2.) Email Photographer
Email 5 Local Professional PhotographersFor this part of the assignment I want you to research local photographers that work in your style. If you are unable to find many that are close broaden your search to San Diego or LA. Every photographers page will have a contact email address(they want to work), create a new email to the photographer. Explain that you are a photography student at Mission Vista HS and doing a project on a career in photography. Ask if they would be willing to answer a few questions for your research. Make sure that you are professional and courteous, a little flattery will go a long way. Use these questions as a start, add your own as well. Document your attempts to reach the photographers and upload a log of sent mail and responses from the photographers. Not all will respond but some will. This is a great way to see that these people are accessible and could lead to future internships or mentors.
1. How long have you been a professional photographer?
2. What type of education/training did you get/need?
3. What do you think is the most rewarding part of your job?
4. What was or is your dream photo job? Have you had an opportunity to do this job yet?
5. Do you ever hire interns?
6. Do you have any advice for an aspiring photographer?
Hi! My name is Nick Pham. I am a student photographer at Mission Vista High School in Oceanside. I am doing a Mid-Term Project in which I am to email a photographer who is doing the branch of photography. I am researching which is action/sports. I've seen your work and I'm amazed of the beautiful work it is. I'm a bboy myself and I love the way you put your work into the bboy culture. I wonder if I may ask you some questions. If not thank you for your time anyway.
1. How long have you been a professional photographer?
I've been a professional photographer for about 8 years now - However, I've been shooting for about 15 years.
2. What type of education/training did you get/need?
I have a degree in Architecture ( finished 2002) which I think helped me understand composition more, and appreciate the use of space. I also took some photography classes in Long Beach City College a long time ago to learn more about it ( and to have infinite access to their dark room :) )
I read a lot ( photography, graphic design, music, culture, children’s books… ). The more you learn, the less you know.
3. What do you think is the most rewarding part of your job?
I think the most rewarding about it is traveling, meeting new people, and experiencing new things and to be able to share it to other people through my photos. And getting paid to do it is of course a huge plus.
4. What was or is your dream photo job? Have you had an opportunity to do this job yet?
I am fortunate to experience so many cool things with my photography and just to legitimately call this as a career is a dream.
Growing up however, I always admired photographers shooting on assignment for National Geographic and thought how cool it was ( and still is ). I never had a chance to shoot for them yet but hopefully I’ll get an opportunity someday.
5. Do you ever hire interns?
Yes! it's always great to share knowledge to upcoming photographers.
6. Do you have any advice for an aspiring photographer?
Keep on shooting and stay driven. Have a good reason why you want to be a photographer. Inspiration is all around.
Hey Nick!
I am so sorry this took so long to get back to you on. I kinda got swept up with a few things last week and over the weekend but I tried my best to answer your questions below. Let me know if you need me to go into any more detail?
Thanks!
On Oct 1, 2015, at 12:04 PM, Nick Pham <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi! My name is Nick Pham. I am a student photographer at Mission Vista High School in Oceanside. I am doing a Mid-Term Project in which I am to email a photographer who is doing the branch of photography. I am researching which is action/sports. I've seen your work and I'm amazed of the beautiful work it is. I wonder if I may ask you some questions. If not thank you for your time anyway.
1. How long have you been a professional photographer?
I guess I could say I have been shooting professionally since I graduated college in 2005 so this is my 10th year. However, my early years weren’t as successful so it was a bit of a slow start until recently when it has taken off in the past 5-7 years.
2. What type of education/training did you get/need?
I went to college and got an art degree. I studied photo and video as part of my education but it wasn’t my main focus. I think this was important however because I learned a lot of other aspects of art and translated that into photography. After that a lot of my education came from actually being in the field and learning from experience. I think experience is the most important form of education a photographer can get. You constantly are learning and growing as a photographer so the more time you spend doing it, the better you become.
3. What do you think is the most rewarding part of your job?
Being able to travel for work and getting to see the places and work with the people that I would have paid to see/work with when I was younger. It’s really cool to get to see the world and be with athletes that I looked up to when I was younger. Sometimes I really have to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming.
4. What was or is your dream photo job? Have you had an opportunity to do this job yet?
I think my concept or idea of a dream job is always changing. Yes, I have shot a few of my “dream jobs” already, but I am constantly looking for the “next big thing.” So thankfully it hasn’t been the case of me doing my dream job and then throwing in the towel and being done. Once I finish a “dream job” I typically stop and think, ok, how can we do something cooler than that and try to go after it.
5. Do you ever hire interns?
At this point I do not, unfortunately my schedule is ever changing and I travel a lot which makes it hard for me to bring anyone along with me. I often do hire “assistants” who sometimes grow to become their own photographer but unfortunately I am typically looking for someone I can train in to be a dedicated assistant for at least a decent amount of time. Not to say that it might not happen in the future but at this point in time it’s not in the cards.
6. Do you have any advice for an aspiring photographer?
Keep at it and don’t get discouraged. Also don’t just learn the technical aspects of being a photographer. Being a photographer isn’t just about being able to operate a camera or expose a flash correctly but about being a good person and making relationships with people. At the end of the day people really want to work with the individuals that they enjoy being around. Of course you need to be talented, etc, but the best advice anyone ever gave me was, “don’t be an asshole.”