Thursday, April 5, 2018

Is Not A Professional Portrait Photographer Nanaimo Supposed To Be Glamorous?

By Ryan Graham


It has taken months of planning and preparation. There is electricity in the air. Or, it could be the unsettled anxiety brought on by the rain clouds still hanging ominously overhead. This is meant to be an outdoor event. The wedding planner s conferring with the groom. They are debating arranging shelter in the form of gazebos. The groom s hesitant, as that might interfere with the seating arrangements. The bride would not be too impressed. You empathize with them. But your real concern is how none of your equipment is waterproof! It is your first big gig. And you are already having doubts about running a professional portrait photographer Nanaimo.

At the outset, it comes across as quite a glamorous profession. You get invited to events celebrating very special occasions in people s lives. Everyone s dressed in their Sunday best, and you are included as the witness to the most memorable moments. And at the end, you get paid for it! Say whaaat? It is no surprise everyone with a digital camera and a pc are queueing up around the block trying to get in on the action. To some, becoming a wedding photographer would be winning the lotto. Little do they know, the odds of succeeding in the profession are just as unlikely.

Getting work in this field requires recognition. But if you are not working, how are you supposed to get recognized and ever acknowledged for your abilities? It is a standard catch 22. There is no simple solution to this situation. And why every artist knows that unrewarded talent is virtually a proverb. Oftentimes, one will work for years just building up the courage to finally put their work out there. Only for critics to take a savage dump on it from a dizzy height. But, take heed, it happens to everyone. Being criticized does not make you special, just pretty average. Being able to keep bouncing back from the criticism though, that is a sure sign of being on the fast track to success.

All one can do is keep developing their skills. And one day you will get lucky, with luck defined as opportunity meets preparation. It all starts with being prepared. If you are truly passionate about your craft, and make no mistake, photography is a craft, you will be taking every opportunity to bring your A game to the table. It is all about show and prove, so showmanship counts. It is not just about what you do, but how you do it.

In Japan it is said, The nail that sticks out gets hammered. But as a photographer, an artist, the success of one s trade is largely dependent on public exposure. Getting hammered simply comes with the territory. Hopefully, it does not come to that though. By meticulously catering to the needs of clients and, thereby, building relationships based on trust, they are usually glad to recommend you should anyone they know need a cameraperson in future.

Despite the financial implications, one should be wary of booking every person interested in one s services. It is typical for a cameraperson to only accept half the jobs they are offered. The nature of the beast is primarily relationship based. So, delivering clients a consistently high standard of service places some massive commitments on one s time. That is why the pros raise their rates. Overbooking, and therefore overworking, is a rookie mistake.

So, when a shoot scheduled for 5 hours becomes 10 hours because your clients insisted on your services at the after party, or an unplanned night shoot, scheduling conflicts are bound to happen. Especially since the most time consuming aspect of the work does not even happen at the photoshoot. Bear in mind, all their pictures will still need to be edited, processed, packaged, and, as per their request, transferred to a personalized photo album or flash drive. All this accomplished on your own time, of course.

One of the main perks of being self employed is it affords you the ability to set your own schedule. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. As much as you love your career, there is so much more to life than earning a paycheck. You owe it to yourself, and your loved ones, to dedicate at least a few days of your week to something other than turning a profit. After all, you are an aspiring artist and art cannot be rushed, so enjoy the process!




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