Checking in! I’m here to help with follow up!

Cheers,
Zack

First thank you all for donating your time for the event! I enjoyed the panel as someone that has considered working more in the photography business.

My question is in many typical startups/business situations you have some sort of start money perhaps a loan perhaps your own money something to get you started and rolling along. Do you find that many Photographers fund this themselves or is it something you to go a bank and ask for a loan?

Thanks again.

Excellent idea Mike! Thanks for being a part of that great panel discussion and continuing it here. The panel was a new idea for us at PhotoCamp and something we will definitely include next year.

@ Pat– Great question! I think funding a new endeavor can happen either way. It really just depends upon your situation and what type of photography you are getting into. The important thing is recognizing that you will need money to establish/sustain/grow your business — in my experience this never ends. There is ALWAYS gear to invest in, marketing plans to execute and another hurdle to overcome. Having a plan and realistic understanding what those cost will be to get going and what kind of income you can expect when you first “open shop” is important. As I mentioned, this will be different for everyone depending upon your own unique situation and what path of photography you choose. Let’s assume your vision is well defined and you have a reasonably strong portfolio. Have you considered these questions?

- What is your current situation? Do you own a home? Do you have a family you need to provide for? Do you know exactly what you need kind of income you need to bring in to “survive” each month?
- What’s your marketing plan? Who are your potential clients and how do you plan of reaching them? Who’s going to hire you or license your images? Who’s your competition?
- What kind of investments need to be made? Is a studio or shooting space critical for your planned business or do you shoot “on location”.
- Do you already own most of the equipment you need? By “need” I mean cannot do your job on a daily basis without–NOT what you desire. Two very different situations. Lots of things things can be rented including that lens you only occasionally use, studio space, lighting equipment, etc..

My suggestion is to ponder the questions above. Look at where you are, where you want to be, and what it will take to get a start. Be smart with the resources you have and realistic about your needs. I shake my head when I see photographers who are just starting out investing huge sums of money into the latest and greatest equipment thinking it’s the essential component to become a pro. A professional not only thinks about gear but also the business, how they are going to market, etc. Do your homework and realize establishing yourself will take time.

For me personally I built my business gradually with my own money. I never went out and got a small business loan. Instead I took it one step at a time. Prior to working full time as a photographer I worked on a construction crew swinging a hammer for a living. For me it paid more than other jobs that I could get without a degree. It enabled me to save up and invest in my business while I established contacts in the industry, built my portfolio/stock files and start making some money. I didn’t quit my other job until I was consistently licensing my work and had a fair bit of money invoiced out and a reserve built up to carry me through the leaner times. Since I was single and living on my own just out of college this was the best option for me. However, it still took a giant leap of faith. If you want, you can read more about my own journey here:

http://www.miketittelblog.com/2009/08/27/this-photographer’s-perspective/

I also have a list of books/resources that helped me along the way:

http://www.miketittelblog.com/2009/07/07/resources-for-aspiring-photographers/

Perhaps they will help you . . .

Please feel free to leave another comment if you have additional questions. Let’s keep this rolling . . .

I am 17 and really wanting to get into the industry, I have takin a photography class. (with TPS

My question is what is essential gear to have for doing an “on location” portrait/family photos?

Also about how much time do you spend in post-processing after a shoot? Do you edit all the shots or just a handful?

@ Zac – I think essential gear varies based on each individual photographer and their particular shooting style. I know someone who is a successful portrait photographer that primarily shoots with two prime lenses and a couple of inexpensive reflectors/scrims. He creates some amazing images with his very simple kit. That is the way he rolls and it works because that is the way he sees.

I on the other hand am not a portrait/family photographer but if I were I would want more in my bag. I would personally feel lost without my basic kit (12-24, 24-70 an 70-200) and a couple of small flashes w/stands to use off-camera. I would also have a second body for back-up and and possibly a small location lighting kit like the Elinchrome Ranger Quadra for some locations. For you it will depend upon how/where you like to shoot. Just remember–more gear will not make you a better photographer. Your vision is the most important thing.

In regards to post-processing–it depends upon what I am shooting and for who. For most of my stock shoots I typically work up a larger number of files since I submit a significant number to my stock agency and like to add as many as possible to my own archives. For assignments when I am under tight deadlines or shoots specifically scheduled to create new work for my portfolio I work up fewer images. Especially if the portfolio images require a ton of post-processing. Time spent on post also varies. It can be as little as a few hours for some shoots or days as in the case of my recent shoot in Hawaii.