I never read the boring manuals of my camera or my printer. I just wanted to make money taking pictures and printing them for my clients. I’ve covered numerous outdoor photo events each summer. I wanted to start a photo business fast and quickly and didn’t want to spend time on reading or practicing anything. I already had my website up and business cards circling the town. So, what do I have to lose?!?
Photography as a physical skill is not that hard to learn. Photography as a creative passion on the other hand, takes more than knowing the mechanics. The greatest influence on my photography career did NOT come from photography training, but instead can from ART training. As a graphic art major in college I learned things like: leading lines, composition, balance, repetition, the rule of thirds, etc. As you apply these types of lessons to your photography, you start to pull away from the pack.
Gary Player, international golfer and winner of every major title over five decades always said that the harder he practises the luckier he gets. Human nature is not predisposed to practise or exercise. Anything that becomes hard work we seem to shy away from. If you want to get good at what you are doing then practise is essential. No one likes stretching or exercising those out of shape muscles. The tedium of exercise is what prevents more healthy and fit people in the same way as practise does with your camera. If you don’t bite the bullet and commit to practising you won’t amount to much with your event photography Washington DC.
Ever had someone you are trying to take a picture of that is way too uptight and tense? Getting them to relax can be a real chore. So what do you do? Make them laugh. If they are alone in the picture start making fun of yourself or telling jokes. If these are engagement pictures or group pictures get someone else to randomly start event photography tickling the person who is too tense. Bring laughter and fun into the atmosphere and they’ll be able to be themselves.
Another important point is to learn to receive feedback and positive criticism of your work. Let other photographers tell you what they think about your art. Either find photographers that are willing to tell you what they like or dislike about your images or simply post your images on the Internet and let people tell you what they think. There are some specialized websites that will criticize your photography and will give you tips to improve the work you are showcasing. Photographers are also doing the same thing as you so do not get feedback only from them, ask around, friends, family, co-workers, and others, ask what they think you will be surprise about their answers, but it will certainly help you improve.
The good news is, by now you know you have the skills, the product or service, you know there’s a market for it and you’re confident that people will pay you for it, so it should be easier to focus on the specific processes — sales & marketing, fulfilment and operations — that will turn your idea into a sustainable business.
Buy the Nikon D3000 DSLR digital camera. This beginner’s camera from Nikon comes with an in-camera guide that will teach you the basics of photography. It’s like carrying around a book or class inside of the camera. It is an entry level camera for those wanting to learn more about photography, take more professional cameras, and graduate up from the “point and shoot” camera. The Guide mode simplifies things for those just learning about apertures, shutter speeds, infinity and all that other camera lingo. The camera comes with the automatic system as well as the full manual control so after this smart camera teaches you photography, you can go it on your own.
