Questions and Dilemmas

[Voyager1968]

Ok so here is my story.

I am a 40 year old truck driver who is tired of the demands of driving big rigs. I have always had an interest in photography, but it was only a casual one. In the past six months my interest has been rekindled and I am now looking at this as a second career. I have enrolled in the New York Institute of Photography's Complete Professional Photography course, and going into the second unit things are going well.

My problem comes from doing some internet research on photography as a career. It seems as though I'm going to have a tough time breaking into this industry. For one, I have no means of setting up a home based part time studio. We have no garage, and since I live close to a river, our basement has only a 5 foot ceiling. For my circumstances it will be all or nothing. If I want to do portraiture, I'm going to have to rent a full time space, which would be very costly to start out.

As far as photojournalism, I have no college degree, and in researching, I'm finding out that at small papers like the one in my area, the photographers write their own stories. The larger papers are looking for experience, and outlets such as the Associated Press are looking for folks with a bachelors degree plus 3-5 years at a daily paper.

Lanscape and nature photography don't look like viable options, and except for a select few, better suited toward hobbiests. Sports photography can be expensive, and then there is the photojournalism issue since a lot of sports content goes to the newspapers and periodicals.

Bottom line, the best I can do financially and time wise is a certificate from NYIP. I just can't afford a 4 year degree at my age and status in life.

What are my options?

 

[jjdesanto1]

Steve:

I get asked this question all the time and the simple answer is this: No matter how much you hate it - don't quit your day job.

I can tell from your posting that you've done your homework and have a pretty firm grasp of what the market is like out there. The truth of the matter is that the professional photography business is going through a meltdown. Really talented folks are calling it quits every single day. Why? Blame the explosion of digital cameras and the resultant lack of respect for professional talent.

As we all know, everybody has a relative or friend who owns a "really good camera" and takes pictures "as good as a pro!" Now that's probably not the case but your average American Joe can't tell the difference between good photography and crap and will pick the cheapest option every time. (Especially these days.) You don't have to travel any further then the NikonCafe boards for proof: For every "I got paid!" posting there is a pro photographer somewhere who "Didn't get paid!"

Building a business is all about building a reputation. (That alone will take you a couple of years and only if you're very good.) Trying to build that business in the face of cheap - or worse - free, competition is virtually impossible. You can break into newspaper photojournalism without a degree, but the pay is lousy at the start and newspapers are a dying breed. You're absolutely correct is assuming there's no money in fine art and/or landscape photography.

My advice: Take the courses, hone your skills, build your reputation and chase the dream - but hold on to that lifeline because it's a big hill to climb. If you can broaden your skills and make yourself great in all aspects of photography you may be able to carve out a decent wage. Which is to say, shoot youth and high school sports and offer them up the local paper, get good at senior portraits and see where that takes you, try child photography. Don't rent that studio space yet. Buy yourself portable studio flashes - if that's the road you want to go down - and then go to your clients instead of having them come to you. Practice a lot, because studio lighting is a real talent. (Then, when you're good at it, practice some more.)

Persistence pays off, Steve. I've followed your link and looked at some of your work and you have some real talent there. Continue to develop that talent and you may have a shot. If you PM me, I'll send you my phone number and we can talk by phone.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Steve, John's advice is dead on.

I have finally called it quits after 30 years of doing all types of photography for a living- mostly in the PJ field. It has gotten tougher and tougher every year. I will still be making some money with photography, but in a different way, and it will definately not be my only source of income.

This is not meant to discouarge you from your dream, only to let you know that it is a tough way to make a living.

 

[SteveK]

Steve, I don't like to be as negative. I have no formal training in photography, yet I've made a good living using my cameras since the early 80's. Yes, the market has changed. Yes, there are fewer magazines and newspapers today. But look around, and you will still see lots of uses of photography, from calendars, to point of purchase advertising. Someone has to provide those photos, and yes there is now more competition, but there are still new, young people breaking into the field everyday. It's a worldwide market, and the key is learning how to sell yourself and your images.

Some aspects of the photo business are over-saturated with too many images. Some people are selling good images for pennies, hurting the market more. While there will always be someone touting the benefits of selling work cheaply claiming they sell thousands more times than photos sold for a premium, in practice it is seldom the case.

Ideally, you want to find your own style, and your own "niche" that is different from the norm. While you are working as a trucker, why not think of trying to develop good representative images (and "pretty" ones) of trucking? This would include all aspects, from loading docks to truck stops. People photos should be model released (and so should any custom trucks, readily identified as belonging to some individual or company). Don't just shoot in good weather. Bad weather photos can show real life rather than just the rosy side of it.

Now comes the difficult part. Your D40 does not have enough resolution to produce large enough images for marketing. When you are competing with shooters using D3 bodies or Canon top of the line bodies, you have to use something similar, or you will not be able to compete for sales. Yes, it is possible to use a 6 MP image for some commercial uses, but overall, you should choose a camera with more resolution. It's the old adage, it takes money to make money.

 

[lawrenc]

As everyone has said, don't quit your day job. I can't, and I have tearsheets from major national ad campains and UPI credits.

But as far as finding a market, stop your truck at a truckstop, grab a handful of the free rags in the wireracks by the door, and study the images- get a feel for what they are looking for. Contact the photoeditors and talk to them about you situation, and ask what they need more of, and work from there.

many of the pro PJs I know in NYC are shooting D50/40- for most publications a good 6mp image is fine coming from a stringer, but you are going to want to upgrade, at least to a D80 or D200.

Learn to shoot in and PP RAW- shooting from the hip the extra level of recovery can make the differance between a saleable image, and a clean miss.

Find a local shooter who is making money and offer to assist cheap- free if nessercary. there is alot to learn, and it's well worth more than the price...

 

[Mike Buckley]

Really great advice going on here.

The one thing I would want to add is that considering that you are contemplating a change in careers, you should also study whether the particular niche narket that you decide upon (whether it's a photography niche or otherwise) is expanding or contracting. Whatever you learn about it, be sure to go in with your eyes wide open. There is no room for denial or ignorance when choosing careers.

 

[SteveK]

To elaborate on my own career in photography. I was a seasonal park ranger (law enforcement) for the NPS. I lived and worked in beautiful park areas, and soon got the desire to photograph the lands and animals where I lived and worked. I recognized that I wanted to pursue photography as a career, but also knew I needed money to make ends meet before photography began paying off as a business. I worked for three winters on seismic crews in the arctic of Alaska getting low wages, but working insanely long hours (averaged 105/week) to make enough money to travel and photograph the rest of the year. Then I worked one winter in construction as a laborer. Hard work, but very good pay.

I didn't own a suit or necktie, but I purchased a couple and then called and wrote to editors in NYC and DC, got appointments, and beat on lots of doors. Eventually, I started selling a number of photos for magazines, books, and calendars. In 1983, after much begging, I got assignments from National Wildlife Magazine and National Geographic Books Division. That year I found I had to pay a big check to the IRS, meaning I'd finally made a decent wage doing what I really loved. There have been up and down years since, but I haven't had to pick up my skillsaw and hammer to go back to work in construction, and I've been blessed with a wife who is an artist and enjoys traveling with me, and still feel lucky that I make a living shooting photos.

 

[adaml]

The only thing that I would add is if at all possible, see if you can apprentice, or even intern, for someone in your locale who is prominent in the photography niche you are interested in. Working full-time may make it difficult, but do it if you can. The rewards will be worth it.

I'm an amateur photographer, but a full-time attorney. When I was in law school I was working full-time in the insurance industry. Nevertheless, I interned for one of my professors, who was a prominent lawyer in what became my specialty. Not only did I learn a great deal about the real world of Law in my specialty, but I also made some valuable contacts in the field which have served me well to this day.

I'm sure that can be translated into any profession.

 

[gnagel]

I agree with much of the advise already provided in this thread. But, as a business consultant, I would like to add one other perspective:

Clearly, it takes more than just photographic talent to be a successful professional photographer. Probably at least equally important to the quality of the images you capture is your ability to manage all aspects of a small business. Unfortunately, the vast majority of new businesses fail within the first year or two.

So, I would strongly advise to not give up your day job. Gradually work your way into the business of photography until it builds to the point where it is generating the majority of your income.

Just my opinion...
Glenn