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Several questions to discuss.
1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? 2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill) Jan 02 16 10:42 pm Link Sorry, but the answer to all those questions is "It depends." If you're working for a publication, you're probably working every day. If you're free lance, you'll work from time to time. And on it goes. Depending on the type of work you plan on doing, the cheap Pentax may be great ... or a paper weight. I worked in publishing from 1966 to 2009. Now, I do some free lance work in retirement. The demands and pressures are drastically different. You make choices, and the questions you have answer themselves. Jan 02 16 10:50 pm Link 1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? Wha? huh? I never went to school. Whats an undergraduate? ...no seriously? Also that question doesn't make sense to me, so im just gonna say: yes, you want to get a job.  2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? If you got the money go for it. If you don't, just buy what you need to get the job done and deliver the results you / your clients want. 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? Same way anyone else advertises a business; websites, word of mouth / social media, community events. Make contacts with marketing departments. 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? Well yeah, if the project is huge assistants are necessary. 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? Only if they want a paycheck. 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill) That list could go on forever. Depends what kind of photography you do too. Knowing how to manage clients expectations. Safely transport / set up / gear without hurting anyone or getting your stuff stolen. Also knowing how to use the equipment to its limitations helps too.  Jan 02 16 10:56 pm Link It all depends like the dude above said......... Just don't go overkill on the equipment. Jan 02 16 11:14 pm Link Gerardo Martinez wrote: That's true - especially for the camera. It's one thing to buy high-end stands or tripods, on the assumption that you won't need to replace them for a very long time. It's another to buy a high-end camera before you need it; by the time you do need it, there may be new models, or the same model at a lower price. Jan 03 16 12:41 am Link 1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? When I was an undergraduate I worked for a few companies. I shot people boarding vacation cruise ships and worked freelance for Scripts Institute of Oceanography which gave me access to Sea World. I also shot art for galleries and a few private collectors. I also worked at the local paper as an intern. I think I was just experimenting. You are young. No need to pin yourself down. You can shoot actor's head shots if that is what you really enjoy, though. 2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? I don't know. Is your degree photography? I recommend working somewhere in the business so you can learn some thing first so you know what you want to do. Many people just grip or pa. Need to earn money more than spend money. I think what you are thinking of is having access to equipment. I wouldn't worry too much about that. Most places have equipment rental houses and many places can supply you cheaply or freely. My three main shooters can rent from me for work credits. 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? I am cheap and like word of mouth the best. I am going to a wedding fair at the end of the month I am preparing for. I also do charity work for Red Cross that doesn't cost money to promote. I am also donating photography to our local VA hospitals and groups. You don't have to spend money but its up to you. I am primarily a wedding photographer. Many of these people are possible future clients. 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? I have an internship program and I have part time assistants. I am a regular small business. My shooters are all freelance. I have a list of about 12 but mostly use the same 3. 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? I work seven days a week. My first vacation in almost 2 years is coming next week. My family reunion. 2 weeks just shooting family. Last year I shot around 35 weddings from my guess work. 200 photo booths (mostly in mcdonalds), about 20-25 debuts, and 15 events. Mostly college events, video work mostly for events. I shoot some family portraits in between that and three or four class reunions. I've been in the wedding business for a year and a half. If you are guessing I do a lot of marketing you are right. I've also had a lot of growing pains because I probably am over doing it a bit. 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill) Photography is all in your head. Albert Watson rents everything. Me I like to buy toys. The skill isn't as important as you would think. Whatever skill you have today is enough to do some kind of photography for someone. Just keep learning and it will develop at it's own pace. I love playing with toys. That's a great skill for me because I like setting up gimbals and heavy backlighting and multiple lights on my sets. That being said my number one photographer messes up lighting sometimes in favor of keeping the subjects in the moment like at weddings. She screws up lighting regularly but always says we can fix it in post. She has a beautiful charming personality and my clients adore her. Who is the better photographer I can't say. I have had fights with brides but she has always made friends with them and goes to their Christening when they have a child. The skill I would tell you to develop is being detail oriented so that it is like an obsession. I'm not the best with with people but they see I have good intention. Most of the time that is enough. Jan 03 16 01:18 am Link I would NOT consider a Pentax 645D (even used) a cheap camera at $3400- to $4000+ with a lens. Learning about lighting, using strobes effectively, understanding light values, back lighting, cropping, and composition are essentials if you are going to be a skillful photographer. How a camera feels in your hands, how your eyes adapt to the screen or viewfinders are all details that will help you formulate what equipment will suit your needs. Renting is a good way to start. Good Luck... Jan 03 16 01:42 am Link I think a good idea for any budding pro to consider is joining the PPA. http://www.ppa.com/ You can meet working pros and be a assistant and you live in NY. Art and photography schools are cool but in my view you learn best by assisting for people who shoot for clients. Another needed skill you won't always learn in art school is carpentry. Set building is a valuable talent. I would avoid buying any film cameras and that includes medium format. If you have the budget try for a good full frame DLSR and a few lenses. Rent as needed. While doing this keep up to date with the latest versions of Photoshop and Lightroom. Many working pros don't edit their own work and your ability to do so could be very helpful. What's great about assisting is meeting art directors and clients. You may never get to interact with them but when you approach advertising agencies people may remember you. Some members may disagree with this last statement but its also wise to be familiar with Macs and OS X. Its what most pros use from my experience. If you have a few bucks and want lights. Hit Craigslist. Photographers are always upgrading. Focus on Speedotron or Profoto or Balcar. I would avoid Norman packs. Jan 03 16 02:05 am Link skim165 wrote: The problem is that if you go the cheap medium format camera... probably film, you end up paying more. Jan 03 16 02:17 am Link 1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? I didn't go to school for photography so I can't answer this but you make shooting head shots sound like the equivalent to bagging groceries. It's not. shooting good headshots is not that easy and if you become really good at it, you can make a lot of money. You can be the best bagger at the grocery but you still make minimum wage. 2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? You said cheap but I think you meant to say- inexpensive. Nothing wrong with buying an inexpensive medium format camera but you will also have the expense of buying film/developing/scanning. Maybe look at higher end digital to avoid some of the after shooting expenses. 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? Social media and photography/modeling forums like this one. 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? I can't speak for all photographers obviously but no. I have no interest in hiring a student intern/assistant. 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? The bad ones, no. The good ones, yes. You may not be shooting everyday but you are working on some aspect of growing your business every day. Shooting is only a small part of what a photographers actually does (or should be doing). 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill You need a good eye, know the basics of how to compose an image, balance, forefront, middle and background, know how to use both natural light and studio light. So yeah, you pretty much need to know a lot of math, science. Jan 03 16 08:43 am Link Don't buy the 645D. It's already old tech. If you have the money, get a 645z. Otherwise, Nikon or Canon will be fine. Jan 03 16 09:34 am Link Thank you guys. Well I'm really worry that art school doesn't really teach technical and etc for commercial and editorial photography but art. Internship and assistance would be great but it's quite hard to find a photographer in NYC. Any suggestion for finding photographers who need a student to work and support? Jan 03 16 10:29 am Link skim165 wrote: There is an estimate of 65,000 photographers in NYC who are making a full or part time living in that field, which means that it's not really THAT hard to find a good photographer to assist/intern. Jan 03 16 10:58 am Link udor wrote: Thank you for help. Jan 03 16 11:10 am Link skim165 wrote: I don't think that photographers actively seek out interns... photographers with a certain public profile being usually sought out by students or beginner photographers. A girl I used to date a long time ago, (model and swimsuit model since teen years) studied photo-journalism at NYU and she interned with Annie Leibovitz. My friend didn't look for an ad somewhere, where Annie was looking for an intern... she applied on her own. Jan 03 16 11:21 am Link Photography is a business of hustling. You shouldn't be waiting for a job to fall in your lap. I wasn't a photo major. I was an artist/painter/writer. I just needed to eat. That's how I decided to take photography seriously. Make a biodata and head shot of yourself that is professional and take it with you and go to some studios and apply for a job. You can bring a portfolio as well. You are in art school so I assume you are a proud artist. Bring some of that too (pictures of it). Many photographers are artists as well. Within a couple of years of graduating most of my classmates found something else to do. Me too. I wasn't always shooting. I worked at MTV and produced commercials, worked as a set builder. Don't limit yourself. If you arent hustling because you are shy get over it. It will limit your career. Assisting pays well enough to not starve. Good luck Jan 03 16 01:34 pm Link Don't focus too much on gear, learn to do outstanding work with what you have. The most important thing is to train your eye/brain to SEE. The rest you can pick up as needed, but you can have the best/most expensive gear in the world and still produce crappy pictures. Jan 03 16 01:41 pm Link Good questions! 1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? You have to decide what you want to offer. Part of it is what the market will take - and part of it is what you want to do. Also, do you have other skills that would complement images? Do you know construction, politics, etc? You could end up photographing the upcoming election, for example. 2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? A tool is a tool. If you can achieve the results you promised your client, then it doesn't matter. You have to figure out if you have the right tool for the job. 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? Start by networking and word-of-mouth. You have to reach out to your target client base - figure out where they are likely to see your portfolio. If you ahve a good e-mail list, then blog images and ideas out to the e-mail list. 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? No. Most people are fairly independent and can't afford the overhead. 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? You work when you need to work - and you eat when you work! 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill) You need the skills to deliver the work you're promising. The greatest lighting skills in the world are useless if you are doing weddings and have no ability to get the wedding into the studio or bring the studio to the wedding. Jan 03 16 01:51 pm Link 1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? What type of photography are you wanting to do? 2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? Buying equipment without knowing what you NEED is usually a waste of money. 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? social media, google, and on and on 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? Depends on the photographer sin your area's needs. 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? every day, 7 days a week. 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill) Composition, lighting, exposure, business sense, Ability to sell yourself, confidence, persistence. Ability to wake up early and work for 20 hours each day. and more Jan 04 16 07:24 am Link skim165 wrote: The 645D is a good value if you get a good camera not beat to death. Not great for candid street work though. Jan 05 16 09:09 am Link 1. what types of photography that undergraduate student usually work with? Such as actor's headshot. Or do they get a job and be part of the company? Usually at that point you really should be focused on just building your portfolio. Unless you're some sort of protege you aren't going to be competing with established photographers for decent paying gigs. That brings me to your question #3 which is if you want to be in the mix I'd recommend going straight to assisting. If you take a 9 to 5 job at starbucks or whatever it'll be hard to break free. You're in NY state, move to nyc and jump in. 2. Will it be stupid if I buy and use a cheap medium format camera, Pentax 645D, after I graduate for my career life? Yes. That's a nice camera but here's the thing... nobody rents it or lenses for it. The nice thing about starting out with a conventional dsl like 5d mark III is that you can get yourself one lens, like the 24-70, and then rent whatever else you need. Can't do that with the Pentax. There are various other issues I won't get into with that camera including software that I think just makes something more conventional a smarter choice for someone starting out. 3. How photographers advertise their own portfolio site? First just get one. Then start telling people about it. 4. Do photographers usually want undergraduate photography students for internship, assistance, or part time job? Yes. Refer to my answer for question #1 5. Do photographers work everyday or often? I work almost every single day. Do I shoot everyday? No. But I'm always working. You'll find if you decide to go the commercial/ ad agency route that the guys ( and girls ) who make it have one thing in common... they're always working. 6. What are some requirement in order to work as a photographer? (Like lighting skill) Either artistic vision and the ability to enthusiastically communicate it, or savvy business skills. Good luck bro! It's a jungle out there, and most people don't make it past the shrubs. Jan 05 16 04:46 pm Link |
