help my sister live off her lens.

July 4, 2008 1:39 PM

I'm trying to help my sister figure out how to make a living via photography. Will you help me, help her?

My sister just graduated from high school, she's 18, and she's got a summer job at a water park.

She's decided she wants to make a career out of her love of photography. She's got a decent camera, not quite a DSLR, but she wants a D60 or something similar.

The crux is where does she start? My parents want her to start a freelance company right from the start, but I don't think she has the business skills or enough developed skills at this point to succeed at something like that. She expressed interest in attending a very prestigious photography school, but it's super expensive and the area is super expensive as well, and that's just not in the budget. Someone recommended trying to get a job with a local newspaper?

I saw several other questions somewhat related to this, but they are all several years old, and in this business the medium changes so quickly I wanted to get a fresh take.

So, hive - any suggestions? What are some must-haves? Camera specs? Accessory equipment? Does she need a portfolio? We are both kind of clueless on this one.

If it helps we're in Central California, but she's got a thing for SoCal. Any Cali-based suggestions earn bonus marks.

posted by Industrial PhD to work & money (15 comments total)

Check this recent thread out
posted by niles at 1:52 PM on July 4

If there are any indie or chain weekly newspapers, contact the photo editor and see if they need any freelance help. Even shooting plates of food for reviews for 40-60 bucks an assignment will help her get her foot in the door.
posted by starman at 1:53 PM on July 4

There are quite a few opportunities to carve out a business in Photography, especially in SoCal.

It's pretty easy to get started doing something like event and wedding photography. I have a friend here in Chicago that just shows up to parties and takes photos, he leaves business cards behind and posts his photos on a website where party attendees can order prints. Another avenue for money is in supplying stock photography for companies like Getty Images. Interning for a professional photographer can supply a great education for a lot less money than a place like Pratt. For the most part, I think it is important to find working methods of making money shooting pictures regardless of whether you aspire to be a "fine art" or "celebrity" photographer. In SoCal (specifically places like LA) there is always the Pap industry, if she could stomach something like that. All in all, there are tons of niche opportunities available to an industrious and persistent mind. People pay for all kinds of strange things, especially when they have disposable income. A few examples off the top of my head: Real Estate photography, pet portraits, Head shots for aspiring actors, etc...

As for the logistics... I'd set up a simple online portfolio showcasing her best work (you can find free photoblog CMS systems to set this up if you are bad with computers), some business cards, and a decent camera able to shoot in a reasonably high-resolution. The rest will depend on what kind of photography she chooses to pursue. In the beginning you can probably get by borrowing some equipment or budgeting rental/partial rental into your proposal.
posted by ISeemToBeAVerb at 1:57 PM on July 4 [1 favorite]

Oh, I thought I might add that equipment isn't always an automatic barrier to entry. My friend I mentioned in my above post makes the bulk of his money shooting weddings for rich people using only a Holga and a Lomo (which are basically cheap "toy" cameras that shoot film). His clients like the "magical" qualities that these cameras provide through light leaks and imprecise exposures. It's all about how you market yourself I guess!
posted by ISeemToBeAVerb at 2:07 PM on July 4

She should start assisting other photographers to see how they work and to meet people/network. She can look up local photographers (of any kind - wedding, portrait, photojournalists, fine art, etc etc), and email them and see if they need an assistant. She may have to "intern" for them once or twice (meaning, work for free), but if she's reliable and a hard worker, they will start requesting her, and they will pay her. At the worst, it sucks and she's got another assisting gig to mention on her resume, at best, she gets regular work and learns a whole bunch.

Also, starting a "freelance company" won't really do much right now, but if she can advertise and can get a job here and there doing portraits or whatever (engagement, headshots, anything), and someone pays her for it, whee! That was just a freelance gig. Take a few pictures of friends or relatives to have some work to show people when they ask to see your portraits, if that's what she wants to get into.

She should have a portfolio - online is most important right now (so potential clients can go to her website and see her work), but a book will come in time. The technical stuff will come on its own as she works and figures out what she needs to do what she wants to do best.

I went to a fancy schmancy art school in NYC, and while I'm glad I went and I learned a TON, nothing beats seeing and doing things on the job first-hand, which is why I'm all about assisting. So find another photographer to work for! It is certainly not a regular job, and she'll probably have to do other things in the meantime while she establishes herself, but that's what you choose when you choose a career like photography :)

(Also, wow, there are a lot of "how to be a photographer" questions here lately :)
posted by AlisonM at 2:09 PM on July 4

It'll help if she narrows down what type(s) of photography she likes doing... some people like capturing action (weddings, sports, journalism, but may not necessarily enjoy all of these), some people like to be in control of posed work (fashion, some portraiture, some editorial). Some people go alone into the wilderness and wait for hours till a tiger appears. Some people photograph architecture using a view camera and accent lights. Some people shoot whatever they like and then sell it after the fact as decorative art, fine art, or stock.

I'm sure she doesn't yet know which of these aspects most interest her. Further, there's a world of difference between doing these things experimentally and doing them as a career. Just as an example: a wedding photographer spends many more hours making albums than they do taking photos.

Thus, my advice would be for her to consider this list and choose the one that she is most drawn to at the moment, and spend some time both shooting on her own and getting close to others who do it more regularly, via an internship or by being a photographer's assistant. (Good book on the subject of assisting: The Photographer's Assistant. Also the LA branch of the APA may offer a weekend workshop; the NYC one does.)

If she's interested in attending college, going for a BFA with a photography major would probably award her more financial aid than going to a professional school like Brooks. But she shouldn't rule out taking a course or two at Brooks (since the whole program is too costly) to learn more about particular areas of interest and get experience with pro-level gear. At a school like that, she'll also get the opportunity to meet photographers that she could assist or intern with. Another bonus of attending school, whether it's Brooks or an art school, is that she'd have access to much better camera gear than she could afford to purchase just yet. She can borrow that equipment from school and build her portfolio. Chances are she'll also have access to fine printers and scanners.
posted by xo at 2:17 PM on July 4

Ken Rockwell should help :) He has quite a few articles on the finer points of photography. I go to school with a lot of Photo majors and they recommend the site to people getting into serious photography.
posted by MaHaGoN at 3:34 PM on July 4

the camera is the least of her worries, she needs to learn everything she doesn't know, which is everything. assisting is a very good idea -- it's potentially a bad job, you get asked to do the weirdest shit sometimes -- an acquaintance was routinely asked to pick up the Big Name Photographer's kids from school and stuff like that -- but if you can't afford school you need to learn while working for someone who knows what they're doing. in time, your sister will figure out:

a) if she's any good

b) what kind of work she's good at -- fashion, photojournalism, portrait, weddings, food, etc

Only then, worry about getting that five thousand dollars full frame monster with the L-series lens.

Good luck.
posted by matteo at 5:03 PM on July 4

The Photopreneur blog might be useful.
posted by PatoPata at 5:06 PM on July 4

This may seem out of place for what she wants to do, eventually, but I know several photographers (of the photojournalist variety) that started with places like Glamour Shots and Lifetouch/yearbook companies. They provide on-the-job training and if you know what you're doing and are interested, there is a lot of room to advance.

(One of the photographers I know, although he doesn't shoot much anymore, didn't even graduate from college. His experience was entirely on the job and he ended up being very good at it.)

Weddings are a good way to build a portfolio, but keep in mind they are long hours on Saturdays. My mom used to do weddings and she got very burned out on it.
posted by darksong at 8:06 PM on July 4

It seems to me any college level photography coursework would be valuable. I got started in photography from a one semester photojournalism course in college in the mid-70s. We mechanics, lighting, and did a lot of darkroom work. It (and a little work with a local photo studio) gave me the start I needed for a lucrative part time wedding business for a few years, and many, many years of very satisfying years of hobby photography.

I should point out that photographic equipment isn't as important as the photographer...it's the photographer that takes the pictures. Learning to see is the most important skill of the photographer; knowing the basic mechanics common to all cameras helps the photographer use any given camera to put what they see on film (or silicon).
posted by lhauser at 11:54 PM on July 4

A couple things. First like others have said, get her to think about what she like to shoot. Portraits/Glamour, fashion, landscapes, fine art, journalism, etc etc.

Then she should take her work that fits in that category and put together a portfolio. From there she should be calling folks in the area that fit that category and introduce herself and say "Hi my name is Industrial Phd's sister and I am a budding photographer. I was wondering if you would mind sitting down with me at some point and giving me some feedback on my portfolio."

I can tell you that from a photojournalist perspective as a budding freelancer the above works well with photo editors. You are not asking for work you are letting them choose when you can meet and there are no expectations. If they like you they may use you. If they don't well hopefully they will let you know in the portfolio review and then you know what you need to work on.

It takes time and a LOT of work to make a living at it, so a side job at first is probably a good idea.

As for formal training, that all depends on how good she is right now. Some folks can teach themselves and really excel, others need teaching.
posted by WickedPissah at 12:35 PM on July 5

Is she planning on going to college at all? That would be my suggestion--to go to a school with a good fine art photography program or photojournalism program. She'll learn in a structured environment, make contacts with photographers her own age, get access to job opportunities and professional equipment. Also, if she wants to get a job at a newspaper, many require degrees.

I would also suggest that she take some "how to run a business" classes.
posted by girlmightlive at 4:47 PM on July 5

Is she good with kids? With children of my own, we've used Sears portrait studio many times.....some of the photographers are great.....some not so much. But it could at least provide her with a steady income and experience while she works on branching out on her own - but of course that's only if she is interested in portrait type work.
posted by texas_blissful at 4:52 PM on July 5

Just wanted to add that the reason I'm suggesting college is that I'm gathering that she knows very little about photography going in, which is fine, but she should understand that photography is just a HUGE beast unto itself, what with learning the art of it and trying to navigate through all the millions of different kinds of equipment available for it. It could be difficult and overwhelming for her to be 18 and teach herself not only photography, which is hard, but how to run a successful photography business, which is even harder.
posted by girlmightlive at 4:53 PM on July 5