Too Young??

[euphoria]

Hi, I'm feeling a little confused...
Everytime I scan over some threads over here people are saying "Oh yeah, I'm a college student for this" and "I have a degree for this" Im in my freshman year of highschool. :blush2: If people like my photographs enough to buy them from me, is there like a whole different side to selling pictures? Someone's already paying me for 8 pictures for a christmas present because my grandparents referred me. But do i really have to have a degree or be a college student or something to actually have success in selling any of my photos?

[terryger]

NO YOU DO NOT!

that being said, the more educated you are the better chance you have of being successful. education does not mean necessarily that it was gained through formal schooling .

what it does mean is getting access to more knowledge and facts whatever way you can.

there is no such thing as only one way to learn so use every opportunity you have. do not think one is better than another. keep an open mind and learn something from every situation you are presented with.

i am 53 years old and have not quit learning yet.

although i have lots of education and i have college degrees, i come here because those with more "photoknowledge" than i have are willing to share with me.

i learned something from everybody i have ever met, even if it was only how to NOT do something.:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[euphoria]

Cool, thanks a lot, =)
Yeah its fun to look at other people's pictures and try to learn to use my imagination to the extreme. ^_^ Thanks for the help, I feel better now =P

[Dylan8i]

i have never been taught anything about photography except for what i have read in books or othere media such as this forum. i do however use my bio degree to help me find shots and have fun while i'm out shooting.

as far as sellign images, anyone can sell an image if someone else likes it. the more experience you have at shooting, the more images you will make that people like, generally.

[JSPhoto]

I don't have any degrees but that doesn't stop me from earning a living and shooting sports and other types of photos for newspapers. I have shot the Indy 500, Brickyard 400 and pro football....and no degree, just a knack for action or an interesting perspective on the subject at hand.

There are other aspects of selling photos though that may affect your selling of photos. Read through the threads in the business forum for help with those issues.

Oh, and a lot of "kids" have started successfull businesses, so age shouldn't stop you! )
JS

[Lava Lamp]

Are you familiar with the concept of "scoreboard?" In sports, the scoreboard is what counts, not experience, or record or size, speed, or skill, 'cause that won't always spell out the winner.

Life is like that in general. If your work is good, it doesn't matter where you came from or how old you are or where and how you got your degree -- it just makes it easier for you to present yourself and cut through the clutter.

[Ronnoco]

Age doesn't matter in photography. I won my first major award at 12, and my first professional project at 15. Some excellent macro insect photos were presented in Popular Photography and they then introduced the photographer who was 93.

Education is important in that it determines what areas of photography you can get into and expands the alternatives and the markets that you can feed into. In many areas of sports photography for example, it may not matter but for corporate, business, political, and some types of public relations photography it matters a lot. It is a great advantage to be able to write and edit a script for a media presentation, as well as do the photography. As producer, you also have much more control of the final production, than someone who is only the photographer. Image is important, and presenting yourself as a well-groomed, well-educated pro, with some class can easily, allow you to rise above any competition for the job or assignment.


Ronnoco

[euphoria]

Thanks a lot for all the replies guys, you helped a lot =)

[SmartWombat]

My first commission/sale was as a teenager, a picture of a greyhound. £20 for the print.
I'd been working on the photo-finish camera and producing the timings for the races.
I got that job by going to the dog track and taking photos just to learn about race photography (and a few candids with my trusty Halina 35mm).

Then on the way home after racing one night the local school had been set alight and since I had my camera with me, I took some photos before cycling home.
So, one of my uncles was picture editor at the local newspaper, and a quick phone call got a trip down the office, and my picture on the front page.


Yet here I am, working as an IT analyst, wanting to be a photographer, agonising over whether I'm good enough ...

GO FOR IT !
Don't let it slip thruogh your fingers like I did.

[livin4lax09]

I'm majoring in psychology, and I have my own photography business. That should be a good example for you right there. As long as you love the hobby, and can figure out a way to market yourself (just be careful selling stuff in school, as that's illegal) then you can make money. You don't have to be majoring in it or have any education in it. It does help, but its not necessary.

[euphoria]

Thanks again guys, you helped a lot =)

[adina]

Okay, there is a difference between being good and being in business. Being good has no age requirement. But if you are thinking about being in business, there is mountain of paperwork that comes with that. If you are selling, technically, you should be paying sales tax. You should also look into a federal id number, although you can use your social security number if you want (I wouldn't). Also, any sales should be reported as income, so in addition to sales tax, you can pay taxes on the money you make in April.

If you sold one or two prints, you may not need to worry about all that stuff, but if you are consistantly selling, you should look into it. It may vary state to state, but in Wisconsin, the government gets a little upset if you keep money they think they should be getting.

[Ronnoco]

[QUOTE=livin4lax09] - - - - - - - - -QUOTE]

[Ronnoco]

You don't have to be majoring in it or have any education in it. It does help, but its not necessary.

You don't need a formal education in photography but if you are generally well-educated and can read, write, and speak well then you can gain access to more complex and sophisticated assignments and productions that pay extremely well and are at a different level.

After completing one production, I was able to supervise its translation into several languages. Working with a newscaster, we completely redid the portugese version. I shot and edited video in Ukranian as part of a live television program which I also directed.
These are just a few examples of assignments that I could handle because of my education

Ronnoco

[wookieinc_photography06]

I have to agree with all of these very intellegent people. It's never to young to be an entrapranuer. I run my own photography company and I'm a senior in High School. (I started by business when I was eleven and I'm seventeen now.) You just keep doing what you are doing and keep using your creative eye to bring joy to those who purchase your works of art. KEEP SHOOTING!!!!!

Jacob Lane
Wookie Inc. Photography