Top ten mistakes that aspiring professional freelance photographers make
Posted on 06. Apr, 2009 by Paul Burwell in Business, Everything, Top Ten Lists
I run into a lot of people, either physically or virtually who have aspirations of turning their hobby photography into a freelance career. I thought I’d put together a list, derived from my and other’s experiences, to help wannabe pros make a realistic attempt.
So here, in no particular order, are mistakes that aspiring professional freelance photographers make:
- Listening to the wrong critics – Your significant other/parent/grandparent/friend will usually love your pictures and ask why you don’t sell them. You need real pros to tell you if you’re making good/publishable/saleable images. Same thing goes if you’re posting your photos on Flickr and everyone tells you that your photos are great. So what? Probably 99.9% of the photos on Flickr are considered great by one person or another. Seek out real, honest and constructive feedback from working professional photographers in the field you’re interested in.
- Working without a business plan - If you plan on starting your own photography business and you’re trying to do it without some sort of plan, you’re asking for trouble. To quote some universal wisdom: “We don’t plan to fail, we fail to plan.” You need to figure out exactly where your income is going to come from and what you’re going to have to do to make it happen. And be realistic. Seriously!
- For instance, if you’re planning on being a nature photographer and making a living by selling photos to magazines or stock photography companies you’re in for a huge shock.
- Using non-professional equipment – Can you make a great picture with a consumer grade camera? Absolutely and unquestionably you can. But, you are more likely to reliably deliver professional, consistent results with professional grade photography equipment.
- Being in digital denial – I still run into aspiring pros with weak or non-existent computer skills. If you think you can get by without digital skills in the 21st century you’re just fooling yourself. You need to be proficient if not expert at using digital tools to make a go.
- Unrealistic expectations – If you’re hoping to have a million dollars as a freelance photographer, I hope you’ve got two million right now. Is it possible to make a living as a freelance photographer in whatever arena? Absolutely. What are the odds that you’re going to be a million dollar a year superstar photographer? You’re better off buying a lottery ticket.
- Believing you’re better than you are – Have you looked at the images posted day in and day out on the various Internet forums and photo sites? There are tons of people taking great pictures. If you’re banking on making a living based on being better than most, you’d better look around first and your stuff better reek of awesomeness. Otherwise, it gets back to that pesky business plan and figuring out just what it will take to make a living.
- No marketing – Think people are going to beat a path to your door because the stuff you do rocks? Good luck! Let me know how that works for you. The fact is that there is a ton of competition in practically every area of photography right now. If you want to make a living at it you better have a marketing plan and budget.
- No accounting – You need a system for billing your clients and making sure they pay. If you don’t have some sort of system in place you’re going to spend a lot of time spinning your wheels. Paper work sucks; no doubt about it, but it’s what makes sure the bills get paid.
- No specialization – Most types of photography (portraiture, sports, glamour, photojournalist, wedding, commercial, product, nature, etc.) benefit from specialization and passion. All the same technical concepts apply (exposure, composition, technique, etc.) but learning the tips, tricks and techniques specific to your niche will really help you excel.
- Listening to the naysayers – When I was researching becoming a professional nature photographer, everyone told me I was crazy. The professional nature photographers in business at the time were especially negative. I ignored them, built a realistic business plan and have so far persevered. Sure, I’ve taken a vow of poverty, but I’ve never been happier.
Unfortunately, just avoiding these mistakes is still no guarantee of success. But it will set you on the right track with some realistic expectations. Are you a working pro with some tips of your own? Please share them here.
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27 Responses to “Top ten mistakes that aspiring professional freelance photographers make”
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06. Apr, 2009
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Leave a Reply
Alltop
Steve Creek
06. Apr, 2009
Another great post that gets to the point. Well said!
Your Photo Tips
06. Apr, 2009
I like that “Listening to the wrong critics” was at the top of the list.
It is sort of a conundrum, however, as I know a handful of artists that would never have ventured professionally into the craft had a family member or friend “pushed” or encouraged them.
Paul Burwell
06. Apr, 2009
I think that’s a good point Damien. Nothing wrong with encouragement but it is useful and necessary to seek real feedback before one is too far down the path.
Kris
06. Apr, 2009
Great article and definitely has some good, sound advice. I would love to be able to produce an income from photography, but I know that it is no easy task.
I would also love to have my portfolio reviewed by a professional — I plan on attending Photoshop World in Vegas this fall and I will definitely be taking a portfolio with me. Do you know any other places one could go to get sound advice from a pro?
Paul Burwell
06. Apr, 2009
That’s a good question Kris. Let’s see if any wedding pros have some suggestions.
Paul Dymond
08. Apr, 2009
Great post Paul. If I could add anything it would be that I don’t think it’s enough to just liking taking pictures. You have to be passionate about the subject you’re photographing. If you don’t really love what you photograph then I think you tend to want to give up at the first sign of difficulty.
I’m not a nature photographer but if I was going to be I would wanna make damn sure I could handle spending a few days straight cramped in a hide just for the thrill of being able to photograph a great subject.
I love travel and that’s why I decided to specialise there. But if I didn’t love the day long rides on chicken-filled rickety old buses as much as I do the luxurious stuff I would have given up years ago!
Having that passion helps you get through all the road blocks you meet along the way.
Rich C
08. Apr, 2009
Thanks for a great post. Love the list, and the first one is a great one. It took a push from a professional to get me to consider selling my pics, and it still takes regular pushes from him to this day.
I’m still learning and I always will be.
Adam Loewen
10. Apr, 2009
Great points. When I decided to pursue photography professionally, it came as a bit of a surprise to me that I was becoming a businessman at the same time. These were convicting points for me, I need to get on it!
David Lilly
14. Apr, 2009
You make some good points.
You should write an article about the mistakes made by so called professionals.
I beleive as a photogrpher you have to set the example. If a photographer thinks he or she is better then I am, then show me.
There are many non-professionals that spend more time in the field and in my opinion much better than the so called professionals. A lot of professional photographer are arm chair photographers.
Again – show me don’t tell me.
Digital Wedding Guide
08. May, 2009
I think the other point is using outdated information. Just like you mentioned about digital cameras. Photography is a contemporary field. If you are not keeping up with the latest then you, your business and your clients will suffer.
The other aspect is doing just about what everyone else is doing. E.g. in marketing – there are only few photographers who are ready to embrace the newer ways of advertising such as social media or online advertising. A lot of photographers are chasing the same old marketing ideas. Similarly, a lot of photographers go for template based flash websites with just the logo changed. Flash looks good but you get far less people visiting your website.
Al
20. Jun, 2009
Excellent article. I would also add that not only having pro equipment is essential, but key items should be duplicated in case one item breaks down on assignment. Backup equipment can be a life saver! If too expensive, consider rentals when starting out.
Also, if possible work as an assistant to a pro in your field. The learning experience is invaluable, even if you have to work at little or even no pay. Better than school IMO.
Kylie Paige
06. May, 2010
Hi! I’m an aspiring photographer myself. Hopefully you get a chance to look over this and if I’m lucky maybe a response
. I am digesting all that you say here. I know that this is a “don’t do” list, but it raises some questions in me.
I understand that it is vital to creating a good business plan as a freelance photographer. How did you manage to do that? And how did you manage to get your work noticed and eventually get paid for it without people stealing from you? The latter is my ultimate fear.
Best, Kylie
Paul Burwell
06. May, 2010
Kylie,
If you post your images on the web, someone will “steal” them. There is no way around that. The trick is to post them at a high enough resolution that people can enjoy them, but not large enough that they will make useful prints.
My suggestion is to keep the long side of the images you post on the web at less than 1000 pixels.
Before starting my photography business, I had a long career working as a manager and ultimately running my own Internet company. All of this experience helped prepare me for a career as a photographer. Business is business and it takes a lot of the same skills.
I got my work noticed by posting my good stuff on the web. If you never show your work to anyone, you will never get noticed. You need to expose your work to as many people as possible and one of the ways to do that is via the Internet. The other thing you need to do is to get pros to look at your work and give you tips and advice. This is often accomplished through participating in workshops with professional photographers who you admire.
I hope that helps you out a bit.