Working Photog

There are people who take money for photography and there are those who don’t. There are some that take money that shouldn’t and there are some that don’t that should. There are many professions that require certifications, licensing, and/or apprenticeships before one can perform services, let alone take money. Photography, in the USA, is not one of them. There are basically two paths into becoming a professional photographer in the USA. Someone can take courses, get a degree,... 

…if you are doing freelance photojournalistic work. Here’s something to consider when you’re deciding just how much to shoot. Let’s say you have an assignment to go cover a political event for a paper. The paper is looking for ONE good photo, but will take 2 or 3, just to have a choice. The event is going to last for about... 

A few weeks ago, I found myself in an interesting situation where I had been hired by two schools to do the same job on the same day–but at different places…and I couldn’t say no to either school. So I took both jobs, and subbed one out to a friend. I knew I could count on this guy to show up and shoot good stuff, but I also knew... 

The first question I usually get asked is, “What do you charge to shoot?” Typically, it depends on the size of the school, the sport, and the importance of the game. For example, a Division 1A basketball NCAA tournament game will pay between $250-350. On the other hand, a swim meet at a Division III school might only pay $50. Revenue... 

• Overview • Why SRP? • Case Study • Some Clients • Examples • Collections How many times have you been to an event and thought, “man, I wish I could shoot here!” Doesn’t it just grip your gut when you see somebody walking through the crowd, loaded with gear, getting... 

Yesterday, I had the most amazingly stressful assignment yet…worse than any wedding. I was called by the head photographer at Richmond International Raceway; he had an assignment he couldn’t cover, and he wanted to know if I was interested. Kenny Wallace, NASCAR driver and brother of racing legend Rusty Wallace, and his nephew Steve (Rusty’s... 

First, the ‘marketing’ notes (how I got the job…skip this if you’ve heard it before) A couple years ago, I got a digital camera (a Canon 300D). I took it to a street festival to get some practice shooting candids. A woman came up to me and asked what I was shooting for. I told her, “practice.” She asked if she... 

…a little background… A couple weeks ago, I shot a public forum hosted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch (my assignment was to shoot headshots of all the speakers). One of the speakers was the president and publisher of Virginia Business Magazine (which is also owned by the RTD’s parent company, Media General). I have been a subscriber... 

• Overview • Why SRP? • Case Study • Some Clients • Examples • Collections Getting the Shot about the subject The swimmer is Erin Ewalt, the only senior on Randolph-Macon College’s swim team. She is the only swimmer in the history of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference to be... 

As my professional pursuit of photography has developed and evolved, I have enjoyed sharing my work and thoughts with those outside “the business”, and I have really appreciated all the feedback and support–it has meant the world to me. And it has been a lot of fun. There’s been sports, car races, events, parades, and personalities–all...