Professional Photography Career Guide - Still Life and Product PhotographyWelcome | Education | Employment | Specialization | Artistic & Technical Talent | Self-Motivation | Intelligence | More to come soon!
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Thanks for visiting the Porfessional Photography 101 career guide. Learn about different photographic careers. Let this be your photography career information resource, including photography schools and workshops.
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How would you describe the type of photography you do? I work primarily in product photography and still life usually in business to business environment. How long have you been doing this type of photography? Over 20 years. What influenced you in deciding to become a photographer? I've always liked doing artwork and I've also attracted by the technology. Why did you choose this type of photography? It suits my personality; self-motivated and detail oriented. Can you describe you career path up to this point? I received a Bachelor's degree in Photography from Ryerson Polytechnic (now Ryerson University) in Toronto and opened a studio in Mississauga (on the western border of Toronto, heavy in transportation and manufacturing firms). I did industrial/product work there for about ten years. I moved my studio to Toronto and instead of photography, I did illustration (primarily airbrush work) for about 5 years. I then switched back to photography after that. Do you have another job or source of income? I serve with the Canadian Forces Medical Services (reserve component) in Toronto. What type of schooling do you have? Bachelor's degree in Photography from Ryerson with certificates in Business (Marketing Management, Advertising). I have also attended a summer session at UCLA in film production. What type of schooling would you recommend for someone entering this type of photography? That is difficult; it depends upon the type of person you are. For most, some type of technical training in photography and a university degree (you should have a good all around education). Most photographers are independent business people so some post-secondary training in business is needed. Are you happy doing what you do? Yes. What do you like most about your career / job? Actually doing photography and related activities. What do you dislike most about your job / career? Administrative work (paperwork, office stuff). On average, how many hours do you work per week? 30 to 50 hours per week for my photography business. How much vacation did you take last year? The occasional weekend off. Between my full-time job and my military service I don't have a lot of free time. How many weekends did you work last year? I didn't really count. Is your work seasonal at all? There are times of the year (near Christmas, August) that it is difficult to meet with clients because the decision makers are away on vacation or doing other things so work is sometimes slower. How many people do you usually work with on a typical job? Usually just myself. On occasion I have used a stylist. Most of the work I do has a short lead time. What types of non-photography duties are you responsible for? Everything! Signing cheques, cleaning up. I try to send out as much work as possible to outside firms (accounting, delivery, printing). What characteristics / skills make you good for this type of photography? Detail oriented, focused on problem solving, independent. Describe your primary work environment. Indoors, the studio. Do you do much traveling for your profession? No. If you didn’t do this type of photography, what other type of photography would you prefer to do? Lifestyle photography Competition / $ Is your market local, or national? Currently my client base is regional but I am working on expanding my market area to all of North America. How many people in your town do what you do? This is very difficult to tell. There are a few generalists in the area (do a wide range of commercial and retail) and, at the lower end of the market, there are many photographers entering and leaving the marketplace. Over the years many studios in the Toronto area have come and gone. When I started out there were three large studios in Toronto doing product/catalog work. Within 5 years they were all out of business. Who is, or how would you describe your target markets? Right now mainly business to business (as opposed to consumer oriented) oriented companies. I am in the midst of expanding my market into more consumer oriented and editorial work (more vision oriented). To what do you attribute your success? Sticking with it, maintaining a positive outlook, being flexible (in terms of constantly examining where I should be going), a good education (helps me to see the bigger picture). What would you say is the biggest mistake most photographers make in your type of business? Not understanding or ignoring the financial side of the business. Photographers must understand the basics of business accounting and finance. What would you estimate as an income range for the type of photography you do? Difficult to determine. Many photographers I've seen over the years have failed miserably and left the profession so they haven't obviously made very much. Others in the area are making considerable sums (hundreds of thousands of dollars per year). It depends entirely on one's photographic skill and business acumen. What would you estimate as the average income for the type of photography you do? Don't know. What do you think of the future of your profession? It is changing, especially with the shift of manufacturing to places like China. Product photography used to bring in a lot of money (straightforward but difficult enough from a technical standpoint to keep out the amateurs) but with North American manufacturing in decline this type work is also in decline. The future is in vision oriented photography which is more creative and personalized rather than generic still life (stock type) or product shots. Would you recommend a career in photography to your friend or child? Why? It depends upon the individual. Some people need to work within an organization. Others are not self-starters. Most photographers are small business people and need to be able to work independently (not part of a larger organization). Is there any specific advice you would give to someone entering into your field? Don't listen to your friends or family or guidance counsellors. Most people who try to tell you about professional photography DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT!!! Visit professional photography forums, professional organization websites. Research the field and find out about it for yourself. Accept nothing as the truth. Continuing Education What do you do to advance your skills? Read, shoot, ask questions. What industry publications do you subscribe to? PDN, Communication Arts What on-line forums do you frequent? PDN online Do you intend to continue your education in some way? Informally. What trade shows / seminars have you attended or plan on attending? It depends on what is available locally. What’s type of cameras do you use most? Canon, Sinar (with various backs) What type of computer do you use most? PC (business software), Mac (image manipulation) Does most or your work involve available light, on-camera flash, studio strobe, or hot lights? Strobe and tungsten. I use tungsten primarily for more complex lighting where I need to see what the result will be like as I'm setting up. What type of computer software are you proficient with? Capture One, Photoshop Are there any photographers in your field that you particularly admire? Irving Penn, Man Ray and Bert Stern come to mind, although they are not primarily still life photographers.
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