Becoming a Professional Photographer

It is what I would consider a strange and difficult transition, but after doing Photography for as long as I have, I have decided to step up to the plate and become a little more legit about how I run things.

In the past, I have considered myself a newbie student with fancy camera equipment who liked to do favors for friends. I have always loved shooting for friends and family. The two problems I have always faced that have been brick barriers for me have been:

a.) I haven't known what to do with the images once they left the camera besides leave them completely unedited. (which doesn't look so hot)

b.) Without access to a trustworthy printer, I have just handed people JPEG images on discs, wide open, unedited, foolishly.

There are a couple of problems with well, these problems. To advance as a photographer, you must know your way around some photo software. Also, by handing out free photos as JPEGs, I have no way to pay for all this camera equipment, thus leaving me as a confused exhausted broke photographer, who just shot a bunch of photos for friends, for free, with thousands of dollars of (not so free) gear. Not only is this limiting, it has no future. It's just not right to go halfway on something like this and pour thousands of dollars of gear into something, only to limit yourself from developing any real potential.

So after a lot of work, a lot of free jobs, a lot of learning and a lot of money, I have prepared myself to develop (photo pun) into a professional photographer. I have spent the time on the education, the effort on the skills, and the dedication on the frustrations along the way, and am now prepared to really hit this career seriously. After purchasing the Adobe Master Collection last Spring and spending an entire summer shooting, not to mention years of previous preparation, I feel ready. I do not, however, feel done. I am still a learner, still a student, still eager to soak up more knowledge. I am only carrying myself with more professionalism now.

So, open up the doors! Let the music play! I'm no downtown studio business, but I am a trained legit photographer, thanks to the mentoring from what I would consider the finest friends a photographer could ask for. I am not here to take away from the hands that have fed me, but to join the roster as a new pro photog in the field. I am excited about the places I will be going, the plans that have been laid, and most importantly, what has not been shown to me yet. Thank you for supporting my spirits by reading this blog. I appreciate your support through reading and hope to appreciate your time. Drop a line, leave a hint. I've got work lined up and I'm ready for more. I can't wait to see where the lens will point next.