New Career Direction

Getting on for 55 years old now but still have the enthusiasm of youth. However when it comes to financial decisions my capacity for getting things wrong is pretty constant.

I have done newspaper and wedding photography in the past but had to take on a less fulfilling career to pay the mortgage.

My question is; Given the predominance of camera phones and instant social media gratification, is there still a place for a mid priced wedding/portrait photographer in the market place. I would dearly love to to inject some finance, time and passion into a photography venture but just wonder how sustainable it would be for the average priced photographer.

I don't live in an overly affluent area so do you and others on here still feel there is a desire for professional photographers and can a modest living be maintained from it?

I'm passionate about making a change in my life before rigor mortise sets it and therefor ask this genuine and open question.

Thanks for any kind responses.

Mark

Mark7 said:

when it comes to financial decisions my capacity for getting things wrong is pretty constant.

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In this thought - you will retain your spotless record.

Mark7 said:

is there still a place for a mid priced wedding/portrait photographer in the market place.

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Sure, depending on market and one's ability to promote, sell, advertise, market, network, and manage a business properly. Of course high quality photography is an important part too - but the work is 90% business. 10% photography.

Mark7 said:

I would dearly love to to inject some finance, time and passion into a photography venture but just wonder how sustainable it would be for the average priced photographer.

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Depends on what "sustainable" means. Once you get past the initial costs of equipment to get started ($20K+) what ever overhead costs? Rent/real estate/utilities/supplies/employees/insurance/tax/accounting etc?

"Average priced" - how many XZY paid shoots does it take just to break even on all the above mentioned expenses? Don't forget your own hourly rate for at least 50 hours/week.

Mark7 said:

I don't live in an overly affluent area so do you and others on here still feel there is a desire for professional photographers and can a modest living be maintained from it?

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Costs of living are significantly less in farmland vs premium metro areas - prices people will ante up for photography seem to roughly follow. What is "modest"?

This is modest - The average In-N-Out Burger salary ranges from approximately $15,000 per year for Customer Service Associate / Cashier to $44,407 per year for Assistant Manager.

Mark7 said:

Given the predominance of camera phones and instant social media gratification

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You neglect to mention this - but it's worth mentioning. In the last 10 years - countless millions of "DSLR" cameras have been sold in big box stores or online, to novices who are quick to upload their snapshots to a free website and advertise themselves as professional photographers with their little kit cameras and button pushing level skill. In some circles these are referred to as MWACs (Mom/Man With A Camera) - they fill every demographic from teens to retirees.

Also in the last 10 years - One button "retouching" - Instagram type presets and lots of other features and trends to instantly make the least common denominator, somehow relevant.

This is your competition. The only way IMO to "compete" is to not compete by being vastly superior in all things and cater to those looking for premium work. Not so easy for a "modest" photography business though? Maybe you already own a retail building right by the local high school? That might help immensely.

You might do well to post your website as a followup to get opinions on if you are "ready" to go pro....

--
- Karen
www.karenengelphotography.com
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Thanks Karen,

That's a brilliant response. It made me smile, finance response, and contemplate in equal measure. You are completely correct in that, in any market, superior photography should always be my ultimate aim.

Your comments on the one touch processing really made me think. I have seen some terrific camera phone images done with one touch processing but they perhaps lack the insight a photographer may be able to provide on their subject with a bit more in depth presentation and processing. I will need to brush up on my photo processing skills so i can add my individual interpretation for any given shots but without getting overly arty. Others from the art world will always have a natural flare that i will be unable to match on that score.

You have given me lots to think about. I know that i need to make the change. I am restless and totally unfulfilled in my present situation. I need to channel my enthusiasm into action and your considered reply is, without doubt, helping me move in the right direction but with my eyes wide open.

Thank you Karen. Very much appreciated.

Mark.

Mark7 said:

Getting on for 55 years old now but still have the enthusiasm of youth. However when it comes to financial decisions my capacity for getting things wrong is pretty constant.

I have done newspaper and wedding photography in the past but had to take on a less fulfilling career to pay the mortgage.

My question is; Given the predominance of camera phones and instant social media gratification, is there still a place for a mid priced wedding/portrait photographer in the market place. I would dearly love to to inject some finance, time and passion into a photography venture but just wonder how sustainable it would be for the average priced photographer.

I don't live in an overly affluent area so do you and others on here still feel there is a desire for professional photographers and can a modest living be maintained from it?

I'm passionate about making a change in my life before rigor mortise sets it and therefor ask this genuine and open question.

Thanks for any kind responses.

Mark

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My brother was in the similar situation being able to retire from public service at a relatively young age. He was skilled wedding photographer and it lasted less than 2 years, he probably broke even, and had a very low average hourly wage. He did portraits and was also very good. This was about 5+ years ago and the landscape has already changed.

What I see in a fairly affluent area is many photographers that do portraits, weddings, etc., that range from very poor to pretty good. I know a couple of them on the upper end and they have what appear to be full time successful businesses. One is a very skilled graphic artist, photoshop skills, etc. and also has commercial business. I know one on the lower end that does it part time and suspect she is similar to the others on the low end that would never have enough business to do it full time. I believe she might charge $200 for a portrait session and number of digital proofs. She does not have a lot of business.

My take is that if you are an average photographer without any special skills, something unique to offer, or don't have many existing relationships that can lead to a lot of business it would be very difficult to make it a full time paid gig.

I was an IT developer for for more than 30 years until I retired at 63 last year. Photography has been a hobby for almost 50 years now, and I really enjoy doing community/pro bono work now. I have lots of models and my portraits are getting used for internet presentation and CVs.

This gives me tremendous satisfaction, but the people I photograph are either working for a benevolent organisation or unemployed and in job training, so if I didn't do it for nothing, it would not be done.

If your main reason for wanting to start a photography business is that you want to take more pictures, that might be an idea.

If you can't live with your day job, you have my sympathy, but that's all I can offer.

All of us feel this, in today's world, as we can have more possibilities of do a lot with photography, we are overflown with phones, MWAC's and this is discouraging, i'm beginning this journey at my 41 yrs, just like Karen said, is more BUSINESS/MARKETING than the art of photography itself, one needs to push the limits by doing best in camera image, off camera flash, doing post processing right, and everything phones, MWAC's CAN'T DO, and learn how to market yourself right, get educated on what to buy to get gear that would last and that you would actually use, so that you do smart purchases, it is achievable, we just need to put the time and effort in the right stuff, and yes WORK SUPER HARD

Mark7 said:

Getting on for 55 years old now but still have the enthusiasm of youth. However when it comes to financial decisions my capacity for getting things wrong is pretty constant.

I have done newspaper and wedding photography in the past but had to take on a less fulfilling career to pay the mortgage.

My question is; Given the predominance of camera phones and instant social media gratification, is there still a place for a mid priced wedding/portrait photographer in the market place.

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Tough.

My daughter does low budget wedding photography for people in the poor part of town. She gets as much work as she wants (wedding coordinators call her) but it would be very hard to compete with her on price.

I suspect that there are people like her in every town. The $$ barrier to entry in terms of equipment is now way lower than what it was even 10 years ago.

Today, you can shoot a low budget wedding, and produce a perfectly acceptable album for about $1,200.00 in crop sensor equipment. A decade ago you would have needed $12,000.00 in equipment.

There is a huge gap between what the pro's charge with two assistants, three or for full frame bodies and lots of lenses, and a dedicated video camera and operator and what she charges.

These are folks who otherwise would just have friends take photo's with cell phones, etc.

Mark7 said:

I would dearly love to to inject some finance, time and passion into a photography venture but just wonder how sustainable it would be for the average priced photographer.

I don't live in an overly affluent area so do you and others on here still feel there is a desire for professional photographers and can a modest living be maintained from it?

I'm passionate about making a change in my life before rigor mortise sets it and therefor ask this genuine and open question.

Thanks for any kind responses.

Mark

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Tedolph

Hello Mark,

I suggest you think long and hard about the change.

Business is about making money not about anything else.

I got disillusioned with the mining industry at age 36. I had only been in the game for 15 years, first 5 in UK second 11 in Australia. I had a lot of things happen during those 15 years which provided a lot of experience in a short time.

Anyway I pulled the pin on mining and went back to university to do post grad finance. That didn't work because I 'knew' too much and got bored.

Then one day I asked myself a question: "What would you do if you won the lottery?"

Thought of a few things but decided if I did I would set up a fishing lodge in NZ. I then realized that if I sold the grazing property I had bought as an investment I could swing the deal.

Three years later I had caught a lot of fish, divorced my wife, and gone back to mining in NZ, then Indonesia. Self preservation caused me to get out of mining in NZ, the financial crisis of 98 got me out of mining in Indonesia.

By this time my children were close to being independent so I ended up teaching English in China for three years while working on a PhD thesis in philosophy.

I'm now happy in my senility. The kids take care of me and I babysit grand kids and annoy people on the internet.

Point of all this is simple: don't confuse doing something you like with making a dollar.

Your absolutely correct in that not having many existing relationships makes starting up difficult. Years ago I got a lot of work through my work with the local newspaper. Sadly the newspaper is no more and time has moved on from the 35mm film I started back with then.

Thankyou for your thoughts. Very much appreciated and stored in my memory bank.

All the views expressed here are very helpful and Will help mould my thoughts on a way forward..

Thank you.

Mark

KE_DP said:

KE_DP said:

when it comes to financial decisions my capacity for getting things wrong is pretty constant.

Click to expand...

In this thought - you will retain your spotless record.

KE_DP said:

is there still a place for a mid priced wedding/portrait photographer in the market place.

Click to expand...

Sure, depending on market and one's ability to promote, sell, advertise, market, network, and manage a business properly. Of course high quality photography is an important part too - but the work is 90% business. 10% photography.

Click to expand...

Very sound observation but it applies to all professions of all types not on a regular pay.

For the business, I have heard from wise people that it takes at least a 1000 days of full-time hard work for any business to start kicking.You have to sustain yourself till then.

Thanks,

I'm probably a bit institutionalized given my present role but really keen to change. It is a huge step but learning and listening will help me move in the right direction with some sort of plan and all advice is welcome and helpful.

Fingers crossed and Thankyou.

You are right about the business aspect. One could be the best photographer in the world but get nowhere because you don't know how to sell yourself. Elon Musk states that about Nicoli Tesla. Great inventor but poor businessman...

Good solid sound advice.

Thank you and fingers crossed for the future...

Probably much of my market would be in the area you mention. Getting a good reputation is paramount as once achieved they know they will get better than guests photos for not too much of an outlay. Need to give them something out of the ordinary and thought provoking. Food for thought.

Thank you. All these reply's help mould and amend my thought process.

That's a great story and one i can identify with in a number of areas. Life is an adventure and being true to ones soul probably gives most contentment in the long run. Sometimes however collateral damage occurs until we find what we want and true contentment. I've been there too.

I take on board all of your thoughts and will dwell on them.

Thank you for your insight.