Got a note the other day from an aspiring photographer. He wanted to know what it takes to become a pro. I thought–very pragmatically–that it’s really not complicated. HARD maybe, but complicated, no. And this applies to so many FILL-IN-THE-BLANK things you aspire to be:
1. Declare yourself as that thing. That’s what you ARE in life. You’re not a student, not a finance-guy-slash-part-time-photographer, not a part time anything. You’re a photographer, or entrepreneur, or chef, or fill-in-the-blank. Let it be known.
2. Be in business. Make it real. Get a business bank account, business license (city + county), business cards. Business. Otherwise it’s a hobby.
Listen to the Podcast
Subscribe
3. Read every book you can find at the library or online about the thing you want to do. Understand the rules. Because if you fail at the business part, if you can’t SUSTAIN this business, you’re not a pro. You’re unemployed, or back to part-time this or that. And back to step 1 you go again…wanting to be a pro. NOW then, if read these books and they make sense, and they teach you how to run the books and land the gigs…you gotta then break some of the rules you read in these books. And YOU choose which are the right ones to break. You’ll be right 50% of the time, you just won’t know which 50% until after you’ve taken the leap. Action is the only thing that matters.
4. In order to be the noun, do the verb. Do that thing everyday and share your work, hustle, and promote it like mad. For clients and for yourself. Get creative as all hell. Find YOUR voice through creating more than you thought was possible. Aim to be different, not better than everybody else. Be brutal in judging your own work. Put forward only your best work around the the things you actually want to to do. Break all the rules here too. And again, you’ll be mistaken 50% of the time, but you gotta take your swings to hit anything at all. Don’t forget, the DOING is the only thing that matters here too. What you THINK is nice, but it counts for zilch, zero, nada. Action wins.
5. Repeat.
Now, if you got this far and you’re thinking – Chase, it is a bunch of fluff…. Well, of course. Here’s the truth: This isn’t really about how to become a pro. It’s about how to commit to something.
There are a zillion steps to becoming a pro. Days, weeks, years of work on the craft. But the #1 thing I see absent in people who SAY they want it….it a lack of commitment – a lack of those few last steps to get them over the line, get them off their asses, off the couch, off the internet where people hide behind fake names where they pretend they’ve DONE it, that they are a pro, or have even begun to commit… This is usually because of fear.
Fear that you won’t be able to support yourself and MAKE A LIVING – WHICH IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. The reality is that you probably either want to become a pro and still need to do the following things; or you don’t want it.
In the former case – that you DO want to become a pro and – then this episode is a ‘you can do this / get off your ass’ message to you. In the latter case – the case of not actually wanting it — then there’s no need to pretend. Maybe it’s just a hobby or an side-interest and that’s okay too.
But if you’re serious, start with one of the hardest things — and that’s point #1: Start by calling yourself a pro in front of your friends and your parents or whomever you come across. Then start. One foot in front of the other.
Good post Chase.. 🙂
resigning from my job this month, jump in … i feel afraid but happy, i know it will be lot of hard work, but happy 🙂
I can’t stand seeing people talk about how HARD WORK is the ticket. In this day and age, yes, hard work is needed. But it is trumped by WORKING SMART! Weaving throughout your network and knowing the right people gets you farther in this day and age. The two together are the best. For example, you know the big photographers in your area and you think, how can I be like him or her…Now thinking smart would be…I will work for him/her for free and see how they do it! Right! Now when you ask and them say yes, them you work your ass off that day week months. The other option is to think that you know and start out by trying to image what they have and how they do things. That will lead to years of misery. Ok…thats all I know! Cheers!
Oh no! I can’t make it and I’m so sad! I actually want to go but the girls are throwing me a likely away party that night at Angie’s. And i need so much clothes for my new job. So bummed. Anyway, possess a blast and that i would go when using the dress its fab! XOXO
Mr. Jarvis,
I wish I had known it was this easy when I started my Portrait studio 17 years ago. I cannot believe that I spent so much time and money and effort learning the craft of photography AND business before I hung a shingle on my door. Seriously, I am amazed that anyone would think they can be a successful photographer by following your method.
UDPATE: for those that don’t GET IT, this post is tongue in cheek and isn’t really about how to become a photographer. It’s about how to commit to something. There are a zillion steps to becoming a photographer. Days, weeks, years of work on the craft. But the #1 think I see absent in people who SAY they want it….it a lack of commitment – a lack of those few last steps to get them over the line, get them off their asses, off the couch, off the internet where people hide behind fake names where they pretend they’ve DONE it, that they are a pro, or have even begun to commit… This is usually because of fear. Fear that they can’t make a living. Which is actually what it MEANS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. The reality is that you probably either want to become a pro and still need to do the following things; or you don’t want it. In the former case – that you DO want to become a pro and – then this post is a ‘you can do this / get off your ass’ message to you. In the latter case – the case of not actually wanting it — then I’ve got no issue. But please then stop pretending / posing that you do want it. And if you’re just here to learn about the process and your taking it all in? Cool with me. My advice then is that commitment to pulling the trigger and calling yourself a photographer in front of your friends and you parents or God or whomever is one of the hardest things….