Can I have some career/photography advice?

Jackson

Jackson

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Please :(

I have a year left at sixth form where I am studying photography and art, as well as a science. I'm completely lost as to what to do afterwards though.

In my dreams, I would love to go professional with my photography but I'm not convinced I'm good enough to be successful and there are definitely better out there.

I also completely hate the format of the 'tog course I'm on at the moment.. I can't wait until it's over and facing something similar at a uni is something that I'm really not looking forward to/dreading :o.

I guess what I'm asking is how important is going to uni in a situation like this? My parents are all for me taking a gap year, learning to drive, working and saving up for bits of equipment and finding myself some work experience with a photographer and then seeing if at the end of that I want to go and study it further or even start my own business but I really just don't know what to do :(

At the moment, I've been doing some photo-shoots for people locally and also some painting commissions with a bit of success.

I'll leave you with some pictures that I would love some CC on. Facebook and HHO sort of kill the quality a bit but Please be honest :) I use a Sony alpha 35, mainly with a 55-200 lens for the horses.

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And for humour :p :
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I have some more I would love CC on but I don't feel comfortable posting pics of people on the internet without their permission. I would happily PM them though :)
 
Your parents suggestion seems sensible to me. Your photos look great and in deciding whether to hire a photographer I would base that entirely on your photos not on whether you have done a uni course. I think you would learn far more about whether it is a business that works for you if you go out and try it for a year before you commit yourself to a uni course that may not be for you with all the expense that entails.
 
Agree with your parents.
Your photos look ok. Love the sunlight glinting off the horses, and the b&w one is the most interesting for me. However you need to work on your composition. Not necessarily having everything dead centre, but just not cutting off the tops of ears or feet. Better to have a larger pic that you can crop a bit later.
Have you thought about having a facebook page to start displaying your photos? Perhaps contact events/event photographers and ask if you can photograph there just for experience (so as not to step on anyone's toes :) )
 
I almost went to uni to study photography, didn't get the opportunity to do it at A-level but got accepted and offered places purely because they thought my photos were of a good quality and that I had "the eye"! So even then, they chose me over people who had studied it because of my ability (I sound like I'm bigging myself up but I don't mean to!) The photography teachers there actually told me that it's not necessary to go to uni to do well with photography because natural talent gets you far, and I had a lot of people telling me to go the "work experience" route, to try and work alongside a photographer who could teach me and show me the way rather than going the university route and getting into a lot of debt etc, just to be in a similar position at the end of the 3 years but with a piece of paper to prove I'd done it. Not saying that uni is a waste of time as the courses I looked at looked fantastic and there were some really talented people there, and I'd have loved to learn more about the history etc - but you may have already done that at A level?
I think that your parents suggestion is a good one, you could always try it and at the end of next year see how far you've got / if you're enjoying what you're doing etc - you could always apply to uni then if you feel you want to do so, loads of people take a gap year to save money / have a think about what they want to do in the future (me included!).
 
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If you want honesty then really photography is not a good career to go into.

I know of 3 equestrian photography companies local to me that have been forced to shut down or my favourite of the 3 has stopped doing equestrian. I'm good friends with someone who is an amazing photographer and makes millions with his photos and really has an amazing job (royal wedding, olympics, Diana's funeral, James bond etc.) He even has said to me that if he would choose again he wouldn't go into photograohy and he tells people that it isn't a good career and is sadly a dieing trade.

I agree with your parents have a gap year try and get some experience with some well known photographers but have a plan B.
 
Stupid phone.... one that had done a degree n one that hadnt. The one that hadnts photography was breathtaking and creative! The one that had been wasnt as creative but was 'technically' perfect, if that makes sense. I personally think that experience far outweighs a degree and youll learn more by doing it with a photographer than trying a degree. Youll save a lot more too if you decide its not for you, uni is very expensive at the moment! i think your photos are fab, one thing i used to get in trouble for...your second photo, the horizon isnt straight (that came from the degree photographer!) and i used to get in trouble for missing/cropping feet out but i think thats more of a personal opinion, sometimes photos look better 'imperfect'. Hope that makea sense x
 
Thank you for your replies :) I've been working hard not to crop hooves and ears out, honest :p

Sorry, I tried to use the quote thing but it got a bit long and confusing so here goes :p

Unless I think of something better, my parent's idea is going to be my plan :)

Kokopelli, that's another thing I was concerned about. It's the same story here with two main photographers coming from just outside the area covering most of the events (They will be getting emails from me about work experience shortly!!) It's something I really love though, and if it's the route I go down, I will work at it until I DO succeed :p

I've just been emailing some local equestrian centers asking if I can come and photograph their events/competitions. The only trouble is, I don't have access to a proper printer.. do you think selling social networking images is viable? (these events wouldn't be covered by a different photographer so I think that's fair enough?)

I have a facebook page with just under 200 likes and before I went on holiday and was updating regularly, it was getting 7,500 views per week. I get more interest from my art on there though :)

(love your signature, pixie!)
 
I think you could get away with selling the images on a CD. You could send the low res ones for use online but also the larger hi-res on the CD so that they could have them printed if they wished. I think if you wanted to run it as a business youd probably have to offer printing eventually especially if you were to do weddings etc... :) i think with photography its best to keep options open with what kind eg. weddings, sport etc. Maybe visit a few race courses too n get some images and experience there :)
One more little thing, photoshop the hand out of your last pic ;) x
 
I was kind of in the same boat as you last year, done my gcse's and thought what now?! I knew I wanted to work with animals so I scrapped college, a levels, sixth form and all of that and for the past year I have been doing work experience with different animal rescues, vets etc etc etc. I have good GCSE'S so its not like I have nothing, but I dont plan on going back to college. I may when im older, its always going to be there!! My aim now is to get more work experience then a job :) I enjoy it much more and my cv looks amazing ;) ahahha, do what you want to do and enjoy it!!
 
Moon said:
I think you could get away with selling the images on a CD. You could send the low res ones for use online but also the larger hi-res on the CD so that they could have them printed if they wished. I think if you wanted to run it as a business youd probably have to offer printing eventually especially if you were to do weddings etc... :) i think with photography its best to keep options open with what kind eg. weddings, sport etc. Maybe visit a few race courses too n get some images and experience there :)
One more little thing, photoshop the hand out of your last pic ;) x
Click to expand...

Thanks for your advice! Laptop with Photoshop is currently dead ;):p I've cropped it out the best I can :D

I've been looking in to getting photos printed online.. I think I'll send off some of my own pics to different ones and see what sort of quality they come back as. The CD is a good idea too...
 
hollieeb said:
I was kind of in the same boat as you last year, done my gcse's and thought what now?! I knew I wanted to work with animals so I scrapped college, a levels, sixth form and all of that and for the past year I have been doing work experience with different animal rescues, vets etc etc etc. I have good GCSE'S so its not like I have nothing, but I dont plan on going back to college. I may when im older, its always going to be there!! My aim now is to get more work experience then a job :) I enjoy it much more and my cv looks amazing ;) ahahha, do what you want to do and enjoy it!!
Click to expand...

That sounds really interesting :D and it's especially great if you're enjoying it. I often sit at college wondering if I'm wasting my time and should actually be out there getting real experience..
 
I really don't think university will pay off - def take a year out and get some part time work to help your finances. I think on line photos are the way to go with social networking being so popular. Small local events are great to get to know people and give you an opportunity to hand out cards offering personal shoots. I personally like Matthew Seed's work which is beautifully lit.

Good luck!
 
monikirk said:
I really don't think university will pay off - def take a year out and get some part time work to help your finances. I think on line photos are the way to go with social networking being so popular. Small local events are great to get to know people and give you an opportunity to hand out cards offering personal shoots. I personally like Matthew Seed's work which is beautifully lit.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you :) I studied Matthew Seed last year! Sadly my horse didn't take too well to the flash I borrowed from college, but it's a lovely effect, isn't it?
 
Jackson said:
Please :(

I have a year left at sixth form where I am studying photography and art, as well as a science. I'm completely lost as to what to do afterwards though.

In my dreams, I would love to go professional with my photography but I'm not convinced I'm good enough to be successful and there are definitely better out there.

I also completely hate the format of the 'tog course I'm on at the moment.. I can't wait until it's over and facing something similar at a uni is something that I'm really not looking forward to/dreading :o.

I guess what I'm asking is how important is going to uni in a situation like this? My parents are all for me taking a gap year, learning to drive, working and saving up for bits of equipment and finding myself some work experience with a photographer and then seeing if at the end of that I want to go and study it further or even start my own business but I really just don't know what to do :(

At the moment, I've been doing some photo-shoots for people locally and also some painting commissions with a bit of success.

I'll leave you with some pictures that I would love some CC on. Facebook and HHO sort of kill the quality a bit but Please be honest :) I use a Sony alpha 35, mainly with a 55-200 lens for the horses.

I have some more I would love CC on but I don't feel comfortable posting pics of people on the internet without their permission. I would happily PM them though :)
Click to expand...

I really like your style of photographing horses! It's so easy to get it all wrong and look 'snapshot' like. Integrate the rule of thirds in artistic type shots, your first picture does this perfectly, and for proffesional event photo's always try and get up close centred pictures. I'd like your pictures for wall art, so maybe this is a possible avenue to go down?

Try to avoid blown out skies, keep the light behind you, make sure the subjects eye is visible and dead sharp and the exposure is perfect :)

The first one i would have knocked the exposure up a notch just to add a bit more brightness to the sky and lift the shadows.

The B&W is too contrasted, the background and the subject blend together, this is easy peasy to correct though so don't worry about it at all! I like your style!

At the end of the day, there is no point in spending what is now 3x£9000 + 3x£5000 which ends up as 40k+ on a degree that you do not 100% want to do. It's just not worth it. Look into going to a college, or attempt to be an apprentice to a photographer in the industry or in fashion. What you learn will be priceless in the end!


I sell my photo's now, not of horses but of everything, as stock, but its not worth the effort with how much you get back for them anymore. Funnily enough, this is my most popular picture, and its of horsey things! :)

598475_10150976802393117_1828702069_n.jpg


Good luck whichever way you turn.
 
I wouldn't say a career in straight photography would be necessary. A friend of mine works in post production, fixing people's shots for magazines. She has creative control and frequently gets the chance to use her own shots as well. I think there is perhaps more opportunity to expand a career with that type of background which would be helpful in lean times if you didn't have much photography work. The technology aspect would be useful for a lot of other industries too. Good luck! I loved the black and white one too ;)
 
JustAnotherNeddy said:
I really like your style of photographing horses! It's so easy to get it all wrong and look 'snapshot' like. Integrate the rule of thirds in artistic type shots, your first picture does this perfectly, and for proffesional event photo's always try and get up close centred pictures. I'd like your pictures for wall art, so maybe this is a possible avenue to go down?

Try to avoid blown out skies, keep the light behind you, make sure the subjects eye is visible and dead sharp and the exposure is perfect :)

The first one i would have knocked the exposure up a notch just to add a bit more brightness to the sky and lift the shadows.

The B&W is too contrasted, the background and the subject blend together, this is easy peasy to correct though so don't worry about it at all! I like your style!

At the end of the day, there is no point in spending what is now 3x£9000 + 3x£5000 which ends up as 40k+ on a degree that you do not 100% want to do. It's just not worth it. Look into going to a college, or attempt to be an apprentice to a photographer in the industry or in fashion. What you learn will be priceless in the end!


I sell my photo's now, not of horses but of everything, as stock, but its not worth the effort with how much you get back for them anymore. Funnily enough, this is my most popular picture, and its of horsey things! :)

598475_10150976802393117_1828702069_n.jpg


Good luck whichever way you turn.
Click to expand...

Hello :) Thanks for your CC and advice!

I will have a fiddle around with what you've said and see if I can edit them a little. How did you get in to selling your images as stock?
 
If i were you I'd take a gap year and speak to a local photographer you admire and see if you can tag along with them 'second shooter' i think they call it (?) defo learn to drive and you'll be be more employable in any field :D

I'm (at 32) only just starting to follow my love of photography only in a keen amateur way though i'd be really keen to see how you get on :)
 
nikCscott said:
If i were you I'd take a gap year and speak to a local photographer you admire and see if you can tag along with them 'second shooter' i think they call it (?) defo learn to drive and you'll be be more employable in any field :D

I'm (at 32) only just starting to follow my love of photography only in a keen amateur way though i'd be really keen to see how you get on :)
Click to expand...

Thank you, I had my first lesson today :p I will definitely be doing that :)

Good luck with your photography :)
 
There are lots of Stock Photography websites around, im a member of one of the 3 most popular, but for a basic download i only get $0.25 (its american!) And when you are just starting out, it takes a while to get to the $75 payout threshold!

The pictures have to be tack sharp at 100% zoom, or 1:1 on photoshop. A lot of the time it's the lenses you have that make up the quality for you. They have to be free of noise, artifacts and any fringing, not have harsh or uneven lighting and have high commercial value or they won't get through the lengthy review process. Composition also has to be spot on. It's a pain! And for all the hours we spend outside or in a studio to only get $0.25-$15 a download sucks badly! As a example i'll pop up a couple of pictures, one that sells very often, and one that very very rarely sells to give you an idea of whats good and bad in this aspect of the photo world!

About 3 seconds ago this photo sold for me -
stock-photo-fox-red-dark-golden-labrador-focussing-on-something-out-of-view-isolated-on-black-108018962.jpg


And this rarely ever, mainly due to the sheer volume of similar pictures available -
stock-photo-assorted-pills-displayed-with-opened-bottle-and-a-mixture-of-types-107962295.jpg



I have a photogenic dog, and every picture i have up of her sells a few times a week. Moral of the story is, find your niche and stick too it!

Good luck :)x
 
Hello!

I found this very interesting as I am professional wedding photographer.
The best part of photography is that there are many different areas you can go into.
I started off wanting to be a sports photographer but found it extremely competitive with lots of graft and small reward. I still do it for fun though as for me photography is as much about passion as it is money.

I didn't do any qualifications it was something I have fell into naturally and my business after two years is going strong and my work is being recognised by the guild of professional photographers and I am currently in the finalists for an award for breakthrough wedding photographer of the year.

I would say do everything you can to make your portfolio as strong as possible, yes get your qualifications but make sure that you have quality work to show people.
Do lots of free stuff! This not only builds your portfolio, it also works on your confidence in a working environment and you will gain strong references if your good. I did a year of free weddings to build up my word of mouth recommendations and my portfolio, it was hard work but completely worth as I barely have to advertise now.
A good website/blog is vital, also facebook and twitter are your best friends. It also wouldn't hurt to learn a bit about SEO (Search engine optimisation).
The main thing is keep on taking pictures and enjoying it!!!!
 
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