Good morning. I’m Yawning.
Wait for no. That sounds like a Swedish name. I’m still B; I’m just quite tired. It was the second alarm that got me today. Today is my scheduled rest day (from training) and subconsciously my mind was like “fuck yo’ goals bitch, I’ma sleep-in.”
Ugh.
Today I’m going to talk about becoming a professional photographer because it’s something I’m really struggling with.
What does it even mean to be a ‘professional photographer’? I think that it means you are sought after and recognized for your style of work. And here lies my first issue – it seems that the photographers who command the highest rates have narrowed their focus to one or two particular subjects.
Outside of the big cities, can anyone really survive this way? I mean, I live in a fairly large suburb 45 minutes outside of Toronto and if I chose to photograph a beautiful woman I’d not only be lacking subject matter, I’d be up shits creek if I thought I was going to charge even average rates for my work.
So then my question is – do you select subject matter that exists in your immediate marketplace and gradually scale your pricing until you’ve reached the top of the market? Or do you attack the marketplace where your desired subject matter exists and scrub toilets to make ends meet while you build your name amongst the competition?
As I ask myself these questions, I start to realize the answers. So thank you for listening.
Let me break this down a little further because I’m two days away from my 90-day challenge and I need absolute clarity before I begin.
What Do I Love About Photography?
I love experiencing ‘the new’ of a shoot. No one day, no one person, and no one place is the same. And the combination of these ingredients has infinite permutations. I never get bored of experimenting.
I love the first review. Opening an SD card after a shoot and viewing the collection is like opening an entire box of Pokémon cards as a child. You don’t know what to expect but you fucking hope it’s going to be good. Inevitably, you know you’re going to take some bad shots. You know you’re going to take some that are passable. The bulk of them is going to be pretty good. And then there will be like 1-5 that you absolutely just fucking love the shit out of. I live for these 1-5 photos. I am obsessed with them. They are what drives me to keep learning and keep grinding.
I love when a client gets to see themselves in a new light and is blown away by the images we captured together. I don’t know if there’s a better feeling than when your client immediately switches out their social media profile picture for something you shot or shares a gallery and raves about their experience. It’s reminiscent of my personal training days when a client finally gets back to that activity they loved after experiencing a tragic accident. They just cry and hug you. And you cry and hug them back and it makes all the shit you went through to get to that point worth it. Truly serving the people I work with and having the opportunity to exceed their expectations is a thrill and has a deep soulful feeling.
I love when a few basic edits to a less-than-brilliant photo can create something truly beautiful. It’s strange how this happens. But it happens a lot. And although I aim to shoot the best possible image on the camera, sometimes the conditions are just not in your favour. Editing is a powerful tool and I hope to one day love learning the programs a little bit more so I can really make an impact.
What Do I Want From Photography?
Recognition. Not in the way of fame or fortune but I would like to be a name recognizable to a community of people who appreciate the craft and the work I produce. I have to wonder what contribution I’d need to make to get to this point.
Comfort. I want photography to provide a comfortable life for my family and me. I don’t expect photography to make me exceedingly wealthy – I have other tools for doing that. But I do want my love and investment in photography to offer a significant return of value.
Fulfillment. Photography has become an uplifting experience for me. When I’m shooting the subject matter that I want, it never feels like work. And at the end of every shoot, I come away with a plethora of new ideas, lessons, and ambitions for the next. Photography makes me feel accomplished and satisfied. I want more of this in my life.
This section wouldn’t be complete without the next topic…
What Do I Dislike About Photography?
I don’t like shooting more than two subjects. Family photos, especially with children, are tedious. For me, it’s stressful to manage the subjects while battling lighting conditions and shadows cast. Think you can keep a 2-year-old and a newborn focused for a single photo? Be my guest. It’s not for me.
I don’t like working with low-budget, high-expectation clients. This is a recipe for dread and procrastination. I imagine everyone probably feels this way but I can take it to the extreme by stating, it would take at least five zeros to get me to work with a bride on her wedding day. And I know this is an unrealistic price and I plan on keeping it that way. The biggest issue with these clients isn’t the photo shoot, it’s the post-processing and delivery. It’s a lengthy process, sometimes double that of the actual shoot and if I’m not compensated well enough, I find that my attitude around making the more nuanced corrections is quite poor.
I don’t like…
I’m distracted this morning. There’s too much going on and I’m a little agitated that I feel robbed of my morning.
My rituals become sacred. Even though this is new for me, I feel like it’s going to stick if I can keep it all to myself.
I’m going to take a break. I’ve been at this longer than I should be. If I can’t finish it up later today, I’ll be back tomorrow.
Goodbye for now.