I'll be super honest, I'm really new at this trying to go 'pro' photography thing. I have loved photography and shot random weddings, bridals, engagements, senior portraits over the last 6 years. Over the past few months I have really started to set money aside to invest into a business, which quickly snowballs into more and more things. For me the list of 'needs' and 'wants' has become somewhat blurred. Several people have contact me and want to know how to get started and a few of my suggestions. This is very humbling for me and I am in no way an expert!! Take my advice/tips for what it is worth :-)
-take the time to sit down and ask yourself: Where do you want to be? How are you going to get there?
- time management and BALANCE! One of the things that is really helpful to save time while doing picture edits are Photoshop Actions and Plugins. My favorite actions that I want for my birthday (wink, wink) are by Doug Boutwell: Totally Rad Actions. This weekend there is a giveaway for a plugin (something you run in photoshop) which we add great texture and a varied emotion to your pictures. Head over to his blog and enter to win the Dirty Pictures Plugin. (all entries must be in by Sunday at midnight EST)
-be really familiar with your camera. The manual is your friend!! For you to really express yourself the way you want to through your pictures you need to learn how to shoot in manual mode. It isn't the camera that makes the pictures the way they are....it is the PHOTOGRAPHER!
-you don't HAVE to have everything the latest and greatest to be successful. One of my favorite photographers is Jasmine Star! She is hilarious and talks all the time on her blog about how she was not wanting to go into debt to purchase her equipment and upgrades and would put the money from each shoot into the next, and repeat the cycle over and over. She is one of the best wedding photographers in the nation!
-Most of all, a great cheering section! I am incredibly grateful for Craig!!! He has been great about listening to me and my non-stop chatter about business ideas, strategies, fears, hopes and dreams. I appreciate his opinions and when he asks the difficult questions that I don't always want to ask myself. He values each booked session and image almost as much as I do. One day I need to get him a camera so he can be my second shooter :-)
Since I think every post is better with a picture, here is one from a shoot I did for my brother in law, Ryan, for one of his side projects. Check out his blog to see his great recipes and pictures!
Thanks for the plug. I have been meaning to comment on your post but never seem to know what to say. You need to come down again for a field trip.
All I know is that we need to set up a time for sometime in the fall for you to take our pictures! Also - can I just say how excited I am for Yellowstone?!?!