Professional Photography Career and professional photography job Guide - Food / Commercial PhotographerWelcome | Education | Employment | Specialization | Artistic & Technical Talent | Self-Motivation | Intelligence | More to come soon!
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Food photography / Commercial Photography as a career in professional photography
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Photographer’s backgroundHow would you describe the type of photography you do? I actually have two identities… I market myself as a generalist and a specialist (food photographer) Probably 80% of my business I food photography and 20% is misc. stuff, including commercial editorial portrait. But for the most part, people know me for my food photography. How long have you been doing this type of photography? Longer than I care to admit to… :+) I’ve been shooting primarily food for about the last ten years or so. What influenced you in deciding to become a photographer? I’ve known that I wanted to be a photographer since second grade when I had to do some type of “finding your orbit” exercise in class. It was either that or a translator… Good thing I went in this direction because I think that translators need to know how to spell. Then later in high school, after seeing the results of my SAT scores, I began to lean more and more toward photography… Why did you choose this type of photography? Food Photography seems to complement my personality and my particular photographic skill sets. For one thing, I really don’t like people… As a matter of fact, I feel that most people are a pain in the butt. I always liked food. It’s fun to eat. Probably the biggest reason I was attracted to food photography was because I seemed to have an attraction to and skill for meticulous lighting. I get real satisfaction from being able to light something just the way I want. Most people think that lighting is just lighting, when in fact, lighting is very subjective and very important to the photography industry, and to food photography in particular. Can you describe you career path up to this point? While I was in high school, a friend of mine and I had a little business where we would photograph motocross races and then try to sell prints to the riders at the next race. It wasn’t very profitable, but a great learning experience. While in Art School, I made some extra camera-buying money by shooting weddings for a local studio. My first job out of Art School was for a Graphic Design Firm in Lexington KY, where I was hired as the in-house photographer. It was a great job and I think I learned a lot as it related to the client’s perspective. I stayed there for 2.5 years and then got a job working for a “catalog house” which employed about 150 people, including 21 photographers. That was a great learning experience. I probably learned more at the lunch table than I did all through my life up until that point. After a year, I was “let go” (fired) and then returned to my hometown of Pittsburgh. At that point, I started “freelancing” and steadily built my business up from that point on, at first as a generalist, then later as a specialist, food photographer. Do you have another job or source of income? No, I looked into getting into brain surgery, but it never worked out. What type of schooling do you have? I have an associate’s degree in specialized technology from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. What type of schooling would you recommend for someone entering this type of photography? I would definitely recommend getting a four-year education from a reputable university. The skills of a professional photographer need to include those of a well-rounded, well-educated businessperson. I would strongly recommend a minor in marketing. Are you happy doing what you do? I love it. Like I one heard said… If you love what you do for a living, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. This is a true statement. What do you like most about your career / job? I like that I get the freedom to wear so many hats. When I’m not shooting, I’m usually involved with marketing efforts of some kind, like working on the portfolio or maybe a mailer to sent out to clients. There are some not-so-glamorous hats that I wear too. I’ve often kidded that my business card should read, Michael Ray, President / Janitor What do you dislike most about your job / career? Decision-making… There are times when you have to make a choice between personal stuff and making money. Just the other day, I had to miss a big soccer game (daughter’s) in order to make some money. I guess that would be the same with any profession though… Still sucked. On average, how many hours do you work per week? First, you have to distinguish between shooting and working. I’m happy to shoot three days a week, but no matter how many days a week I shoot, I usually go into the studio five days for an average of 10 hr’s a day. How much vacation did you take last year? I usually take two weeks a year. Sometimes, I’ll miss the family beach vacation because of work. As a matter of fact, I have this theory on how to get really busy. Just tell everyone you’re going on vacation, and jobs magically appear! How many weekends did you work last year? My type of work seldom requires weekend work. I’ve worked maybe two of three Saturdays shooting food this last year. Is your work seasonal at all? Not really. How many people do you usually work with on a typical job? I usually have one freelance assistant working for me and the food styling crew usually consists of three people. And then there’s a client or two to contend with. So, usually there are five or six people in the studio for a food shoot. What types of non-photography duties are you responsible for? I’m responsible for cleaning the studio, the bathroom, and the office. I do all the marketing and sales. I do the invoicing and bill collection. My wife does the books and spends all the money that’s left over after taxes. (Did I say that out loud? :+) What characteristics / skills make you good for this type of photography? MARKETING! I can show you successful mediocre photographers that are good marketers and I can show you some really good photographers that have left the profession for lack of marketing skills. Describe your primary work environment. I usually shoot in my studio, which is about 50’ by 50‘, located in the strip district of Pittsburgh. I sometimes shoot on location, but not too often. Do you do much traveling for your profession? No, not really. I have one or two clients that I travel for, but usually it’s not worth transporting all my crap (equipment). It’s easier to bring the food here to my studio. If you didn’t do this type of photography, what other type of photography would you prefer to do? I’d really like to do Victoria Secrets Catalogs. Oh ya, that’s right, I hate people. Ah… I’d make an exception. :+) Really, if I lived in another area that had more than three nice days a year, I’d consider architectural photography. The problem is that all the clients want you to shoot the “next nice day” and it’s hard to schedule that and food too, especially when the weather is so poor most of the time. Competition / $ Is your market local, or national? I guess having a web page with good SEO is marketing nationally. So, I guess I market to both, with more of an emphasis on national these last few years. Most of my work is local though. I’d say 60 / 40 How many people in your town do what you do? Any photographer can shoot food, just not as well as I can :+)… In reality, there are probably five people that I compete with on a regular basis for my local work and thousands for the national work. Who is, or how would you describe your target markets? My main clients tend to be advertising agencies, graphic design firms, restaurant chains, and grocery story chains. To what do you attribute your success? I’ve always liked marketing and computers. Those interests have really paid off over the years. What would you say is the biggest mistake most photographers make in your type of business? Not marketing enough and not making an attempt to grow as an artist. I this business, you mist keep getting better. If you don’t you loose your spot on the food chain to some young wiper snapper that’s hungrier or more talented than you are. What would you estimate as an income range for the type of photography you do? $30,000 - 500,000 / year. What would you estimate as the average income for the type of photography you do? $45,201.29 / year :+) What do you think of the future of your profession? Technology has really affected photography pretty strongly over the span of my career. Those that have refused to embrace it have suffered. Much of the low-end photography has gone away or is now being done by amateurs with other corporate responsibilities. Photography is just a lot easier to do to day. I would think that food photography should remain pretty stable. It really takes some skill to do what I do, and I thin that there will remain just a few people that can combine all the necessary skills. Who knows though? Would you recommend a career in photography to your friend or child? Why? No I wouldn’t. It’s too competitive (photography in general), it’s too easy for just anyone to do relatively well. I’d recommend getting a real job. Is there any specific advice you would give to someone entering into your field? Most photographers are self employed these days. Get a well-rounded education that will enable you to not only take good pictures, but run a business too. Remember… Marketing! Continuing Education What do you do to advance your skills? I call it R&D. Every so often, I just have to take some time to try something new on my own. I try to keep an eye on what’s happening in the world of food photography and then try to add my personal touch to it. I try to stay out of ruts. What industry publications do you subscribe to? I use to get a couple of trade publications, but don’t any more. PDN is the one to get. What on-line forums do you frequent? There are a bunch of good ones out there, if you find the right one, you can learn a lot. The trick is finding one with your “peers” on it. Most are too “novice” for my level of experience, but as a student, they might be just right. My favorites are: Do you intend to continue your education in some way? I like to attend seminars on occasion, but that’s it. What trade shows / seminars have you attended or plan on attending? None right now. There is a big photo expo every year that is good for motivational purposes every few years. What’s type of cameras do you use most? I use an Arca Swiss 6x9 view camera with a Phase One P45+ digital Back. What type of computer do you use most? Ones you go Mac, you never go back… Does most or your work involve available light, on-camera flash, studio strobe, or hot lights? Studio strobe. I use Norman because when I was getting into the business, all my photographer friends had Norman. That way, when I needed to bum some equipment, it would all be compatible. What type of computer software are you proficient with? Photoshop is the big one, and I wish I were better with it. I also can feel my way around Illustrator and go-live, along with the office type of programs. Are there any photographers in your field that you particularly admire? Tons Check this out - http://www.foodportfolio.com/otherfoodshooters/ |
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