# Taking the next step - looks like I'm going pro :)



## Msteelio91 (Nov 19, 2015)

Not TOO exciting since I'm keeping my day job but at this point I've now had a handful of paid shoots with some very happy clients... and my website, Facebook, and instagram are starting to gain traction after close to 2 years of basically nothing with a lot of work put in.

I decided to "take the next step" and put a ton of time into my business by perfecting my website, social media outlets, and making up some business cards!

Here's a preview of what they will look like:







I got them from Vistaprint, color both sides, 1,000ct, and raised gloss text. $116 (!!!!) but I only paid $30 thanks to a recent Groupon snag 

Pretty exciting to be able to make some money doing what I really love. And even more exciting to see peoples faces when they get their pictures!

Just wanted to share the good vibes


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## imagemaker46 (Nov 20, 2015)

Well good for you, never quit your day job.  I did have a look at all the images on your web site and without wanting to sound too harsh, many of them are simple tourist type snapshots. The automotive ones look like you just saw a car on the street and shot it, also a little dark.  I won't go on about the others, but would suggest that you re-think some of what you posted. 

The bottom line here is that as long as your clients are happy with the work, nothing else matters.


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## Raj_55555 (Nov 20, 2015)

Congrats man, and your website looks really cool. Is it wordpress based, or did you design it from scratch?


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## Msteelio91 (Nov 20, 2015)

Raj_55555 said:


> Congrats man, and your website looks really cool. Is it wordpress based, or did you design it from scratch?



Thanks Raj! It was originally wordpress based but I have changed it so much that it's nothing like the original theme at this point haha


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## Derrel (Nov 20, 2015)

You got a good deal on the business cards. I would try to get some photo jobs where your skill set matches the requirements of the job, and try to cultivate some clients and then KEEP them as clients as long as you can. Work on your craft, get better, keep at it. Not every photography job requires an Annie Liebowitz level of lighting and wardrobe and crew...there are a number of pretty basic 'we need photos made' type gigs.


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## vintagesnaps (Nov 20, 2015)

You might need to think about what you could offer clients and what photos should be in a portfolio or on a website. Some of your photos could make for nice prints but obviously that's not much of a means of income for most photographers so I don't know if that would be a selling point for clients.

I'd also think about licensing; try looking on American Society of Media Photographers or maybe PPA. You may need to learn more about that if you may do any work for clients that would involve licensing usage. ASMP also has other resources for working photographers.

I hadn't looked at CC in a long time, and when I can't find a street address that's usually a red flag to me...They did show up as a registered nonprofit in the state of Mass. but their most recent annual report was from 2013 (for 2012); all their board of directors had terms ending in 2012-14. I can tell apparently they've taken in millions of dollars... their FB and Twitter shows California, and they show up as the same nonprofit from Mass. with an address for a 'registered agent' in CA.

I'd do some looking into how to license your own work.


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## calamityjane (Mar 1, 2016)

Consider using a photo (obviously one of yours) on your business card. Looks a bit suspicious if you don't.


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## xenskhe (Mar 2, 2016)

Your Bio is written in the third person. Maybe not the best way to build rapport.

Illeism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## tirediron (Mar 2, 2016)

calamityjane said:


> Consider using a photo (obviously one of yours) on your business card. Looks a bit suspicious if you don't.


 Disagree with this completely.  There's a growing trend to make business cards into billboards.  They're not.  Business cards should be simple, easy to read and to the point.  Finding an image that will reproduce well at about a 1x1 size and a printer who has a printer than can resolve this is not easy.


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## tirediron (Mar 2, 2016)

Msteelio91 said:


> ...Pretty exciting to be able to make some money doing what I really love. And even more exciting to see peoples faces when they get their pictures!...


Business cards... okay, yes, they're important, but do you have the really important boxes ticked:  Insurance, licenses, tax registration, etc?


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## robbins.photo (Mar 2, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Msteelio91 said:
> 
> 
> > ...Pretty exciting to be able to make some money doing what I really love. And even more exciting to see peoples faces when they get their pictures!...
> ...



Drat.  I wanted to be the buzzkill here.  Beat me too it.  Lol


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