BLOG SERIES: Myths About Going Pro
I’ve added a new & exciting series to my usual blog tidbits: a point-by-point response to Jim Harver’s 20 Myths About Becoming a Pro Photographer. His article resonated with me to the point where I couldn’t stop thinking about it for a couple days, so I decided to add my two cents in my own Carla-way. Please be sure to check out other parts of the series if you’d like to catch up!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
PART EIGHT: Everyone Tells Me I’m Awesome. So, I Am.
One Myth that Jim addresses in his 20 Myths About Becoming a Professional Photographer article is getting tons of compliments about your photography means you’re ready to shoot professionally. Ohhhhhh the good ol’ days when compliments paid the bills (those psychic soul bills, I mean).
I got so many compliments when I first opened my figurative doors. I felt like a million bucks. I was still building my portfolio, so I was doing free shoots all over the place: families, boudoir, events, even weddings. You name it; I was there. I got so many referrals, so many emails, so many calls to photograph anything and everything. I even got requests to publish photos in advertisements & magazines! I was giving out high resolution images all the time! I was *making it*.
And, oh, I’d never been so verbally appreciated. Everyone thanked me profusely, told me I was awesome, wanted me as their shooter. I mean, MAN, I must be sooooo talented.
And then… I announced my price list. It took me ages to carefully craft fair, justifiable, professional pricing, and I was so proud of all the research I’d put into developing my services and fees. And yet, I didn’t get a warm & fuzzy reaction to going pro.
Funny how, when you start charging, some people aren’t as psyched about your amazing photography.
Suddenly I wasn’t so popular, and not everyone responded to my “yes I’m available to shoot that — what’s your budget?” queries. Paying clients weren’t as overtly appreciative — and they had demands and expectations. My work went from being completely revered to being occasionally criticized, and I had to learn that I wasn’t being hired by someone simply to shoot whatever I wanted. Being paid for your work is wonderful, but you’d best remember that it comes with a TON of consequences.
The first shoot where my ego + general inexperience = a dissatisfied client was absolutely horrible. Horrible. I was surprised that this person (a business owner) didn’t jump for joy over the images I produced for him. Looking back, I believe I handled the situation well. I offered a new (free) shoot to see if we could better meet his needs. I (over)analyzed the shoot to death on my own, trying to identify the source of his disappointment or qualify his unhappiness in relation to the work I delivered. But I also see gaping holes in my performance. We should have storyboarded shotlists. I should have been far more familiar with his branding and the tone of the images he sought to convey. We should have brought in a stylist to manage the products and extras. And the list goes on — several more ‘basic’ approaches to a commercial shoot were absent from the preparation and execution of the shoot. As the paid professional, it was my responsibility to take control of the direction of the shoot, of course basing my guidance on the business owner’s input but, ultimately, trusting that my judgement was what had gotten me hired; and, as a newbie, I just hadn’t realized that yet.
So, yeah, it’s fantastic that your photos get a ton of ‘likes’ on Facebook and your neighbor cannot WAIT to have you photograph her son’s senior portrait. If you’re an enthusiast, the feedback and adoration may just be enough to keep you clicking away. But, as a professional… well, Cuba Gooding Jr had it right: Show Me The Money. And, in turn, I’ll show you professionalism, expertise, talent, and a skillset acquired by the best of all teachers: hard-won experience.
Myths About Going Pro
