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Got the talent... now i need the jobs. Hey everyone, I'm a recent graduate of Photography and have been trying and trying to search for getting a photo job somewhere, or working for a photographer and have had no luck. So now im forced to freelance on my own here and I just don't know how to go about getting the jobs i'm after. I would love to do portraits of any sort, including corporate headshots, or product photography for anything. I absolutely have the knowledge and talent to handle a paying job I just can't seem to get myself started. Another thing to keep in mind is I'm completely poor. zero dollars. so most of my promotional ideas hit that wall where I can't do them because I'm not making any money. any help is greatly appreciated.
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Jeffrey R. Whitmoyer |
In your situation I think the first thing I would do is head for the library nearest you. I'd be looking for business books in general and those relating to photography as a business and freelancing specifically. Also, grab a copy of Photographers Market, there is a wealth of information on potential buyers of photography. Another thing that I feel is important is to be absolutely anal about providing well written promo material. You don't have to spend a lot of money to promote yourself, you just have to make the best of whatever you have at hand to work with. Make it as professional looking as possible from the photos to any text. Mis-spelled words, punctuation errors etc. will create questions in the mind of a knowledgeable buyer. Most importantly, don't give up on yourself. If you really don't want to freelance, the same rules apply to the resume' that you send out to potential employers. Put yourself a notch above the competition. If you have a computer and printer, you can do your promo materials in house for minimal cost. It isn't necessary to go to an outside printer for cards, brochures etc. In quantity their unit price will be less than your costs, but in your situation you'll probably be putting a limited number of pieces out there for potential customers. Operating on a shoe string can be extremely tough, but it also forces you to step outside the box and look at alternate ways of acheiving your goals. Jeff
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Mark Feldstein |
I think I asked you once before, what else were you studying in school besides photography. Right now Doug, the bad news is you're standing at the end of a long long line of guys with talent AND experience who are working part-time as assistants and not making ends meet. As I've said here many times before, because of digital equipment and photoshop, cheap "talent" abounds these days. That's the reality of it. And, equally unfortunate is the fact that there aren't nearly the number of kind of mentors around who were in abundance back in the 70's and 80's when guys of my age were getting started. Confidence is important, having contacts is even more important these days. If you can find a start up publication, you might have a chance at assisting someone but it's going to need to be in a big city, you'll need more than one gig to eat and pay rent, and would do well to take the assistant course from ASMP there and register to assist. Perseverence is also important but in a market like this, even in NYC, Chicago, L.A., and San Francisco, the pickings are slim and the prospects don't want to spend any money right now especially on new work. Rather they're reworking the old art to fit their clients downsized budgets. Save your dough on promo materials. The market ain't quite ready for another Richard Avedon just now. The better news is that if you have some other skills you'd probably be able to at least find work using them in things like business administration, sales, or perhaps commercial art when the economy starts to heal. Read PDN online, Rangefinder Join professional associations, go to meetings, meet guys you can assist and get that word out. If you keep quiet and listen at meetings, you'll hear what we know the market is doing at the moment. And get that eye fixed will ya? Take it light. ;>)
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Pete H |
Doug, I'll echo Mark's advice. "How many photographer's does it take to screw in a light bulb?" 50. One who did the job and 49 who said, "I could have done that"
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