Photograpy Question

[Caleb]

Hey, I was wondering if anybody here was in photography as a profession....I was wondering what doing it for a living was like as well as how to get into that field.

I used to have a rebel XTI and couple sigma lens I foolishly traded off for an ar15, I've taken many good pictures and decently know how to work my old rebel XTI.

 

[Fishersstang]

Well right now sucks, no one wants to spend money on little things like that right now. But I would sit down and look at what you want to take photos of. People, objects, sports, news, kids.

Next go out and take a lof of photos, and learn how to hold your breath. Keep your arms tight. next save your money for a good camera. a DSLR. Must be atleast 8mp or up. if you want to be a studio photographer look into a fixed lens. (example for nikon a fixed 85mm @ 1.8 or a 100mm@ 2.8) For sports look into lens like a 70-200 2.8 or F4, also like a 16-35mm @ 2.8 wide angle.

As far as camera's
Canon: a 30D{from $600+} , 40D{from $900+}, 50D{from $1200+}, 5D{from $3500+} (is a full frame digital camera), 1Ds Mark II (or up){from $4000+}. * you can find some used for less, but you get what you pay for them.* (most Canons are sports and news, lots of focus points, and high speed shots. )

Nikon: D80, D200, D300, D700, D3, D2h. (most Nikons are used for studio, has great focus points)

If you want to do studio photos, you will have to look into light set ups, backgrounds, stands, and studio space. Keep in mind you want atleast a 8 foot tall room.

If you want to do sports, or news you will need to go back to school and look at a degree for them.

Also look at taking some class on business management. Never work for free.

I hope this helps some, I have been taking photos for a while now, everything from sports, news, studio, and stock photos.
I use a Canon 20D, 30D with a 18-55IS, 70-200 2.8, 28-80 F4, fixed 85 @ 1.8, and a 50 1.4 I also worked for a camera retailer for a while and went to the reps and have used Tamron, sigma, and others.

 

[exar]

I have a friend who took a few classes at Ivy Tech and was hired by a photography company. She travels around with all her proper equipment (I think the company gave it to her) and takes school pictures mostly. Most of her income comes from the school jobs but she makes a little doing work for individuals looking for a good pic.

 

[Caleb]

you need a degree to get a job taking pictures? I mean, like a smaller income helping somebody else do weddings and such to learn the trick of the trade?

 

[exar]

Not exactly sure. I think she just took a few classes, no degree. I think her company wanted her to. I can't remember many specifics except that the majority of her work is school photos.

 

[turnandshoot4]

I got on with a photo company doing weddings for 2 years. Now I do it on my own.

You need no degree, just an eye for it. If it looks good in your eye, it will look good in the pic.

One thing I can say though, it will never be a full-time job for me. I worked for Douglas Studios in Lafayette for a while and made crap. Until you get into the big time you don't make much. That is why I run my own business. Get them printed somewhere else for cheap. Run a digital SLR. No overhead no problems. A couple of weddings here and there pay for my gun purchases.

 

[Caleb]

If I were to do anything as a career, outdoor stuff sounds like fun....you know, the national geographic kinda stuff.

 

[turnandshoot4]

Yep so does being a rockstar

I am not trying to knock what you want to do. I am fairly young, 24, and tried to get into that for 4 years. Not saying you can't, I just found it was a VERY hard field to get into. So if I don't have money for ammo I just shoot with the camera. Weddings are where the money is on a local level.

 

[Caleb]

if there's any way to get started by helping somebody else, that would be great. I could use some extra cash.

 

[turnandshoot4]

Find your local studios and just try to follow along. Heck, "volunteer" if you have to. I shot 3 weddings with someone, then I was on my own shooting for them. It is a fun way to spend a Sat night. Dinner is paid for, you can get a couple of free drinks out of the deal, and it is a great way to network. Now look around at EVERYONE you know. Who is getting married? They are a great candidate to start on. Find out what the studio you worked for charged per wedding/pic and cut it in half. Get a good copy of photoshop and a 40d or a d80 and you have a business.

 

[Caleb]

Find your local studios and just try to follow along. Heck, "volunteer" if you have to. I shot 3 weddings with someone, then I was on my own shooting for them. It is a fun way to spend a Sat night. Dinner is paid for, you can get a couple of free drinks out of the deal, and it is a great way to network. Now look around at EVERYONE you know. Who is getting married? They are a great candidate to start on. Find out what the studio you worked for charged per wedding/pic and cut it in half. Get a good copy of photoshop and a 40d or a d80 and you have a business.

My sister is getting married next year....what canon equipment should I go with? It's been a long time since I've done my homework on it.

 

[turnandshoot4]

40d and you can't go wrong. Their IS lenses are VERY nice. I compared my d80 to a buddy's 40d and the 40d won hands down.

 

[turnandshoot4]

I can't believe I forgot this. Look at people's wedding albums! Then re-create that.

 

[Caleb]

I always wanted a 5d, they are the best for low light enviroment that I do know. 40d a cropped sensor or full? What sigma lens are/aren't compatible?

 

[turnandshoot4]

Full sensor. I don't know about the sigma lenses though. Should work just fine. I'd recomend that you buy the body seperate and the lenses later. I have had luck with cameta on ebay. There is alot of gray market stuff out there. Buy from a reputable seller.


Lenses are alot like scopes.........

 

[Caleb]

I never really grasp the whole concept of the cropped sensor and full frame, other then some lens don't work with the full sized sensor....

also, you know of any quick rundown on differences between the 40d and the XSI? I had the XTI but they since came out with a new model...

 

[turnandshoot4]

Nope. I'm a Nikon guy

 

[Caleb]

Nope. I'm a Nikon guy

oh boo!

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I agree with Turn & Shoot...

The money in photographic equipment is in the lenses.

I learned several years ago that 75% of "photography" is having an eye for it...having proper technique, if you will. (even if you don't know that you have proper technique...)

The remaining percentage is in equipment.

An all-star photographer can take spectacular photographs with a POS disposable camera. But put a nice camera body and some good glass in their hands and you can really make a shot sing...but it's the technique and the eye to compose the photograph that matters.

Kit lenses are "OK" for in-general shooting, but will be 9 times out of 10, too slow to use for any kind of indoor photographic (portraiture) work. Stepping up in lens quality is always a good thing; but also danged expensive. For instance, a Canon L series f/2.8 70-200 IS lens is in the 'hood of $1700 here locally. Can get an f/4.0 lens for $1100. Of course, Canon's L-series stuff is their highest level...

So, in my rambling early morning opinion: Eye > technique > equipment. If you can find a "real phototgrapher" to look over anything you have now (even if shot on a point N shoot camera), then do so. There are also plenty of internet message boards devoted to the subject, can get plenty of critiques of your work through them.

Happy clicking!

-J-

 

[Annie Oakley]

Weddings are something I only will do for family. They are exhausting and stressful. It takes meeting with the couple and their parents to make sure you get all the shots they want. You also need a back up camera and a back up photog just to be sure.

Nature shots are a dime a dozen. They are what I love to do though and I put my framed prints up in any business that will allow it. Stick one of my cards in the frame and I do sell enough to make it worthwhile.

Stock is where the money is. This is not what I like to shoot but it pays the bills and allows me to do what I like on my own. DO NOT go to one of the micro stock agencies. They sell your pics for about $1.00 each and then take their portion which leaves you with 30-40 cents per sale. You may sell a lot but it equates to almost no income and is insulting to photographers in general. Also, stock has taken a big hit in the last couple of months. Digital Railroad is gone, PhotoShelter's collection closed and others are swirling around the drain.

8mp is the minimum for stock, 10 or above is better. Alamy which is about the only big one left other than Getty require you to send images that are at least 48mp and you have to make sure they are tack sharp---they don't much care about anything else. You also need to shoot in RAW not JPG. Too much loss in JPG. The work flow is shoot RAW convert to TIFF for editing and then save each step before saving the shot in JPG to be sent on to the agency.

Glass is expensive and you need the very best you can afford. Even then it is best to buy locally because the glass varies from lens to lens and some are not as good as others. Most local shops will let you trade out a lens that isn't what it should be until you get a good one. IF you are looking for used equipment Adorama in NY is great.

With stock "green" anything is what they want big time right now. Most stock requires released models and property otherwise it is only good for editorial purposes. Having family and friends act as models doesn't normally work out and those who make the most money in stock pay for professional models and sets.

You need to back every thing up to at least 2 different sources. I use 2 external hard drives, one at home and one elsewhere plus on line storage. It gets expensive.

Classes can be helpful but like someone said, sorry can't remember who, you have to have the eye. Without it the best training and equipment won't help.

Don't let this crush your ambition. Be creative about how you market yourself. Be willing to try different things and find your own niche. You can't really shoot it all and be good.