Are YOU Good Enough To Be A Professional Photographer?

admin | Jun 14, 2010 | Comments View Comments

I get emails from time to time asking about “going pro”. Most often someone is asking me to look at their images to tell them if they are “good enough”.

I don’t mind getting these emails. It allows me to talk to them, on a personal level, about what it truly means to become a professional photographer.

For a quick history: I’m not a professional photographer anymore. I used to do portraits and weddings for a living but I’ve now transitioned my career to a more “traditional artist” lifestyle. For some that may seem like a step backwards (yes I do make less money as a photographer now than I used to and have to work a “real job” to support my family). For those who have been shooting pros for a while it may seem like a breath of fresh air (no longer do I shoot what clients want me to shoot. I photograph the things that I want to photograph and have found photography to be a thousand times more enjoyable because of this). Just as any other thing in life it all depends on perspective.

Back to those emails.

What is “good enough”?

It depends really. It depends on so many factors.

The fact that you are asking if you’re good enough is probably a good thing. It may mean that you’re a little self conscience about your ability because you have done some research and feel you have a bearing on what kind of talent is required for your chosen photography vocation. Now you may be wondering if your work is on that same level of technique. If it’s not quite there yet how close are you to getting there?

If you’re looking to be a wedding photographer no doubt you’ve checked out the local competition to see who’s successful and what they’re charging, right?

When it comes to move towards being a professional photographer you have to ask these questions to yourself and be honest in your answers;

Am I a better photographer today than I was a year ago? A month ago? A week ago? You have to work tirelessly, especially in the beginning, to improve your craft as a photographer. Go to workshops, buy books, read blogs, practice techniques, familiarize yourself with your camera and other equipment, etc. The next photographer may be hungrier than you (and cheaper) so you have to prove that your vision and product are worth the price.
Would I hire myself at my prices? Why or why not? This is kinda hard to answer because I couldn’t hire myself to shoot my own wedding! In the beginning I was too expensive for my own budget and that’s a good thing. I wasn’t my target client anyway. This may not be your goal, and you have to consider factors such as; competition, region, and local economic trends. Many of these things can be tossed out but only if you understand why.
What draws you to wanting to be a professional photographer? Is it the idea of an easy living because I, and every other professional photographer in the world will agree, it ain’t easy. It’s hard work but it’s worth it if you’re in it for the right reasons. Truthfully, I tend to think that money is the wrong reason, but that’s just me.
Would you lose your love of photography if you had to do it everyday for someone else? This is the one question I didn’t ask myself in the beginning of my first photographic career. I knew that answer back then just as sure as I know it now. I honestly thought that I would have the time to work on my “personal” projects in my spare time but there was never any spare time. When I wasn’t busy with appointments I was busy trying to get them. Then when I WAS busy with appointments I was well…busy.

Good enough is never enough!

That’s the most important thing that I tell every one of these photographers in some way or another. The simple truth is that if you ever really start thinking that you’re work is good enough you’re probably getting close to going out of business. Photographers, the best ones anyway, work tirelessly on their photography business.

Not just their craft, although the moment you let that part slide you’re in trouble, they work on their business side.

Here’s an ugly truth that you may not know.

In a photography business you will most likely be working on the business part 85% of the time or more. The photography part is so small. You’ll need to learn about book keeping, marketing, sales, presentations, meetings, hiring staff, contracts, advertising, etc. It never really ends in the beginning. If that doesn’t sound like something you’d enjoy or be good at then you may want to pass on photography as a vocation.

Only you can answer if you’re “good enough” to become a professional photographer. But please, for the sake of those clients who are trusting your technical prowess in photography, be honest with yourself. Weddings only happen once (hopefully) and events can’t be repeated. Doing re-shoots is never fun and giving less than expected is never a way to make an honest living.

There is nothing wrong with finding out that being a professional photographer isn’t for you!

This won’t answer all of your questions about going pro and there’s not one way to do it because so many factors are involved. Hopefully this gives you a starting point though.

So…what did I miss? What other things would a photographer need to ask themselves before going pro?

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