armywag
Well-Known Member
Can anyone steer me in the right direction on how to become a photographer?
How did you do it the college route or the assistant route?
How did you do it the college route or the assistant route?
Is Anyone A Photographer??
- Thread starter armywag
- Start date
bex1984
Well-Known Member
I do a few bits of equestrian photography in my spare time working for a pro photographer at shows. I've only recently got my own camera and I'm really still learning. As soon as I got my camera I took pics of all my friends and their horses to get lots of practice, and I got into working for a pro by getting talking to him at a show and sending him some pics I had taken.
LittleSoph
Well-Known Member
Take a look at our website... www.bigimagephotos.co.uk
We are always looking for helping hands all over the place. Whereabouts are you? Or depending on how serious you are about it all, we are a franchise and are currently recruiting.
We are always looking for helping hands all over the place. Whereabouts are you? Or depending on how serious you are about it all, we are a franchise and are currently recruiting.
armywag
Well-Known Member
Wow that does sound interesting! Im in Surrey..and extreemly keen!
Twizzel
Well-Known Member
First off get some decent kit- you will need an SLR, and decent zoom lens (70-200mm f2.8 is ideal for horses and sports but pricey). Know how to work your camera in different weather conditions- low light, bright sun (the harshest light you can get), cloud, rain, you name it, we shoot in it!).
It's no good having 1 battery- you need to have at least 4 to last a day, and at least 4 memory cards.
Many pros will expect you to have a small portfolio, so go along to some shows on your own, take a range of shots of different disciplines- SJ, XC, dressage, showing, headshots are the basics.
Get some work experience- go along to shows, see the photographer there, ask if he needs a hand. I'm in my 3rd season of show photography and picked up everything I know about horses and shooting them throught the pros that I have worked for. Be prepared to do unpaid work in order to show the tog what you know. I recently was taken on freelance by a big show photographer down here- I did a day's work for free so that he could see my style and what discipline I worked best in. However it's landed me with a freelance job so I was more than happy to work for free.
Be prepared for long hours with no lunch break (think 10 hour days). It's physically exhausting being a show photographer, and very demanding.
Be prepared to work both weekend days if the tog needs you to. It doesn't look good when you turn down a show (unless you have a really good excuse).
I would advise against setting up your own business, the equestrian photography sector is full up and the competition for shows is high. Unless you're a well established photographer with a team of freelance photographers who can work for you, it's highly unlikely that you will secure shows to shoot at- and if you do they would be a struggle.
Will have a rack of my brains... but that's the only tips I can think of for now...
p.s. I went in through the experience route, learnt everything I know as I went along. I have no photography qualifications
It's no good having 1 battery- you need to have at least 4 to last a day, and at least 4 memory cards.
Many pros will expect you to have a small portfolio, so go along to some shows on your own, take a range of shots of different disciplines- SJ, XC, dressage, showing, headshots are the basics.
Get some work experience- go along to shows, see the photographer there, ask if he needs a hand. I'm in my 3rd season of show photography and picked up everything I know about horses and shooting them throught the pros that I have worked for. Be prepared to do unpaid work in order to show the tog what you know. I recently was taken on freelance by a big show photographer down here- I did a day's work for free so that he could see my style and what discipline I worked best in. However it's landed me with a freelance job so I was more than happy to work for free.
Be prepared for long hours with no lunch break (think 10 hour days). It's physically exhausting being a show photographer, and very demanding.
Be prepared to work both weekend days if the tog needs you to. It doesn't look good when you turn down a show (unless you have a really good excuse).
I would advise against setting up your own business, the equestrian photography sector is full up and the competition for shows is high. Unless you're a well established photographer with a team of freelance photographers who can work for you, it's highly unlikely that you will secure shows to shoot at- and if you do they would be a struggle.
Will have a rack of my brains... but that's the only tips I can think of for now...
p.s. I went in through the experience route, learnt everything I know as I went along. I have no photography qualifications
Happy Horse
Well-Known Member
It depends on what sort of photography you want to do. Whatever avenue you want to go down you must have a good working knowledge of the basics i.e. exposure, composition, depth of field, lens selection etc. You may find a college course helpful with this. Once you are totally competent with the camera I'd suggest you approach a photographer working within the field you are interested in and asking if you can assist them. Don't be surprised if you are bag carrying and fetching tea at first, you will still be learning.
I'd say it would be hard to make a living from photographing shows alone. I have done a few and they are long hours for often little reward.
I am a wedding photographer and most of what I have learned has been 'on the job'.
I'd say it would be hard to make a living from photographing shows alone. I have done a few and they are long hours for often little reward.
I am a wedding photographer and most of what I have learned has been 'on the job'.
armywag
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tips guys! Very helpful!
It certainly does seem that there is masses of competition to make a good living out of photography, but I think it will be well worth a try!
It certainly does seem that there is masses of competition to make a good living out of photography, but I think it will be well worth a try!
LittleSoph
Well-Known Member
If you're really are interested drop me an email. We definately have plenty of call for helping hands in Surrey. You'll see from our gallery we've had a couple of events your way recently and it's great to have a bank of photographers to call on for big events like sports tournaments, etc.
That's minimum involvement but if you're interested in the franchise side of it then fill in a form, or email us, and we'll send you a pack out.
Like you say, theres a lot of competition to make it work but a lot of the market is made up of part timers and semi-amtuers... nothing wrong with that, most of them do a great job. But being part of a franchise means you benefit from big nationwide contracts etc. that we're more likely to bag than other one man band companies because we have the facilities/man power to cope with it.
It's an exciting job, but demanding like Twizzle says. On Sunday I'm doing a celeb studded event for Toni and Guy in Park Lane, London, and am photographing Elaine Page, Anthony Costa, various actors from Eastenders, TV presenters, etc. Last week I was in Oxford, last month I was in Glasgow/Wales/Newcastle and we also did a charity event inside Upton Park (great seeing as my whole family are West Ham nuts)... so there's some amazing oppurtunities. All great fun and with our backing it's much easier to get going than if you'd go it alone as we'll give you the training and support you need.
Not that I'm doing a sales job or anything
That's minimum involvement but if you're interested in the franchise side of it then fill in a form, or email us, and we'll send you a pack out.
Like you say, theres a lot of competition to make it work but a lot of the market is made up of part timers and semi-amtuers... nothing wrong with that, most of them do a great job. But being part of a franchise means you benefit from big nationwide contracts etc. that we're more likely to bag than other one man band companies because we have the facilities/man power to cope with it.
It's an exciting job, but demanding like Twizzle says. On Sunday I'm doing a celeb studded event for Toni and Guy in Park Lane, London, and am photographing Elaine Page, Anthony Costa, various actors from Eastenders, TV presenters, etc. Last week I was in Oxford, last month I was in Glasgow/Wales/Newcastle and we also did a charity event inside Upton Park (great seeing as my whole family are West Ham nuts)... so there's some amazing oppurtunities. All great fun and with our backing it's much easier to get going than if you'd go it alone as we'll give you the training and support you need.
Not that I'm doing a sales job or anything