Amanda and Jeremy will be getting married in Jackson, MS this Saturday. Can’t wait to celebrate with them!
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[...] We recently had the opportunity to second shoot a wedding in Jackson, Mississippi, with Mark Eric, an extremely talented Louisiana photographer. It was a great learning opportunity for us thanks to Mark answering any and all questions we had! With Mark’s permission, we’re sharing a few of our favorite images from Amanda and Jeremy’s wedding. (Be sure to check out Mark’s blog to see Amanda and Jeremy’s engagement photos!) [...]
My photographer friends are probably well aware of a controversial promotional written recently titled “The Stystem- A 10 step guide to starting your photography business”.
I don’t intend to get caught up in the drama surrounding this promotional piece. I personally believe some points are very relevant, and some are pure fluff aimed at new photographers in order to attract them to the author’s business (selling websites and software to photographers). However, it has caused me to reflect on my personal “System”. I’ve been thinking of the challenges I went through in order to get to where I am today in my photography business. I’d love to hear from other photographers as well. Tell us what your “System” was. How did you get to where you are today. Let’s hear some real world examples!
My “System”
1. Had a full-time job that provided steady income while I learned photography.
2. Shot youth sports, sold 4×6 prints by lugging them around in an ice chest around the ballpark in order to raise money for better equipment.
3. Shot lots of cheap and free weddings to learn the craft.
4. Tried to make friends with photographers locally, only to be rejected and treated as competition. Found friends on forums around the country (ironically one of the forums was founded by the Author of “The System”)
5. Stayed up until 3:00 am editing while maintaining an 8-5 daytime job for many years in order to build my business.
6. Read everything I could to learn the craft, including forums, books, and articles.
7. Created a debt free business by building it slowly and deliberately over several years.
8. Went full-time after 7 years, when my photography income was double my day job income.
9. Travel hundreds of miles each week in order to maintain a healthy client base.
10. Shoot weddings because I love them, not because I want to be a rockstar or make lots of money.
Photographers, let’s hear your real world example. What was your “System” ?
10 comments
while i am by no means legit legit or a seasoned pro, considering I’m doing much of the things on your system, makes me feel like I’m on my way.
i’m not even a year into this, so i know i have a long long long way to go, but i think the full time job thing helps too so i can make transition eventually a few years down the line when i learn more about equipment, editing, shooting, etc.
one thing that’s part of my current system is randomly contacting people i know semi-well when they have a subject I’m looking to shoot. for example, i know people having babies, i ask them if i can shoot them. if someone is getting engaged, i jump on them like white on rice and ask to give them a free session.
it’s working. diversifying my portfolio and getting my name out there, a little. we shall see!
Holy cow! I felt like you were writing the story of my life! 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, part of 9, and 10 is all me!! I am involved in several forums that I feel addicted to. My husband is pushing me to quit my day job to open the doors to a small dream studio… Here’s to praying for the nerve to take that leap of faith!!
Thanks for the articles! I enjoy reading them and enjoy your work.
Shawna
Love this. Real on so many levels.
Step 1 – buy a canon rebel xti … Step 2 – think I could literally photograph a wedding with this camera … Step 3 – shoot a free portrait session on my dog, fence, boyfriend, family, anyone that would let me … Step 4 – pay $99 for a workshop to “build my portfolio” … Step 5 – get better camera bc images were awful from workshop … Step 6 – read another camera manual cover to cover and sign up for more workshops … Step 7 – email all friends and family to tell them about free sessions (more portfolio). .. Step 8 – email photogs in area I admired and never hear back … Step 9 – work my buns off and hustle like crazy … Step 10 – quit my day job in 2008 sink or swim.
1. Husband surprises me with a Rebel for Christmas.
2. Husband tells me how awesome I am and I could make a business out of this.
3. Make a template website & Facebook page – open for business.
4. Stalk dozens of photogs and cry because my images don’t look like theirs.
5. Receive a kind email from Mark Eric after he noticed I had a link to his site on mine. Referred me to such forum. 
6. Quit after every session for 4 years. My husband, after every session, talked me into one more try.
7. Little by little I begin to believe in myself.
8. Just took out a full page ad in a local upscale bride mag to solidify my presence. So happy I did it!
9. Went full time last year.
10. Meeting with a girl Friday about bringing her on as an associate photographer.
Tehy all fall in to place but #4 is the best, thats exactly right.
Nicely put, Eric. I’m in the same boat… except for the ‘going full time’ part. thanks for writing this.
Very similar story to mine! Glad I’m not the only one who took this approach. Good luck with the rest of your career.
Rob
I started in 2009 when I bought my first DSLR (Full Frame D700) with my money I saved from an Iraq deployment.
During that deployment I read for 15 months on how to use a camera and what the basic settings did.
Did my first first shoot for $35 and free disk for a girl that had cute kids. I figured $35 was good for my amateur time… learned quickly that editing takes a longggg time.
Read all sorts of blogs, LinkedIn groups, YouTube how-to’s, etc.
Realize I don’t know as much as I like to think I do.
Get frustrated when my photos don’t look as crisp as the pro’s
Shot as many families as I could while still being full time military. Saved money to buy additional equipment w/ zero debt.
Still dabbling in different types of subjects to find my nitch; most recently real estate photography which I find I’m really liking.
Relocating next month from Central Texas to the Seattle, WA area to continue in the real estate photo area and landscape photography.
Hope to go full time within the next couple years when I retire from the Army.
Mark-
I most certainly an amateur and I take pictures out of the love/thrill I get when they come out looking anything like I imagined in my mind… and mind you I use film still! I have known of several others who have taken the same road as you have and become incredibly successful. Most telling, they had the greatest success possible in that they were fulfilled, happy, and as a person they did not change. It is heartening to read the comments you receive about your kindness because the photography world has a lot of snobbery and competition and even saying another photog’s name can get you snubbed-just awful. It is harder to be true to yourself and your clients rather than fit in with your colleagues, and I believe you have truly succeeded.
Sometimes I feel like number 4. I totally agree with number 7.
by Mark Eric
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They are such a cute couple!! And your work is amazing. =)
I LOVE these Mark! beautiful work!