Pros

[Tinkerbell33]

Anyone here a professional Photographer?
If so how did you get into it?

Cos my friend Katie is interested in becoming a photographer, She's a fan of Herb Ritz.

 

[JessyD]

I'm currently working on my degree. She would have to go to an arts school of some sort that has a photography program. I'm looking at one in Boston then for backup or if I get scared about going all the way up there there is one in Charlotte and Florida. The program in Boston I believe is nine months. If she's got money to dish out there is the New York Institute of Photography, theres just no way I can afford to go there though. Good luck.

 

[Boss_BlueAngels]

I started my own business just a few months ago and have done tons of research on the topic of going pro. The biggest piece of advice that I have received from other professionals is honestly to spend your money on a business degree. 90% of your time spent being a professional photographer is on the business end of things. You'll find that there are many pros out there who never had any formal education in the art of photography, but nearly all have a good business background.

I don't mean to knock an art degree by any means--if I had the money I'd consider doing that. But I've heard it's important to have at least some business classes so you know how to run things yourself.

My advice right now for your friend is simply to get out and shoot as much as she can, as often as she can. Get a good background in as many forms of photography as possible, take the good pictures and post them on sites like betterphoto.com, fredmiranda.com or any of a dozen other sites for professional feedback. No photo anyone posts on those sites goes without some sort of constructive criticism--even between professionals. There is always something to work on.

 

[JessyD]

see my problem was I had no one to tell me how to get started. I was a business major up until this semester but I was told that if I got my assicoaites that I could take one class in photography and I would be certified, where as I was told that a business degree would be out dated by the time I finished because stuff in the business world was always changing, I guess it's one of the downfalls of starting at the community college level. No one knows what you need to get what you want. See I've taught myself everything I know, I just need something to help me with my manual settings.

 

[Boss_BlueAngels]

Yeah, I definitely know what you mean Jessy. It's tough to forsee things like that.

Just for the sake of not hi-jacking this persons post, I'll continue this discussion through PM.