Happy Holidays!

Welcome back from any holiday adventures you might have gone on! I know it has been a busy time of the year, but it's back to crunch time for anyone that wants to make money in photography!

Just the other day, a friend of mine, who has been having some trouble getting started in photography, asked if I would go get some coffee with him. He needed some pointers on how to get paying gigs because his bills are coming due, and he's broke! Naturally, I can't pass up a steaming, black and white hot chocolate from the local Starbucks, so I obliged.

After chatting for a while about what he was currently doing to get business I could see the problem. Jeff (fake name) was making the same mistakes almost all new photographers do. The same mistakes I made when I was new. He was posting a few classified ads on craigslist and waiting for the gigs to come rolling in! Only, they weren't...

We talked for close to 2 hours and at the end of the day he left with 6 pages of college rule notepad chalked full of ideas for him to try and a to-do list 14 items long.

That might not sound exciting to you... but it got me thinking about how many other photographers might be in the same situation.

The bottom line is that until Jeff carves out a niche for himself, he's going to have to make some coin doing whatever kinds of gigs he can find.

I encourage this for a few reasons:

1. It offers Jeff some actual, real life experience as to what it's like shooting under different conditions. I know personally, I hate shooting weddings. Weddings are GREAT money if you're good... but they also have a way of giving me ulcers.

2. It builds Jeff's referral list. What photographer in their right mind is going to turn down work, just because it's not their niche?

3. It builds Jeff's portfolio. Do I need to say more on this subject?

4. It pays the bills...

Just what he needs!

The Biggest Mistake Struggling Photographers Make Is NOT Being A Proactive Marketer

Many photographers take for granted the power of sales and marketing. They jump into the game thinking that they can get by on talent alone. The sad reality, though, is that talent is actually second best to marketing and sales when it comes to making a living at photography. If a photographer can't sell his service, how will he make any money with it?

If your goal is to MAKE PHOTOGRAPHY YOUR LIVING, you'll need to know a few of the basics. Wrap your mind around that concept, and I'll be back next time with a run down of easy to follow marketing ideas to get (or improve) your photography business.