Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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now my picture taking isnt anywhere near as good as some peoples on here.
but how hard would it be to get into doing commercial photography (as a job on the side kind of thing).
searching google at the moment and there arent really that many places that do it.
opinions?
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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What kind of stuff would you want to do though mate?
Its a pretty vast range after reading something the other day... Literally from pictures for restaurant menus to model shooting in a studio
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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stuff like offices, conference places etc. (ones without people so much)
bit like estate agency type stuff but more business based.
similar stuff to some of this
http://www.discounttuesday.co.uk/
[Edited on 07-07-2008 by Matt L]
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Scotty_B
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Registered: 11th Jun 03
Location: East Kilbride
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I work for a coach travel company and over the past year have been going around the country photography destinations and excursions for our brochures. It earns be a little extra, but not as much as I would like.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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how did you get into that? im not really looking to earn loads from it just a bit extra, depending on how well it went lol.
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Scotty_B
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Registered: 11th Jun 03
Location: East Kilbride
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt L
how did you get into that? im not really looking to earn loads from it just a bit extra, depending on how well it went lol.
I was on holiday in Great Yarmouth and went on a Broads tour boat. I took a picture of it and my boss seen it and wanted it for the brochure.
He subequently gave me a list of places etc he wanted for the brochure.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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The thing to remember, is that you don't actually have to take fantastic photos.
Most of the stuff you see posted here for example, is WAY beyond the scope of simple advertising needs.
Certain types of jobs will require a lot of skill (like taking shots in a studio) whereas any old bod could take a picture of a house for an estate agent.
Just remember that a 'professional' gets paid but could easily be a far worse photographer than a decent amateur.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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yeh i would like to learn more about taking studio pictures ie lighting etc as theres more out there for that but like you say pictures dont have to be brilliant for estate agents etc. but tbh nowadays its easy to completely change the look of a photo on the computer 
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Within reason, though it takes more skill to actually line up and take the shot obviously.
For instance, there are actually quite a lot of wedding photographers about NOT using SLRs simply because if their client is happy with smaller images (which are still big enough to be printed on A3 really) then they don't need £5ks worth of equipment.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Even for people who don't know about photography surely they would be put off a bit if the photographer turned up with a point and shoot, unless they had paid 15 quid of course.
It's not about the size of the images, its the quality and control the slr gives you over the point and shoot.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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I agree, but with a wedding tog, by the time they've turned up its a bit late to complain
ps. I was thinking more of the pro-sumer style of cameras rather than a straight point and shoot which at least have some degree of control.
[Edited on 07-07-2008 by aPk]
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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yeh id get a dslr if i go ahead with it (but only a starter one) as like i say i only want to really do it on the side of my current job/studies.
cant really see how id go about getting started though  
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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I know an immensly experienced photographer who used to shoot pro bands at venues using an olympus MJUII 35mm point and shoot. He's shot every famous person I can name (apart from royalty) and probably has £100,000 of equipment.
The best way into commercial photography is through photo libraries. Find out what the libraries are looking for and shoot for the narrative they want.
Dont look at it as 'taking a photo' look at it as 'capturing a moment' and to do that takes more than a flashy camera.
Its not what you capture, its how you capture it and how its interpreted.
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
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Go into your local book superstore and check out books on photo libraries in the photography section. Then if you decide you want to go into product photography then you'll need a light tent to start with.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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There are various famous photographers and pictures that have been taken on the cameras you can buy for £1 from asda.
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
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You can buy an Olympus Trip off a carboot sale for about a fiver, and if its in good condition you'll be hard pushed to beat the sharpness with ANY camera.
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Matt H
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Registered: 11th Sep 01
Location: South Yorkshire
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Even if your work isn't good enough, the photo library thing is a good way to get used to shooting subjects you might not normally shoot
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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The best thing to do is set yourself targets, then display your work for experienced people to then look at and tell you what you can improve.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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cheers for the links tiger 
and what do you mean by librays?
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Chris F
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Organiser: East Anglia
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Registered: 26th Dec 05
Location: Newmarket Drives: Escort Van 1.8
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take me for example i just going to improve my skills and gear slowwy then i might have a crack at something!
But i would never be a sole phototrapher at a wedding, too much on your shoulders if u do that!
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt L
cheers for the links tiger
and what do you mean by librays?
Stock Libraries e.g. http://www.unima.co.uk/
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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think im going to go and ask a couple of the local hotels if i can take pictures of them and see what they say. (just so i can start taking them seeing how it goes etc etc)
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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Dont go for your multinationals though, they would rather pay a lot of money and get the works, go to your independants.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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yeh i wasnt really going to be asking for money for a while, just want to get into it and get a kind of portfolio going first before id start asking for money. (unless they used the pics )
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