Back in October I started a series aspiring to help others achieve their goals when it came to photography.
Well, here we are, end of January, and I am finally sharing the next post in my series... LOL. Life happens, yall!! Between the holidays & busy season, I am just feeling like I am above water and ready to fully dive into sharing more with yall.
Today I am sharing a few pieces of advice for aspiring and beginner photographers! I hope you find a few golden nuggets that help you and motivate you to keep pushing on and working hard!
Tip # 1 - Learn how to shoot in Manual mode. If you aren't shooting in manual, you are not taking full advantage of the camera you have in your hands. Go outside & practice! Grab a friend or family member and practice! When I first started, I practiced for free! I didn't feel comfortable charging someone if I wasn't able to work my camera. Once you feel confidence with your camera, you will feel much more confident turning this into a business.
Tip # 2 - Work hard, work diligently, and keep showing up! This sounds so common sense, but truth is, starting a small business is HARD.
Tip # 3 - Find your editing style. I have tweaked and changed the way I edit many many many times! Editing is truly where all the magic comes to life! Once you find your style, stay consistent. Clients book you because of what your photos look like, you need to make sure you deliver that!
Tip # 4 - Always be learning! I watched YouTube videos to learn my camera settings, posing, and editing. There are plenty of free resources out there to take advantage of. Once you start making money, I highly recommend investing in photography education. This leads me to my next tip...
Tip # 5 - Don't go into debt. When you are just starting out, I do not recommend going into debt for equipment, education... literally anything. Once you have your camera and laptop, don't but anything until you start making a profit. "You have to spend money to make money" is just not correct in this instance. If all else fails, you will be left with a camera and laptop, two things that essentially every family can utilize! You won't regret those 2 purchases, even if you decide photography isn't for you.
Tip # 6 - Community over competition. I have gotten to where I am because of referrals from other photographers & vendors. I am so thankful for the community of friends I have made in this industry!! Build others up & help each other succeed!! Do you know another photographer who is just getting started? Reach out to them! Go get coffee! Bounce ideas off of each other! Collaborate!!! Having friends in the thick of it with you is the best!!!!!
That's all for today, folks! Talk to you soon! Get in touch if you have any questions/have any topics you'd like me to cover!!
Ash
hello@ashynjordan.com
