So a lot of this module is based around the idea of becoming a professional photographer, that is, making photography your primary income. For myself, and others on this degree as well, this has already been accomplished, non the less its interesting to read articles such as "How to go freelance..." (It's Nice That, 2019) and compare my start up process to others in the industry.
In the photography industry, I feel that I fit in the "Domestic Professional" category of photographers, as Grant Scot (2014) would put it. That is, I work as a wedding and family portrait photographer. In the studio we also produce Newborn photography and a range of other genres that also fit around my preferred term of "Family photographer". I now work with my partner and our assistant, the business is running well and its nice to know that something I started when I was 16 is now providing full time jobs for me and two other people. I started as a freelance photographer, essentially taking any Job I could get my hands on, most of these revolved around event photography, family weddings, night club photography, etc, though I did get a chance at some more large scale jobs when I was offered the chance to officially cover The Swindon Pride event, it may not have been paid, but I got to work on a large scale event under my own direction, and with some high profile acts.
Bass Hunter at Swindon Pride 2012
Weddings and family portraits were not an interest for me at this time, but in the years to come afterwards I moved to Manchester, Cardiff, and then settled in the South Wales Valleys. Although I thought of myself as a professional photographer the real switch came when I left my job as a bar manager, and with no other job incoming, I decided to start attending wedding fayre's and advertising myself as a wedding photographer. It may be selling out, but I needed the money. The thing about throwing yourself into something your not sure about is that you don't leave any stone un-turned in trying to make sure you get it right, and I have learned from this that the best way to move forward is to take the jobs your not ready for. This later included taking on a studio style family shoot, leading to my hiring of a local hall and setting up a thrown together studio. The response to the images from this pushed my partner and I to open our studio, leading us to where we are today.
In the article by it's Nice That, Emily Stein notes "I got a studio as soon as I could, as there is nothing more depressing than working at home. Even if it’s a desk share and you have 2-3 days a week in the studio, at least you can get in somewhere with other creatives who you can bounce ideas off and you don’t feel like you are alone in the world, sitting at a desk by your bed in your PJs at 1pm". I couldn't agree with this sentiment more. Having a studio meant that I could get some work life balance going, It meant that when I was in the studio I focused, and I had set times to go home and so I had to get everything done before that time, meaning I was more productive. Admittedly, this has reversed somewhat in recent months due to a) the studio starting to get very comfortable meaning that we don't mind staying there later, and B) Getting a high powered laptop that comes home with me meaning that if I am thinking of work at home then I can carry on at my leisure and finally C) because this has been our busiest year for weddings and I have quite often had no choice but to carry on working at home in order to deliver galleries on time. But having my partner and our assistant in the studio with me means, just as Stein mentioned, that we can bounce ideas of each other and get advice on what we are working on.
In fact working with others is something I wished I had started doing much earlier. For a long time I never worked with any other photographers, I now see this as being a mistake on my part. I wish I had taken more time to work with other photographers as I feel I would have learned more and been able to progress further and earlier. I now work along side our assistant, who brings so much of his own creativity to the business, and we also have other photographers in the area second for us, witch again allows us to share in their creativity and expand what we can do in the business.
Of course, a studio doesn't come for free, and we count our self's very lucky that where we live there are benefits such as business rates relief, and in addition to that the rent in our area is very cheap to start with. Even with this though, we had to take out a loan in order to start our first studio, and that was sharing a space. It certainly wasn't perfect, but it got us started, and we made the most of what we had untill something came along that was better for us. if I was writing advice for the article by It's Nice That, I would recommend looking for loans from community banks and business charities, as the are much more understanding of the problems and challenges faced by small businesses, and will allow repayment at better and slower rates than mainstream banks. The community bank we worked with even went as far as to write blogs about us in order to help gain custom and revenue.
My Advice to start ups, from my own experience of becoming a professional photographer:
- Take any job that comes your way, its all experience
- Work with other photographers, "Second" or "Shadow" for them even if its for little pay or free, the experience will be invaluable, and do it for more than one photographer. If the chance to collaborate comes up, grab it!
- Get a dedicated space away from where you eat and sleep! Work life balance is key to good productivity!
- Don't be afraid of a loan, do be careful where it comes from. Community banks and Business charities will understand you and your business more than a mainstream Bank
- Its not easy and it takes ages, even years! PERSIST! and finally...
- Surround yourself with people who believe in you, and have confidence, you can do it!
Grant, Scott, Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (2014), CRC Press, p. 5
It's Nice That. (2019). How to go freelance: need-to-know advice from creatives who made it. [online] Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/the-graduates-2017-advice-how-to-go-freelance-170517 [Accessed 14 Nov. 2019].
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