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Posts Tagged ‘Fears’

Tips for Overcoming the 5 Biggest Photography Fears

26 Jan

The post Tips for Overcoming the 5 Biggest Photography Fears appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

overcoming-photography-fears

“Most inventors and engineers I’ve met are like me. They’re shy and they live in their heads. The very best of them are artists. And artists work best alone…” – Steve Wozniak

While fear can affect anyone and cause undue stress in their daily lives, creative people (including photographers and other artists) are often introverted and can be susceptible to fear more than others.

Whether it is simply a hobby, passion, or profession, photography involves proficiency in both the artistic and technical realms, creating a perfect environment for anxiety and fearfulness to form.

But like with most other things in life, knowledge is a powerful ally. Learning what anxiety-inducing things you might deal with, as well as what you can do to alleviate them, can help you with overcoming photography fears. It also allows you to better and more confidently enjoy the craft.

Let’s take a look at 5 of the biggest fears we might encounter as photographers.

1. Interacting with people

This is something I can definitely speak to personally. Many of us have difficulty being comfortable interacting and communicating with others for several different reasons. It could be anything from simple shyness or a lack of confidence, or in my case, social anxiety disorder, where fear of social interaction can cause physical symptoms and impede daily life.

Because photography is something we choose to do, we can also choose our level of involvement and what facets of the hobby (or job) we participate in.

For me, I know that I don’t always feel comfortable communicating with people. Because of this, I don’t do many portrait sessions as I know that communicating in real-time with the client is necessary to produce photos that they will love.

overcoming-photography-fears

Many photographers deal with the fear of interacting with clients. (50mm, f/4, ISO 100, 1/250 sec)

Instead, my photography focuses on landscape and nature scenes, which lets me be comfortable while enjoying my work. I take on the odd portrait job when I feel ready to do so.

Of course, many of us want to learn to embrace that fear and conquer it. The best way to do this is to expose yourself to the thing that makes you uncomfortable. Learn what about it makes you feel that way until you no longer have the same fear for it.

Work on becoming more comfortable around people on a small scale, so that you’ll be ready to speak confidently to your clients.

Know your gear well, and be knowledgeable about the particular service you’re providing. This will give you something stable to hold onto while interacting with your customers.

2. Shooting in public

Street photography is a popular form of photography, and some of the biggest names in our hobby dabble in it, at one time or another.

However, it also exposes the photographer more than some other forms and can make us feel nervous and vulnerable. This is because many people don’t care to have their photograph taken. Knowing that can make the photographer reluctant to open themselves up and capture the beautiful moments they see before them, for fear of being called out or confronted.

Many street photographers deal with these issues by using gear that is better suited for those situations. Small, light, and inconspicuous mirrorless cameras and smaller lenses are readily available. These make the photographer and their actions less visible. It allows them to be more comfortable and focus on making great images.

Fishermen walking down a long fishing pier.

Shooting in public, in view of others, is another common fear of photographers. (50mm, f/8, ISO 400, 1/640 sec)

It is also helpful and important to know the rules and laws regarding photographing people in public or other spaces. That way, if someone does confront you or question what you’re doing, you’ll be well-prepared to answer them.

The bottom line is to respect everyone’s wishes, whether it’s a legal issue or not. If someone is uncomfortable with you photographing them, be a decent person, and just stop. You don’t have to delete the images or anything that extreme, as they are your images, but don’t continue photographing them. An upset subject isn’t going to make for a good photo anyway.

At the end of the day, keep in mind that there are thousands of people out there right now, taking pictures of daily life, people, places, and events. Chances are, you’ll go out and enjoy the experience without any problems, and you’ll bring home some unique images.

3. Rejection and failure

This is a common fear for many people, and unfortunately, it is one that we all experience at times. Rejection of your work or failure to produce work that you consider great will be a commonplace occurrence throughout your relationship with photography. Even the great ones dealt with rejection at times, and they often used these failures to learn more and make adjustments to be even better.

Although there is nothing you can do to completely avoid rejection or avoid producing an imperfect image, you can certainly learn to cope with it and overcome photography fears.

A photographer sets up a shot with difficult lighting.

Conquer your fear of failure by tackling challenging situations. (iPhone, 4mm, f/2.2, ISO 640, 1/4 sec)

Firstly, don’t try to block out the emotions that come with rejection or failure. You need to know what it feels like and embrace that feeling. It will make you stronger, and you will be better for it.

Keep in mind that failure is an exception, not the norm.

Also, remember that repetition is the key to improving.

Tackle some challenging situations, such as a dark and challenging lighting scenario. Go through the possible solutions and execute them until you’re confident that you can solve that problem in a dynamic, on-demand environment.

And, talk to someone.

Talk to anyone who knows you and understands how passionate you are about your craft. Friends, family, and colleagues who lift you up and encourage you can provide tremendous help. They can remind you that rejection can happen to anyone, and is a learning tool to improve your skillset.

4. Cameras and gear

The title of this section might need a little explanation. Of course, we’re talking about the fear of using your cameras and gear, not fear of your camera itself! That would be weird.

The equipment we use can come in various levels of complexity. Regardless of your familiarity with cameras in general, it may inadvertently become another source of anxiety.

Fortunately, the days of being stuck with nothing more than a printed manual are gone (isn’t it nice when we still see them, though?). The current digital age allows us to learn everything we need to know about our cameras from many sources.

Blogs like Digital Photography School, digital manuals and online resources from camera manufacturers, Forums such as Reddit, and YouTube all provide endless means of learning about the ins and outs of your equipment.

A photographer takes a picture of a beach scene.

Knowing your camera and other gear inside and out can help bolster your confidence. (50mm, f/4, ISO 100, 1/640 sec)

The bottom line is, the more you know about the equipment you’re using, the more confident you’ll be in the field or studio. The more informed you are about the camera, the less an arising problem will shake you.

Learn all you can as early as you can. Like one of my favorite old sayings goes, knowledge is power.

5. Knowledge of business and marketing

Last in the tips for overcoming photography fears is our knowledge of business and marketing. Many of us have a fear of the business side of our passion for photography.

If you intend on working as a professional (meaning you make any amount of money off of your photography, regardless of your time input), you are going to need to understand the basics of how business works.

You need to know how to price your products and services, and how to interact with clients on all levels.

Again, through the wonder of technology, the internet is a treasure trove of information (often free) that can give you a good background and bolster your confidence with knowledge.

Many people feel that it’s tough to get a good working understanding of how small business works without taking classes or even having a business degree.

Fortunately, that’s not the case. A quick Google search will reveal many free blogs and other resources that can help you, and many of these are even specific to the business side of photography.

dPS has a great e-book on Going Pro – Making Money from Your Photography.

Fear not, my friends

Overcoming your photography fears may not seem simple, but I hope this article has helped you identify some of your fears and worries when it comes to being a photographer. Maybe it even pointed you in the right direction of overcoming those photography fears.

Remember, this is your passion, and you do it because you love to, not because you have to.

At the end of your day, there is nothing to be afraid of, because you’re doing something that makes you happy.

Are there other fears you experience that we didn’t cover here? Sound off below and share them with the rest of us. You’ll probably be surprised to find how many other people feel the same way!

The post Tips for Overcoming the 5 Biggest Photography Fears appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.


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What are your greatest fears as a photographer?

24 Jul

In light of two big losses in the creative space – first that of Kate Spade and then that of the much loved and idolized Anthony Bourdain, there are a lot of questions being asked in the creative industry around success and personal happiness.

Why did this happen? What could have triggered these terrible tragedies? How many more are silently suffering? Is there such a thing as too much success? And alternatively what does success truly mean to us creatives?

Taj hotel Mumbai India at Sunrise - What are your biggest fears as a photographer?

Before I go any further with this article I have to make some things very clear. This article is not intended to make light of the situation(s) that lead to the demise of either Kate Spade or Anthony Bourdain. If anything, I really want us, the creative industry, to really sit up and take notice of the challenges and difficulties we all face in achieving our own levels of success.

I still use my Kate Spade wallet. In fact, it was the first wallet I gifted myself when I landed my corporate job 15 years ago. There was something about the Kate Spade brand that really resonated with me at that time – it symbolized femininity, freedom, success, and achievement.

Anthony Bourdain inspired me to dream big dreams and instilled a love of travel and people unlike anyone else I had ever seen. The fact that both of these global icons were lost in such similar situations really pushes us to ask those difficult questions around success, hustle, and challenges that go hand in hand.

So let’s start by addressing some of the most common fears that we photographers face on a day to day basis.

Fear #1 – How to make money as a photographer?

Let’s deal with the elephant in the room – I don’t think there really is a correct way to answer this question. Just as there are hundreds of genres of photography – from the super-niche to the really broad – there are hundreds of ways to make money with your photography.

Some of the most commonly explored ones are around consumer photography services, photography education, product sales, commercial photography, visual branding, etc.

I am of the opinion that diversifying your portfolio to include a few different revenue streams is a smart way to do business as a photographer. Diversification not only gives you the creative freedom to explore different genres of photography but also encourages you to learn new techniques and skills.

Additionally, earning a steady income during the off-season helps reduce the anxiety around money.

Moody Summer Florals - What are your biggest fears as a photographer?

Florals as images for digital screensavers as well as postcards and thank you cards are a nice way to sell prints and diversify your photography income.

Fear #2 – How to learn all the required technical stuff?

Photography is as much a science as it is an art form. If you don’t believe me just take a look at your camera user manual. To really get good at the art of photography you need to understand the technical terms as well as the soft skills like composition, posing, communicating, etc. There is a lot of stuff to learn and understand to really excel in this craft.

Luckily there are many online classes as well as in-person workshops that teach and train you in various aspects of photography. While you can really learn a lot from free courses, articles, and videos, there is a lot of value to be had in workshops and classes. Not only do you get to connect with professionals in the areas that you want to specialize in, you also get to meet others who are in the same boat as you.

Don’t view other photographers as your competitors. Instead, view them as your peers. These are the people who understand you and the passion you have for this field because they have it too. Focus on building your community of friends, peers, and people who you can connect with when you have difficulties and challenges.

Having a strong support system is really important especially in creative fields.

Fear #3 – That you don’t have the right gear

Let’s break this down into one simple question. What does one need to create an image? The answer is a camera!

It truly does not matter what camera you have. Just google iPhone photography and you will find some amazing artists who are creating phenomenal work with just their phones. Similarly, if you search for photographers who use entry-level DSLR cameras, you will find many great photographers who still work with a basic DSLR camera and a kit lens!

You don’t need the latest full frame or mirrorless camera and pro-grade lens to create great images. Focus more on learning and understanding the technical skills than on the gear.

When you are just starting out, experiment with different cameras and lenses to see which ones feel right. Rent or borrow gear from other photographers so you can become good at creating great images no matter the gear.

For the first two years of my business, I only had one camera and one lens. I rented the gear I needed depending on the job which helped me keep my costs low. There are many ways of being successful without going broke.

Pelican Flying over the water -

You will need different gear to photograph wildlife than you would to do food photography for a restaurant. But that does not mean you need to go buy all the gear out there for each and every genre. Use the basics first and then add on when you are ready!

Fear #4 – That your work isn’t good enough

In any field of work, the only way to produce great work is to do the work. There truly is no such thing as overnight success. You might look at someone who seems to have achieved a lot (which is really subjective by the way) and think that they have it easy.

But you don’t see the true reason for that success. You don’t see the late nights, the hustle, the constant planning and execution, the anxiety over money, the failures, the challenges and the struggles. You don’t see them because they are generally not talked about openly.

So before you question how to produce great work, go ahead and consistently do the work. Get out there and photograph even when you don’t want to. Photograph in different lighting situations to understand light. Work with different subjects so you know how to interact and communicate to get the look you want.

Reach out and connect with other creatives and collaborate on projects. Everyone who wants to make it big is willing to do the work, are you?

Sunset on the water with a cruise ship

Great work – work that you are proud of – takes practice. So get out there and practice everyday.

Fear #5 – Not getting any clients, inquiries, and bookings

You can have the best portfolio, the best website and the perfect studio space. But it all means nothing if you are not getting a steady stream of inquiries and clients.

The only way to really get clients and bookings is to actively go seek them. One way to seek new clients is to put yourself out there as a photographer/creative artist. Network with people from different industries, pitch your work to your ideal clients, market your work effectively and the inquiries will come.

Sure this will take time but if you are in this industry for the long game then take the time to make a mark with your work.

Japanese temple in San Francisco

Fear #6 – That your portfolio isn’t diverse enough

Look, we all start somewhere and there is no shame in that. I remember when I first started building my portfolio I had a ton of pictures of my kids and those of my friends and family. I would practice every opportunity I would get with people I knew.

Slowly I started getting confident about my work and made it known that I was an aspiring family photographer. I didn’t focus on the sale but instead on building a network of clients. I networked with other photographers via in-person meetings as well as online forums and learned as much as I could about the business of photography.

Moody white flowers photos

So when you are just starting out, put yourself out there. Ask friends and family if you can practice your photography skills on them. Reach out to others and see if you can collaborate.

There is no lack of ways to build your portfolio – you just have to get comfortable with asking.

Fear #7 – Not knowing how to market yourself

We live in a very different world now more than ever. Everything is online and everyone is online. Traditional forms of marketing like print ads, radio, and TV don’t do as well as online and social media marketing.

Since social media and online presence seems to be the new status quo, make sure you have an online presence. And remember social media is all about being social! So make sure you are being social online by sharing a little bit about you and not just your work. Work on building a relationship with clients and potential clients because people will only buy from brands (and people) that they know, like and trust.

Invest in social media marketing and advertising as well as traditional forms of marketing. A lot of my work still comes from word of mouth and referrals, so make sure you are taking advantage of those channels as well.

Wedding couple against Chicago riverwalk background

Sharing and promoting your best work as part of your marketing campaigns is a great way to grow your reach and your business.

Conclusion

I hope these tips were helpful and shed light on some of the commonly expressed fears that others including myself regularly experience.

Please remember that you are not on an island without any help and nor are you the only one going through all these emotions and feeling of anxiety around your work. We all face these same issues time and time again.

The key is to objectively work through them and come out strong. If you are truly passionate about photography and want to make it a career, keep up the hard work and the fruits of your labor are bound to be as sweet as can be!

The post What are your greatest fears as a photographer? appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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DJI releases offline mode to calm fears over privacy and security

16 Aug
Photo by Aaron Burden

Earlier this month, drone maker DJI took a huge PR hit when the US Army abruptly stopped using the company’s drones due to ‘cyber vulnerabilities.’ The decision was revealed in a leaked memo, and DJI was left defending its privacy and security practices to a suddenly skeptical public. Today, the company takes its privacy efforts a bit further with the release of a ‘Local Data Mode’ that allows pilots to fly their DJI drones without an internet connection.

The mode was announced yesterday, and it does exactly what it sounds like: when enabled, it stops all data transfer and connectivity between DJI’s apps and the internet. It’s like incognito mode for drones.

DJI uses that internet connection to “ensure a drone has the most relevant local maps and geofencing data, latest app versions, correct radio frequency and power requirements, and other information that enhances flight safety and functionality,” but the company understands that not all customers need or want this functionality to be on all the time.

“We are creating local data mode to address the needs of our enterprise customers, including public and private organizations that are using DJI technology to perform sensitive operations around the world,” DJI Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs Brendan Schulman says in the press release. “DJI is committed to protecting the privacy of its customers’ photos, videos and flight logs. Local data mode will provide added assurances for customers with heightened data security needs.”

Despite the timing of the release, DJI has told the New York Times that the company has not been in touch with the US Army about its security concerns, and besides, this update seems to have been in the works since before the memo in question went public. Still, this ‘offline’ option feels like a win for privacy advocates and the military alike.

Local Data Mode will be available in DJI’s fleet of apps “starting in the next several weeks”—these include DJI GO, DJI GO 4, DJI XT Pro, DJI Pilot and Ground Station Pro. But be warned, due to some local regulations and/or requirements, it might not be available in all areas.

To find out more, read the full press release below:

Press Release

DJI Develops Option For Pilots To Fly Without Internet Data Transfer

New Local Data Mode Provides Enhanced Data Privacy Assurances

August 14, 2017 – DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, is developing a new local data mode that stops internet traffic to and from its flight control apps, in order to provide enhanced data privacy assurances for sensitive government and enterprise customers.

DJI’s flight control apps routinely communicate over the internet to ensure a drone has the most relevant local maps and geofencing data, latest app versions, correct radio frequency and power requirements, and other information that enhances flight safety and functionality. When a pilot enables local data mode, DJI apps will stop sending or receiving any data over the internet, giving customers enhanced assurances about the privacy of data generated during their flights.

“We are creating local data mode to address the needs of our enterprise customers, including public and private organizations that are using DJI technology to perform sensitive operations around the world,” said Brendan Schulman, DJI Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs. “DJI is committed to protecting the privacy of its customers’ photos, videos and flight logs. Local data mode will provide added assurances for customers with heightened data security needs.”

Because it blocks all internet data, use of local data mode means DJI apps will not update maps or geofencing information, will not notify pilots of newly-issued flight restrictions or software updates, and may result in other performance limitations. However, it will provide an enhanced level of data assurance for sensitive flights, such as those involving critical infrastructure, commercial trade secrets, governmental functions or other similar operations.

“We are pleased about how rapidly DJI’s customer base has expanded from hobbyists and personal drone pilots to include professional, commercial, government and educational users,” said Jan Gasparic, DJI head of enterprise partnership. “As more of these customers have asked for additional assurances about how their data is handled, DJI has moved to address their needs by developing local data mode to provide enhanced data management options for customers who want to use them.”

DJI recognizes the importance of data privacy to its customers. DJI does not collect or have access to user flight logs, photos or videos unless the user chooses to share those by syncing flight logs with DJI servers, uploading photos or videos to DJI’s SkyPixel website, or physically delivering the drone to DJI for service.

DJI publicly committed to protecting its customers’ data privacy in April 2016. In a March 2017 white paper, DJI became the first major drone manufacturer to advocate for protecting the privacy of drone users as the United States and European governments develop regulations to monitor drone flights. No other civilian drone manufacturer there has been as vocal as DJI in protecting the operational and data privacy interests of drone users.

“Local data mode will allow customers to get the most out of their DJI flight control apps while providing added assurance that critical data is not inadvertently transmitted over the internet,” Schulman said. “We are pleased to be able to develop local data mode as part of our drive to serve our customers’ needs as well as advocate for their interests.”

Local data mode has been in development for several months and will be included in future versions of DJI apps, starting in the next several weeks. DJI’s apps include DJI GO, DJI GO 4, DJI XT Pro, DJI Pilot and Ground Station Pro, which run on smartphones and tablets that control the drone or connect to the drone’s remote control unit. The local data mode feature may not be available in locations where an internet connection is required or highly advisable due to local regulations or requirements.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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On top of the world: Photographer faces fears to capture rare wedding photos

24 Jul

Photographer Brian Rueb was approached by two friends to shoot their wedding – a familiar proposal for many photographers. However, there was a slightly unusual twist in this case, as the couple planned to tie the knot on top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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5 Fears to Overcome When Starting a Photography Business

31 Oct

As you enter the field of professional photography, there is one thing that will become immediately clear. One of your biggest obstacles will be fear. You will worry that you are not prepared for a job, that you are not experienced enough, that something will go wrong, or that they will not like your images.

Business Portrait

Business Portrait.  Each photography job will have a different makeup and you should create a game plan going in.

This is normal and I have bad news for you; the fear will never fully go away. It will get easier however, and you will become better at pushing through it. As time progresses you will find yourself confidently going into jobs that you used to make you petrified. But even then, a whole new set of fears will arise as you move into more advanced jobs.

This can paralyze you, especially as you are starting out. It is the biggest obstacle that will stand in your way towards becoming successful. But fear not, because you are not alone. Even the more experienced photographers stay up sleepless the night before jobs.

The key is to harness that fear and understand that it is normal. It is good in fact, because it means that you are progressing and trying new things. It means you are doing something interesting that you will be proud about afterwards. As you learn, you will make mistakes, but it is how you deal with those mistakes, how you learn from them, and how you push through the fear that will be the impetus for your success.

Here is a list of my toughest fears to push through as a professional starting a photography business, and how I deal with them.

1. Is my work good enough? What if I’m not experienced enough for a job?

When you begin to think about starting a business the scariest question is whether your work and your abilities are good enough. You may have heard you are talented or that you have a gift for image making, but the reality is that being a good photographer is based on your experience and the amount of effort, thought, and study that you put into your work. Anyone can take a good photograph, but professionals learn to do it day in and day out in a variety of circumstances.

If you are starting out, no matter how good you are, you will have a lot to learn. It is important to know this. Everyone started somewhere. Spend time researching people who do the type of work that you want to do and figure out how they do it. Learn from them. Read about photography and settings and situations. Use websites like dPS to improve your skills. Before you do a job research what you want the photographs to look like and plan out how you will pull them off. Go into the job with a plan.

Portraiture

Environmental Portrait. If you are an introvert like me, interacting with subjects to get them in the right mindset will make you nervous. This will improve with experience and you should study other photographers to pick up tips on how to best interact with subjects.

If you treat your image making like this and put the work into it, even if you are not currently ready, you will be soon. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be when going into jobs and marketing yourself. All of the information is out there for you to prepare yourself, it is just a matter of doing it.

You will most likely look back on your work two years from now and see how much better you have become, and that is the point. Everyone had to start from somewhere and it is the prepared and thoughtful photographers who ultimately become successful.

2. Am I charging the right amount of money?

Pricing is an artform based on experience. At first it can be scary because you will not have any experience with it. Also, if you are not confident in your work or your ability, then how can you be confident in pricing your work?

If you are entering the professional world you have to understand that you are starting a business. You need a business plan. You have to charge enough to make a living. If you are making the commitment to do this, even if you are not fully comfortable yet, you still have to make a living.

Research other photographers in your area or field and figure out what they are charging. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and think about what they might be willing to pay. Create a pricing structure based on this and raise your prices as you become more experienced. Some jobs you will lose because you are too expensive. No matter what you charge, there are always people who will think you are too expensive. Do not let these people affect your opinion of what you charge. Other customers will pass you by because you are not expensive enough! That happens.

Portraiture

Environmental Portrait. Some jobs will be much easier than others but always plan for the worst.

Imagine you are hiring a wedding photographer with a budget of $ 5,000 and you like two photographers who seem like they have fairly similar experience, but one charges $ 2,000 and the other charges $ 4,500.  Which one will you hire? Some might hire the $ 2,000 photographer but many would hire the $ 4,500 photographer because they would assume that this photographer was more experienced solely based on the price they command. They would not want to risk hiring the cheaper photographer for the most important day of their lives.

Also, if people tell you your prices are too high, educate them on why you charge what you do. Many people who hire you will not understand photography. There are a lot of people out there who think photography is just about getting a camera, showing up for an hour, going home, and sending the photos. That is so, so far from the truth. Explain what you will be doing for them, the time and knowledge that goes into the job, and why it is priced where it is. Some people will understand, be happy that you explained it to them, and will then hire you. Some will not, but then you don’t want to work with those people in the first place.

Do not be afraid to lose a job because of price. That will inevitably happen and it should not dictate your pricing strategy.

3. Will my equipment break?

This one scares the heck out of me. What if something breaks while I am on a shoot? If you are creating a photography business, you need to have backups in place. A photographer plans based on contingencies. This is not only a vital business practice, but very important for your peace of mind and confidence.

Have an organized system for your equipment and bags and a consistent way of packing them for jobs. Have a backup of everything. If you do the same job regularly, then it is worth it to purchase two of everything that you use regularly. You can consider renting equipment for jobs that you do not do as frequently.

5-engagement

4. The neverending job and difficult clients

I used to have a big problem taking jobs that I shouldn’t have gotten involved in. I would be flattered that someone wanted to hire me and I hated to turn down income, particularly during the lean times. This became a huge problem, especially with the difficult clients who kept changing the job parameters and asking for more. This mistake cost me a lot of time and ultimately money.

Your time is valuable and certain jobs, particularly when you are starting, will not be worth your time. If you are starting a photography business you need to build up a steady stream of clients and having one take up an inordinate amount of your time, particularly if they are not paying you well, is just not worth it. You could be spending that valuable time marketing yourself and building your knowledge and business.

Always get all of the information up front from the client before you quote a price and size them up. It can be obvious, sometimes right away, when a client will be difficult. When you get all of the details stated up front, if the parameters of the job happen to change later in the process, then you will have the grounds to ask for more money for the extra work they are asking you to do. This will keep clients from taking advantage of your time and asking for more than what was agreed upon. Sometimes they will not even remember what they had asked for at the beginning.

An engagement portrait. Some clients will prefer more posed portraiture that looks like it came out of a magazine. Some will want both. The better you know your clients the better you can anticipate what the will want.

An engagement portrait. Some clients will prefer more posed portraiture that looks like it came out of a magazine. Some will want both. The better you know your clients the better you can anticipate what the will want.

5. Will the client like my work?

I have been doing photography jobs for a decade now and I still get nervous every single time I have to press the send button for the final images. No matter how confident I am in them, that fear is never going to go away for me. It might be the same for some of you.

However, it used to be more debilitating than it is now. At the beginning it would cause me to procrastinate and it would cause me to take so much longer editing the images than it should have. I notice that this happens to a lot of photographers. Newer photographers often spend much more time on the editing than the more experienced photographers. Some of this is based on speed and experience, but I find that the biggest factor is that the experienced photographers have their editing process down to a science. There is a structure to the way they do things that makes everything more efficient and having this structure also helps reduce the fear.

Create a consistent structure for how you edit jobs. Here is mine:

  • I first start by choosing my final selection of RAW negatives that I will send to the client. I go through all of the images in Adobe Lightroom and star everything that I think is decent as three stars.
  • I then take a break to clear my head and eyes and go through the three star images and make the best of that bunch four stars.
  • The four starred images will be the ones that I will send the client.
  • I do a second and sometimes a third round through, moving some of the four starred images back to three stars and making the best images five stars. The five starred images are in case I want to send a small edit of the top photos or if I want to access them later for my portfolio.

    Business Portrait

    Friendly and natural business portraits. When you need to create images that feel natural you need a game plan for how you are going to make the subjects feel relaxed. Think ahead of time about what you can say or do to achieve this relaxed environment.

Once I have this done, the path to the finished product is laid out before me. I then go through all of the negatives and get them to the exact crop that I want. I do this because I want to see the whole sequence of images that I will be sending to the client before I start editing the final look of them.

Finally, I go through and edit the images. The hardest aspects for me are getting the color balance, contrast, and exposure to be perfect. Also, one of the toughest things to do is to make all of the photos feel consistent. This is why I like to have the final edit of negatives chosen and cropped before I begin to work on the aesthetics. It gives me a clear path to get to this endpoint.

Do you see how an efficient system can cut out hours and even days of editing time? It keeps you organized and this organization is meant to break through any procrastination and worry about the final photographs. Then, all you have to do is stand up for a second, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and hit the send button.

Take yourself seriously, especially when you are starting out. If you are starting a photography business, commit to it. You are a photographer, you don’t do photography. You have a product that takes a lot of effort, knowledge, and skill. Your product has a lot of value and not everyone with a DSLR can do what you do.

Need more help with business? Try these other dPS articles:

  • 30 Things you Should Know to Help you Start a Photography Business
  • 36 of the Best Online Tools to Boost Your Photography Business
  • 5 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Photography Business
  • 5 Tips to Expand your Photography Business Skills
  • 5 Ways to Dip your Toe into the Business of Photography
  • The Ultimate Guide to Going Pro as a Photographer

The post 5 Fears to Overcome When Starting a Photography Business by James Maher appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Your Biggest Photography Fears (And How To Beat Them)

16 Dec

It’s not the quality of your images that’s stopping you from making more sales and building even a part-time photography business. It’s your fears. To get them out of the way and create the growth you deserve, you first have to identify them — then squish them. You’ll probably find at least one — and possibly five — of those fears here.

Fear of Specialization

This isn’t a fear that’s unique to photography; it applies to just about everyone entering an industry for the first time. You don’t know where the best opportunities lie. You’ve got an empty schedule book and no sales to your name. You’re afraid that stating that you specialize in one topic or one style will limit your opportunities. So you create a website that declares you’re available for any work at all. You offer portraits and weddings, seniors and baby shots. And you create a portfolio of generic images that are attractive but predictable. They have no particular style that marks them out from the competition.

That’s an approach that might work for a while. But it should soon become clear which images clients like the most, and are willing to pay the most for. Once you’ve figured that out, you can earn more by specializing. When Christian Keenan switched from news photography to wedding photography, for example, he stuck with the documentary style that had won him a World Press Photo award. His images are black and white. There are no formals, no family photos and no engagement shots. His approach is clear and it won’t suit everyone. Clients looking for traditional color photography won’t use him. But there are enough couples who want the kind of unique images that he supplies to make him one of the UK’s most successful wedding photographers.

Fear of Rejection

Thousands of outlets are looking to buy and sell images created by talented photographers. Photo editors at magazines care less about who shot the photo than what that photo will do for their readers. Gallery owners love nothing more than discovering and nurturing new talent. It’s what brings them into the business. The Photographers Market, a guide to publications, agencies and galleries that buy images, is nearly 700 pages long and in its print form could double as a house-brick.

Somewhere among those pages are enough buyers to keep you shooting and earning from your photography for as long as you want.

But to reach them you’re going to have to contact a lot of people who won’t want your photos.

They won’t want them because they don’t match their market or their readers. They won’t them because they already have a list of image suppliers that they’re happy to buy from or because they only buy from professionals or because they couldn’t be bothered to wait for your website to load.

They won’t want them because they don’t think your pictures are good enough.

You’ll hear all of those reasons and they’ll hurt every time you hear them. And every now and then, you’ll hear a yes. “Yes, we’ll take that picture.” “Yes, we can put your photo in an exhibition.” “Yes, I like that. Do you have any more?”

Rejection will happen. But it’s just something you have to hear to land acceptance.

Fear of High Prices

Take a look through photography section of craft site Etsy and you’ll find plenty of the kinds of images that you could shoot easily. There are pictures of places (which tend to sell well) and of people, of animals and of flowers. They’ve usually been carefully edited to make them more artistic and to suit the site’s buyers, but the prices for prints usually fall somewhere between $ 30 to $ 60.

It’s no surprise that if you pitch the prices too high, sales will fall off. But it’s also true that if you pitch them too low, sales will fall off. As one photographer on the site has told us:

It’s important not to lowball yourself even if you think it might help you sell at first (it usually won’t!). Buyers will only value your work if you value it yourself.

Demanding an amount for your images that would make you think twice about buying them can feel scary. But you have to cover your costs, including the printing, the framing and the delivery charges. And you have to show that your work is rare enough and good enough to be attractive. Look at what other photographers are charging in the same outlet and keep your prices in the same range — even if those prices look high to you. They won’t look high to the buyers.

Fear of Investment

Photography costs money. Cameras have come down in price but they’re not free and lenses aren’t cheap. Once you’ve laid out on the basic equipment, you still have to pay for a website, travel costs and advertising.

If you’re serious about earning from photography, you will have to make those investments.

There are ways you can reduce them. Time on Facebook can spread the word about your business cheaper than an ad in The Knot. SEO can win your site clicks for less money than experimenting with AdWords. Renting, borrowing or sharing a display tent can let you experiment with art fairs before investing in your own booth. Usually, what you save in dollars, you’ll lose in hours.

But rather than think about the amount you’ll be paying, consider the amounts you’ll be making when you land sales. Being willing to make those investments in yourself is the most important sign that you’re serious about earning from photography.

Fear of Commissions

There are two ways to make money from photography: you can create an image and try to find someone who wants it; or you can accept a commission from someone to shoot images that they know they want.

The first only carries a risk to yourself. The second carries a risk to the client. Come back from the wedding without the pictures the couple expects, and you could find yourself with a lawsuit.

Being willing to accept a commission shows that you’re ready to step up. You can start small: shoot friends’ weddings instead of giving them a gift or take pictures of the products made by a family business so that they won’t get mad if they’re less than professional. Start with commissions that either have low expectations or which can be fixed.

It doesn’t take more than a few successful, low-scale commissions to give you the confidence to say “yes” to the big jobs, beat your fears and build your business.


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5 Terrifying Photography Fears and How to Overcome Them Today

15 Apr

You’re walking down the street, sleek camera in hand. As luck would have it, a photogenic girl crosses your path, stopping at the curb long enough to pull her hair back. She is silhouetted against the glowing city light; this is the perfect photographic moment. You reach for your camera, frame the shot, and…she’s gone. You didn’t hear the click Continue Reading

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