Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/05/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Ben, Ditto to everything both Fred and Ted said in spades!!! The most improtant thing, as Ted said, is to be dependable. (by the way thanks for the complement-but Ted and Donal both are way beyond me in experience and skill with the black box:) ) The business of photography is the hardest thing you will face as a shooter in todays market. You have to be able to not only create good images on demand - even on the days when you had a fight with your wife, you kid beat up every other kid in school and got expelled, your dog died, and your car got rammed by some idiot in a parking lot; but you have to somehow get a grasp on handeling billing, pricing your jobs, tracking expenses-and believe me if you don't keep a tight reign on this one you will be a bankrupt photographer VERY quickly. Tracking down new clients, selling not only the work you create but yourself. I have discovered that if a client likes you and thinks that you are a great photographer then anything you create for that client will be great (within reason of course). Also showing up with Leica's impresses the hell out of anyone who knows ANYTHING about cameras ;) From looking at your site you seem to have an interest in Journalism. Do as Fred said come up with story ideas and try to sell them to the local paper, any local magazines, and if you can find something timely with a national or international tie try to sell it to the national media. I know when I was working for a newspaper and a wire service in Atlanta we were always open to new photographers coming in to show us their work as we were always looking for stringers to cover something at the last minute. Also living where you do one obvious target is the travel industry. I would imagine you know some beautiful not to well known sites-exploite what you know as a local and try to capitolize on it. As far as your portfolio goes edit TIGHT. Your book is only as good as your worst image. You may have 20 dynamite images and one dog and I guarantee any editor, art director or whatever will only remember the dog. They will be thinking "What if he brings something like this back for me?" Also show it to as many people as possible friends and family whatever. Tell them to be brutally honest about what they like and don't like. Keep up with what images they like and ditch the ones that have the largest negative comments. Too often we (Read the person who took the photo) like a photo because we had to climb a tree, hike 5 miles for a shot or something totally unrelated to the quality of an image and want it in our book for these unimportant reasons-I know I am guilty of this. The only important thing for a photo in your book is that it is a good image and conveys your style of shooting. With hard work and a little creative marketing I am sure you have what it takes to make it. After all if a Tennessee farm boy like me can do it anyone can. Also as Fred said stay after people. I know of several photographers who have gotten great jobs simply because they kept turning in photos, suggesting shoots, ect and they were hired because of their perstiance. Harrison McClary hmphoto@delphi.com http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto