"I want to be a professional photographer"

[Lovesandwich]

I found this on another forum, had a good chuckle.

[lokisbong]

How do you get good depth of field with that kit lens? I will not be taking my camera underwater. hahahahahahahahaha! Gasp!

[orionid]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I have a very expensive camera, it automatically takes good pictures for me.

[Uranus]

hilarious !

[Elsinore]

lol nice

[ennuipoet]

I LOL’d except for the part about giving photos away for free…that stung a little bit.

If I knew a better way to promote my stuff AND make money, I’d do it.

[Curious]

I LOL’d except for the part about giving photos away for free…that stung a little bit.

If I knew a better way to promote my stuff AND make money, I’d do it.

there is always stockphoto.com or whatever it’s called. there are (or used to be) other similar places where they show your photos to someone who is looking for NYC shots. if yours are chosen they get a cut. in my experience those places pick from shots you submit. they also rotate shots every ?? month(s).

my sister is the director of a small gallery (i know you’ve been told this more than once) where they have juried shows every couple of months. i’d bet NY has lots of small galleries that do that also.

and giving your photos away isn’t in itself a bad idea. the watermark over the center, not so much.

oh and before i forget, someone here had a deal with the local pub where they got hanging space. the pub got local art, the farktographer a place to show, and perhaps sell, their art.

[ennuipoet]

there is always stockphoto.com or whatever it’s called. there are (or used to be) other similar places where they show your photos to someone who is looking for NYC shots. if yours are chosen they get a cut. in my experience those places pick from shots you submit. they also rotate shots every ?? month(s).

my sister is the director of a small gallery (i know you’ve been told this more than once) where they have juried shows every couple of months. i’d bet NY has lots of small galleries that do that also.

and giving your photos away isn’t in itself a bad idea. the watermark over the center, not so much.

oh and before i forget, someone here had a deal with the local pub where they got hanging space. the pub got local art, the farktographer a place to show, and perhaps sell, their art.

The stock photo agencies are inundated with work and have become so selective it is actually easier to get published in a major magazine than to have them accept your work. The only works being accepted (aside from sheer luck) are from established photographers or niche shots. There are several less reputable agencies who take anyone but the terms are usually devious and draconian and the compensation laughable.

As to the gallery shows, that is what I am researching now. I’ve a strong enough portfolio now to start shopping it to galleries. I’m also hanging photography in my job’s waiting room and farming for event gigs. I’m dipping my feet in the water, but I am not jumping in the pool. The thing in NYC is there are THOUSANDS of photographers all trying to cram into limited gallery space, add that to four major photography schools/programs all churning out new photographers every six months or so and the market is saturated to the point of dripping off the kitchen counter. I’ve done comparatively well in the Web Media market here in the City with some nice exposure and started a decent resume of publications, but they have all been Creative Commons work. The point is well made that publishers no longer have to pay for good art because so much of it available for free. That is the way of the future, I think. The money is made in commission work, shooting specifics rather than shooting for art’s sake. I’m not complaining, it is how the world is turning.

[orionid]

there is always stockphoto.com or whatever it’s called. there are (or used to be) other similar places where they show your photos to someone who is looking for NYC shots. if yours are chosen they get a cut. in my experience those places pick from shots you submit. they also rotate shots every ?? month(s).

my sister is the director of a small gallery (i know you’ve been told this more than once) where they have juried shows every couple of months. i’d bet NY has lots of small galleries that do that also.

and giving your photos away isn’t in itself a bad idea. the watermark over the center, not so much.

oh and before i forget, someone here had a deal with the local pub where they got hanging space. the pub got local art, the farktographer a place to show, and perhaps sell, their art.

The stock photo agencies are inundated with work and have become so selective it is actually easier to get published in a major magazine than to have them accept your work. The only works being accepted (aside from sheer luck) are from established photographers or niche shots. There are several less reputable agencies who take anyone but the terms are usually devious and draconian and the compensation laughable.

As to the gallery shows, that is what I am researching now. I’ve a strong enough portfolio now to start shopping it to galleries. I’m also hanging photography in my job’s waiting room and farming for event gigs. I’m dipping my feet in the water, but I am not jumping in the pool. The thing in NYC is there are THOUSANDS of photographers all trying to cram into limited gallery space, add that to four major photography schools/programs all churning out new photographers every six months or so and the market is saturated to the point of dripping off the kitchen counter. I’ve done comparatively well in the Web Media market here in the City with some nice exposure and started a decent resume of publications, but they have all been Creative Commons work. The point is well made that publishers no longer have to pay for good art because so much of it available for free. That is the way of the future, I think. The money is made in commission work, shooting specifics rather than shooting for art’s sake. I’m not complaining, it is how the world is turning.

I had just cracked into the Albany art scene before I had to leave, and even there, it took knowing someone who was already established. There’s an open call for art right now, where the main requirements are living within 100 miles of Albany and the art is a knock-off or reinterpretation. I’m sure you could lie and claim Poughkeepsie.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185866751449078

/Aside from hundreds of seemingly independent local artists all selling high-school level paintings of lighthouses and Block Island, I’m pretty sure eastern CT doesn’t even have an art scene.

[Elsinore]

I LOL’d except for the part about giving photos away for free…that stung a little bit.

If I knew a better way to promote my stuff AND make money, I’d do it.

There’s context and situation to consider. I grew up with a guy who now owns a pizza place and who asked if I wanted to hang some art at said pizza place. There was no exchange of money involved, but it’s promotional and the guy’s a personal friend of mine (much like your hanging stuff at work).

In another situation, one of my photos won third place in a local photo contest, and upon publication I was contacted by both the non-profit board that oversees the memorial structure in the photo as well as the contracting firm that actually built it. The board wanted to use the photo (with credit) for their website and were glad to see the photo had already brought some interest to an otherwise not-well-known landmark. The contracting firm wanted to use the photo in promotional brochures. I allowed the board to use the image for free (they’re non-profit, they’re giving me credit, and I am very supportive of the symbolism of the memorial), but the contracting firm is obviously a for-profit venture and they’d be using the photo for their own promotion, so I charged them a licensing fee (which they didn’t balk at at all…I probably charged too little 😆 ).

Also check independent book stores and coffee shops…they often hang local art.

[bucky_bacon]

Oh that kicks ass.

[Curious]

ennuipoet you’re right the bar to entry is much higher now than it was. i was flogging my “art” in the early seventies when it was easier. and i still didn’t do well 🙁

my sister does know a lot of folks in her art community and gets invited to submit now. but it wasn’t always like that so hang in there. BTW she’s in a crowded market in so cal so i can understand what you are saying. also she doesn’t rely on selling her art since she is retired.

[ennuipoet]

ennuipoet you’re right the bar to entry is much higher now than it was. i was flogging my “art” in the early seventies when it was easier. and i still didn’t do well 🙁

my sister does know a lot of folks in her art community and gets invited to submit now. but it wasn’t always like that so hang in there. BTW she’s in a crowded market in so cal so i can understand what you are saying. also she doesn’t rely on selling her art since she is retired.

At the end of the day, it’s not about money, never was. It is about the love of doing it. Money would just be the cherry on top of a delicious, delicious cake…or pie if pie is more your thing 😀

[Curious]

At the end of the day, it’s not about money, never was. It is about the love of doing it. Money would just be the cherry on top of a delicious, delicious cake…or pie if pie is more your thing 😀

from ’71 to ’78 roughly i was around folks who either worked as photographers (not weddings) or were trying to break into it full time. for them too it wasn’t the money but the love of photography. some had jobs as staff photographers, some were going at it through darkroom work.

it’s the lucky few who can simply take photos they like and sell them. good luck as you pursue this.

[Author]

Posts