If you’ve dreamed of being a photographer for years, and you’ve decided to take the leap now, well done! You’ve made a brave decision, but it is one which will reap great rewards if you heed advice and take the right steps.
It’s always a good idea to listen to professionals in the business, those who have been doing this for a long time, and have probably made all the mistakes for you. Listening to their advice means that you can avoid the mistakes they made, and this clears the road to success for you.
To help you on your path to photography success, here are a few tips to bear in mind.
Create a website as your first step
Nobody gets anywhere without an online portfolio these days, because everyone looks on the Internet when they are trying to hire someone, for any job at all. Make sure your site is professional, it looks the part, and it shows your best work. Remember to have clear contact details, and keep updating regularly.
Freelance on the side first
It’s all very well and good being gung-ho and quitting your day job, sure in the knowledge that you’re going to succeed, but you need a back up plan, and you need to also see if this is going to work for you first. Slowly slowly is always the best plan of action. On top of this, it’s very easy for a creative mind to get overloaded from time to time, so having your main job is something which will help you keep balance in your mind.
Answer queries straight away
Don’t hand around waiting to answer someone’s query; the longer you wait, the more chance there is of them going somewhere else. Answering a question won’t take long, but it could be the difference between getting that gig, or it going to someone else.
You are going to fail, and you are going to miss jobs
You need to make peace with the fact that you’re going to make the odd mistake from time to time, and it’s okay. You will learn harsh lessons in any creative profession, especially such a competitive one, but you need to learn from them every time.
Streamline your equipment
Yes, you need the odd bit of equipment for specialist jobs, but really, if you have a top quality camera, you don’t need all manner of added extras, it just complicates things. Narrow your lenses down to three, or you could even go as far as two, provided you know how to use them in the best possible way. You don’t want to be carrying more heavy equipment from job to job than is necessary!
Always back up your work
Do not rely on technology, it breaks at some point! Back up any work you do on a memory stick or in an online cloud, and this will give you total peace of mind.
You will be a jack of all trades
When you are a photographer, you’re not just the guy or girl taking the photos, you are your own manager, your own decision maker, your own book-keeper, your own website manager, you’re basically everything, and you need to prioritize your time accordingly. As your business grows, as it surely will, it might be an idea to consider hiring someone who can help you, perhaps with your website needs, if this is not something which is your strong point.
It’s about how you treat people
Photography is a very hands-on and personalized job, and you will be dealing with people in real situations, sometimes personal situations, such as a wedding day, for example. For this reason, the most basic of things needs to be in your mind – manners and personality. This could be the difference between a word of mouth referral to someone else, resulting in another job, or negative feedback, which can be very damaging indeed.
With more than 30 years of confirmed efficiency and effects, all of us pride ourselves at Philip O’Neill Photography with a dedication to top quality with each customer we work together with. Visit them site at www.philiponeillphotography.com.
Leave a Reply