Photographer Career Guide and Counseling

Question: photographer? being a photographer is it hard?? adn do you have to tralvel??because i dont want to travle and how much dose it pay?

Answer: Depends on your subject. People have made a living photographing things in their own backyard. I think digital has made photography ultra-competitive. You need a hook and sometimes that may mean that you will need to travel. Ultimately, it will depend on your imagery. Traveling or not.

Question: Is a photographer a good career? Approximately how much do you make if you photograph weddings? I love taking pictures. I am also good with software and computers. I will graduate high school in two years and I am thinking about being a photographer. Is a photographer a good career? About how much do you make if you photograph weddings? Is it a fun job [ and I am talking about every photographer job, not just weddings]. Thank you! Ps. I plan on going to college four to five years if I choose to be a photographer.

Answer: If you like it just do it..!!Don't think so much about money and how much do you make..!! Choose sth that you really like and don't consider issues like money...!! I didn't choose what i wanted from the start because i thought that i wouldn't make enough money from it and now i regret it..!! So just follow your dream!!;) Being a photographer is a great job in my opinion!!

Question: How much should the photographer move throughout the ceremony? I am photographer shooting my first wedding soon. So excited! I am nervous though about moving throughout the ceremony and taking pictures. I am not really sure to draw the line. I have been to weddings where the photographer literally ran all over the place during the ceremony, and I've been to weddings where the photographer sat in the pew (no joke!) Assuming your church/venue allowed it, would you want the photographer to run all over like that? If that was the best way to get quality pics? What is a good medium?

Answer: Congratulations on shooting your first wedding! :) What ever you do, do not stay in one place the whole time. Most people like variety.. and they will want to see their special day from many different angles and views. I wouldn't say that you have to be running around the whole time.. just make sure you are moving around some. Most of us photographers have an eye for what would make a great picture, so everytime you see one of these oppurtunites, move where you need to get it. Good luck!

Question: How much to spend on a photographer? I am planning on getting married in March next year and have been astounded by how much many photographer's are quoting on their websites. What is a good price for a photographer without going over the top? I want a photographer there for the ceremony, reception and the first dance, what should I expect to pay?

Answer: This is all relative ... it depends on a number of factors: the area of the country you live in, your overall wedding budget, what else you may need to pay for, etc. I would say that a good price would be anywhere from 7-15% of your total budget, but that's just a general guideline. Don't forget that photos last forever ... you might splurge on an awesome limo or a fancy cake, which is fine if that's what you want, but those things only last one day. The photos are really the only material things that you will have once the wedding's over. Here's a tool that breaks down your budget for you if you enter your TOTAL wedding budget. You can always play with the numbers ... for example, if you don't care a lot about flowers, take some money out of that category and put it toward photos: http://weddings.theknot.com/budgeter/Bud… And if you want to look for photographers in your price range, try wpja.org - this is a listing of wedding photojournalists and you can search by state. They list basic starting prices on this website, so you can get a start there. Of course, remember that this info may be out of date, plus some vendors only provide their rock-bottom price to this website (which may be a smaller package than you were hoping for), so don't assume that that will be your final price. Another suggestion would be to check out Craigslist for up-and-coming photographers, but remember to check references and their work VERY carefully to be sure you're not being scammed. Also try contacting local newspapers and ask if you can hire their photographers ... sometimes you will save money with vendors who don't specifically cater to weddings. Talk to good photographers and say, "I only have $abc to spend, and I'm hoping you can provide me with XYZ. Can you work with us?" Most photographers will be willing to at least talk to you about tailoring a package to your needs and budget. Remember that they need to make a living, too, so be prepared to tweak your budget a bit so that it's fair for both of you. For reference, I am going to meet with photographers pretty soon, and they've quoted me around the $3500 mark for the coverage and services that I want. I live in the New York City metro area, so this price may be higher than non-metro areas of the U.S. I know for a fact that other couples in my area have paid lower rates than this, but some have also paid much higher than this, so I think we're paying an average price. We're also cutting back in areas such as flowers and limos and attire, but photos is the one area where I want to hire the absolute best person we can because photos are important to me.

Question: What is it like to be a professional photographer? I'm curious what it's like to be a professional photographer, and how you get prepared for a career in photography. Is there a special school you go to to become a photographer? What exactly does a professional photographer DO? Is there a job you can get when you're young to get prepared for a career in photography? What is the average pay of a professional photographer? Thanks for answers to any or all questions!

Answer: What's it like - great, terrible, frustrating, interesting, busy, you name it. How to prepare - learn photography and business. Special school - not necessary to get any specific qualifications for the vast majority of pro photography work What does a pro do - whatever they are required to do. There are quite a number of different "specialities" and there are general practices. What you do depends on what you are shooting. Job to prepare - photographers assistant, gofer in a decent studio Average pay - no such thing as average pay. Some earn millions some earn very little. It depends on what field you are in and how hard you are prepared to work amongst other things. GHJ - And people think I am rude.!!! The question was asking relevant things and not the normal - I am going to be pro what do I do. So your response was unwarranted.

Question: What photographer focuses on burns and scarring on people? There is a female photographer that manipulates photos of people to make them look like they have burns and scars on them. The only problem is that i've completely forgotten her name and can't seem to find her anywhere on the internet - can anyone help? Sorry I can't give any more information!

Answer: Why would you want a photog to add scars in post production to a picture?

Question: What is the high school education needed to be a photographer? I am doing a project on the photographer. I want to know what classes i would take in high school if i were to be a proffesional photographer. If I were to be a newspaper photographer, wedding photographer, wildlife photographer, etc... then what classes should i take?

Answer: High school won't put you exactly on the track to a career in photography. The time should be focused on developing a worthy portfolio and searching for colleges that offer degrees in photography. A portfolio, the appropriate high school electives (art history, photography, journalism, etc.), and your grades are amongst the top requirements for most college photography programs. Be sure to check with the colleges of your choice for a full list of admission requirements. The courses you take in college will generally help you with your career. For example, if you're interested in becoming a photojournalist, but no photojournalism course is offered at your college of choice, consider minoring in journalism. If you want to become a photography teacher then major in photography and minor in education.

Question: Does anyone know a photographer in the Chicago area who is willing to work on September 1st 2007? We am getting married on September 1st and the photographer we have hired has all but disappeared (with our deposit). We are now scrambling to find a new photographer but are on somewhat of a tight budget. Does anyone have any suggestions? We have no problem with using an amateur as long as his or her work is reputable and done well. Any help that can be offered is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Answer: amateurs are amatuers for a reason, get the yellow pages and ring around, or ring a photography school and ask for the star student sorry to hear of your bad experience a

Question: How much does a wedding photographer earn in a year? If the photographer does not own his/her own studio, but instead works as a photographer in someone else's studio.

Answer: Around 25 - 30 grand a year if they are lucky x

Question: Can a photographer that you hire use your picture without consent? Does the photographer have the rights to do whatever he wants with a couples wedding pictures, for example? Can he be sued if he uses them to for something he makes money with?

Answer: Photographs taken by someone are the photographers intelectual property and the photographer owns them. You are entitled to what was agreed upon being delivered. If the photogrpaher is going to use the pictures for any other purpose besides the original intent, then they must get a model release to do so. Most wedding contracts have a clause in them that states the photographer has the rights to use the pictures in whatever means they so choose. Don't forget though, that all this is negotiable. If you don't want them using your wedding pics in a magazine, in their personal portfolio or in a contest, amend the contract to state such. The only time the photographs may not be the property of the photographer is if said photographer is working for a company(a company employee) and as part of their job description or the contract to work for said company states that all images taken while in the course of their regular work are property of the company.