Why becoming professional photographer so difficult???

[student]

How's your model TFP with 8 by 10 camera?

Want to try shoot wedding or event with your 8 by 10? become Singapore No 1 and the only 1?? :bsmilie:

NO lah! My hands shaking so much that they get transmitted through the cable! Unless the wedding couple wants "artistic" out of focus pictures!

 

[catchlights]

NO lah! My hands shaking so much that they get transmitted through the cable! Unless the wedding couple wants "artistic" out of focus pictures!

camera shake ≠ out of focus right?

Art is no right or wrong, if the couple likes it, why not? :bsmilie:

 

[jsbn]

OK a little more serious.

Catchlights comments are spot on! To "survive" as a professional - meaning financially as well as artistically, is extremely difficult.

It takes a combination of passion, hard work, artistic ability, marketing savvy, and good fortune to "succeed" - financially and artistically. I think many competent professionals ended up reasonably successful in financial terms, servicing their customers in the ways their customers want. Hopefully in the process, they could also be satisfied artistically.

I know of ONE very talented photographer, very passionate, very hard working, very artistic (museums collect his works) because he photographs only for himself. Last week he was forced to leave his house. I am not sure when he will end up. He was unable to even afford reasonable housing in Mexico!

His "Problem"? He photographs only for himself. If he had only make pictures his clients wanted, he would be quite rich. If he would only listen to what gallery owners told him to do, he would not have to move out of Carmel. But he won't. He stuck to his passion. And paid the price.

But if he wanted to make money from his clients, and his clients see the type of photographs he has now, (the types collected by museums) they will not engage him. So you need a portfolio to show your clients, to show them that you could deliver what they pay you to do.

Bottomline: Shoot what others want. Not what YOU want. Unless u want to be appreciated 15 million years after ur death.

 

[eikin]

camera shake ≠ out of focus right?

Art is no right or wrong, if the couple likes it, why not? :bsmilie:

exactly, can call it 'art in motion'

 

[catchlights]

Bottomline: Shoot what others want. Not what YOU want. Unless u want to be appreciated 15 million years after ur death.

What about my passion? :cry: ( :bsmilie: )

That's remind me about Vincent van Gogh. :sweat:

 

[student]

exactly, can call it 'art in motion'

YaYa!

There is yet hope for me!

The recent issue of Black & White Magazine (US) has at least two portfolios of fuzzy images! maybe I can turn impediment into "Art"! :bsmilie:

 

[eikin]

YaYa!

There is yet hope for me!

The recent issue of Black & White Magazine (US) has at least two portfolios of fuzzy images! maybe I can turn impediment into "Art"! :bsmilie:

hey, the world is ruled by fuzzy logic today, so why not?

 

[student]

That's remind me about Vincent van Gogh. :sweat:

What about?

His lead poisoning? or his womanising? Too much of either will make you sweat!

 

[catchlights]

What about?

His lead poisoning? or his womanising? Too much of either will make you sweat!

I want to earn the money now, not people selling my works for big money after my death. :bsmilie:

 

[Sion]

What about my passion? :cry: ( :bsmilie: )

That's remind me about Vincent van Gogh. :sweat:

$$$ should be your passion. :bsmilie:

 

[eikin]

$$$ should be your passion. :bsmilie:

can try to be very passionate about peanuts also ... ooops ... cannot tahan, have to blurt out :bsmilie: paiseh pasieh

 

[student]

I want to earn the money now, not people selling my works for big money after my death. :bsmilie:

OK, time for serious talk again!

Once upon a time there were three friends/photographers. They were all landscapes photographers who trained with Ansel Adans. They were John Sexton, Bruce Barnbaum, and Ray MacSAvaney. At one time, they were partners in crime at the Owens Valley Photography Workshops. Today they are all in different places.

John remains in Carmel, home of Ansel Adams. His house bungalow oversees a deep valley of pristine coniferous trees! His drives a four-wheeler with a special name plate : "Zone6"

Bruce now livesin a place called Granite Hills, some few hours away from Seattle. Beautiful 4 storey bungalow with forest reserves behind. But quite far away from "civilisation". He drives a beat up 4-wheel subaru.

Ray lives in the midst of civilisation called Los Angeles, in a tiny apartnment, with free smog to breathe in every morning. He drives a "van" which a pig mght not want to stay in! (OK exaggerating!).

I think Ray's works is the most inspired! (no you won't see his images on the wed!). His series of flowers in B&W is simple astounding!

Why the difference in their life style? One word. MARKETING!

John is the best at marketing, and Ray the worst. Bruce somehere in between. Ray actually discourages marketing efforts on his behalf by John and Bruce!

So my friend. If you want your millions now. Passion is not enough, Great works is not enough! You got to spend A LOT of your time marketing yourself!

Or you might get TT Durai to be your manager!

 

[ellery]

For web designers, I know people who freshly graduated from poly and get employed liao though they no portfolio at all.

I do not understand your question.

Your above comment may explain why a lot of local done website are terrible.

If you think it is possible to get a job in the visual creative field without being able show some kinda of portfolio meaning you have actual put into practice what where u studied at taught. Any place that teach visual creative course has course work - students are still encourage ( they bloddy well know) that they have to create a portfolio for employment.
Most places require you to show a portfolio of your works with applicaton to study. Canidates are accpeted on acadamical as well as portfolio merits.

If you think it possible to write a resume after leaving school ( u did not say if this was a visual creative course or some else like electrical engineering) and market yourself as a professional photographer - then go for it. With a little luck ,some hard work, a lot of BS and opera show and the right organisation to do this in you could wind up being paid in golden peanuts.

 

[Ansel]

Other job not that difficult to enter, eg, I grad from a uni, got cert, can work in a company liao. But for photographer, need to have good porfolio. Cannot just grad from a school, then write resume, then become photographer.

why???

Actually it is not difficult to *be* a prof photographer, but it is difficult to be one that makes good money. Of course the rare *celeb* photographers are the exceptions.

Actually, the portfolio part is good because, now people don't ask for a degree in photography, they want to see actual results of what you are capable of. I think this is a good thing because if you are good, you can show it, and if you are no good, your certs and degrees won't help you. This is unlike some other industries where you are employed, promoted, etc, solely because you are a graduate and not because you have shown any track record of your capabilities.

Don't flame me please, this is the reality.

 

[catchlights]

OK, time for serious talk again!

.................

Why the difference in their life style? One word. MARKETING!

John is the best at marketing, and Ray the worst. Bruce somehere in between. Ray actually discourages marketing efforts on his behalf by John and Bruce!

So my friend. If you want your millions now. Passion is not enough, Great works is not enough! You got to spend A LOT of your time marketing yourself!

Or you might get TT Durai to be your manager!

Sh*t! I'm too late liao!! :mad2:
(just kidding again)



Thanks student for sharing a real life example.