Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/01/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Seeking advice on photo career
From: Stephen <cameras@jetlink.net>
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 07:51:05 -0800

> snip
> >Dan and other LUGers, any other ideas for professional work that I
> might do
> >with the equipment that I have?
> >
> >Charlie
>

To answer your question, most anything that interests you.

It's not the equipment that does the jobs or get you the jobs.  Nikon,
Canon, Leica, Hassleblad all stay in business selling to people who
never sell enough pictures to even even pay for their film, much less
pay for their rent.

Aspiring professionals are usually weak in four areas.   If they don't
learn quickly, it's inevitably back to their day jobs:

    1) Salesmanship so your clients will have the confidence to hire you

     2) Business skills so you don't under price your work or mis-manage
your assets
     3) Contacts to make it all easier to pull the loose ends together
     4) Enough savings or continuing income to support yourself while
establishing yourself.

The most important is sales skills.  If you aren't able to sell the
jobs, the rest of it doesn't matter.  The second most important thing is
love for your work.  If you have these, the rest will follow.

Stephen Gandy