials and other literature I can find on my own. That and a lot of going out and shooting to learn first hand what works and what doesn't. Then I "fake it till you make it" with my local daily newspaper as a freelancer which really made me step up my game. I did that for two years. Do I regret not finishing school? For the most part, no. On one hand I'm not in over my head in debt due to school loans, but there is a beautiful aspect of college where you are surrounded by like minded people with a LOT of ideas and dreams where everyone magically collaborates and shares ideas. That and the networking you can do through your professors. That part I do regret. If I were to go back to school, I would go for some type of business classes. That is truly my weak point!

Why would any sane person go to college to study Photography. There is nothing that a college can teach you that can;t be found on the web. I've learned everything on the web and from other photographers. It's a waste of time and money taking photography in college, instead take software engineering, you;ll start at 100.000 a year easily.

tsk, tsk, for what I have read regarding great photographers pretty much non of them took a "BA in Photography". Of course anyone will benefit from course in order to get to know all the basics and fancy words we all use in this field, but a University degree? No, i don't think so.
I sincerely believe is practice what will make a photographer reach better paying gigs. The feeling of what you see thorugh the camera and how to make that feeling appear in the shot cannot be achieved in a class. Keep shooting, explore your gear, use it all the ways possible and keep shooting (I would recomend also reading the manuals that come with whatever you get, but hey, I know I'm the only one that does it, aside from the guy that spell-checked it before printing, lol)

There is no general rule of "go to school => become successful photographer".
Firstly, you need to know what it is you're interested in photographing - do you want to have your art appear at MoMA or on covers of tabloids?. My university isn't interested in teaching people how to operate a camera. They DO do that, but what they are interesting in is turning students into creative artists. My program would rather graduate the next Andre Serrano, the next David Hockney than the next Terry Richardson. Their attitude is that if you want to simply learn how to light a photo, you should go to a 2-year college. So if you want to be the next Andre Serrano, you're in the right place. If you don't, then you're in the wrong place. Research a bit about your school before accepting the offer and the corresponding tuition. As for the filmmakers at our school, once again, the technical aspects are downplayed (to the chagrin of students) and storytelling is emphasized. Imho, at the end of the day the storytelling is the only part in films that matters - read any review of any film; if there are negative reactions they are almost always to do with the story, not with the lighting/sound. Wanna learn the latter? Go to a 2-year college.
Secondly, you only get what you put into it. If you need the school to force you to work on creative projects, then how can you possibly expect to succeed in your field once you graduate?
Thirdly, the school is there largely to get access to equipment and make connections. As a filmmaker, my additional perk is using trained union actors for free while doing school productions.

Having said all of this, our business courses don't cover nearly enough of what we will need to know in the real world. The niche market of "business training for artsy people" hasn't been properly filled yet.

TL;DR - 1) Go to a college to learn the technical aspects; go to a university to learn conceptual aspects 2) Give a shit about what you're working on 3) Utilize the perks of being a student.

My lecturers were pretentious art photographers, I wanted to shoot a documentary project for my final project but in the end did something abstract, because I knew documentary projects never got beyond a certain grade point. Also the technical instruction on my course was minimal. There needs to be a set of standards enforced on this stuff.

My college lecturers were pretentious art photographers, and while I enjoyed the fact we could explore ideas. There was a lack of serious technical tutorials. Which I think was rather silly.

Technical competence was seen as a male camera enthusiast ideal and therefore bad. I ended up making abstract work in the final year because when I did I got high grades. if your in hock with student debt you want to get the highest grades you can.

Afterwards I felt rather cheated, I think in the current information age, you can pick up a lot of what you need online and with decent workshops by current practitioners. Im not sure a degree really offers any real value for money, mine didnt.

As a current student pursing a BFA I do not feel that college preparers me to be a photographer. A matter a fact I often feel as if I am wasting my time but I still feel college is a valuable experience. College teaches you way more than just your concentration. College teaches you how to live on your own, deal with dead lines, ect. So if some one were to ask if if they should go to college for Photography? I would say yes, and take as many business classes as possible you will actually use those!

I'm purely self-taught photographed and I haven't had any lessons or went to school to learn photography. I think that if you want to be a photographer, forget schools, learn things by yourself. The collage just creates artificial photographers who's visual eye and creativity isn't as good as most of self taught because in the school there they just teach the rules of thirds and composition, creating a frame and ideology which you HAVE to use when you photograph.

I often break the rules: rule of thirds, screw it and etc. I think that when you are being taught how to be a creative photographer, it just teaches you how to do something, not really improving your creative skills. They improve by training, training and training, trying your limits as a photographer. 

I don't know how this is comparable to other countries but here this is the fact unfortunately. You don't need a diploma where reads that you have educated as a photographer. I often find those kind of photographers bad ones...

Canadian colleges and universities have 70% retention rate that the government mandates in order to receive funding. What this does is force the professors to pass failing students (as low as 30%). This I know from first hand hand experience being a former professor. It makes the educational institution lose credibility and student lose money for a fake diploma. Education systems are severely broken, Chase Jarvis/Creative Live approach is better than what students are paying for at colleges and universities. I wouldn't recommend anyone interested in photography/becoming a photographer going to college/university, it's a joke!

At the end of the day, is about your portfolio and what you are able to do, personal drive and passion are the ones who determine that, not a degree

TIP of your life... It's not What you know.... its who you know.... then what you know after that. If you have no In you have to make your way in.

I agree with Andrew, I recently graduated with a bachelors of science in Marketing, and in the heat of starting a full photography business, taking business classes all through college is really whats helped me get to this point. You can be the best photographer in the world, but without knowing how to run a business or market yourself to clients, you'll never get hired. I think both skills in "seeing" or as some say "having an eye" and being creative behind a viewfinder are just as important as the skills of business and marketing. I was fortunate enough to have both some would say, and I hope to grow my business into something Im proud of

Good for you man, really like that. Great path to start out and seems you have the drive for it. Keep it up!

I didn't go to college but my assistant did!

I graduated with a Film BA and I feel like a lot of the programs are far behind from the industry. We never really learned about freelance market, marketing yourself or how to charge day rates, half days things like that. I feel like a lot of my former classmates have given up on the idea of shooting anything because of the job market or maybe the lack of business skills we should have learned.

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