# Am I ready to become a pro and make it a business?



## caseysrt (Jul 15, 2012)

caseysexton.com ... please be honest here. It's a very simple question. I want to call myself a professional and make what I do a real, legal, business, but am not sure if I'm good enough yet.


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## JoshuaSimPhotography (Jul 15, 2012)

The question is&#8230;do you think that you are ready? There isn&#8217;t a qualification or survey you have to complete to know if you are good. Just try to advertise yourself, if people like it then you should be ready. But start small, you don&#8217;t want to spend thousands of dollars and waste it! I think that you think you&#8217;re ready (lol). I quite like the pics too. But be very careful. These is no key to success


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## Sw1tchFX (Jul 15, 2012)

PROTIP: you shouldn't have to explain your photos, they should be able to explain themselves. 

If you do explain something, explain why you liked shooting with the client or working with vendors. Do not say about equipment or how you made it (like how you use a lower angle, or when you pressed the shutter, or why you chose to desat). Nobody cares about that besides other photogs, and other photogs are not your clientel. 

Do yourself a favor and ditch the HDR. HDR in general screams "amateur!" and tells clients that you're still learning...because you're wasting your time and energy with HDR..

It looks like you want to market yourself towards people/weddings? If so, than why are there landscapes on there? Ditch them. 


You know how to properly expose a picture, now you need to know how to properly focus on consistent content. That is what separates pro's from amateurs. Consistent, repeatable content .


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## Jaemie (Jul 15, 2012)

^^ I agree about the HDR. 

Your photos are overall very good, the style and quality appears very marketable. The only thing i have to add to Joshua's and Sw1tchFX's words is this: 

Your website is clean and sharp, simple and persuasive, and elegant. However, it lacks a section describing who you are (I see the word "we" but have no idea whether that means you and your partner or you and a dozen assistants - perhaps just "I" would be better?) and what your credentials are (experience, education, credits, whatever), and a section explaining what your photographic philosophy or vision is and what it means for prospective clients. For example, you have martial arts photos - Does that mean you practice Aikido or TKD? If so, a few words about your experience in martial arts creates a connection to potential clients with similar experience. 

Your work is tenfold better than that of so many others who are making money with their cameras, so why not go for it?! I think you should and you should do it with plenty of confidence. Good luck!


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## Forkie (Jul 15, 2012)

If you think you are ready, you are ready.  Ask yourself:  Am I justified in asking people for money for my photographs?  Will I be proud of the the photographs I give people or will I be a bit reserved or tentative about releasing them to clients?

I ask myself these questions almost everyday and so far the answers have been, 1. Not really.  2. Tentative.  So, until the answer to both these questions is 1. Yes 2. Very Proud.  I will not set up my own business.

I consider myself lucky that I work for a company that pays me a regular salary to be their photographer.  It means I can take my time to get the photos right and still get paid at the end of the month even if I make a few mistakes here and there.  But if I'm on my own, with people paying me good money for a photoshoot and waiting anxiously for the result, then there will not be so much room for experimentation and mistakes.

Personally, I don't feel I'm ready for that.  It's something you have to judge on your own.


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## slackercruster (Jul 15, 2012)

Your stuff is OK. See if you can drum up some biz.

 I vote to leave the HDR. Nothing wrong with them. I've seen some pro togs add a HDR sky to a bland sky pix in their work.

HDR is just another tool we use. Lighting, perspective, distortion, angle of view, high and low key, patterns \  geometric shadows, subject matter, sharpness, diffusion, color vibrancy  or muted, dropping color to turn the image into a  monochrome, selective color, luminance, glow, reflections. Even basic darkroom processes like dodging, burning, contrast adjustment, vignetting, light drop off, white borders or funky borders...all just tools of expression.


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## The_Traveler (Jul 15, 2012)

Your site doesn't give any hint where on this globe you are and what you consider your practice area to be.
You make no mention of price at all, no range, nothing.  I don't want to call to find out if I can/can't afford you.
There is nothing personal about the site; I'd want to do business with more than a template.


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## usayit (Jul 15, 2012)

* I know its your last name but many corporates block websites that filter on the word "sex".  A recent study shows that something like 90% do use corporate internet access for personal use during a regular work day.  You are limiting that group of people from accessing your website.

* Your work and website doesn't seem to point out a particular speciality.  

If you want to compete in the Wedding and Event market, your galleries should immediately make it clear.   Your "sessions" tab indicates that you are available for "Story" (I am assuming family/event/wedding) and "Portrait" but your website's gallery contains only 1 out of 4 portfolios that fit in that category.   Honestly, I think you should pull out your scapes, creative light, and architecture and place them in a separate section.   None of this indicate examples of your "work" that pertains to your sessions you are selling.  These fall mostly into photos (as good as they may be) that you do on your own time for fun.  Perhaps they belong in a section that showcases you as a person with personal work.. maybe in the form of blog.  In fact, the descriptions on the side of the photo actually read more like a blog than anything else.

* The one pertaining gallery that might convince a person to buy a session, "People", doesn't have enough examples nor are they big enough to really see quality.  

They are also of the same people (your family I presume).  This doesn't convey the message that one is buying a session from an "experienced" photographer.  Many years ago, I used to shoot second photographer for wedding photographers in the area.  I worked for free to build experience and (with permission) built a portfolio to show case my work.  This is the type of portfolio that needs to be established prior to starting a business as an independent photographer.  

* Effective photographs rarely need an explanation.  It distracts.

* Get rid of the HDR stuff

Some as above.  Move out into a personal section.

* The gallery section should mimic the sessions you are selling.   So you should have a gallery that shows examples of "Story sessions" and a gallery that shows examples of your "Portraits".   You don't see pictures of food (as in a menu) on the packaging of a new computer... do you???

* The whole website is laid out more as a personal website with comments sections and such.  It needs to be laid out more like a business front... What are you selling?  Why should I buy from you???

* More importantly, what type of business experience do you have?   I advise looking locally for classes or sessions for small business owners to get the basics.  Successful business (more so in service based businesses) rarely are a reflection of how good the person is but how well the person runs a business.   I've seen awesome photographers who couldn't make it in their own business doing very well working for someone else.  I've seem mediocre photographers doing well as an independent.

* Missing pricing structure and location.


There's more to the transition from amateur photographer to professional photographer than simply adding a "buy sessions" tab to a personal website.


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## usayit (Jul 15, 2012)

Local friends of mine with a passion for photography "found" each other.  He was a very good hobby photographer who I worked with in the IT industry.  She was already an established photographer in the area.   We all lost our jobs working IT but lovely things happened to him afterwards.  Now things are a striving family business.. capturing the love people have for their children.   

Their website can be of some insight of where I am coming from.  A very "professional" looking website (still issues with it.. but what is?) ... that does drum up a lot of business for them.

Hudson Valley Photographer - Wings of Love Photography - Sandy O'Shea Viola and Tom Duggan - Wings of Love Photography - Hudson Valley Photographers

Notice... the first page directs you to either a blog or the actually business website.  It separates their photography and personal stuff from their business website.  They specialize in photography sessions of newborns and toddlers... notice that their samples and galleries fall in line with that speciality.  There isn't much of anything on that business website that falls outside of what they are selling.


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## o hey tyler (Jul 15, 2012)

Not sure if Wings Of Love photography was the best choice. I can't even read the text on that image of the baby with sunflowers. 

You are right about the separation of work and personal though. However a lot of photographers blog about their client work.


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## imagemaker46 (Jul 15, 2012)

There is no indication of location, costs of packages and most of all what experience you have as a photographer.  You do have some nice photos, several look like they could have been from a final portfolio from photo school.

You already have a web site online and you have a name, and are looking for work, I think you have already decided you're a professional.  Why are you asking the doubtful question "I'm not sure i'm good enough" it's clear by the actions that you think you are.

How many years and what is your background in photography?


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## cgipson1 (Jul 15, 2012)

^ What imagemaker46 said. I would also ask what gear do you have.. it does make a difference!

In your post yesterday, you stated that you always use natural (ambient) light.. and would like to start using flash. IMO, if you don't know how to use flash.. then you are not ready.




caseysrt said:


> I have a D3100 so no commander mode, and an  SB700 flash. I almost always use natural light but would like to start  using the speedlight.
> 
> I have to use the flash in full manual mode (using wireless triggers)  but I either underexpose or overexpose the image, when I am in manual  mode is zoom and power the only things I have control over?
> 
> Let's say I'm at f4 at 160/sec and ISO 200 and I want a wide spread of  light, I would zoom out to help spread the light, but what would I set  the power to? Is it just trial and error?


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## KmH (Jul 15, 2012)

caseysrt said:


> *Am I ready to become a pro and make it a business?*


If you have to ask, I don't think you're ready.



caseysrt said:


> caseysexton.com ... please be honest here. It's a very simple question. I want to call myself a professional and make what I do a real, legal, business, but am not sure if I'm good enough yet.


Having a successful photography business will hinge on your business skills - marketing, promotion, cost controls, salesmanship, etc - _not on your photography skills_.
Many successful photography business owners are competent, but only so-so photographers, but they are very good business people.

One of the very first things you need to do is to research and write a comprehensive business plan. Starting & Managing a Business | SBA.gov



> If you fail to plan, plan to fail.



In addition to SBA.gov, you can also get free small business advice from Free Small Business Advice | How-to Resources | Tools | Templates | SCORE.

Frankly, it takes a very motivated, and positive self-starter to start, grow, and then maintain a business so the owner makes a self-employed, living income.

For a retail photography business, being able to shoot any time of day or night, regardless of the weather is so very important. That way the business owner can schedule their time and customer appointments efficiently. So called natural light photographers are constrained by having to wait for the light to be right before they can shoot. "I'm sorry Ms. G, there is a hard overcast today so we'll need to reschedule the appointment you made a month ago. Hopefully it won't be overcast again the next time too, or maybe I can squeeze you in sometime tomorrow?"

Plus the photographic lighting fundamentals applied when using natural light are the same photographic lighting fundamentals need to use strobed light. If you don't yet have a good fundamental understanding of those photographic lighting principles, you have a major gap in your photographic knowledge and skill set, and a major obstacle to overcome with your business plan.


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## tirediron (Jul 15, 2012)

You receive this e-mail from a potential client: 

 "_Hi, I would like to hire you to take pictures at my family reunion picnic next month.  There will be about 100 people and it will be <Name of large local park>from 1.00pm -4.00pm.  I would like to get photos of everyone, but because we're leaving on a trip the following week, I will need them finished before that.  I would also like to have the raw files on a disc so that I can edit them for our family website_."

Respond.


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## cgipson1 (Jul 15, 2012)

John.. I love it!  lol!

OP:  You receive this e-mail from a potential client:

_"I need a wedding photographer. The shots will be indoors in the late evening. No flash will be allowed, and the only lighting is candlelight. I am pale Caucasian, and my fiance is very dark, he is from Jamaica. The guests will be a similar mixture.  I will need several 16x24 prints of the ceremony. I would like you to shoot the dance afterwards also.. again, only candle light. The room is rather small, and with everyone in there.. I don't think a tripod would be a good idea. Is that OK?"_

Respond.


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## caseysrt (Jul 16, 2012)

After giving it some though, I don't think I'm really ready. I need to find my style, and focus on that niche.


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## usayit (Jul 16, 2012)

caseysrt said:


> After giving it some though, I don't think I'm really ready. I need to find my style, and focus on that niche.



If you can, I would highly recommend finding a local photographer that might need help and offer your assistance.   Whether or not you can negotiate a little pay for your time is up to the photographer.  I learned a lot from that experience... including that wedding photography specifically wasn't for me.


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## KmH (Jul 16, 2012)

Style is a canard.

If you want to have a retail photography business, your 'style' has to change with what clients see as popular.


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## 12sndsgood (Jul 17, 2012)

caseysrt said:


> After giving it some though, I don't think I'm really ready. I need to find my style, and focus on that niche.




If that is how you feel then take this time as you continue to improve on your skill and confidence to start reading into and learning the business side of things, marketing, web design, so that when you feel your photography skills are good enough you will have a lot better business sence to take on the rest.


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## imagemaker46 (Jul 17, 2012)

caseysrt said:


> After giving it some though, I don't think I'm really ready. I need to find my style, and focus on that niche.



You've decided that you're not ready and yet you have a website that is offering your services already, does that mean you are taking the web site offline?


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## amolitor (Jul 17, 2012)

Why bother taking it down? It's not like it's going to generate any business just sitting there.

As long as he's willing to accept a gig in the unlikely event that the web site generates one, and that's not at all the same thing as running a business, what's the problem?


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## imagemaker46 (Jul 17, 2012)

The web site implies professional photographer, she has stated that she isn't ready to be one.  Having someone contact her and if she accepts a job that she can't handle would end up doing more harm than good. Unsatisfied clients never forget a bad shoot, and their friends all hear about it as well.  Next thing you know, when she feels ready to start that business, it's already got a strike against it.


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## Derrel (Jul 17, 2012)

You need a portfolio with more than eight images. The people photos you have look good, but there is so little on display that it's hard to get any feeling for how good you are. I am always leery of evaluating a photographer's skill level based on a number of **individual shots** which have been carefully selected from multiple assignments. Seeing 20, 30,or even 40 good **individual shots** pulled from many,many assignments is not very impressive to me; I can evaluate a shooter's real skill level more by seeing a good portion of just one, single, whole assignment. That relates to what Sw1tchFX said about consistent quality and consistent results. So, as far as a web-based portfolio or web site--I think it'd look better to work toward being able to show more shots from entire photo sessions, like for example, on a family set, I would really like to see your skill at posing the group as a whole, the kids, and then the parents. If your web site could demonstrate skill with a family group session, as well as the individual and smaller group breakouts, then I think clients would be totally willing, and also justified, in hiring you as a "professional photographer".


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