What is the best way to be a photographer?
Sunday, July 11th, 2010 at
4:48 pm
I’m really interested in photography. I haven’t gone to college yet. But I want to photograph weddings. Is it possible to do that without a degree? What can I do to be a photographer? Should I just start a portfolio? Or do I HAVE to get a degree in Fine Arts to be a photographer?
I’m obviously just starting and not really sure where to begin. Any advise would help. Thanks.
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Tagged with: fine arts • photographer • photography • weddings
Filed under: Baby Photography
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I am a photo student in Pensacola. Prior to starting that, however, I photographed two weddings. This is the way I would approached it. Read up on the subject– books dedicated to portraiture, lighting, posing, and photographing weddings. Get ideas for shots that are not "standard." Many people attending wedding nowadays bring their cameras and take snapshots. A couple paying you to be the official photographer expects a higher standard of creativity and control over your craft.
Use a camera with which you can work very quickly. I prefer a lens with a big zoom range so I don’t have to change lenses very often. In addition you use a flash for just about everything. Study the use of fill-flash to evenly illuminate your subjects when shooting an outdoor wedding during the day. I’d recomment using 400 ISO daylight-balanced color film for most of the shots (if you’re shooting film). And ALWAYS get your proofs processed at a professional lab.
As far as getting paid.. I have friends who shot their first few weddings for free until they could build up a small portfolio. Personally, I asked friends who were either dating or engaged to pose for me to get the practice. I gave them free prints for their time. Then I charged $75/ hr for my first two weddings (an absolute steal!!). I simply met with the couples far enough ahead of time to plan my shots and discuss my prices and costs.
I hope some of this helped. Good luck!
..start a portfolio…
You could bring some sample photos to an established photographer and ask them to hire you. That way you’d get experience and a good portfolio. People don’t want to give you money unless they know you have some experience.
Another good way is to do it for free a few times. That’s how I started my sewing business. I used their testimonials and photos to launch my web page and the customers saw that I had already done good work, so they gave me money.
That suggestion is fine ,start with giving free service.or start working for an established photographer without pay.(i dont think u like that?)
Also if u dont have yet,buy an SLR camera,better if that is digital too.Try hands on photoshop(or google picasa ) as editing is a must for todays photographers.Another quality editing software is google picasa(we can download free at http://angle-mine.blogspot.com ) u can try hands on this too,as its easiest for beginners and is a quality product too.U can atleast get the basic terminology of effects from this.
Last but not least …beleive in your ANGLE !