Say Hallelujah

On a forum post recently, someone asked about the passions and perils of “going pro”. I wrote the following reply about the realities of choosing to become a professional photographer:

Yay, good brother, let me come forward and offer witness and testimony. say; “Hallelujah.”

People are under such illusions that being a professional photographer is such an easy, glamorous way to make a living. It ain’t. Pure and simple; it’s work. I never know where or when my next check will come from.

Making a business out of photography will certainly steal much of the passion enjoyed by the pure hobbiest. First and foremost, you need to be clear on what type of photography business you want to do. Second, you need to learn about all the things needed to “be a professional”.

Can you quote a price for a 50% wrap cover on a trade retail hardcover book w/ a press run of 25k, three languages, North American, European, and Austrailian, non-exclusive rights? How much extra for ancillaries and collateral? Do you have your cost of doing business calculated along with your cost of goods when pricing your prints? When do you need a property release? How much offsite liability insurance is covered with your business insurance plan? Would you license an image as Rights Managed, Royalty Free, Rights Ready, Microstock, and what about PLUS Paks?

I shoot much less now that my income is dependant on my photography. I find I have to make fiscal viability decisions regarding what and when to shoot. I’ve shot several projects that at first thought would be perfect and easy, and right in line with my personal interest areas. Yet after a few shoots, they quickly felt like going to work. When I travel specifically for photography, I usually return home utterly exhausted and need days to recover.

I spend most of my behind a computer. A hobbiest may travel for 10 days, take a few hundred shots, and over the course of available free time may process a couple dozen shots. On my last 10 day trip to Utah, I shot thousands of frames (much editorial travel) that needed to be edited, and eventually processed, sized, spotted, cleaned, keyworded, and did multiple DVD and external HD backups on almost 700 frames. Developing and learning about workflows for building that kind of inventory means lots of time invested.

I balance this with trying to go to the gym, and being the parent of an 8 & 5 yo B/G, and responsible for getting them up and off to school, pick-up, homework done, dinner made, and shooting lots of pool.

May the universe grant me strength. say; “Hallelujuah.”

No one tells me what to do, or when to do it. (Unless they’re a client.) say; “Hallelujuah.”

I make a decent living that beats cooking for a living. say; “Hallelujuah.”

Some weeks I may work as little as 12 hours; Sometimes that’s by choice. say; “Hallelujuah.” Sometimes that’s all the available time I have. say; “Universe grant me strength.”

I have no commute. say; “Hallelujuah.” say; “Hallelujuah.” say; “Hallelujuah.”

Sometimes I get to witness the glory of a sunrise at mother earths most visibly stunning locations, all alone, at one with the universe, and able to record that moment for posterity; and it’s what I do for a living. say; “Hallelujuah.”