Dear new photographer from a Goldsboro NC Photographer,

I was once where you are! Got a new fancy camera with a lot of buttons that I had no clue what they were for. I said how hard can it be? Look through the hole, let the camera focus, and then push the button. That doesn’t seem to hard, right? Now, lets look at the photo, oh man look how cute my kid is! I am going to post this on Facebook. All your friends comment at what a great photo it is and how you did an amazing job. Now you are thinking to yourself I will open a business! I can make money doing this.

Now, lets talk about how this business will go. You will most likely charge 50.00 a session edit them on whatever your software you have is and post to your new business page. After so long you will get burnt out with this model. I mean think about it. After you drive to this location say 20 minutes from your house one way, spend an 1-2 hours taking pictures of kids who don’t want to set still, then you drive 20 minutes back home. Theres around 2-3 hours of time that you spent which doesn’t even include the editing time. (I usually spend 3-4 hours on a portrait session in editing time). This puts you at 5-6 hours total for one session! The lets face it Uncle Sam wants his cut of that 50.00, then you have the insurance, and business license that you need to protect yourself. That is making less than your average McDonald’s worker and making you go in the hole because lets face it quality gear and props aren’t cheap! A good lens averages over 1k alone!

At this point when you are realizing you are competing with the other 50.00 photographers in your area you aren’t getting many people and you will want to give up! Don’t! Don’t give up! Take classes learn your manual settings, learn the exposure triangle, your white balance, the difference in cameras and lenses. Learn safety and do’s and don’t go photography. Learn how the flash on the DSLR you just got puts really harsh lighting on your clients which in return make it not so flattering.

Those digitals you are giving away and people are printing at Wal-Mart are a representation of your work. So when you have spent time to calibrate your monitor and spent countless hours creating art you want the colors and quality to be brought down? I don’t so I have stopped giving away my digitals. Its time for people to see my art hanging in their home the way I see this art that I have worked so hard to create!

I was at a point of I wanted to give up and just continuing photographing my kids. I didn’t want to keep going in the hole because I wanted new props, new lenses, a new camera body, I wanted to fly to New York to take a class from another photographer I admire. I want to make a living to help contribute to this expensive hobby, that I love so dearly, that has became a career for me.

So, New photographer DONT GIVE UP!!!! You can do this! It is hard and very rewarding. You can learn. Its not an overnight process but you will get there. Take classes, follow photographers that speak to you, create your own art, and love your art! Always create something that you would want to hang in your home!

Here are a few resources I love and have learned so much from:

Wedding Photography- Posing, Lighting, Editing: https://katelynjames.com/store#/

Seniors: https://hopetaylor.com/hope-taylor-education

Using your camera: http://www.youtube.com

Bella Ann Photography- Goldsboro NC Photographer