How many Pros in the Nikon section?

[Tomcat]

Who does this for a living, as their primary job, and who does it as a side job?

[Rooz]

side job. i dont think there are any pros on this whole board apart from cw.

[Cyberwlf]

I tell myself i'd like to become a pro, but then again i fear it'd turn me off photography if i did it as a f/t career :P

[K1W1]

Who does this for a living, as their primary job,

Jeff Keller? :D:D

[jcon]

Its my main job. I focus on In Studio Portraits for familes, Weddings, and parties. My main income is from Weddings.

On a little side note, there is a local photographer here that has been very successful for over 20 years, and he wants to sell me his business and studio(ive done some photoshop work for him recently). Since he is fully established, and Ive only been around for about a year... I am seriously considering it.

[erichlund]

I couldn't afford to be a pro photographer. You have to be way better than I am to make the money I do in Software Engineering.

[XaiLo]

How are we defining pro?

[K1W1]

How are we defining pro?


Like this I guess.



Who does this for a living, as their primary job

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

LOL K1W1.

I wanted to turn pro before I could properly guess how much I still had to learn.:(

Now a little wiser I'm happy to keep it as a hobby. I wish I could at least sell some animal photos or even a few shots of peoples kids in their natural envirnment. That's 2 areas of photography I think I'm ok at. I do't know how to access the market reliably and I'm now beyond caring to put in that effort. Still it would have helped pay for lenses.

[K1W1]

I do't know how to access the market reliably and I'm now beyond caring to put in that effort. Still it would have helped pay for lenses.

You could try creating a "pro" account somewhere like SmugMug that lets you have a dedicated URL and people buy images directly from the site then have some cards made up that you give to people with the URL of your site on it.
Fairly minimal investment and a bit of a shotgun approach but if you don't try...

I recently read an article about a woman in Brisbane who is making a large amount of money taking stock photos, you know the smiling receptionist with the headset on or the technical looking guy with the clipboard, that sort of thing. Apparently 4 years ago she didn't even know how to work a P&S then started with one, saw info about stock photo sales and the rest as they say is history. Now she employs several assistants and has a proper studio. One thing she does do is offer the "models" who in many cases are models free portfolio photos in lieu of payment.
If it rocks you boat start looking somewhere like Getty images.

[jcon]

One thing she does do is offer the "models" who in many cases are models free portfolio photos in lieu of payment.



Thats a fairly common practice with models nowadays.

[tizeye]

I wouldn't say "pro" but is an integral part of my business. I am a Realtor and generally describe myself as an advanced hobbiest. When I take pictures, I pay attention to issues such as compositon, lighting, allowable PP enhancements etc, that others haven't the equiptment or a clue. Obviously I use that as a competitive advantage when making a presentation to list a home. My individual photos, and visual tours, are the envy of the office, and for my officemates have held inservice training sessions. While home/landscape/documentation photography is central to work - really prefer nature and sports.

Way back in the film era I shot a few weddings but disliked the pressure - timetables and potential film errors. Now with the digital age giving instant feeback, thought about setting up a secondary business marketing to Realtors (including competitor firms) and potentially relook at the wedding/family and business portrait possibilities.

[Tomcat]

This is some great feed back. Thanks for the replies.

[Visual Reality]

Now with the digital age giving instant feeback, thought about setting up a secondary business marketing to Realtors (including competitor firms) and potentially relook at the wedding/family and business portrait possibilities.
This is a very good idea. Great photos can really help sell a home and there are so many "mediocre" or poor quality shots being used on house postings. Agents should really consider hiring someone who knows all the ins and outs of this type of photography instead of snapping a couple quick photos with their compact and calling it good.

I'm talking about the use of wide angles with sharp optics, very wide dynamic range through the use of bracketing and blending, and even place setting and composition. You could offer the whole works on a contract per-house basis.

[Classic96]

It's not my full time job, but I do have paid shoots just about every weekend now. Hopefully next year the economy will bounce back some and people will use more disposable income on buying photos.

[tizeye]

Great photos can really help sell a home and there are so many "mediocre" or poor quality shots being used on house postings. Agents should really consider hiring someone who knows all the ins and outs of this type of photography instead of snapping a couple quick photos with their compact and calling it good.

The problem is - agents are basically cheap! They put the money up front and if it doesn't sell, they are out of the money. That is what I capitalize on when their listing expires. Redefine "what is your commission" to "those are your marketing $$ - what value are you getting?" (Or stated in the sales affirmative while nodding my head - "You want the most effective use of your marketing $$, don't you?" Then proceed to show what that 6-7% that they were going to pay bought, contrasting what I would do at the same price. It is unbelievable - only have the one mandatory photo to list not 10 allowed (free), 9 lines available for descriptive narrative to build up the property (free) are blank, or worse, selling out their customer with one sentence "Owner anxious to sell bring all offers". No visual tour ($75-100). Then there is the quality of the photos taken. I've even seen driveby photos, shadow showing never got out of the car and holding a cell phone camera out!

This is where it gets dicey - using their photos against them. In theory, if they are aware of it, they can hide behind copyright protections and not be held accountable for their quality or sloppiness. That is why I show them in context of the MLS document and not broken out. One local real estate photographer (competition if I develop the sideline) apparently puts it on ignore as he has a "MLS Trash" page on his website with extensive examples taken from MLS. Also has a before/after as he re-shot the original photo. That would be asking for legal trouble.

[anco85]

Well, it pays the bills, if that's what you mean. I do set work for 2 magazines and 1 news paper and those 3 pay more than my fixed job. I feel my "permanent" job is my side line work :D

[Tomcat]

That's what I'm mean. I would like to make some money on the side to help pay for this hobby.

[K1W1]

Agents should really consider hiring someone who knows all the ins and outs of this type of photography instead of snapping a couple quick photos with their compact and calling it good.

Obviously the system varies but over here no decent Real Estate agent would dream of taking their own photos.
Sales promotion photos are taken by specialist photographic companies who do the work on a contact basis for the agents. Here the photos form part of the marketing costs for the sale and those costs are born by the vendor of the property who sits down with the agent at the beginning and works out how much they are prepared to pay to sell their property.

[JTL]

I shoot indirectly for money...but not all my money...and only in the past few years for hobby and enjoyment...mostly thanks to the good people here...:)

[Visual Reality]

Obviously the system varies but over here no decent Real Estate agent would dream of taking their own photos.
Sales promotion photos are taken by specialist photographic companies who do the work on a contact basis for the agents. Here the photos form part of the marketing costs for the sale and those costs are born by the vendor of the property who sits down with the agent at the beginning and works out how much they are prepared to pay to sell their property.
Then consider this low-fi Real Estate because here in Nebraska, all I see are shots "from the hip" so to speak. Not much effort put into it.

I could see an opportunity here (Nebraska), our housing market is fairly solid right now unlike most of the rest of the country...

[erichlund]

Despite all the packaging and other such stuff being thrown about here, there's only one thing that sells a house, the right price. A lot of agents don't understand that representing the seller means giving them good advice. An overpriced house doesn't sell. A correctly priced house does, with or without fancy pictures.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Thats like saying advertising doesn't influence purchasing decisions. I'm sure it does but in subtle ways. For example good photos may get more people in the door.

[ssil2000]

a correctly priced house that looks like an over priced house wont sell either, dont tell me marketing doesnt sell... you make it look like a good deal and like DPR said they will come lookin!

[tizeye]

Despite all the packaging and other such stuff being thrown about here, there's only one thing that sells a house, the right price. A lot of agents don't understand that representing the seller means giving them good advice. An overpriced house doesn't sell. A correctly priced house does, with or without fancy pictures.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

Not quite. There are actually three things (and I am not going to say "locations" 3 times :D ). Presentation, Pricing, Marketing and they are not independent of each other. No single action will 'guarantee' a sell, but omitting enhances the probablilty of no sale.

This probably illustrates it best. In my 3 county area there are 25644 homes for sale, and within the last 30 days, 1004 sold, and 1565 the contract expired unsold. Within those numbers, Actively for sale 18% had 1 photo and 39% had the maximum 10 photos with the remainder 2-9 photos. No accessment as far as the quality of the photos - just that photos existed. Of those sold, 1 photo dropped to 16% while 10 photos climbed to 42%. Of those where the contract expired unsold, 1 photo climbed to 21% while 10 photo fell to 33%

Obviously, you still need to have it priced right and presented in such a manner that it is inviting - people can see themselves living there. The photo is simply one cornerstone in the marketing effort to get them there. The photo is also a major weeding out. With so many homes for sale, if the initial search brings 25-50 homes, the photo is what helps narrow it to a more managable 5-10 candidates - and the more photos the better you will make that cut.

[eddie_dane]

I used to be a research photographer for the commercial real estate business. I do event photography as a sideline now.

[Cyberwlf]

I still would like to end up in commercial photography, but as a part time career once i've developed my photographic skills to a more mature level, something to get me away from full time work in IT ;)

[erichlund]

Not quite. There are actually three things (and I am not going to say "locations" 3 times :D ). Presentation, Pricing, Marketing and they are not independent of each other. No single action will 'guarantee' a sell, but omitting enhances the probablilty of no sale.

Been there. Done that. Never enjoyed it, so I got out (Best advice I ever took). You go ahead and believe what you want, but you can sell a properly priced house on a backwater, unknown location with little more than a sign in the yard and a posted listing. Good customers will seek out values.

The best marketing in the world won't sell an overpriced house except to a sucker. Sadly, even with all the information available, there are still to many of those.

I'm not saying a good photograph doesn't help increase awareness. But all the photographs in the world, and all the statistics about those photographs are meaningless unless you relate that to the value. You see, I'm sort of eclectic in my education, so I understand statistics. You can quote a bunch of numbers, but those numbers you quoted were meaningless because they didn't take into account the most important number, value.

Of the 1004 home that sold, a few were overpriced (them suckers again) and a few were underpriced. Of the homes that didn't sell, most were overpriced. Do the math, and you'll see that I'm right. There's way more than that, and we could go on for hours, but that's not about photography.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I niavely thought selling houses was about eliciting an emotional response from the girls. If you could do that then you'll get a relatively higher price within the range or correct market prices. Without that a lower price.

So "if" advertising brings them in then the numbers game gives you more chance of getting an emotional response from one or two ladies and more chance of getting a higher price.

I've never been a house agent so this is pure speculation on my part.

[K1W1]

Selling a house is exactly the same as selling anything where a family is involved.

Sell the house to the kids first (if kids exist).
Sell the house to the wife / partner / significant other.
The male is only the sucker who in many cases signs the cheque or the loan agreement and his role is to accept the decision of the kids and or female of the party.

:D:D

[cincyimages]

A pro is someone who supports themselves with their photography. I am not a pro but I sell a fair share of my photos.

[Tomcat]

cincyimages I like the pic's you take. Would like to see more of them here. afterall you did start this thread.

[LR Max]

I suspect I am a pro. My photographizing has paid for my school bill and the rent. All I ever shot (for dollars) was for a magazine. It was A LOT of fun but photography will start being a side job once I get a job in the engineering field (what I went to school for).

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

What type of engineering LR?

[LR Max]

I am a Mechanical Engineer and in two days I will know if I am FE certified! Engineering and photography: I am where the two meet on the other side :rolleyes:

[Visual Reality]

I am a Mechanical Engineer and in two days I will know if I am FE certified! Engineering and photography: I am where the two meet on the other side :rolleyes:
I'm likely going the same route, though Electrical :)

[Tomcat]

LR let me give you some words of wisdom:

Just because it can be drawn on paper doesn't mean it can be made in real life.

Don't overlap tolerances when designing parts that go together, unless they are a press fit.

Machinists can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Trust me I know.

Don't get carried away with close tolerances only where need be. Not all machines are capable of holding close tolerances.

Good luck with you new career.

[Tomcat]

cincyimages I like the pic's you take. Would like to see more of them here. afterall you did start this thread.

For got which thread I was on. Thought I was on POTD. Must have fallen asleep:confused: