I stumbled onto this blog called Simple Photo Minute. The author, Dane Sanders, puts out a video each week teaching other photographers things he thinks they need to know. It ranges from teaching you how to personalize your Google home page (a tip I’ve already implemented), to work-flow techniques, to suggestions about networking with other photographers and how beneficial it will be for you. If you are an aspiring photographer and you haven’t come across this site yet, you need to visit.
http://www.simplephotolife.com/blog/
And here is something super cool for me… the very first person EVER to read my little blog?! Dane Sanders! Did you hear me?! I said DANE SANDERS!!! I feel better than a 16 year old kid who just met a rock star! I just can’t even believe it! He left an encouraging comment and not only did I get teary eyed but I printed it out and it’s hanging proudly above my desk! Am I a big dork? Perhaps, but I am on top of the world right now so that’s okay!
I was driving by a church the other day and the billboard thing out front said, "Where God leads, He provides." I’ve felt that God was leading me to photography for a long time but I kept resisting for a couple of reasons. First, I loved it and if I failed, I’d be devastated. Second, I didn’t think it was a practical way to make a living. Third, I thought it was expensive to get started in. Finally, I’ve decided to pursue it and I’m finding God providing for me at every turn. Let go and TRUST!
The other night I decided to pick up my stack of photography books I’ve collected over the years instead of hitting the NYIP books like I’d promised. The book I decided to start with is called Photography Your Way by Chuck DeLaney. Ironically, he is the Dean to the NYIP and the very person that "Don" admonishes in the segment I referred to the other day. I’m not sure where I bought this book but I’m sure I didn’t pay more than $5 or $6 for it and it is worth every penny. Even if I’d paid retail, it would be worth it. Despite the fact that it was published in 2000, I found it to be full of sound advice. I actually put the book down at one point to go hunt down a highlighter! I suspect that I will revisit this book several more times in the future.
There were a few spots that were out of date – like the chapter on digital technology. There were a few spots that didn’t strike me as being useful – like the chapter called "Inspiration – Show Me". I was surprised at the curse words in the book. Although they were only in a few spots and not grossly out of place, they still caught me off guard. Still, Part One of the book is something that will inspire you if you are an aspiring photographer. It was so good that I couldn’t put the rest of the book down. I’ve been stealing every moment I could over the past three days to read this book!
Despite the few parts that are out of date, the majority of this book has some solid advice to give about starting a business, ideas for pricing your work, portfolio tips that will likely not go out of style and, my particular favorite, naming your business. I love, love, love that he tells it straight when he suggests that a dumb name is a bad idea. However clever you think it is at the time, it will haunt you.
If you are thinking about taking some pictures for some people and charging them a fee for your service, you need to read this book first. If you are already an established photographer who is in a lull, I think reading Part One of this book would help you find your drive again too. I thought it was super and I highly recommend it.
Sometime after I bought my wonderful little camera, I started thinking I would like to take a photography course. Being that my baby was literally 2-3 months old at the time, a real classroom setting wasn’t going to happen for me. Not to mention, I live out in the country now so there is likely not one anywhere near me anyway. So, I began to investigate on-line options. Not having a CLUE which ones are worth a bean, I didn’t want to sink $350+ into something that was going to be a waste of money – which I really couldn’t spare. I came across the NYIP course. It had mixed reviews. Since it was something that had text, tape and video that was tangible, I did what I always do when I want something… I checked Ebay. I found many copies floating around from various years past. But I happened to be looking at the right moment within 20 minutes of someone posting a 2003 copy with a Buy It Now price of $50 and most of it was still shrink wrapped! A two year old copy still in the shrink wrap?! I thought it was a deal since signing up with the company would run me from $500 – $800 depending on the payment plan I selected. I eagerly started reading the text and listening to the tapes after I put my children to bed at night. And then for some reason I set it aside, never opening even one of the items the previous owner had left in the shrink wrap. I picked it up again two nights ago… NOW I remember why… Not only do I remember, but now I know why the original owner sold it for so little without ever progressing past Unit One!
Although there is some valuable information in there, the guys who are talking are SO corny and drag out a point SO much that it is almost painful to listen to them. The other night, my foot was literally twitching as I was listening to one of them beat the dead horse they’d been talking about for 15 minutes or more. And to finish the topic off he says, "Chuck, let’s not belabor the point…." ARGGHH! I suppose it’s probably the monotony of the speakers repeating what you’ve just read along with the fact that unit one is all the boring "technical" stuff of photography that makes it so painful.
Still, if you are "green" like me… you need to make use of what you have at your disposal. So I’ll be back at it again tonight. Trying to learn something. Not all college professors are easy to listen to either, right? Sometimes school just sucks. I guess this is one of those times that I get to try to be a grown up and do what I need to do for my own good.
