TO BE OR NOT TO BE

How many times have you heard yourself, or someone you know say "professional photographers charge to much", or something to that effect?

You know you take pictures as good as theirs, your friends and family tell you that you do, and that you ought to become a professional.  You could charge less, and more people could afford a good quality session, and you could make a killing, right?

So I'm here to talk to you a little about why those professional photographers charge so much.  We really aren't ripping the general public off, I promise.  If you work out of your home, or out of a small store front in your home town, or a large warehouse size area, I think you might be surprised.

So one of the very first things you want to do is to determine the quality of your work.  You already know that by examining your work, and from the encouragement of your friends and family that your work is fantastic right?  Now, I'm not saying that it's not.  This isn't a personal attack on anyone.  But here is what you want to do.  First, go on line and start looking at photographers web sites; and continue to look at photographer web sites.  You are going to come across web sites where your work is equal or better than, and then you are going to come across web sites where you should be saying, I'm nowhere close.  If you can't find a web site where you can't say "I'm nowhere close", then you either need to keep looking, or you need a reality check.  I have never met a photographer, great or otherwise that hasn't been able to say "I need to keep improving".  There are some incredible photographers out there.  Have people that aren't friends or family take a look at your work, and ask them to be totally honest with you.  Not to be mean, but honest.  What they like, what they don't like.  You need that honesty to see where you are really at. There is your first step.  If you still feel like you are ready to take the leap, then move on.