Ok so I get asked a lot whether or not I`m a professional photographer... (the emphasis on professional)...Which always makes me confused as to whether I should say yes or no... So professional meaning you took a course (Oh the impossible dream) and therefore has papers to show for it....! So I guess I`m not... Well I consider my pictures very well taken, not that professional looking as I would like, but pretty swell to sell them to potential customers...
I might be sounding just a little negative here, with a bit of encouragement to myself that I`m good enough..., but living in a small town like I do, I always tend to wonder whether or not I`m good enough or not....Cause business just doesn`t flow.....sigh..... It`s very frustating, cause I love taking photo`s and I don`t get to do what I love that often...Which is SAD....!!!! :-(....And the problem, being known and knowing almost everyone its almost expected that I should do it for free....
But enough of that negativity.....
I`m still new in the business (less then a year) and yes I do think that taking a course in photography will make me more confident to advertise more and to a broader community except in my small home town, Villiersdorp...
Sometimes I get so demotivated that I just decide to NOT take my camera and go exploring....(Did not go yet)..but then I`m movitated again by my "personal feel good manager and adviser"...Cristel..who is also my sister inlaw, and has a good mind for business (although not having a own company)...also my sister ,by blood...lol, gives me a lot of speeches about business, being the older more experienced sister ....They always tell me not to feel bad and stick to prices I make, (I tend to always wanna give away photoshoots) and to remember, that although photography is a hobby, its also a pricy one... OK OK I get it... but if that`s the only way to do what I love shouldn`t I just do it? OK, NO!!!!! Hobby = Fun = Pricy!!!!
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Me and Cristel, my Personal feel good manager and adviser... |
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Me and my sister...Edith |
Ok I`m going of the trail here...
So even though I didn`t take a course I think it`s okey to call myself professional(enough), since I have most of the equipment used to perform a professional job... And even though I only did 2 weddings, 1 baby and 1 portfolio shoot, the customers loved what i did...I`m positive that this will become more as soon as I`m a qualified photographer....=D...(Can`t wait)... and yes I have bookings for this year....(^^,)....
Then the question comes.... do I raise my prices once qualified? Or do I keep them the way they are at the moment (Which I think is quite ok, and not at all that expensive)? Besluite... besluite...o_O...Think I need to ask my personal feel good manager and adviser...LOL... I just wish that all possible customers take in consideration, that its not just about taking the photos, but there`s processes involved in getting them the stunning results they see when coming for a viewing...Which means a whole lot of late night photo editing
So new goal for this year....TAKE A PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE...A.S.A.P.
More soon...=D