Where are you going?

[Melinda]

So I spent the day at a phenominal photography seminar and I left feeling more inspired than I have in a long time. It's going to help me really focus on figuring out where I want to go personally and professionally with my photography and I can totally sense a new direction for my company and for my work both from a creative and a technical standpoint. I'm only a few hours out and I've already really enjoyed the reflecting and planning time. I'm sure I'll get more and more excited and inspired in the next few days.

But after coming here and seeing a rather slow paced photo section, I felt inspired to share the reflective weath and thought I'd pose the question to all of you:

Where are you going?

In terms of your photography I mean. Share your future goals with us. It can be anything, a new skill, a new piece of equipment, a new level of education, a leap into professional photography, anything!

We did something like this a year or two ago and it brought about some neat responses. Since we have a few more members with us now, I thought it might be fun to try again. Might also be helpful to get your plans out in the open, not only because it makes you want to accomplish your goals that much more, but who knows, we may have a member or two who can help you achieve them! :)

Soooo....the question to you is, where do you see your interest, hobby or career going, growing or expanding in the near future?

:burnout:

[TDFTW]

Where am I going?
At the moment I've reached a plateu.

I see around me other photographers with 1/4 of the skill and ability I have, making alot of money shooting the things they love to shoot, and I haven't obtained a successful paid shoot in a month.

I'm trying to get everything going so that I may one day work import tuner or a magazine of that caliber doing cover shoots, spreads. It's my ultimate goal, but it's seeming very unobtainable at the moment.

So that's where I am stuck. I don't know who to talk to to get my foot into the door somewhere either. It would be nice to spend a day or a week with somebody who does this exact job! I'd love to shadow someone.

[Gibson]

Good question...

Um...well, I suppose my biggest worry right now is finishing my second year of school. For those that don't know, I just finished my first year of the Journalism program at SAIT and will be starting the photojournalism major in a few weeks. Part of the second term includes an internship that I haven't quite figured out yet. Sent a couple emails out and got basically empty responses back.

Can I end up working for a newspaper? Yes.

Do I want to end up working for a newspaper? Not particularly.

Of course my goal in the end is to eventually be able to pay the bills with my camera(s), but right now I'm nowhere near there. I would love to get into doing weddings and get much much more experienced doing automotive photography, but at this point I'm down for learning anything.

Biggest thing that just happened: two of my photos from Las Vegas were shortlisted for Schmaps Travel Guides.

That reminds me, I sent you a PM Melinda.

[TDFTW]

I think most people that have a camera buy a camera thinking they can just make a living for it. It really peeves me because I have picked upa camera and it's been my passion and my hobby for years, and I didn't get one just to make money. It irks me when people do that.

[Gibson]

I'm not sure if you're taking a shot at me or not, but I assure you I did not buy my first camera all those years ago just to make money.

I was deciding what to do with my life after high school and realized that photojournalism would probably be a good way to do that. Not only that, but it's helped me improve my once-rather-poor people skills. Just like you, I love photography and everything that has to do with it.

I do agree with you a little though...

"O hai, photography is not an art so that means I can buy an expensive camera and makes cash, right? Also, I tinted my windshield."

[quazimoto]

You shouldn't let what other photographers do or say ever influence you or your passions and desirees. I find life is more enjoyable this way. If you work at it, you'll do well. I would honestly say my first three years were nothing special. The first two I had significant losses.

Right now I'm really trying to focus on doing maternity/baby photos and attempting to get into the ultra competitive landscape market. I've already sold a few larger canvas prints but I'd really love if I could do more. My true idol is Peter Lik. I have always been completely amazed by the guy how he started as a nothing, a nobody, well just some guy who had no formal training and is now recognized around the world for what he does.

In my view I've always found the truly great photographers are photographers because they have passion for it and they love what they do. What really sickens me is people who think they can get into photography to make quick money. I think most photographers would agree there isn't huge money to be made.

[TDFTW]

not taking a shot at you gibson just throwing in a little misplaced rant!

[Go4Long]

My goals personally are just to learn, I have a long way to go in all the various forms of photography, I never plan to make it my primary source of income, I love my real job, but I like doing this as something on the side, and if I can expand into doing other kinds of photography and continue to let the hobby pay for itself, that's pretty hard to complain about.

And TDFTW, photography at the entrance to the professional level of the market is, from what I've seen, largely about marketing yourself. I'm not the only person that goes out to race city and shoots the race weekends, but I know for a fact I've done better this season than any of the others. Is it because I'm that much better than them? as much as I'd like to think so, it's probably simply not a realistic thought. You want to sell your work? you can have the best portfolio imaginable, if you can't convince people when you meet them that it's worth going to look at your work, they're not going to.

It's great that you show up to some events and take pictures, but have you thought about how to convert the people who's cars you're taking pictures of in to sales. Realistically posting the pictures up here is only good for you if either the person that owns the car or someone that knows them is on here.

I spend a fair portion of every day out at the track sucking up to the people I'm trying to sell pictures to. And with that in mind I show up dressed the part, shake hands, have business cards to direct people to your site. Act like you're a photographer and they'll believe you.

Your photos are near the top end of the spectrum for sure man, you just need to figure out the business side and it might just be able to take you somewhere.

If my input offends you let me know and I'll happily delete it.

[msommers]

Originally posted by Go4Long
My goals personally are just to learn

Likewise. It's never been my goal to drop everything and pick-up photography full-time and make it my career. I do enjoy it as a hobby though and that's where it will always stay. If people want to buy photos from me (albeit I highly doubt it), then great! Certainly not expecting or hoping for it anytime soon.

However, I can honestly say that because of how busy school was last year, I've barely picked up my SLR for some time, and consequently lost some inspiration and passion to shoot which sucks. I do know that I'm wanting to get more into portrait and sport photography though. While landscape was good, I find capturing expression and feeling more fun :)

[AccentAE86]

which seminar did you go to Mel?

I'm looking to slow down the pace for 2010. Maybe develop my other forms of photography so I can reduce the number of weddings I shoot. I love weddings but they are quite exhausting.

[The_Rural_Juror]

I would like to learn and experiment more, but I am one of the lucky ones to have a decent paying job (somewhere between Tim Hortons and 89cash) to not have to worry so much about making money with the camera.

Although I have had offers on a few of my prints, I don't want to sell any yet until I am at a level of competence acceptable to me.

Bottom line is that I don't want money to hinder my development.

Good discussion topic, Mel.

[Santonika]

I have a hard time picking out the great shots from the average ones. I think I'm too hard of a critic. Plus if I get advise from others they all pick different ones.

I have found the easiest way to break into Photography is by doing weddings but I'm not a huge fan of it. I enjoy more of the travel, sports or nature photography but have no idea how to break out into those areas.

Any tips?

[The_Rural_Juror]

Weddings are easy??:nut:

[quazimoto]

Doing weddings is by no means easy. I put roughly 60 hours of work into each wedding I shoot. Its no longer about making these sears moments photos. Couples now a days want photos that are different and more so about love and intimacy on the wedding day.

It might be easy to find wedding jobs simply because many couples that are getting married really have no clue what to look for in a photographer.

If anything wedding photographers are a truly specially breed. I personally feel a photographer must enjoy and have fun photographing weddings or there is no point to doing them.

I would go out on a limb and say getting into any sort of professional photography is really not easy.

[89coupe]

I'm doing a photo shoot for a professional fitness model, should be interesting.

Purchasing a studio lighting kit just to do the shoot...lol.

Should be fun. I'm not charging her a dime as she is a friend.

She was telling me that David Ford wanted $800/hr nuts!

I saw some of his work and I think I can duplicate it pretty easily, guess I will find out:nut:

[Melinda]

Originally posted by TDFTW
I think most people that have a camera buy a camera thinking they can just make a living for it. It really peeves me because I have picked upa camera and it's been my passion and my hobby for years, and I didn't get one just to make money. It irks me when people do that.



Originally posted by Gibson
I'm not sure if you're taking a shot at me or not, but I assure you I did not buy my first camera all those years ago just to make money.

I was deciding what to do with my life after high school and realized that photojournalism would probably be a good way to do that. Not only that, but it's helped me improve my once-rather-poor people skills. Just like you, I love photography and everything that has to do with it.

I do agree with you a little though...

"O hai, photography is not an art so that means I can buy an expensive camera and makes cash, right? Also, I tinted my windshield."



Originally posted by TDFTW
not taking a shot at you gibson just throwing in a little misplaced rant!



Originally posted by quazimoto
Doing weddings is by no means easy. I put roughly 60 hours of work into each wedding I shoot. Its no longer about making these sears moments photos. Couples now a days want photos that are different and more so about love and intimacy on the wedding day.

It might be easy to find wedding jobs simply because many couples that are getting married really have no clue what to look for in a photographer.

If anything wedding photographers are a truly specially breed. I personally feel a photographer must enjoy and have fun photographing weddings or there is no point to doing them.

I would go out on a limb and say getting into any sort of professional photography is really not easy.
Let's save these types of comments for the pet peeve thread and just stick to goals for this one :)

[Hash_man]

I am still using photography as a hobby... I enjoy it lots, and have really started to do more of it recently. I by no means want to do it professionally, I respect those that do greatly and know I am by no means at that level of skill. I do enjoy sharing my photos with friends though, and have began using flickr a lot lately to do this.

I hope to purchase some new equipment once I get a job again, specifically some new lenses, and keep improving my automotive photography skills.

I would like to do some snowboard photography this winter as this has always interested me, but I have never even tried it... Hopefully will get a chance to go shoot some friends.

[Melinda]

Originally posted by AccentAE86
which seminar did you go to Mel?

It was the babies & bellies seminar with Sandy Puc'. She owns a multi-million dollar studio down in the US and started just by doing babies and pregnant women. It was a phenominal day, I'm so glad I attended!

As for me, I quit my 'real' job when I went on leave to have Lucas. I've officially taken the plunge into full time photography. So far this year I've had phenominal success. I've shot weddings, families, babies, kids and I've even developed a specialty for my company as far as kids are concerned. Things are looking good, but they're no where near where I want/need them to be. I'd like to try really hard to gear myself more towards babies/kids/families full time. Really fun and unique portrait type stuff. Weddings just take too much time away from my family. To do this I'm going to restructure my company and change the way my business is run. I'm actually really excited about it, although I know there will be some major work ahead of me!

Keep it up guys, this is really neat to read!

[blitz]

I've got no place to go but up!

I'm brand spanking new to the world of DSLR and trying to take the jump from "snap shots that occasionally look like photography" to amateur photography. Right now it's just figuring out what works and what doesn't with both my camera and composition. I've had the camera for about 2 months now and I've taken around 3000 photos. Ended up with about 12 that I really like. I'd like to increase that ratio a bit.

In a longer term scope I've always loved B&W Photography and would love to get into that.

[banned3x]

sorrry for the hijack but mel, would you mind driving down to lethbridge for a shoot for me of my baby girl? i like the pics you took of lucas pm if intrested

[KKY]

At the moment, I would like my photography to remine my hobby for the most part as opposed to trying to make a living off of it. Sometimes, people make it sound like you can only be good if you get paid for your pictures, but I believe you can still advance in photography and become an expert without making it your "job". I think keeping it as a hobby has given me more freedom and time to explorer different styles and types of photography.

Getting paid is great! I don't think anyone would refuse money. But I'm quite happy just having people enjoy my pictures.

Technique wise, I would like to experiment more with using light. Both natural and artificial.

Equipment wise, I'm pretty happy with what I have, but is always in the look out for funky film cameras. Saw D's Hassy yesterday and was blown away by how bright the viewfinder is. May have to look into that a bit more.. :D

[Jlude]

Originally posted by TDFTW
not taking a shot at you gibson just throwing in a little misplaced rant!

why are you always bitter/angry/jealous of everyone else.

Perhaps, try being happy for other people, maybe karma will come into play and you'll find that being nice to people that are doing what you want to do may in fact open a door or lead to a good opportunity.

Really though Dave, gotta drop the negativity. You're not the first person to put effort into something only to come up short. Stop bitching about it and find a way to fix it.

You say you'd love to find this or work here or talk to this person. Well fuck, you must not want it bad enough, because with today's technology, you're gonna tell me that you can't find people to talk to? Or information on the internet?


My football coach in high school told me a story of an olympic swimmer and his swim coach, they were at the pool one day, training, when the student said to the coach that he wanted to win an olympic gold medal. The coach asked his student, "How bad do you want to win?" The student said he wanted to win " more than anything in the world". The swim coach hopped into the pool with the swimmer and held the kids head under water for a little while... the kid was gasping for air... he was a few seconds away from running out of breathe when the coach let him up. He got out of the pool and said to the swimmer, "When you want that gold medal as bad as you wanted that air, you'll have it".

Go make it happen, Dave.

[2Valve0]

photographers make money?:confused:
i thought they were just like painters, broke and working for dimes

[The_Rural_Juror]

Originally posted by Jlude


why are you always bitter/angry/jealous of everyone else.


Solid!