August 2011 - How to go Pro : Part 1

So you want to go pro. Fair enough. Photography is presumably a passion, so why not make it your livelihood? Lots of people have. Back in 1981 I was an out of work ex-Merchant Navy officer scraping an occasional living cleaning windows, dreaming of a life as a travelling photographer. Now, 30 years later, well, you get the picture; dreams can come true. But, and there’s going to be quite a few buts in this piece, there’s a price to be paid. No one is ever going to pretend it’s easy. For those of you aspiring to a photographic career there’s good news, bad news, and a whole load of penetrating questions to be asked.

Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue, the Seychelles. The perks of the job are obvious, but the first commissions may not be so exotic as shooting tropical paradises.

So let’s look at how to go pro. I’m going to use my own experiences as the template this month, but also in Part 2 next month use some of my fellow photographer friends and colleagues as case studies to cast some light on the many paths that can be taken to becoming an established professional photographer. And before you start furiously tapping out indignant comments let me just say this is an entirely personalised view. Next month you’ll be able to compare my views with a posse of professional photographers representing a whole raft of different fields, genres and backgrounds. One thing that comes through loud and clear when talking to my fellow pros is just how different we all are; with widely varying attitudes, ways of working, ambitions and viewpoints. And that follows through to how we’ve got to where we are now; there is no established career path in photography and every pro has taken a different route through the labyrinth of the profession.

But first we need to establish just who a professional photographer is. Clearly it’s someone who earns their daily crust with their camera. That sounds blindingly obvious, but there are many who call themselves professional who aren’t. A plumber who shoots the occasional wedding and flogs the odd picture to a magazine is not a professional. I’m not being pedantic here, or bitter; in fact good luck to him. He’ll certainly find out quickly he can earn way more as a plumber then as a photographer! He may make superb images, perhaps better than many pros, it’s just that he or she doesn’t have to juggle overheads and production costs against day rates and repro fees. I hope I haven’t offended any plumbers as we’ve a dripping tap that needs attention but really there’s no such thing as a semi-professional; either you earn your living from photography or you don’t. Our plumber will view any dosh he earns from his photography as a bonus, whilst the full time pro needs to consider if that £50 repro fee even covers the cost of filling the fuel tank. It’s a fundamentally different mind-set; a professional photographer lives, eats and sleeps off the proceeds of his or her triumphs behind the lens. Have I put you off yet?

I’m not trying to discourage anyone, actually, just be realistic. So let’s have some good news. Globally our appetite for photography is voracious. Photography surrounds us everywhere; on screen, in print, advertising, the media, educationally, on the internet; you name it. Imagery is vital to our economy; everyone from banks to schools to firms who make tiny widgets to drill unfeasibly small holes need photography to inform people of what they do. And the lion’s share of that imagery is professionally produced. In the UK alone there are approximately 15000 photographers registered with the various professional bodies, and that number can probably be more than doubled. How many are active is impossible to verify, nevertheless it’s a significant body of people who earn their keep with their cameras. You will not be alone. That must mean there’s a living to be made, but it also makes standing out from the crowd incredibly difficult.

A farmer with his ducks in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. There is far more to this job then just cameras and lenses.

I went professional in 1985, straight out of Art College. The massive difference between the professional world of photography then and now is not the old film vs digital story, it’s the internet. It’s transformed the market for photography and opened up all sorts of opportunities to the entrepreneurial professional. Most businesses and organisations know that their website is crucial to all they do, and the best websites generate interest, sales and opportunities. One way to make a website stand out is to have the best photography. So the new media freed from the shackles of printing presses are permanently hungry for new content; the demand for imagery has never been higher. Couple all that with the opportunities for photographers to make their work accessible to the whole wide world and, in many ways it’s an exciting time to be a photographer.

So, it’s a Gold Rush for photographers now, right? Well, I did warn you a few Buts were on their way. The very accessibility of the internet has resulted in the world being awash with cheap or even free imagery. Whilst the potential outlets have proliferated the perceived value of photography has never been lower. Everyone has a digital camera, and many fancy themselves as photographers, desperate for any recognition. Just surviving in such a crowded marketplace where pictures sell for less than a $ and day rates are in free-fall is a permanent challenge.  But for now let’s remain upbeat. How as an aspiring Professional Photographer are you going to get started? Before printing your business cards and stocking up on memory cards you’ll need to ask yourself some searching questions.

Do I want it enough?

If you are going to make it as a pro there’s a checklist of stuff you’ll need, and unfortunately none of it can be bought at Calumet. First and foremost you’ll need bucket loads of self-belief. The determination you need will have to keep driving you forward not for days, weeks or months but years, decades even. You can reckon on it taking at least five years to establish yourself. Just surviving in this game is a huge challenge, and it doesn’t get any easier. Your reservoirs of resilience need to be brimming just to keep your head above water. After 26 years as a freelance I still don’t feel at all secure in my trade, I guess I never will. Neither do any of my chosen colleagues. It’s not a game for the faint hearted. If you want security and the peace of mind a regular pay check brings maybe you should think again.

But if you are contemplating the leap of faith you are obviously not afraid of a challenge or competition, and the flip side of all this is the deep life affirming glow of satisfaction of making it happen, being master of your own destiny, earning your living from your passion. The price to be paid is high, but the reward is priceless, if you get it right.

Can I be my own boss?

There is a moment that every photographer knows. You’ve been beavering away in the office for days, working on the never ending processing backlog, catching up with the books, paying bills, sending out e mails. After days of the same you’re bored with your own company and losing momentum with the endless tedious tasks. The phone hasn’t rung, nothing’s happening, you’ve no bookings for next week, no one loves you. Beside you on the desk are a pile of photo mags, all featuring incredibly successful, busy, creative photographers doing amazing things. Desperate for some human contact you ring a photo-mate. He’s heading out on a shoot, full of the buzz, riding a crest of enthusiasm; the sod. Your morale hits rock bottom. What’s next for you?

The church at Ingjaldsholl, nr Hellisandur, with the Snaefellsjokull towering above,  Snaefellsness Peninsula, west of Iceland. Being a professional means delivering the goods consistently, often against the odds. Clients aren’t interested in your problems.

In a nutshell how you deal with moments like this will determine whether you are to be successful or not. It is so easy to descend into a vortex of doubt. Having the resilience, faith and fortitude to keep plugging away, trying to make things happen is what self-employment is all about. Really the difference between success and failure as a photographer is often just sheer bloody minded persistence. Pretty soon you will know from experience that it only takes one phone call or message to completely change your perspective. It’s possible to go from the doldrums of despair to soaring elation in just a few minutes. This game is a psychological rollercoaster ride. You will have to just keep plodding on pursuing your dream through thick and thin.

Am I happy with my own company?

Let’s face it not everyone is suited to self-employment. There are many fine photographers who have fallen by the wayside because they simply couldn’t adapt to being their own boss. Persistent productive grafting always pays off; it’s as simple as that. What’s difficult when working alone is determining what is and isn’t productive. It’s so easy to spend a day tinkering in Photoshop or comparing different printing paper, but is it really going to help you generate some income? You’ll need self-discipline, a robust work ethic and a clear vision of what needs to be done today, tomorrow, and next month; easier said than done.

All photographers know well the highs and lows of self-employment. We’re all unemployable, too many years of being our own bosses has ensured that. The beauty of working alone frees you from distractions, pointless meetings and office politics to get on with what really matters. But there are times when having someone around to bounce ideas off or just exchange jocular banter is vital. Being a photographer can be a lonely existence. But it is not mandatory to work alone.

My business now has 9 people who keep things ticking over, not all employees but definitely part of the team. Back when I started working on the kitchen table in a shared house in Gloucester I could never have imagined being in this situation; it’s just kind of evolved. But employing Sharyn our office manager 10 years ago was a breakthrough for us; I very soon wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. Being responsible for someone else’s livelihood seems like an impossible burden to a sole trader, but the right person should help you earn more than they cost. Of course it’s not an option when first starting, but a bit of part time help with the admin for a few hours a week could be the best move you make, whilst providing a touch of relief from solitary confinement.

Do I have the necessary skills?

Do you notice that as yet I’ve not mentioned photographic talent?  Well, the world is full of good photographers, but unless you’ve the necessary business and marketing skills you might as well forget it. You’re going to be launching yourself into a crowded marketplace choc a bloc with hungry young blood. How are you going to stand out from the crowd, carve a niche and establish a reputation?  It’s all very well to think that over time you’ll be recognised for the quality of your work, but if you’re not getting the work in the first place it’s not going to happen.

The good news is you don’t need to be Alan Sugar or Richard Branson; this business stuff is mostly common sense. Few of us have been trained in marketing; we just get on with it, learning as we go. It all comes down to relentlessly pursuing ideas as to how you can make your photography pay. Many ideas don’t work, but some do. Ideas are the vital currency that will keep your business solvent, but only if they are converted into reality. Most photographers need to have something of the entrepreneur in them; there will be times when you have to speculate to accumulate.

A baker in the square in Visso, Marche, Italy. Persuasive people skills are essential for professional photographers.

And, as if all that’s not enough, you’ll need good people and communication skills both sides of the lens. I don’t care if you’re a wildlife specialist who spends weeks in solitary hides watching furry rodents breed, sooner or later you’ll have to deal with people to get what you need to do your stuff with big lenses. You’ll need to enlist all sorts of people’s help and persuade them to do things they really would rather not, all for the greater good of your images. Persuading a farmer in the Mekong Delta to drive his flock of ducks down a certain backlit track, placating an irate farmer on who’s land you are trespassing, coaxing a smile out of the world’s grumpiest woman, gaining access to a roof top viewpoint, helping a bride to relax, posing a craftsman with an attractive backdrop, pleading with a pilot to load all of your gear, communicating with crusty peasants with whom you’ve not a single word of common language; it’s all part of the game. And after the buzz of the shoot, back in the real world cultivating markets and opportunities you'll need to continue being a communicator, persuasive and lucid as you drive your crusade forward. Unless you haven’t got the message yet, there is far far more to this game then just making pictures. But let’s not forget; it is fun and incredibly rewarding when it all clicks into place..

Am I good enough?

Finally we can talk about the actual photography. You’ll need to be a superb photographer; are you? It’s difficult to be objective about your own work. Arrogance isn’t pretty, but self-deprecation won’t get you very far either. Quiet confidence tempered with being your own harshest critic is the balance to aim for. Your photography will have to be both of the highest professional standards but also unique and innovative. Beware, plagiarism stalks the photography world. Just copying what’s already out there in the market place isn’t going to work. Be honest, do your pictures really stand out?  Yes? Good, but be aware that there is an ocean that separates the skills that produced a stunning image of a beach at dusk shot on your Cornwall holiday and those a professional needs daily. Being professional means producing excellent pictures to order, usually working against often impossible constraints and deadlines. To be honest much of the time we pros are trying to make something out of nothing, striving to capture beauty and order from a pig’s ear of reality. You may think it’s going to be all palm trees and still lakes; sorry to disillusion you. Just to earn a living you’ll be dealing with shooting buildings under scaffolding, white van man parking in your background, leaden grey skies, portaloos in the foreground, obstructive security guards, stroppy jobs-worth’s, clients who can’t make up their mind, ugly brides and leering drunks. It’s a glamorous life. Seriously you wouldn’t believe some of the most unimaginably dull subjects pros have to shoot. And you will have to make them look fabulous time and time again. It’s a conjuring trick.

ss Great Britain, Bristol. The range of situations and technical challenges a professional has to deal with is never ending.

Technically a pro needs a wide range of skills to deal with the multitude of tasks he or she will have to deal with. Developing your photography as a hobby to an advanced level is possible, but not often relevant to professional applications. For example shooting a wedding is a complex, intense and demanding task. Dealing with guests, lighting and the weather whilst all the time thinking creatively to produce something that’s not just competent but outstanding takes huge professional commitment and skill. Those skills don’t come quickly, or easily. Can they be taught?

Should I go to College?

There are many very successful pros that have never had any formal photographic training or education. Going to college is going to take up 3 years and a whole lot of money. Also consider the fact that only a tiny percentage of the students who graduate with photography degrees actually go on to work in the profession. On that basis it doesn’t look like the best option. But, (always more buts!) there are advantages to biting the bullet and committing to a few years on campus.

I do have to nail my colours to the mast here; I went to college. For me it made all the difference. The 3 years I spent developing my eye, exploring different applications, eating impossibly hot curries and feeding off the collective creativity of the lecturers and fellow students were invaluable. That time spent making cock ups and experimenting was exciting, great fun, and all the time we were honing our skills on a very vocational, hands-on course. OK,  less than a quarter of the fresh faces first sat in the classroom in 1982 are now professional photographers, but amongst those who did make it are some of the best in their fields of fashion, food and photojournalism. Actually if you take any degree course the numbers who go on to use their education in their day jobs is tiny. Many of those on photography degree courses have come straight from school and are there more because it seems a cool course to do rather than due to a deep seated passion and commitment. You, full of determination, will be different. So here’s the rub; you will get out of a photography course what you put in. For me going back to college after a previous life at sea was a huge opportunity that worked out well. For many it doesn’t. And it has to be said we didn’t have to take out huge loans to do the course. The dynamics have changed, making it a tough call.

Next month our panel of pros will debate this further. Some of them did go to college, others didn’t. There are still lots of buts to be considered.

Where is the money going to come from?

Now we’re down to the nitty gritty. It’s Day 1 of your professional life as a photographer. You’ve a website and printed letterheads. The back bedroom has been converted into an office and you’re ready to go, waiting for the first call booking you for a shoot in the Seychelles. It may be a long wait, and sooner rather than later there are bills to pay. So where’s the dosh going to come from? Clearly just calling yourself a photographer isn’t going to result in the world beating a path to your door; you’re going to have to find work, carve a niche, create a brand and knock on doors. Where? How? No one can tell you. If I or anyone else could everyone would be doing it. Right from Day 1 you are going to have to find a way to turn your photographic skills into money, and you’re going to have to be pragmatic. The Seychelles trip may well come, but for now you need to feel lucky to be setting up the tripod on an industrial estate in Milton Keynes if it’s paid work. You need a vision of where you’re headed in this game, and a plan for how you’re going to last the first year. All of the skills we’ve already talked about will now need to kick in. But let’s come back to the essential practical consideration; where’s the money going to come from?

You could hawk your portfolio around magazine art director’s waiting rooms, knock on ad agency doors, advertise as a wedding photographer, hang out with the rat pack eager for Fleet Street’s crumbs, send all your pictures off to stock agencies, stalk Princess Katharine, flog your prints or besiege book publishers. You could do all of these things and more, but of course there are many doing exactly the same thing. Now is the time to be creative, not just with your new L series lenses but in the way you look for work. And no one can help you, or even suggest how it can be done. But (it was time for another) I do have a few tips.

Don’t be too proud. While a clear sense of purpose of where you want to be in the profession eventually is desirable for the first few years you’re going to have to believe that just surviving as a photographer is a huge achievement. Any way you can find to put the camera to work is a bonus. In my first few years I shot everything from cheque presentations to supermarket openings; grip and grin jobs with direct flash and Tri-X. Warehouses in Avonmouth, chicken take aways, shop fronts; you name it, I shot it, all for an hourly rate. But believe it or not you learn from every job, and those years in the trenches were indispensable. There are no shortcuts; most of us have inched our way up the professional ladder inch by inch, from Miss Millie’s Fried Chicken in Cardiff to La Digue in the Seychelles. It took me 9 years to make that journey, I reckon that’s par for the course.

Don’t have all your eggs in one basket. You may think the way forward is clear, but there will be surprises and disappointments. You will need to constantly keep on exploring new ways to earn a living, and the more fingers you have in multiple pies the better. You may for example be inclined to commit hook line and sinker to ploughing your furrow in stock photography, but it would be a risky strategy with the repro fees on offer in a market where supply exceeds demand. Whatever you plan you’ll need other options.

The caves at Cheddar, Somerset. Business wise it makes sense to be widely spread and not have all your eggs in one basket.

Never do anything for nothing. There are many who will ask and expect you to offer your services for free.  I was once asked by a magazine editor to write and illustrate a supplement on how to earn money from photography, with no fee on offer. The irony of that request was totally lost on her. The carrot of exposure is often offered as recompense for the absence of payment. It never works. Phone calls that start with the line "We don’t have a budget for it but..." are never going to be worth your while. Stick to your guns; you’re a professional. If you don’t value your services or pictures, no one else will. If barter is offered as an alternative to a fee make damn sure it’s worth your while. If you give away your expertise you’ll not last the first year.

Underlying it all has to be a deep passion for our craft. If that’s not there the commitment just won’t last. I’ve just one more thing for you to consider if before jumping into the deep end as a professional. You love your photography; it’s a joy, a hobby, an escape. It could be said that in its purest form photography is an art, and that mixing it with the nasty taint of money will pollute the enjoyment. You may lose your hobby in the pursuit of commercial success. Like I said, there is a price to be paid.

All of this may seem like the ranting of someone determined to discourage competition. It’s not the case, believe me. This profession will always need fresh infusions of new talent and blood. I realise I’ve been stating my case with almost evangelical fervour, but that’s what this game is all about; passion. It’s not a job; it’s a way of life.

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