Photography Profitibility

[Ray]

We don't have photography for everyone just yet, we still do not have the 'magic' camera that takes great shots no matter how inept the photographer is. [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=112827\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It depends on your perspective. I remember well the days before we had through-the-lens metering, auto exposure, auto focusing, auto-bracketing, auto flash pop up etc. We now even have auto-face detection. I also remember well, 40-50 years ago when I was a small boy, how proud relatives and visitiors would be when showing off their out-of-focus, underexposed or overexposed snapshots with chopped-off feet, which to me seemed quite awful   .

[61Dynamic]

I also remember well, 40-50 years ago when I was a small boy, how proud relatives and visitiors would be when showing off their out-of-focus, underexposed or overexposed snapshots with chopped-off feet, which to me seemed quite awful   .
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=112968\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

...and people still do that.

[Jonathan Wienke]

While technology has made equipment capable of recording high-quality images more accessible to the masses, it has done nothing to improve compositional skills artistic vision, or creativity. These skills are what separate the true professional from the hordes of amateurs with more money (to buy gear) than brains (to know how to use it).

Photography is a difficult business to make a profit in. You cannot survive on artistic talent and photographic skill alone; you must also be able to effectively market your skills to customers.

[alainbriot]

While technology has made equipment capable of recording high-quality images more accessible to the masses, it has done nothing to improve compositional skills artistic vision, or creativity. These skills are what separate the true professional from the hordes of amateurs with more money (to buy gear) than brains (to know how to use it).

Photography is a difficult business to make a profit in. You cannot survive on artistic talent and photographic skill alone; you must also be able to effectively market your skills to customers.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=113653\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

True.  The two things that have proved most important for me are my knowledge of art and of marketing.

[jacunivac]

True.  The two things that have proved most important for me are my knowledge of art and of marketing.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

How true! "Where's the beef?", The Pet Rock, name a star after someone, all in the marketing. When I first started reading all the great stuff on LL two things impressed me the most. One gave me insight on how to go about making the photography/graphics business work. It was a great article by Alain. It is on this site, "Being an Artist in Business". Read Parts One and Two. Forget that , read everything this man wrote.  [a href=\"http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/Artist1.shtml]http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/Artist1.shtml[/url] (start here)

The next thing that impressed me was Micahel's "Do the Funky Cam" article and accompanying photos. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/funkeycam.shtml   I was ready to give up on starting a business. No money to buy a 39 megapixel camera or all the stuff I wanted. I did have a decent 8 mp digital SLR, a damn good computer, CS2, some great Photoshop experience. I saw what Michael did with his funky cam and decided the only thing you needed was expensive equipment was just not true. My sales and marketing background got me some clients and hard work along with trying to learn something new every day got me through. My previous company was sold for the umpteenth time and after being shown the door by the new VP of sales and marketing I realized I was too old to go after the same kind of job I lost and at the same pay. So I used to have my hobby and my "regular" job. Now, no regular job. What to do? Voile´new career doing what I love. And to Rob C's delight I make a nice living and haven't "Effed" it up for other pros.

So good luck. Here's a glass of wine for you and some Prozac for that other insecure dude that posted to this thread earlier.

Jac

PS - I have some better equipment now. Most recently being sold by MR on the Z3100 - nice!

[howiesmith]

A top pro photographer once told me to simply be the best photographer.  "No competition at the top."  Charge what you want and do only want you to do.  Simple advice from the best.  

If you are worried, you are either in the wrong business or you aren't the best.  Does a lion worry about catching it's next dinner?  Nope.  If she misses, just tries again.

OR, if you are doing what you want to do at the level you want, you are doing just fine.  

Just don't worry - you might be dead tomorrow with a few thousand magnificent images to process and sell for a lot of money.  Keep your battery charged like you will shoot all day, but remember you can't take your 1Ds with you.

[jjj]

A phrase that makes me laugh and cringe at the same time is, "'P' for 'Professional!'" I hear that more from practicing professional photographers than amateurs. They use that phrase to brush off the fact they haven't bothered to learn how their camera works yet.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=112871\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

On another forum a pro photographer was amazed to discover that the 1DsII could shoot on both SD + CF. She'd had the camera for two years!  
Also dispels the myth that it's just men who don't read the manuals.

[plugsnpixels]

I didn't notice Alain specifically mention it in this thread (perhaps he is modest ;-) ), but he has produced an excellent training CD focusing specifically on business matters for photographers:

http://www.plugsandpixels.com/blmarketing.html

[jacunivac]

What would you rather be . . . a damn good photographer or a professional photographer? A professional is one who gets paid and thereby turns volunteer work into a profession. The word has been bastardized to the point of almost being meaningless.

Pro = paid. By the way did you buy your girlfriend/wife/significant other/life partner/etc., dinner last night?

Jac

[Chris_Brown]

...does anyone actually make a profit from selling fine art prints? I don't think so, there is certainly profit to be made from portrait and fashion photography but not from purely selling fine art prints.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, it is possible and profitable to make a living only selling prints of your work. A good example of a fellow who lives in a small town selling prints is [a href=\"http://www.kanfer.com/]here.[/url] You may not necessarily like his work, but over the last 20 years he has become very weathly, owning two homes in separate states and a vacation home in northern Wisonsin in addition to two gallery facilities he owns in Illinois and Wisonsin. He travels all over the world every year with his family in tow. His technique: sell sets of prints to corporations for their hallways, waiting rooms and convention rooms. In the area of Champaign-Urbana all the hospitals, restaurants and most hotels have many prints throughout their facilities. He also co-publishes books and calendars in conjuction with the University of Illinois, and publishes thousands of postcards which are sold in every store in town. He aggresively seeks out markets for his work. He does very little commisioned work.