10 Tips to Turn Pro
 

Find your style, don?t copy others but get inspired. Have your own, be yourself.

Has for any kind of passion, you may want one day to leave with it by turning it into your regular Job. Here are some tips to turn Pro.

1. Passion

Remember that you chose this Job by passion. Photography is so wild to keep you up and running any time. Entertain yourself and this passion. Keep it alive by challenging you and keeping you out of your comfort zone.

Of course a passion is also about learning new stuffs. Don?t close yourself to new things but welcome changes and feed from knowledge.

2. Portfolio

I won?t say it enough, keep your portfolio always clean and UP TO DATE. People need to see your new work and you need to transfer your vision of the world to the world itself.

3. Rent

Don?t waste all your money in buying new gear or upgrading constantly your lences ? Well, it is important to have good gear. You can rent it instead of buying it for example. Once you have the money, you can decide to INVEST it.

Since it is your Job, you must think as if you were handling a company, with input and outputs of money. Don?t get bankrupt.

4.Balance

Chances are you work from home right? It is really important to maintain a good balance between private and work life. Since you work like if photography that used to be a hobby, you must get to the point to remove ?Photography? from your private life as handle it as a work life. It is not always as easy as it seems.

5.People Skill

Photography is also managing people. Speaking to people and putting them at ease is also part of a photographer job. How can you shot a woman if she doesn?t feel safe with you?

6.Business Skill

This part makes the difference between successful photographer and the others. You must realize that it is your job and that you are managing a company. The Boss (with a Big B) is you. Have a strategy and sick to it.

7.Be yourself

Of course, having a company doesn?t mean that you should change yourself to cope with the demand.

8.Persistence

It is not easy everyday, I know, but hold on, it will pay.

9.Be Generous

Most of my students does not understand this part. How come generosity comes with Business Skills ? Being generous does not mean through money by the windows or giving camera to people. No, it only means that you shouldn?t handle your business heartlessly. Prefer People skill from business ones.

Making a client happy brings you ten others.

10.Marketing

Last point but far from being the least, Marketing. You are a photographer that needs to be seen. Indeed, if you want to charm your future Clients you must have a way to get to them. You can implement marking by different meaning : Blog / Flickr / Twitter / ? and so one.


http://blog.nway.org/

Passion and sowing good karma seeds are definitely crucial...

Also, you forgot to mention: Don't let it go to your head

As anyone who works for themselves know: it's all a roller coaster ride. Enjoy the highs but accept and learn from the lows with humility.