Freelance Photography- Getting started?

[mamabear]

I'm new to this site, as well professional photography, but I'm wanting to make a career in freelance photography.
What's the best way to get started?
I've been looking at doing a few TAFE courses to better my photography skills, as up until now it has just been a hobby. I've also had a look on the Cengage website, as they offer quite a few photography courses, but I've heard that Cengage aren't that great.

Does anyone have any tips or information regarding becomming freelance photographer?

Any information will be greatly apprecited!
I feel like such a noob!
Thanks!

[kiwi]

what's your experience ? and what sort of photograohy are you hoping to freelance in ?

[ricktas]

If it was me, I would consider doing a freelance photography and journalism course. Many newspapers, travel magazines and more, prefer to get both photos and story together. Now as Kiwi says, what is your experience level? I would not consider being a freelancer till I had great photography skills first, cause if you present something that is not up to standard to a newspaper/magazine, chances are they will not give you a second look.

[geoffsta]

I'd like to see a few of your photos in the members section, and maybe tell us what sort of gear you have. Some idea of what type of freelance. Travel, current affairs or fashion/glamour all have different styles and different gear required. With any of these types of photography the cost of equipment could run into $10,000 + and plenty of hard work.

[mamabear]

Thanks for your replies!

I'd love to focus mainly on maternity/family/childrens photography. But am interested in journalism as well.
I did photography as part of my HSC in 2006 but haven't had the chance to do much else but take happy snaps and fiddle around with my Nikon D80. I have two little boys aged 3 and 1 and am a stay at home mum to them, so I for now I am only looking for somewhere to start in regards to building skills/qualifications, equipment and working my way to becoming a professional. It would be a few years before I start looking to make money.
I am very much a beginner.
I'll post a few pictures as soon as I get the chance.

Thanks again!

[ricktas]

Baby steps...

Your thread is all to common. Mum who wants to become a professional photographer, we see about 2-3 of these threads every month. Some thoughts:

1. You will need good camera gear, including back-up's of camera bodies (in case one dies)
2. You will need insurance.
3. You will need good business accumen. Including accounting and marketing. Professionally photography is about 20% taking photos, the rest is business stuff.
4. You need good camera/photography skills (show us some of your work).
5. You will need LOTS of time to dedicate to marketing etc to get your name out there. Time is usually something that most mum's find they do not have enough of already.
6. Research. Most businesses fail cause the owners did not research the business enough, didn't have the skills to undertake it, or the time to dedicate to it.

Start at the beginning, show us some photos, learn, do a business course part-time, do a marketing course part-time, talk to the tax office and your accountant.

People can and do build up great businesses from starting photography as a hobby, but those that succeed are more than just photographers.

Good Luck! and there is a saying " How do you make $50,000 as a photographer...You start with $100,000"

[mamabear]

That was they main thing that had me stumped- how freelancers managed the business side of their work.
Like I said, I have a few years before I'd want to think about doing paid work anyway.

It seems as though with most things in life you have to have money to make money. It's easy to understand why there are so many homeless.

Thanks very much!

[ricnak]

Hi there mamabear.

Don't be disheartened by the cold hard facts of the business of professional photography.

Yes, it is business.

Yes, they are cold hard CORRECT facts.

BUT...... you have mentioned that you are on the learning curve, willing to learn and feel you are years away from deriving income from your work.

So..... that tells me that you are REALISTIC in your expectations.

I am a close to home mum too. It is hard/impossible to get out to all those interesting meets at the best photographic times of the day.

So.... Use what you have around you to practice - your kids/playgroup/family. Practice until you KNOW that you can reproduce the same result every time you try.

Tell people around you that you take like taking photo's. I bet 10 bucks, within a day someone will say that they would love have to have some shots taken but can't afford the "studio sitting fees blah blah blah". Offer to take pics for free for the privilege of practice (I might be kicked off this site for suggesting it) . Don't guarantee anything.

Be honest with people that you are new to photography- it takes the pressure off having to deliver the standard "perfect" studio shot every time.

Take your camera everywhere you go. Use it when you can. You are, in what I consider to be a lucky "space".

The general public is not allowed to photograph young children these days. You are (with permission from parents)

You are a young mum, with young kids - document it all - that alone would give you a niche in a part of the freelance photography market of today's super paranoid/anti child photography scene. A scene that MUST be shown. If we are to have a record of it.

[ricktas]

The general public is not allowed to photograph young children these days. You are (with permission from parents)
.

WRONG : There is NO law that specifically separates children's photography from all other photography. The law states that if the photographer is on public land and a person (adult or child) is visible from that public land then they must expect they could be photographed!

The mum's n dad's of Australia are just paranoid, and that has lead to the current situation, where they don't want their children photographed. STUPID. Most children who are sexually molested know their attacker, be it a family member or family friend. This anti children photography beat-up is perpetuated by comments like yours above.

Funnily those who believe it is illegal to photograph their children without their permission would be the first to be asking if the security and closed circuit tv systems in our streets managed to capture photos of their children's attacker, if it unfortunately occurred. You cannot have it both ways. Demanding the right to stop a photographer in public from taking photos of your children without your permission, but at the same time, wanting the security cameras to take photos of your children in public without your permission.

[mamabear]

Thanks ricnak,
I admit I have been a little disheartened over the past few days, which is silly. There is a business side to everything profitable obviously. If you want to make money off it, it can't always be fun and games.

My sister works at a childcare centre, so I was thinking of getting permission to go there and see what I come up with. Maybe give the parents a copy of a photo of their children and give them a feedback survey sheet to see how satisfied they are, if they'd be willing to pay money (not charging, them just to get an idea of where I'm at in regards to other peoples critiques) and hopefully start a portfolio.

I agree, ricktas, with parents being paranoid. But I can't blame them. If I saw someone taking candid shots of my children I have to admit I'd probably get suspicious and defensive.
When I took my eldest to the pool for his first swim I packed the camera, and when I pulled it out and started shooting I was immediately told by staff to put it away, as cameras weren't allowed.
I was so disappointed. All I managed to get was a blurred shot.

It's really sad that it's come to this, but in seeing tv shows like Bondi Rescue, where a man was caught taking photos of girls in bikinis, then putting his hand down his pants, it does plant a seed- 'How many other people are out there doing sinister things such as this?'.

I, however, don't refrain from taking pictures of children in public. That's when you really capture them in all their innocence and really in their element.

[jasevk]

See, going into a daycare centre to take photo's is a classic example of a situation where you should have insurance... things can go wrong when you work with kids... and you'd want to be covered should anything happen. and this is not public property so you'll need permission to do this, and the day care centre would presumably need permission from the parents. This is probably a good approach to take, but just make sure you have all your ducks in a row.

[ricktas]

my only suggestion for a 'precaution' in the above would be to get a contract. Stipulate exactly what you want the photos for, how you can use them, and what the subjects and their parents get from the deal. Get it signed by yourself and the parents before taking any photos. A written and signed contract can go a long way to ensuring there are no disputes over what was agreed to.

[Jodster]

I done the Freelance photography course through Cengage and my personal opinion was I was not happy with it, maybe because it is not what I was looking for. Some people were happy with the course and others weren't.
Personally I find going to tafe and learning that is more inspiring.

[mamabear]

Thanks jodster.
I don't think I'll be going through Cengage then. They're quite expensive considering the average-bad reviews I've heard.
I'll stick with TAFE

[Paul G]

Time management and the ability to prioritise Mamabear! You'll need it. I've just picked up a story brief for a national magazine today (freelance job). 2 days on-site shooting for an event with access via 4WD, plus my own editing and writing time in the following days. I have a six day deadline to submit the article and photos. A story body-copy plus three to four sidebars with pics and interviews.

It's a rush to your system to do these sorts of jobs but a challenge that I enjoy. Like you I have two young children who occupy a lot of my time which is why I'm often still pacing around here well into the night.

Your original intention of freelance photographer and journalist seems to have mellowed a little into more a photography venture if I'm reading correctly but if you stick to your original plan you will need good family support, be prepared to travel for work and have the necessary backup gear to shoot offsite.

Being able to work with people of all ages, personality types, demeanour etc is a must when you have to get answers for your questions for the article in question.

I would possibly suggest TAFE for your photography courses and if you are serious about journalism you really can't go past a Uni degree although a lot more magazines especially, will hire people who have a general flair for writing and know the subject matter well.

Industry contacts are important so build up a collection of names, numbers and emails (in your chosen areas) from the start and when things start taking off for you you will have a great database to draw from!

Hope this helps and adds to what others have said!

[mamabear]

Thanks Paul G
I am sort of leaning toward more of 'photography venture' as you put it, but am liking more and more the idea of journalism and travel (although with my two youngens at the age they're at I won't be travelling much at all. When they get older we plan to travel as much as possible, so we'll see how I go there.)


It's nice to hear from someone else with young kids in the business that is managing

I'd like to prepare myself as much as possible really in as many areas as I can while I've got the chance, as I think once I finally get back in to the workplace I'll find it hard to study and all the rest of it. My partner is home in the evenings so I'll see what courses I can do then. I'll definately do a business course or two and some photography courses.

Thanks very much!

[Paul G]

It's nice to hear from someone else with young kids in the business that is managing

I wouldn't say I'm managing just yet . I still work other jobs too where I can, which can be hard to maintain in between infrequent freelance assignments.

As others have said it is a tough field to stay afloat in and to her credit my partner picks up a lot of the weight when I do have the need to be away on weekends.

Honestly, my background (or true calling) is in print journalism, (newspaper) and I'm only just starting to get back into freelance work now that my photography is improving somewhat.

[dche5390]

By no means have I made it but this is my personal experience.

I had a dream of being a wedding photographer late 2009. I organised an ABN and paid for a few domain registration, as well as self-hosted webspace. I shot my first wedding as a second shooter in March. Since then, I have not had any wedding work, nor have I actively seeked it.

The journey is a long one. I originally set up my blog to be a portfolio of my work. However, it has somewhat mellowed into a personal blog that acts like a personal journal. My priority is not to get weddings booked. In fact, I am trying my best not to think about the business aspect. Instead, I am taking things very slowly. Enjoying all that photography has to offer. And I am having fun and learning at the same time.

My plan is to subcontract myself to wedding photography companies. I don't care about the pay. I just need more exposure and to build a reputable wedding portfolio. I am doing an unrelated Masters so my priorities are with that.

Fortunately for me, due to my crazy gear trading reputation, I have met many key people within the industry that I can call upon for help, mentorship, and guidance. I think this is the most important aspect - having someone to critique and push your work to the next level. It certainly has helped me. And I must thank a random person I met from gumtree for pushing me into taking my photography to the next level. And we're great mates now and in fact, have formed a business partnership.

Mamabear, if it is your goal, work hard towards it. There are no shortcuts. In this industry, it is a very dog eat dog world filled with jealousy and back stabbing. But that is life. Take the good bits and apply yourself. There will be obstacles. There will be moments where you will doubt your ability. But just like running a marathon, or even child birth, keep the end in sight.

[mamabear]

Thanks dche5390
I plan on taking it easy at least for now, while I get things in order, which is why I'm willing to do quite a bit of volunteer work. Take a few course when I come across them.
I'm not looking to get rich quick, but to learn as much as I can and make as much progress as possible before I expect people to pay for my work.

[jjphoto]

I think almost everyone wants to be a professional photographer these days, hence the glut of professional photographers out there in many area’s of photography.

I think that the value of photography is much lower now than it was even 5 years ago, meaning that many companies and people will pay less for the same end product now than they did before. Of course photography covers a vast gamut of fields and this may not be true of every one of them but I think it's a reasonable generalisation. Many people think that photography is easy, both buyers (the customers) and photographers (who are now no longer shooting E6, slide film, with it's unforgiving properties). Look at product shots as an example, the middle to low end of that market has gone with most companies shooting their own product shots with simple point and shoot cameras and crappy hot work lights from Bunnings, or similar. Also many magazines are finding it difficult to survive and their financial woes are being passed on to their contributors (this is not always a bad thing as their standards are often much lower too so it's easier for beginners to get a foothold over the old hands who might be charging more for their work). Stock images are very cheap now, and only getting cheaper. None of the above affects the high end of the market but nor will a newcomer be starting at the top. My point is basically that I think there are probably more opportunities for beginners but almost all of them would pay very little so how do you make a living that way? Maybe photography is becoming the new part time work of choice, and maybe it is best looked at that way. I really don't know.

The talented, dedicated, committed will almost always do extremely well through a hunger for knowledge, challenge and maybe even, dare I say it, originality or a unique vision. There's always room at the top for those who can deliver the goods (broad generalization here, as there are many different types of photographic markets to work in). Ironically they are not usually here asking how to do that but are probably busy doing it anyway, making mistakes, learning from them and moving on to the next challenge. I think I look at professional freelance photography a bit like shopping in a Bently show room in that if you have to ask how much it costs then you can't afford it, and relating that to photography, if you have to ask how to do it then you possibly/probably can't do it, at least not terribly well. I'm not trying to be mean so please don't take it that way but my point is that you need to be VERY driven, VERY DRIVEN, and those who are will most likely succeed. Some talent helps a lot, but confidence (and putting yourself out there), marketing skills and business acumen are far more important. Being wishy washy or half hearted about it will not end terribly well but of course it depends on your measure of success. If you want to make a few hundred bucks a month extra then that should be easy. If you want to make a living out of it then that’s a different matter, contrary to what seems to me to be the common perception of photography.

On the one hand it has been getting easier to get started in photography in recent years (maybe the last 5-10 years) and there may be more markets for images but on the other hand I think it's also become harder to earn a reasonable income (in certain, maybe many fields) as the value of images and photographic work seem to have gone down too.

JJ