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Garry Black Photography

Question:

Hello Garry:
I came across your web site while browsing through the Stock Photo library and I must say it was one of the better web sites I've seen in quite a while. It was well laid out, informative, loaded fast, all the links worked, and best of all I appreciate the fact that you take the time to answer other people's questions. So, here's the situation I have been pondering which has led me to your site.

I've been an amateur photographer for a few years now, but as an
over ambitious 22 year old student I couldn't help but wondering how realistic it is to pursue a career in photography. The things I've been trying to find out about are the steps that pro photographers take to become pro photographers. I've looked into some colleges in Ontario that offer courses in photography, but they aren't the areas I'm interested in pursuing (ie studio, photojournalism, portraits, etc.). Having looked at your web site and your work on the Masterfile site, the landscape and scenic photos you take are exactly the type I enjoy shooting most, so that's what I've been concentrating on. I realize that the big money is in people shots but they don't interest me all that much. In fact, I'd rather do what I like to do and make less money at it. But I digress.

For now I'd like to get some opinions on my work to find out where I stand realistically. Do you do portfolio critiques or do you know of people who do that sort of thing? Any advice, suggestions, experience you can offer would be invaluable to me. Thanks in advance for your time.

Answer:

Let me start off by saying, you can make big money with landscape and scenic photos, but not every one does. In fact there are very few that do. It is the most competitive of all of the fields in photography; everyone that takes photographs takes scenic photographs no matter what their specialty is.

Most of the successful landscape photographers that I know have never had a "formal" education in photography or even apprenticed with a photographer. I started photography as a hobby while working at a scrap steel company. What all of the successful photographers have in common, is a love for photography and we are driven (obsessed) with it.

I read as much as I could about photography, I took out every book in the library! But I just didn't read, I also went out and practiced taking pictures, and then tried to determine what I had done right as well as the mistakes that I made. I took a couple of week long photography workshops, they gave me the opportunity to ask a professional photographer questions that I had about my photography and learn first hand from a professional. From my discussions with other photographers this is also how all of them learned photography.

What makes a successful landscape photographer successful? It is the fact that his vision and style of photography are uniquely his, this is something that colleges can't teach, in fact they do almost the opposite by making them conform to certain rules and styles. Which is fine if you want to become a studio, wedding, and portrait photographer.

The only time that I review portfolios is during the workshops that I conduct. I don't have enough time to do this during the rest of the year when I am shooting to make money. I don't know of any other photographers that would either, my guess would be that if you found someone that would take the time to look at it, they have far too much spare time on their hands - which would me wonder how successful they are and is their advice really worth anything.

I hope that this gives you some encouragement for a career in photography!