Want to start being a photographer...but how to get started?

Question

I absolutely love taking pictures and editing them. I would love to get a career in photography im a stay at home mom and dont have the money to go to school how could i get started on my own?

Answer 1

Start looking for friends/family who would like to have their photos taken. Kids pictures, family pictures, etc. To start, you can charge them just for the cost of the photos. Eventually, word will get out that you're good and you can start charging a fee for your services.  

Answer 2

You need a really good digital slr camera......lot's of pros use canon.

I use a Nikon D40.

Start taking pictures of friends and family or anyone who wants to.

Shoot in Raw(manual)...

You can use Pmode to help you with your settings for manual.

Get good at photoshop

Use natural light whenever you can

Answer 3

Rule number one.. take lots of pictures ALL the time. Have a never ending supply of batteries. You don't need schooling or professional equipment to get started. Depending on what you intend on specializing in take pictures of those things. Like if you want to do nothing but portrait or wedding photography volunteer your time for no fee (well maybe the cost of printing unless they're okay with a disc). Even if they've already got a professional at their wedding you can still do it. You and them may both be surprised by the pics you get. Plus you've got kids of your own if they're willing to sit for you lol. Good luck.

Answer 4

Thank you for this question,

Although I am not a Photographer myself, I did work as a Photo Editor at a Press Agency once and know a little bit about Photography as well....,

First of all you think about what kind of Photography you might be interested in:

For example a 'Fasion Photography' or more like to work as a 'Journalist Photographer' or would you like to - for example - make Animal Photo's or Landscape Photo's to sell to a Photo Stock Agency...?

Or would you like to concentrate on taking wedding pictures?

or else would you like to hide in a waste basket to take

pictures of celebrities?  :)  

Since you also mention 'Editing them'

I asume that you also can work

well with a computer....,

So you might consider to create a website or weblog to 'Showcase' your work, and tell about what's your speciallity and how they can contact you etc. etc.

To get an idea about how you could use the Internet to sell your work

and start a 'Happy Home Business' you can have a look at how I communicate with my webvisitors via my Blogspots and my Webshop, you can find it at:

http://hpshappyhomebusiness.blogspot.com

All the Best,

To your Happy - Photographing - Inspiration,

HP

http://hpshappy.blogspot.com

  

Answer 5

Unfortunately taking good photos requires good photographic equipment. You simply can't take professional quality pictures with an amateur camera. You certainly can practice things like composition and framing - and even lighting - with an inexpensive camera - but ultimately to capture the subtleties that differentiate a professional photo from an amateur one, you're going to have to invest in a good SLR camera.

There are plenty of excellent books on how to light and compose good pictures. And there is no shortage of tutorials on how to use Photoshop to edit and improve your pictures.

Good luck.

Answer 6

This is another question which has no right or wrong answers.

There are literally hundreds of different areas of photography and careers in them.

A lot of people now make money through selling their pictures through stock sites. They continue in their "day job" and supplement their income by selling their hobby shots.

The shots that sell on these sites can be anything from still life through to travel so there is a market for all sorts.