SET-UP
If you plan to do studio work, you’ll need lights, reflectors and, ideally, an assistant.
Depending on the kind of pictures you plan to take, it can also be worth spending more to buy lenses with a fast maximum aperture – such as f/2.8 on a telephoto zoom, rather than the more common f/4 or f/4.5. If you regularly find yourself doing work that requires you to shoot hand-held in poor light – such as during a wedding service in a gloomy church – that extra stop of light-gathering power can make the difference between an image blurred by camera-shake and one that’s sharp.
You should also consider, for the same reason, lenses with image stabilization or vibration reduction systems. These typically let you take hand-held shots at shutter speeds around two to three stops slower, allowing a 28–70 mm lens to give acceptable results at 1/5 sec and a 600 mm to be used successfully at 1/125 sec.
How many lenses do you need? And what focal lengths? Many professionals have three zoom lenses – wide-angle, standard and telephoto – which cover most of their needs. Some, such as sports and wildlife photographers, require a longer focal length, such as 400 mm, 500 mm or even 600 mm, to fill the frame with their subjects, while those shooting landscapes or groups often want an ultra-wide lens – 15 mm or less – to fit everything in. In certain areas, specialist equipment is essential: macro lenses in medical or garden photography, or perspective control (PC) lenses in architectural work where a view camera isn’t being used.
In addition, you may need a flashgun, a tripod, removable storage cards, a holdall to carry everything in and – if you’re setting up a studio – several lights, a background system and a host of accessories.
Many of those looking to earn money from photography will have some equipment already, but upgrading it to a professional specification often requires significant investment. Happily, equipment can often be bought in stages, as and when it is required, especially if you’re operating on a part-time freelance basis.
You’ve probably got a computer already – most people have – but if not you’ll need to budget for that as well, along with a photo-quality printer, high capacity back-up hard drives, and software to ‘process’ and enhance your images. While there are cheaper programs available, as soon as possible you should invest in Adobe Photoshop, which is pretty much the industry standard and capable of virtually anything you might want and more.
Among other things, Photoshop allows you deliver the files in the way they’re required. Typically, publishers, advertising agencies and commercial clients prefer 300dpi TIFFs, along with an index print for reference. Generally you will be delivering them on CD or DVD, though sometimes you’ll need to email them to meet a deadline, in which case it’s standard practice to send JPEGs compressed at a ratio of 8, 10 or 12, depending on the file size.
CONTROLLING THE ENVIRONMENT
To get soft, attractive light you’ll need umbrellas and softboxes, which come in a wide range of sizes.
Background paper rolls come in a variety of colours to suit every need.
When you’re sending files to a lab for printing, perhaps for wedding or portrait customers, there’s not the same need to be concerned with technicalities, since they will have the expertise to sort things out. So TIFFs and JPEGs will be equally acceptable, at whatever resolution they come out of the camera. Of course, you’ll want to work on them first, making sure the exposure, colour balance and cropping are just how you want them.
STORAGE OPTIONS
Removable cards make it possible to capture a large number of images during a shoot.
| 1 | PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PUBLISHING |
FACE VALUE
Pictures of people are used in magazines of all kinds. For maximum impact, crop in tight with a telephoto zoom.
One of the biggest markets for photographers who want to shoot speculatively, rather than on a commissioned basis, and who want to market their images direct, rather than through a library, is publishing. This embraces a number of areas – including magazines, calendars, postcards, greetings cards, posters and newspapers – all offering genuine opportunities to make sales.
Buyers are always keen to see good quality work and require new material on a regular weekly, monthly or annual basis, depending upon their publishing schedule. Yes, they have existing contributors – that’s how they’re able to fill their current publications – but the door is always open to newcomers. So don’t feel reticent about making contact. Photographers often feel they’re being a nuisance by sending in work, but nothing could be further from the truth. Publishers need contributors as much as contributors need publishers.
Over the years I’ve spoken to scores of picture buyers, and all but a handful said they were happy to be approached by new photographers.
MAGAZINES
Magazines form the biggest single market for freelance photographers, with thousands on thousands of titles available. Magazine publishing is also one of the most accessible markets, as most editors are happy to hear from potential new contributors. If you are looking to earn money from photography, this is probably the best place to start. Lots of professionals cut their teeth by selling a few pictures here and there to magazines. With titles covering just about every conceivable subject, hobby, age group and occupation, you’re almost certain to be shooting pictures that would be of interest to someone.
In any area of photography the key to success lies in understanding the kind of pictures that your chosen market needs and how they might be used. When it comes to magazines, the principle is simple: the editor needs to have a reason to publish the picture. Rarely, if ever, will editors use an image simply to fill space. The magazine business is too competitive for that, and every page has to work hard to win readers.
Some magazines focus on news, and are interested only in images that have a news angle. Others are more features-oriented, often with a practical emphasis: for example, a sequence on how to plant seeds for a gardening magazine; the effect of fitting a polarizer for a practical photography title; or feeding a baby for a parenting publication. They will also include pictures of products, people, places and anything else that is related to the subject matter – such as fashion in Vogue.
FOLLOW YOUR PASSION
If you like gardening, shoot plants. If you enjoy aviation, photograph helicopters. Start with what you know and you’ll have the best chance of success.
