With today’s economic times we find ourselves having to rethink what we do and whom we are doing it for. Over the past few hours I have looked at many different threads on the café.
• I’m loosing my job,
• I want to get into the photography business,
• Better go back to school,
• How do I start a photo business,
• Is a D300 a good enough backup camera,
• Is this lens or that lens right for me?
• If I buy really good gear will it make me better
• If I take a business course will it make me successful
• Why did Nikon put video into the D400
• How do I get a pro shooting job?
• ETC
The end result of these discussions is almost always the same People want to make changes in their lives and they are hopeful that either the photo business or gear will allow them to do that.
As I look at the photography business... 80% of the people in it should REALLY be doing something else. The market is flooded with either old hacks (like me) or young ones who will spend a few years starving and then move on for a new group to come in and starve.
At the end of the day, the world media is changing and all the outlets (or clients) are looking for people who can do more for less. They are no longer happy with sending some person out on the street or around the world to capture images for the morning run or magazine. Today they want that person to also collect the video so they can use it in their web-based presence and sell it for TV programming ($3,000 per second!!). The days of the staff guy at the local newspaper are almost over and now you better be a writer, producer, photographer and web designer if you want to get or hold a job in this business.
If you have the skills to do this then the photography business (might) be for you!
The wedding people are fighting against everyone who owns a camera and trying to sell what is a lot of time second rate captures. The client for the wedding side is also not interested in the still shooter as much as a person or team who can collect both stills / video and then package them in the most professional way. These packages have value… the still images in print or disks don’t. They don’t because Uncle Bill could have done that so why should they pay a third party for something they can do themselves.
At the end of the day (in my mind anyway) if you REALLY want to make it...
You will need the following:
• Camera skills good enough to generate above average images to put you above the normal snapshot shooter.
• You need computer skills better than the guy on the street to edit these images so they are the best they can be.
• Video/audio skill good enough to use your stuff on the national news.
• Editing skills that will allow you to do things in programs like Final Cut Pro and not just I-movie or some other consumer-editing program.
• Packaging skills… The ability to create finished packages that cannot be duplicated by others. Including stills, video, audio all blended together to tell the story that the client wants.
At the end of the day if you can do (all) this at the highest level you will not have a problem making a go of this business. If you cannot…. Look for something else to do!
I just watched my client spend 2-million $$ collecting outreach (media packages – still, video, web, press ready presentations) for their projects. They did not blink at spending the $$ because they see value in it.
So get off your butts and stop worrying if your gear is good enough to turn pro…. Get the skills you need and you will be offering the client something they (need) to buy because they cannot do it themselves as well or as price effective.
Finally the end of my rant!
• I’m loosing my job,
• I want to get into the photography business,
• Better go back to school,
• How do I start a photo business,
• Is a D300 a good enough backup camera,
• Is this lens or that lens right for me?
• If I buy really good gear will it make me better
• If I take a business course will it make me successful
• Why did Nikon put video into the D400
• How do I get a pro shooting job?
• ETC
The end result of these discussions is almost always the same People want to make changes in their lives and they are hopeful that either the photo business or gear will allow them to do that.
As I look at the photography business... 80% of the people in it should REALLY be doing something else. The market is flooded with either old hacks (like me) or young ones who will spend a few years starving and then move on for a new group to come in and starve.
At the end of the day, the world media is changing and all the outlets (or clients) are looking for people who can do more for less. They are no longer happy with sending some person out on the street or around the world to capture images for the morning run or magazine. Today they want that person to also collect the video so they can use it in their web-based presence and sell it for TV programming ($3,000 per second!!). The days of the staff guy at the local newspaper are almost over and now you better be a writer, producer, photographer and web designer if you want to get or hold a job in this business.
If you have the skills to do this then the photography business (might) be for you!
The wedding people are fighting against everyone who owns a camera and trying to sell what is a lot of time second rate captures. The client for the wedding side is also not interested in the still shooter as much as a person or team who can collect both stills / video and then package them in the most professional way. These packages have value… the still images in print or disks don’t. They don’t because Uncle Bill could have done that so why should they pay a third party for something they can do themselves.
At the end of the day (in my mind anyway) if you REALLY want to make it...
You will need the following:
• Camera skills good enough to generate above average images to put you above the normal snapshot shooter.
• You need computer skills better than the guy on the street to edit these images so they are the best they can be.
• Video/audio skill good enough to use your stuff on the national news.
• Editing skills that will allow you to do things in programs like Final Cut Pro and not just I-movie or some other consumer-editing program.
• Packaging skills… The ability to create finished packages that cannot be duplicated by others. Including stills, video, audio all blended together to tell the story that the client wants.
At the end of the day if you can do (all) this at the highest level you will not have a problem making a go of this business. If you cannot…. Look for something else to do!
I just watched my client spend 2-million $$ collecting outreach (media packages – still, video, web, press ready presentations) for their projects. They did not blink at spending the $$ because they see value in it.
So get off your butts and stop worrying if your gear is good enough to turn pro…. Get the skills you need and you will be offering the client something they (need) to buy because they cannot do it themselves as well or as price effective.
Finally the end of my rant!
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