Expert: Scott Valentine - 3/1/2009

Question
QUESTION: hello sir

I like photographing , I practise it as an amateur  ,I want to be a proffessional so intend to take workshops but the frequent question on my mind is ;

- what ll be the next step after taking workshop ?

- where can I find work ? which organizations , firm may need my service as photographer ?

- how can I use it for doing my own business ?

- if I dont want to be independet photographer , which companies I may apply for ? where can I find jobs ?


wish to hear from you soon
thanks



ANSWER: Thanks for your question, AJ.

I would recommend trying to find work as soon as possible, even if it's as an apprentice in a studio or another photographer. This will get you closer to the business side so you can see what you really need to know.

As you are taking classes, you should also begin investigating what kinds of photography or imaging you enjoy or want to do for a career. There are many industries which use photography, some in radically different ways. Forensic photography, for example, has very strict requirements on accuracy and data collection, while event photography will require you to have very good communication and organization skills. If you really enjoy working with equipment, then a studio might be the best bet.

You should also think about what stylistic choices interest you - journalistic or artistic. Both approaches have their place in many industries, so it would be good to have capability in either general style.

Many organizations hire photographers for a variety of reasons. Many companies will contract with an agency for marketing, but hire individuals for events, and still have staff photographers for documentation or analytical work. Advertising agencies use lots of photographers with a variety of skills, so that's a great place to start. Architectural agencies need photographers who can work with graphic artists to produce concept work or help record project development.

There is an amazing amount of choice when it comes to being a professional photographer, so you really need to figure out what you want to do. As an independent business owner, check out stock photography and news agencies who are always looking for people with specific skills and locations. You can also do contract work with other companies for all the reasons listed above.

Looking for these kinds of jobs can be a real challenge, since there are so many variations. However, you don't want to discount any companies without first knowing what they might need. For example, a computer manufacturer might want a photographer to help lead a team to develop new products for other photographers. A pharmaceutical company many need someone to take pictures at their public events when they announce a new drug. It's really up in the air.

I know this doesn't give you specific answers to your questions, but I hope that you understand the field is wide open for all kinds of skills and capabilities. But don't wait until you've finished with your workshops to get out there and start looking!

-Scott

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you

I think , I lean toward artistic style

you know , I m writing poems,plays,stories,screenplays also playing music

I often like to photograph  nature view (sea,sun,moon,mountains,forrests,greenland,rivers,lakes,tress,,,,,,,,,,,
also rare things , also anything related to ancient & historical things

I wish that give you more approach to my photgraphic style

Answer
It sounds like you would be interested in stock, travel, archeological and perhaps some archival photography, though that last option takes a lot of skill and specialized equipment.

Stock photography can be a good business venture, but is not always steady. Especially in nature photography, there is an amazing amount of world-class competition. Don't let that turn you away, but look carefully into what is selling and consider speaking with an agent so you can get a lot of exposure out there. Shooting stock is a good way to supplement a photography career.

Travel photography demands that you can shoot to a 'brief', or special set of instruction required by the customer, and usually in a limited amount of time. There are some great rewards, like being able to go to exotic places, but the level of ability is also quite high in most cases. And you could be called on to shoot not only natural settings, but indoor architectural shots as well, which can be very challenging. Shooting hotel or resort rooms, restaurants, facilities as well as the surrounding areas requires being able to set up and shoot quickly, mixing artistic views with knowledge of marketing and visual perception. Also, you may have to learn how to deal with local customs and legal issues.

Archeological photography also lets you go to exotic places, and has many of the same issues as travel photography. The main difference is that you'll probably have to learn some very technical shooting styles in order to capture accurate images of important artifacts. Also, the conditions can be quite harsh.

In any of these fields, the rewards are amazing, but come with significant challenges and require a lot of professionalism. You will probably have to apprentice with an established photographer first before venturing out on your own assignments, which can be frustrating, but always worth the time you put in.

Another choice open to you is to market your own images on collateral like greeting cards or other items that show off your work. In this case, though, you'll need to figure out what markets you are interested in selling to. For example, if your area gets a lot of tourists, the local scenery would be popular because people like to have mementos of their trips. This would allow you to be more artistic, but you have to sell a lot of product to make good money.

Does that help?

-Scott