# Any Professional Photographers out there?



## BullRed1 (Oct 19, 2010)

My daughter is looking to study Photography in college and I was wondering if someone could give advice on an area of study that would enable her to make a living... find a job when she graduates?

Any advice is greatly appreciated


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

First thought. I think the business end of photography is more important than the picture taking end. A good business plan should help make her business a profitable venture.

Second thought. Don't quit your day job if you are thinking about photography as a career. There is a lot of competition. These days everyone with a digital camera thinks they are professional.

Here is an example from last week's high school playoff game between Memorial and Cy-Woods. I wonder how many of those folks got the guys facial expression as he was catching the ball? 

Wish her good luck for me.
Mike


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

Try the Texas Photo Forum, A bunch of pros over there. There is a business section and what not.
http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum/


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

I would suggest getting a degree in business, journalism or graphic design and then learning photography on the side. I don't think photography is worth an entire college education. That time would be better spent on something else that goes along with photography. Anyone can learn to take good pictures, but actually knowing how to do something with it is far more important. Just my $.02


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## waverider (Apr 23, 2005)

Send me your contact info...I will be happy to talk with you.

I have been in the business full-time since 1995...I mainly work in the Editorial side of the business, but I do a bit of commercial and advertising work too.

Cheers,

Tom Pennington
info(at)tompenningtonphoto(dot)com


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Lots of good responses here. I worked in portraiture for a few years after college. I took something I had a true passion for and turned it into a job. Spent ten years away from it because I was so burned out.

The second point (similar to MTs) is that every Christmas the number of people with quality cameras increases and every one of them think they are the next Ansel Adams. While most of them will continue to take snapshots - the math says even the small percent that will excel will increase the overall level competition. 

I did a job recently at a rock bottom price because the shoot was challenging and well suited to my style and expertise. Despite it being a barely breakeven deal in terms of expense and time, I was still the highest of four bids and only got the job based on a personal recommendation from someone here on the board. Sure this was one job, but I think it's pretty indicative of this type of market.

I have had quite a few friends that have quit shooting because they used to do kids sports pics and now the mom's are doing them themselves.


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## fishyinadishy (Dec 9, 2010)

With any creative profession it is hard to make a job out of it. And of course, once you study something like art or photography, you want to do your own creative stuff and not the boring stuff that pays money. 

However, there is always a call for wedding photographers for example, or studio photographers, within local newspapers to cover events. If it is a decent college, they should also cover the business aspect of becoming a professional photographer and not just the technical side of it


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## Trouthappy (Jun 12, 2008)

Everyone now has a cell phone or digital camera and millions of pictures are probably taken every day. While at the same time the magazines have been folding fast. Many of the surviving publications are cutting corners by taking their own photos, or shopping around for $1 pics on IStock photo. So it certainly isn't worth going into college debt, to learn photography. 

I've been shooting for 35 years and have compiled some of the shots on my web site, called Seafavorites.com. Switched to digital cameras in 2000. Still shooting film underwater and have to scan the slides. At the moment I have 3,715 images on the site, almost all fish and fishing.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

I have two friends who graduated with photography degrees from UT, one with a masters. Two years out and neither is able to make a living at it without a second job too, and one of them is extremely talented. The one friend I do have that is a pro never went to school, and he does exceptionally well shooting commercial real estate and forensic photography for a couple of lawyers that do civil suits around poor construction. I think having a formal education is useful and good. But more important is finding a niche that you are good at, and to start establishing the social connections you will need for a successful career as early as possible.


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## BullRed1 (Oct 19, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your valuable input&#8230;. Everything I read kinda leads me to the same assumption. She also excels in writing and is also looking into journalism.


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## Galveston Yankee (May 24, 2004)

There was a second class petty officer who worked for me in the Coast Guard who was making about $4K a month doing wedding photography on the side. That was back in 1993-94 or so. 

There will always be a need for specialty work in photography. If she finds a niche, she should be able to make a living at it.


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