So you take great images. Everyone tells you that you should quit your day job and start your own photography business. You agree. You dream every night about quitting your “day job.” You want to fire your boss. You want to make your dream a reality…but where to start? Obviously, to make a living out of your passion you are going to need more than technical skill. You are going to have to learn a little something (okay, maybe a lot) about business!
Take one basic photography class if possible. It doesn’t have to be an expensive college class or a professional class. It can be a class at your local community center. The most important thing is to have a professional photographer around that you can learn from. It also helps to have others around who are also learning, that way you can learn from them.
If you have already pushed your DC Corporate Head Shot photographers skills with your existing camera, then you must already have an design plan on what you desire to shoot. Hence, buy things that are related to your preferred subject. You can have the top of the class telephoto lens or macro lens & flash ring if you’re into macro shots.
Mathew Brady was just such an individual. During the Civil War, he made it his quest to photograph as many battles of the Civil War and war event photography as he possibly could. Could he have known his images would last so long and touch so many lives in such a profound way? When you look at a Brady image today, what do you feel? What thoughts and emotions do the images evoke? For each of us, these emotions are different. That’s the beauty and wonder of photography.
Enter photography contests – This is a fun activity and a great way to learn. Look for contests that will actually provide critique and feedback. There are many contests out there that decide on the winner by how many friends you convinced to vote for your photo. But there are also some great photo contests, just spend some time looking and finding them.
You should also pay attention to composition. Professionals follow a fairly simple principle known as the rule of thirds. Mentally divide your frame into thirds both ways. Your image should be composed using those guidelines. You could try having the couple featured in two-thirds of the frame, with one-third background, for example. The eye needs a place to rest, and the image should have a natural point of focus to draw the attention of the viewer. This will probably take some effort, at first, but you’ll find yourself doing this by instinct after awhile. You can also train your eye to recognise good composition by using a class or online course.
I wish I didn’t have to use my clients, family, and my friends to criticize my work. The feedback was bad and horrible. This one little event totally destroyed my reputation and my photography business. Arrgh!
