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Photography carrer change
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Hello I am new to this website, and in fact have never even been on a forum on any website so I guess this must be important.
I am seriously thinking of a carrer change into potography. I have been dabbeling around for years and now that I am begining
to feel burnt out in my public service job I am looking for a way out and I’d like photography to be it.I have two very young children and Mortgage, and yes my wife does work, but how far does one income go?
I am wanting to know what my next step should be. I am strongly thinking of the Photography Dip. in Griffith College, probbably
at night so I can hold on to the real job with, “THAT”, pension. Has anyone done likewise as I am thinking of. I take alright
pictures but I need to build confidence and alot more skill, not to mention equipment.I feel I need more than a weekend or small evening course, I’d like a course that would ground me in the skill and
business of photography with possibilities of networking.I’ll leave it at that.
Hi James,
don’t want to burst your bubble or dent your dreams but now is not the ideal time, in my opinion, to consider taking the leap. From my own situation,
I’m married, three (demanding !) kids, two cars mortgage etc. and we are finding things are very tough for this year. I’m lucky in that my wife has
a secure public service job, but even still, its not easy at present.My primary income comes from wedding photography and I had quite a good year last year, all my clients were very happy with their albums etc.
but, as it came to the end of the year and the big “R” started biting it became harder to get them to choose their final album shots and make their final payment.
My payment structure means that the final payment is due when I present the album and I still have 4 clients, who although very happy with their
photos (I have their emails filed away) still have to make their final decisions. For this year I am down on bookings. Three very good leads – meetings held,
discussions re deposits etc. – have cancelled. Two have put off their weddings due to financial constraints, and a third couple have scrapped their videoman,
photography, florists etc. and are getting friends to help them. the old “I have an uncle with a good camera syndrome !!!!”. This seems to be getting
more popular and is a regular posting on wedding forums on how to cut costs – get a friend or relative with a good camera with lots of megapixels
to take your photos.I know of one well established photographer who has only 7 bookings for this year – in 2007 he had 46 weddings !!!
Even the album suppliers are feeling the pinch big time with lots of them now offering sample albums using your own photos for a fraction
of what they were charging last year.On the portrait side of things its not much better. The equivalent of pixifoto in the UK has closed down. You know the service where there
is a portrait studio in the back of childrens clothes shops. What used to be seen as a nice thing to do has now become a bit extravagant.Having said all that, people will still be getting married, and parents will still want photos of their kids, but the market is getting smaller, and,
usually those who want to spend money on a photographer will tend to go for the more established ones.Despite all the doom & gloom I’m glad I made the move. Its a great way to make your living, but you need to be able to handle stress –
when will my next booking come, will I be getting any payments this month, how will I handle that bridezilla !! etc. etc. I now spend a lot
more time with my kids, something that was lacking in my last job as I spent 6-7 months a year travelling, but this was a personal choice.Balance up whats important to you in terms of your own situation – can you handle your current job for a few more years ? Why do you
want to become a photographer ? What aspect of photography do you want to follow (weddings, press etc.) ? How much will you need to
spend to set yourself up – insurances, advertising, website, top quality gear, at least one full set of backup gear, accountant costs, portfolio costs.I’m not trying to sound completely depressing over the current situation, just realistic. I really enjoy my work, but, at times, it would be
great to know that at the end of each fortnight I will get paid x amount, and it would make my wife a lot happier as well !!Drop me a PM if there is anything specific you want details on and I’ill try to get back to you.
Regards
Kevin
James,
Kevin has summarised the state of the market.
A famous photographer — it might have been Ansel Adams — advised anyone with a regular job and wanting to become a pro — living off photography — to keep
the day job until they were well established — meaning it takes a long time before you can generate a regular and adequate income stream — a long time being
measured in years.Kevin has said it like it is. My wedding numbers are way down this year. I notice since September of last year 7
weddings have been either cancelled or deferred. Studio work is also very quiet so far this year. My 2010 bookings
are also down to date. Some better interest showing in 2011 but its still early days.The hotels are struggling to survive as their wedding bookings are really low.
Sorry to add to the bad news too, and butt in here
Its looking like 1 hotel per week is estimated to fold in the coming months.
it is just crazy really how quick this is all happening.
This scenario was talked about in 2007 but was quickly swept under the carpet,
man we all were so blind.Im not a Pro Photographer and make little money from my Landscapes but
I am so annoyed and angry about the state to things now, i think a lot of
people are looking closely at their job situation.I think the best advice is to play it safe for the moment, Good luck anyway James
Alan
Well Kevin, thanks for the honesty.
I guess in my current job I know I am burnt out. I work directly with people
and well I feel it is probably very obvious to those who know me. I have been
there for now 8 years. Perhaps I could unhappily continue there for a while, mainly
because I work only two days, 13 hours each. I don’t want to do that and I guess I belive life should not have that type of unhappiness in it.
However as I write the 9 o’clock news is on with the usuall happy stuff.
In my initall post I said I needed to do some serious training etc and that my research
so far has led me to Griffith College Dublin, where they provide a 1 year course.
I can do this at night, 3 nights a week and still do my hours for work, and have
my two boys cared for. If I wanted I could do another 2 years after that. I could
do it as a day course and have less time pressure but more financial pressure.
Does that type of time frame sound sensible considering the current situation?As a general rule do photographers generally have professional qualifications?
How do professional photographers train-up to that standard? Is it more of an
apprenticeship where you just follow another photographer around for years ao
is it a case of just building it up yourself, trial and error?Thanks for the sincerity of your reply.
Dude, did you say that you work two 13 hour days per week only? I’d get down to Griffith College
and check out what the timetable is like, maybe talk to the course director. If those are your hours,
you could possibly do the day course and work. Would be tough, but man, when I was in college I
worked Friday and Saturday night and Sunday all day.
You never know, the timetable might suit you.Is there a possibility that you could take a career break, or, and I know you’re not supposed to do
this, use some of the parental leave you’re entitled to (16 weeks per kid, unpaid unfortunately).Might be worth looking into.
BTW, I see you can take the GCD course part-time.
Though I’d echo what the other posters have said. Hang on to the job until you are well established.
James wrote:
As a general rule do photographers generally have professional qualifications?
How do professional photographers train-up to that standard?
Is it more of an apprenticeship where you just follow another photographer
around for years or is it a case of just building it up yourself, trial and error?Hi James
If you feel you need a degree, I would suggest you study business or marketing… because to succeed, you will need to be very good at that.No need for me to say anything else in relation to qualifications, as Ashley has said everything and hit the nail on the head! And he’s right about the business part & marketing, more benefit having a degree in that than a degree in photography (that does also depend on what photography area you want to get into).
I’m gonna buck the trend here…my wedding bookings are way up this year and I’ve only started taking 2010’s and I’ve got a handful already. I think it’s all about who your target market is. If someone has a budget of 1000 to spend on a photographer, they’re the most likely people that will keep that 1000 and get a friend/relative to shoot their wedding…they really only want a photographer to record the day for them. Now, if someone has 2k up then they’re most likely the kind of people that appreciate photography a bit more, and will still be willing to hire a photographer.
As Ashley and others have said, an apprenticeship or becoming a junior (if you can even get a job like that nowadays) is a good way. But the pay is crap, the hours long…so you gotta love it!!
You also only work 2 days…so that gives you 5 days to dabble with photography, whether it’s learning, shooting, learning about business etc. But good luck with whatever you decide!Ashley’s reply really summarises it very well.
Also, have a look here :
http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/how_to_become_a_pro_photographer/
(complete with the old photographer/pizza joke)Ashley wrote:
If you feel you need a degree, I would suggest you study business or marketing… because to succeed, you will need to be very good at that.
Sound advice.
There’s some great advise coming through here, and most of them are from the professional guys too, so that makes it even better.
I’m in a very similar position to you. Job, wife, 2 young kids, mortgage…. I want to get to the position when I can cut my full-time job down to 3 days a week and focus on the business side of photography. I’ve just completed a 2 year City & Guilds course, have my website up, gotten a few “jobs”….
My advice is, if you have the dream then go and do it. But you’ll need time, say 2 years, a thick skin, passion, commitment, be able to take knocks, be resourceful in getting business and advertise, oh be able to produce stunning photography.As a general rule most pro’s don’t have qualifications in photography, but they will most probably be members of a photographic organization, such as RPS, IPPA or SWPP and I think gaining one of these qualifications, such as a LRPS, LIPPA, LSWPP (the “L” stands for Licentiateship) will be very well worth it. You’ll also learn a great deal in preparing 10 photo’s up to the standard of Licentiateship. And above all pro’s will be able to knock out quality work time and again.
Have a look at the RPS site and see some example “L” panels.Oh and don’t be afraid to post images on here, you’ll get first class and fair feedback.
Not needing qualifications is good advice for Commercial Photography, but if your looking at Artistic Photography they may come in very handy indeed.
Well hello to all who have replied to my post.
I feel very honured and encouraged by the replies that I have been given.
Going by the amount of other people who have also viewd the thread and not made
a post I suspect that there have been plenty of people who are in the same position as me.There are lots of things to consider in making a carrer change. Mostly, why and
what effect will it have on the rest of your life.The why has been relativley simple in the context of this thread i.e.
my desire to leave my current job.
It is soul destroying to be in a job that once had alot of purpose for you and
for it now to be a millstone around your neck. The purpose of my inital post was
to sus out the realisim of the dream that I could make a carrer out of somthing
that I love doing and that I may possibly be good at, given the oppertuinity of
plenty of training in whatever form.
So perhaps it is a get out of jail free card I want more so than to become a great
photograher, (now that is being overly negative about myself). What ever way you
look at it, taking up photography professionally just because you dislike your current
job probably isn’t very sound, and if the experience of professional photography
didn’t live up to expectations, then I’d be a bitter old man before my time.As for the effect on the rest of my life, well financially it could be a disaster.
Marriage wise????? Child rearing wise????? Money is a good thing to have, it is
the root of all square meals etc. I went on a two day week because I believe that a
parent should be invoved in their childs life consistently, at least for the first year.I guess where I’m going with this is that I will be keeping the regular job for the
forseeable future :cry: if not specifically the one I currently have :) .
However I do intend to work on improving my ability to take photos. If I’m in a
job/carrer that I am unhappy with then I need somthing outside of that and my
family to give me a sense of, “there is more to life than this”, now I love my wife
and Children and they do come first, but you know what I mean don’t you??If by the time my children are less of a full time commitment & my photography is
up to scratch who knows what would happen?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for the course thing. I accept that experience is the best training and that
professional qualifications are not needed to make money. How though will I go
about getting that experience?I’d feel awkword following around another photographer, like I was in the way.
Then also I would feel she/he wouldn’t teach everything. In my experience of a camera
club a fwe years ago, I feel other photographers are very unlikely to share their
secrets with you
COMPETITION—-.
So I may well do the G.C.D. course because I know if I work on my own I will get sucked
into family commitments and I will not practice enough. A correspondance course I would’t
like because you need real people conection with photography, I think.Any way I’m tiered and I’m rambeling. Again thanks for all the feedback. It has greatly encouraged me.
I will try to get activley involved in this site. My experience so far has been good,
and who knows I may learn somthing?
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