It has been my lifelong dream to work for National Geographic or Time, but I don't know how to get started. I don't have any big degrees, but I feel like I have a photographic eye and a distinctive style. Other than just bombarding these companies with my photos during one of their photo contests and hoping that someone will be blown away by one of my photos and offer me the career of a life time, what other way should I go about becoming an addition to one of these companies? I'm not a rich kid who can travel the world taking pictures and have a lot of diverse people and places amongst my photos, but I do the best I can here in Florida-but I want that to change. I want to expand and capture the world through photography-and be paid for it! Is there anyone who has a similar background or that can offer advice on where to start?
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to answer- :)
Interested in working in photography, any advice?
There are various ways to get started:
The 1st URL that I have listed shows a GREAT BLOG from professionals in the field discussing this same request from a amateur photographer with the same dream. Please take the time to read it to discover some of their talented suggestions. Photo journalism is your focus---get more training in this area NOW---build your portfolio in nature and people--if you want the National Geographic's attention. As for TIME, well people, events--- read on...
Offer your services 1st at the LOCAL level---start going to your local media and offer your time and assistance in their photography department. Remember it is the people you know and the relationships that will help you get to the top AS WELL AS your talent. So you will need to develop these contacts.
2nd: Go to the local schools and photograph their events--offer these photographs to the local media as part of your work.
COMMUNITIES: shoot for a cause---a cause that is important for you---then offer these stories (photos) to the local media for stories to be considered in publication.
Research your photography clubs in town, private and public. Community colleges have in-expensive courses that you can take (participate in) and from there start your networking---ask around for projects---Volunteer in these projects.
Websites and communities online are some of the quickest ways to get your work published and inexpensive or in many cases for free. Get your work out there ---
Model agencies---aply for photography assistant positions---even if you are the person filing or photoshoping the images---and not actually creating the images at 1st---just get in---do the work from the beginning stages---and you will learn more about your craft as well as make more contacts.
These are good starts---National Geographic and Time---humm--go to their job boards and post your work as samples to be reviewed. Keep persistance and do this regularly--Always include a telephone and email address for them to contact you---never mail anything without a telephone and email address---and keep your phone with you---be prepared to answer it---you only get one chance with these big agencies-- as the world has more names/photographers they can call on.---They are usually working at a very fast pace.
Advertisement agencies are another good source to get you noticed---apply again at an entry level position. Your work should speak for itself---list the software that you are familiar with in regards to photo manipulation...if you don't know of any software---LEARN IT---it is the wave of the future with imaging and photography---film photography is still alive and kicking, however, you will need to be as flexible with ALL ASPECTS of PHOTOGRAPHY to be able to get your foot into the door.
Good luck--have fun and keep shooting great photos. Share them with every one ---tell everyone about your dream and believe in it---make it happen.
Start your freelance photography business now, with digital and print making development and photo sharing so easy--you can get started relatively inexpensive and somewhat now with minimal hardware purchases. See the last link for more details.
Tina
Interested in working in photography, any advice?
I don't have big degrees either, specially related to photography, but I have nice photos, and I had it on free websites, now I switched to stock photos websites where I can sell it, there is a lot of sites and names, but I guess the best deal for me is big stock http://www.bigstockphoto.com/?refid=X9Ty鈥?/a>
You can go in there and look in the pages, maybe you will be interested.
Good luck
Have a look at my site lots of help Jobe Tips and Links
good luck
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/selli鈥?/a>
start by learning photography, exposure, lighting, flash, depth control, focus. the people that work for NG got there because they are the best in their field, better that all the great pros,
start learn how to use light and exposure
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