5 Photographers That You Don’t Want to Be
There’s no single sure way to being successful as a photographer. However, there are a handful of examples around that definitely teach you what not to do if you want to attain success.
There’s no single sure way to being successful as a photographer. However, there are a handful of examples around that definitely teach you what not to do if you want to attain success.
Have you found yourself frustrated by being nickeled and dimed for your work? Does self-doubt about your skill and imagery creep in as a result of the prices you are asked to shoot at? You’re not the only one.
While photography definitely isn’t the cheapest business you could get into, you can definitely get started on a budget. Here are my tips for being prudent with your money as you start out.
If you've ever experienced a flare or diagnosis of a chronic illness while being self-employed, you'll understand the overwhelm of navigating your health and your business interests. It can be hard to focus on rest and recovery when you're fearful about the longevity of your business and the cash flow you need to live.
As photographers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. But there’s one disadvantage that almost every photographer has in common.
The people and websites that sell the most products make the most money, but at what cost?
Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to powering your video system.
Listen up! Whether you have a full-fledged career in photography, the pandemic got you exploring it as your side hustle, or you are just dreaming of taking your hobby to the next level, then look no further. These podcasts will educate, enthuse, and enable you to make your dream career of camera (and paycheck) in hand, come true.
If I promise to not curse and do my best to keep my rants to a minimum, can we have a discussion about the ongoing dilemma for photographers which is Instagram?
If you are looking to break into the wedding industry, one of the best things you can do is become a second shooter. If you are ready to start picking up more second shooter gigs, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced wedding photographer offering seven tips to help land more bookings.
When most photographers start out, they photograph a wide range of genres and eventually find one or a few genres they enjoy and would like to specialize in. If you want to start making money from your photography, you will encounter an important question: should you specialize or be a generalist? This excellent video features an experienced photographer discussing the question and offerings some useful advice.
Here are some words about the choices all photographers have to make and how we choose to make them.
There is a good chance we are currently headed toward an economic recession, and as such, wedding photographers should consider how to ensure their business will be ready if such a downturn arrives. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer discussing how to prepare yourself for a recession to ensure that you are in a position to survive or even thrive when one arrives.
Here are a few thoughts from getting to spend a couple months with a powerful if pint-sized cinema camera from one of the industry’s leading brands.
Growing as an artist isn’t always fun. But being the best artist you can be requires you to lean into the growing pains to reach your full potential.
Most photographers have had an Instagram account for several years now, and as such, they have each accumulated likely hundreds of even thousands of posts. Most people will simply leave their old posts up, but for professional creatives, there is an argument to be made for removing older entries. So, should you remove those old posts? Should you hide like counts on your images? This interesting video podcast discusses these questions.
Any photography enthusiast who works a 9-to-5 job has probably wondered what it would be like to walk away from that day job and make all of their income through photography. This can be a scary endeavor, especially if you don’t have a specific plan in place to find clients.
Photographers have three choices when selling photographs. They can be commissioned to shoot for a client, aim for the mass market, or choose to sell fewer, high-quality, collectible images with narrower interest. There are good reasons why you should consider the last option.
We've all heard of the stereotype of "the starving artist," but a new study from the UK put concrete numbers on this portrayal, showing that graduates with a degree in photography truly do (on average) become starving artists. Adding insult to injury, the study reveals that photographers are not only on the list, they are ranked the worst for post-graduates making low income. Ouch.
You've heard your industry colleagues say it. You've read the news articles and listened to the business pundits. The economy is in a recession, and your photography business is suffering.
$100,000 is a lot of money. Perhaps life-changing for many among us. But that's how much this photographer insists he lost due to a regrettable mistake. Learn what it is so you don't do the same.
The sneak peek has been an indispensable part of my photography business, providing clients with a few quick photos right after a shoot to "whet their appetite," so to speak. But is it a bad idea overall?
You can spend years working on perfecting your technique and developing your creative voice, and while those are crucial to finding success as a professional, they are not all you need. Understanding the ins and outs of running a business is a requirement of being a professional photographer, and this great video tutorial will run you through some of the things you need to know.
Many people don't like to talk about money when it comes to photography, but it shouldn't be a dirty word. Here's how to turn your creativity into cash in just a few simple steps.
No matter what genre you shoot, a good contract is essential to ensuring smooth client interactions and protecting you in case something goes wrong, but in wedding photography, it is a particularly important thing to take care of. This helpful video tutorial will walk you through an effective wedding photography contract to make sure you are on the up and up.
Do you ever find yourself repeating yourself over and over again to prospective clients in your workflow? If so, here are the templates I’ve created that both anticipate my clients’ questions and save me valuable time in my product photography business.
In the final part of my four-part series, I want to focus on the one person who can make or break your photography business: you.
A bit of panic leads to a fun diversion. Today, we pose a hypothetical question.
One of the things the pandemic taught us is how important it is to diversify one's income streams, particularly when events entirely outside our control can put those streams in serious jeopardy. The nice thing about photography, though, is that (depending on your genre at bit, admittedly) there are a lot of ways to make money from images besides simply shooting for a client who then pays you for your services. This great video essay features an experienced photographer discussing the importance of income streams.
If you do photography professionally, you are going to eventually have a dissatisfied client. It is something that happens to all of us, and it is not even always your fault. So, what can you do when that happens? This excellent video tutorial offers some helpful advice that will make it easier to handle those difficult situations.
Becoming a professional photographer is a dream of many, but the road to getting there is anything but short and straight. So, how long does it take to actually get there? This great video features an experienced photographer discussing the journey and offering some helpful insight and tips for finding success along the way.
Having trouble getting more out of your photography? Perhaps the answer is to do less.
When you are a hobbyist, you can drop whatever money you can reasonably afford on gear if it makes you happy. However, when you are a professional, gear is a business expense, and as such, you have to pay more careful attention to its impact on your bottom line and if you truly need it. This great video tutorial features an experienced photographer discussing just what gear a professional really needs.
It is the dream of many to become a full-time YouTuber or content creator, particularly in photography. It is, however, an arduous pursuit with a low success rate. This full-time YouTuber goes through his top 10 mistakes and how you can avoid them.
CreativeLive, the online learning platform for creatives, founded by photographer Chase Jarvis and now a Fiverr company, has announced its acquisition of the full catalog and website of Wildist.co, a popular online resource for outdoor and adventure photographers.
You’ve received an enquiry from a potential new client and you’re looking forward to booking them in. Here are five questions to ask on your discovery call to make sure you understand what the client needs and that you can quote for the job accurately.
Sometimes, two is better than one when it comes to gear purchases.
Your portfolio is your calling card, and as such, it requires a lot of careful thought and care when you are putting it together. If you are looking to build yours into one that attracts clients, check out this helpful video tutorial that discusses five tips sure to put you on the right track to an effective portfolio.
Running a photography business is challenging and earning your first client can be tough. In this article, I will show you how to charge for photography in the three stages of a beginner photographer's career.
No matter how uncomfortable it might feel to send out a photography contract at the beginning of your commercial photography journey, having a robust contract in place is essential for creating professional relationships with your clients.
Life as an artist is a never-ending series of peaks and valleys full of both joy and inevitable disappointment. But adding a bit of routine into a life seemingly devoid of it can make you both a better photographer and a happier human being.
Higher-paying jobs are the goal of just about any photographer or filmmaker, but the path to getting there is not always clear. If you are looking to land those more lucrative gigs, check out this great video essay that discusses how one creative started pulling down more income with his work.
Millions of photos are uploaded each day, but we don't know who took them, unless they are properly credited. With proper credit, you can actually book more jobs, and it's a remarkable way of expanding your network.
The things that help us survive in life are often the same as those which help us survive in business. And when you make your living from your art, survival in business can feel a lot like life or death.
Photography is a complex thing that takes a combination of technical skill, creative vision, and (if you are a professional) business savvy to find success, making it easy to fall prey to traps that can derail you along the way. Here are five subtle mistakes photographers make that can negatively affect their experience, images, or careers.
Today, I’ll share with you a few lessons I've learned after several years of taking cameras and other gear through their paces.
If you’re anything like me, you like to save as much on gear as possible. As expensive as gear is, there are some things I suggest you should not go cheap on. This list consists of stuff that is long-lasting and will not go out of date quickly.
No matter which genre you work in, you will encounter difficult clients at one time or another, but given the amount of stress and investment that go into weddings, you might find yourself in these situations a bit more often as a wedding photographer. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer offering some helpful advice for tackling those situations to ensure everyone is happy and you don't find yourself exhausted by the experience.
As waves of international turmoil shake the photographic world, how will the industry be affected? Additionally, are there ways we can protect ourselves from this economic mess? Here are seven options.
Building a career as a professional artist is a long journey of ups and downs. Here’s one lesson to take along to help you on your way.