humbly, TAKING A LEAP

[JULIAN]

hi,
i'm very new to photography as a biz. only been shooting (at all) for a few years...

i'm starting to do headshots in LA, yeah, yeah,... there's a million of me here. i've seen a lot of the work here, especially surrounding the entertainment biz. most of it is horrible! I CAN'T BELIEVE what "Photographers" get away with charging people for the crap they produce. It's criminal. I am new to doing headshots, but i know i can produce better shots than at least the bulk of the crooks out here. And i REALLY love shooting..

I'm not looking to be "top of the game", believe me, there are also some astounding photographers out here as well. i want to have some fun doing what i love and trying to pay the bills doing it.....

i'm looking for advice for myself as a new "photographer/business person"

i've never worked for myself, especially doing this type of work.

-what things should i be focusing on the most?
-spending most of my time doing?
-what shouldn't i worry about?

-humbly yours...
Julian

[iJoe]

for whatever my input is worth, i am a student right now.

but.

from what i've learned in school and from research and other sources, the best thing you can do if you want to break into commercial photography is to find a photographer you like, and assist with them.. that and shoot all the time.

assisting will probably be the best way to learn everything you need to know, from buisness to networking, to workflow.

[Michael Fanelli]

i'm looking for advice for myself as a new "photographer/business person"

i've never worked for myself, especially doing this type of work.

-what things should i be focusing on the most?
-spending most of my time doing?
-what shouldn't i worry about?

-humbly yours...
Julian

The most common reason that people fail in business is that they have not produced a solid business plan. A business is just that, a business. Pro photographers will tell you that for every moment they spend taking photos, there a zillions of moments they are taking care of business.

What type of capital do you have? Most people grossly underestimate what the costs are. Do you have the money set aside to hire an accountant and a lawyer? What about any fees you have to pay to create a business in your state. Are you looking at a small corporation to protect your assets?

You say you have little experience. Thats not good at all, especially in a crowded business area. How do you intend to learn the basics and still make money? Have you thought about financing an internship or going to a college to get the skills? Do you fully understand lighting and how its used and metered? Taking headshots is a whole lot more than pointing a camera and yelling "Say cheese"!

I am not trying to be mean! Too many people think "I'm going to be a ..." without understanding that there is a massive gap between an amateur and a pro. Most businesses go under in less than a year thanks to bad planning and lack of skills. If you are serious, spend a year or so to gather the necessary information, form the business plan, and learn the trade. Doing anything less will doom you to failure.

Good luck!

[JULIAN]

You're not being mean. you're being REAL. (thankyou). i appreciate this counsel (and thanks Joe). that's solid advice.

like, i said, (humbly) taking a leap, and maybe a year or so to plan it....

i'll put together what you both said..... gotta keep shooting as much as possible, cuz i'll be dead before long....

thanks again

[another view]

Michael's right - photography only seems expensive until you really look into what it costs to do it as a business. Taking your cost and marking it up might get you by if you're doing side jobs and just want a little extra cash, but it's no way to run a business.

Getting a job as an assistant is a good way to show you how the shoot works but you might not learn much about the business end of things. You'd want to know what the photographer was paid to do the shot you assisted on, and how they got to that number. Thing is, people aren't usually big on sharing that kind of information - unless maybe you have a very good working relationship with the photographer, and that will take time.

There are some classes about how to do this - if you're interested in the PPA route (generally wedding and portrait photographers), they run a school in Texas in April that will answer a lot of these questions.