Notes for students to help you with your journey into work as a photographer

There are many different types of photography you can get into for example, travel, underwater photography, weddings, product photography and so on. I specialise in portraiture so I take photographs of people, whether this is at an event or updating their business photographs for their social media pages and website.

If you are considering entering into this industry here are a few tips for you.

ü Believe in yourself – you can become a photographer at any age as long as you are confident in what you are selling. People buy from confidence. Just know your stuff.

ü Consider also selling the photos you take through Instagram and Facebook. Also try stock libraries. If you’re not familiar with this, type into Goggle: - photo stock images.

ü Be disciplined.

ü You’ll use Maths lot. I use my times table every-day to work out discounts, percentages, offers etc. Especially at events when you need to do quick deals.

ü And English. I’m writing emails and messages constantly. You need to know how to explain yourself, so a good grip of the English Language is essential. Get reading.

ü Set a routine. Here is a well-known system if you are struggling: -

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s.

To learn more

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

ü Work won’t come to you; you have to get out and find it. Here are three techniques I use: -

1. Cold call emails – I’ve found my biggest client this way

2. Social media platforms to advertise your services (big note, it’s not all about selling, you need to engage with your audience. The rule of thumb is 80% engagement, 20% selling)

3. Linking with other people – join a networking group

ü Put money aside for a rainy day. Ditch the expensive clothes and bags. You’ll need money to pay bills. Unpaid bills can affect your credit rating, which will really affect you later on in life when you need to apply for a mortgage or get a loan (which you may want to buy a car).

ü Look after your eyes, as you’ll be spending a lot of time on the computer.

To keep them healthy here are some tips: -

o According to https://www.allaboutvision.com/. To reduce the risk of tiring your eyes by constantly focusing on your screen, look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. Some opticians call this the "20-20-20 rule."

o Blink more often. Blinking is very important when working at a computer; blinking moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation.

o Find out more at: https://www.allaboutvision.com/

Finally. Be resilient. There are days when you’ll feel like you are walking in mud and nothing is happening for you. But the law of average comes into play here. If you keep on pushing, doors will open.

Good Luck. You can do whatever you want if you put your mind to. Remember where the mind goes the body follows.

Feel free to get in touch if you would like some more advise. Best to contact me via email: helen@helentinner.com