|
Featured Resources
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
(back)
Photographer
If you want to become a professional photographer so one day you can have the glamorous job of shooting Victoria’s Secret models, think again. Ming Louie, a photographer in San Francisco, has been there, done that, and says it’s just another day’s work.
It’s all work, no play,” says Louie, who has worked on seven Victoria’s Secret catalogues when he was a photo assistant. One of the catalogue company’s models in the early Eighties, says Louie, was actress Geena Davis. “Shooting the models was interesting work,” he says, “but shooting pots and pans for a department-store ad is OK, too.”
According to Louie, 54, who has worked in the field for more than 25 years, any work is good work when you’re first starting, whether it’s supermodels or frying pans. “Working as an assistant is important, because you meet people and learn the industry,” he says. “I freelanced as an assistant and made about $100 a day, which was great. I met many photographers and learned different styles.”
Today, Louie has a 5,000-square-foot studio and darkroom in San Francisco and works as a commercial photographer. He shoots for clients, usually for advertisements or catalogues. Louie’s clients include a wine retailer, a Belgian cookie importer and a hearing aid manufacturer.
Fine-art photographers, on the other hand, shoot for themselves and sell their framed prints as art. Photojournalists tell stories through their pictures in newspapers, magazines or exhibits. Because he is self-employed, which is the case for most photographers, Louie doesn’t have a set schedule every day, and can work at home if he’s working on the computer. But most mornings, he wakes up at 5 and tries to beat rush-hour traffic into San Francisco. His day is usually finished by 5 or 6 p.m..
“There’s no such thing as a typical day,” says Louie. “I usually work by myself and hire only when I need people—an assistant, a prop or wardrobe person. Sometimes we have casting meetings. You’ll have a call for a particular look, and we’ll have people parade through the studio, take Polaroid shots of them and decide who’s best for the shot.”
When he’s working on a particular project with a client, Louie usually has production meetings, where he and the client talk about their ideas, set a date for the shoot and look for a location.
In between paying jobs, Louie updates his portfolio. “I have a journal of things I’ve thought about, sometimes while I’m commuting, and when I have time, I’ll create these photographs and show them to clients or potential clients as examples of my work,” he says. “They want to see the technical and the creative part.”
Louie says photography is very stimulating work, and it’s also financially rewarding.
A survey by the Advertising Photographers of America shows that in 1998, the average commercial photographer made $373,000 a year, before taxes. Wedding photographers can make $8,000 a wedding. A good assistant can make $250 a day, and the top photographers can easily make several million dollars a year.
But getting started as a beginner can be cost-prohibitive, says Louie. “The film, equipment … it’s all very expensive. If I wanted to start from scratch, shooting digitally, it would be $50,000 for the camera, computers, scanners. It’s tough for someone just out of school to do that.” Instead of diving in and making a huge investment, he recommends starting with any camera—digital, manual or automatic.
“Practice taking pictures, then develop a style and get noticed,” he says. “If you have a chance to work for someone, that’s a good way to start.”
Other than cost of equipment, additional downsides to the profession include inconsistent work (not having a regular paycheck), always having to market yourself and often carrying or wheeling around up to 100 pounds of equipment.
At the University of Oregon, Louie studied journalism and Asian studies. It wasn’t until age 26 that he picked up his first camera. He fell in love with photography and bought his own Minolta camera in 1972. Then he went back to school for a two-year photography program at a local college in San Francisco.
“What attracted me to photography is that you have complete control,” Louie says. “From shooting to developing, I loved going from beginning to end and seeing images coming up in the darkroom.” He says he also loves using his muscles as well as his mind. “You use your body to get into some of the positions you’re in for a particular shot. You have to be in good shape.”
There are some schools, such as the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and Brooks Institute in California, that offer four-year programs in photography. But Louie says getting a liberal-arts education is very important, as is developing an appreciation for the arts. “Get into a few photography classes in high school and college,” he recommends. “And become familiar with design and art. Go to museums.”
When it comes to getting that first assistant job, whether it’s just for the summer, after graduation or during college, Louie recommends making cold calls to photographers, asking if they need help. “They may ask to see your portfolio, but when I look for an assistant, I’m not interested in what you’ve done. I’m more interested in your work ethic and attitude. I’m happy to teach my techniques. It’s all part of the learning experience.”
The future looks good for professional photographers, Louie says. There are more catalogues than ever, advertising in magazines and newspapers is healthy, and Web sites provide another medium that needs photography. Louie says the strongest markets for photography are New York, Florida, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. But you don’t need to be in one of these places to be a successful commercial photographer.
Just look in your newspaper or at billboards on the highway to see how many advertisements use photography. Or step outside your house and think about all the things you can shoot and the creative ways you can do so.
As for Louie’s future, he says he’d like to do more of what he’s personally interested in, rather than shooting exclusively for clients. Stock photography is a way to do that, if you have a particular interest and focus on taking pictures of one thing, such as babies or cars, pets, hands or flowers, to name a few. Then you sell your stock or work with an agency that will sell it for you. “I’ve always wanted to do more work for others,” says Louie, “so maybe in the future, I’ll do more for myself.”
Have questions about the profession of photography? E-mail Ming Louie at
[email protected].
Websites:
Trade organizations are a good place to learn more about profession and to track down established photographers in large cities for work or internships.
www.asmp.org:
American Society of Media Photographers
www.apanational.org:
Advertising Photographers of America
www.ppa.com: Professional Photographers of America
For general news about industry, click on:
www.pdn-pix.com:
Photo District News
www.photoserve.com: PhotoServe - Professional photography portfolios and gallery
Other useful Web sites:
www.commarts.com/index.html: Communication Arts magazine
www.mingstudio.com: Ming Louie’s Web site Article provided by 
|
|
|
