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Photography Question 

Fawn M. Schutt
 

Everything!


I have a few questions that I really need someone to answer, I am really into all kinds of Photography and I am trying to get my Portraits off the gound. I have a few props, but all I can seem to get is pictures of my friends and family. I need some equipment, backgrounds, lighting, things like that, and I have a very very very limited budget. Can anyone tell me where I can get this stuff super cheap, and one more thing..... I don't have anywhere to 'set up shop' anywhere. I found a place simi-close to my home that will only charge $250 a month for a small space, but I don't even have that kind of money right now. I need to know how I can get off the ground without falling over, if you know what I mean. Anything will help, even if you are a great Photographer looking to get rid of some old equipment. Thanks and I hope to hear from ANYONE soon.

Fawn


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October 11, 2004

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
Contact Gregory LaGrange
Gregory LaGrange's Gallery
  get a job so you can get the money so you can get the stuff that you need to do what you want to do.
use xmas and birthdays to add on to your supply.
and only get what you need instead of getting everything at once.
you don't have a place to shoot, don't have the money to get a place, so you really need a background at this point?
get the stuff to shoot outside first, or at least on location.


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October 12, 2004

 

Fawn M. Schutt
  Thanks for the input. I will take it into consideration.


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October 12, 2004

 

Shauna Linde
  Well as far as getting things off the ground- Gregory is right- it's probably best to start at the bottom and work your way up which is to find a suitable place to actually get this going. I'm guessing you are trying to expand from the friends/family set to small scale commercial photography maybe?? That can be a difficult task complicated even more so with such budget restrictions. A couple suggestions for you though on supplies: For backgrounds, if you're looking for inexpensive items, think of shower curtains, or fabric from a fabric store. You can pretty much pick your price there. Then you can hang the cloth as you want to in the colors/prints you want. You should also look in the Sunday paper in your area in the classifieds section. There may be people locally who are looking to sell their equipment.

Hope that helps!


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October 12, 2004

 

Fawn M. Schutt
  Thanks Shauna, it does so much! Great ideas. Thanks so much.


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October 12, 2004

 

Lori Lyman
  Fawn, they are right. Without money you cannot get a place. Without a place, you really have little use for your backgrounds, etc. What you should do for now so you can get off the ground is just do location work. Give out flyers with your information on it, tell everyone. Weddings are also a very good money maker, though very stressful especially if you're doing it alone. But it's worth keeping in mind. You could also take kid's sports teams and cheerleading teams and such. These are easy and make pretty good profit. Just my thoughts. I'm in the same boat now as you!


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October 13, 2004

 

Lori Lyman
  Hold on Fawn. I just read a prior post and realized you're only 14. I answered from a point of making money, not from actually getting more equipment and the how to's. OK, forget weddings and sports teams for now. There's plenty of ways to make your own stuff. For instance, a piece of white styrofoam or poster board works great as a reflector. You can even make your own backgrounds. You can die sheets, paint material, even buy material from a sewing shop for cheap. You can set up scenes outside. For instance, I set up a fall scene in my backyard with a few bails of hay, couple pumpkins, fall colored leaves from Wal-Mart, and fall flowers. I can also set up an indoor scene for small babies/toddlers next to a large window. I have a brownish felt material to hang for a background and I will put a few of my pumpkins and leaves there too. I can use my poster board to reflect some window light back to the other side of the child. You can set similar scenes for all holidays. There's a park in town that's beautiful for portraiture. You just have to learn to be creative. This will take you further than any pricey equipment will!


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October 13, 2004

 

Fawn M. Schutt
  Sounds like you are helping me get off to a pretty good start. This all helps, but when I work with family members, (which I have been for almost a year now) they thend to want it done 'their' way. They have to realize I know what I am talking about, how do I make them see I know what I am doing and that they need to listen to me if they want good pictures? Well, I hope to hear from you soon, and thanks again,

Fawn


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October 13, 2004

 

ANTHONY CAROLINA
  Fawn; Working with family can sometimes be tougher than other clients. do it their way, then do it your way. They'll soon only do it your way once the "see" the difference. Worked with my family.


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November 02, 2004

 

Fawn M. Schutt
  I have been doing it their way, and just in the close past, they have somewhat realized, I DO know what I am talking about. Thank goodness. - Fawn


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November 03, 2004

 

Diane Dupuis
  I definitely agree that shooting family (or people for that matter) can be rather difficult. Sometimes they expect you to be a magician rather than a photographer (example: I look fat - well... - you are fat!, I look bald - well... you are bald!) You can't do miracles! I agree that you should go with what they want but also insist on doing it your way. If you know what you're doing they'll see the difference and agree with you after...
Good luck!


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November 03, 2004

 

Fawn M. Schutt
  Yes, very true. Thanks. - Fawn


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November 04, 2004

 

Mary E. Heinz
  Congragulations on being so consistent
with your work....even through difficult
challenges....I agree with the other...
just take both..your way and their way...they will see a difference.....
Also be creative; use interesting things
you have at home for backdrops even.


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July 17, 2005

 

Debby A. Tabb
 
 
 
Fawn,
ok you now have some ideas on background ect.
Please do not invest in any more props.
they come later and some of your best will be around the house or someone elses trash.Learn your posing first and concentrate on the camera and studio equiptment needed.
A back drop holder can easily be made out of 2 coffee cans of cement and some pvc pipe- you'll need-2 cans
(5lbs) and some cement- 3 pvec pipes - 2 "L" connectors and 2 straight longer conectors and 6 eye hooks.
fill the cans,then before dry insert the 2 longer straight conectors half way into cement, let dry-then drill 3 holes in each conector(these holes are for your eye hooks, you will screw them in to meet the poles and keep them tight)then insert poles-at the top place your "L" joints and then the 3rd pipe is your cross bar.
Now also if you'd like to get started out side the family- well,I suggest to a lot of people ,one of the best untaped markets is pet photography-and even young you could have your folks help you set up a booth at a local dog show etc.(pet store, grooming shop, humane socity) You will need a adult to help you with this.and do pet photography-usually with gromming shops etc. we will give them 10% of what is made.
getting in to a contract for a studio desn't work for most young and even seasoned photographers,the fight to get clients is tough- so establish your self first.every time you shoot anywhere have a card handy- your never to young to get your name out there.
I do hope this helps(you can see my gallery for more pet photos)
Debby Tabb


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July 18, 2005

 

Debby A. Tabb
 
 
 
Fawn,
ok you now have some ideas on background ect.
Please do not invest in any more props.
they come later and some of your best will be around the house or someone elses trash.Learn your posing first and concentrate on the camera and studio equiptment needed.
A back drop holder can easily be made out of 2 coffee cans of cement and some pvc pipe- you'll need-2 cans
(5lbs) and some cement- 3 pvec pipes - 2 "L" connectors and 2 straight longer conectors and 6 eye hooks.
fill the cans,then before dry insert the 2 longer straight conectors half way into cement, let dry-then drill 3 holes in each conector(these holes are for your eye hooks, you will screw them in to meet the poles and keep them tight)then insert poles-at the top place your "L" joints and then the 3rd pipe is your cross bar.
Now also if you'd like to get started out side the family- well,I suggest to a lot of people ,one of the best untaped markets is pet photography-and even young you could have your folks help you set up a booth at a local dog show etc.(pet store, grooming shop, humane socity) You will need a adult to help you with this.and do pet photography-usually with gromming shops etc. we will give them 10% of what is made.
getting in to a contract for a studio desn't work for most young and even seasoned photographers,the fight to get clients is tough- so establish your self first.every time you shoot anywhere have a card handy- your never to young to get your name out there.
I do hope this helps(you can see my gallery for more pet photos)
Debby Tabb


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July 18, 2005

 

Laura E. OConnor
  Hi all. Fo right now, I only have a white and a black queen sized bed sheets (I recommend King, though) clamped onto a $20 garment rack from Walmart. The clamps wer $5 for a bag in the hardware section of Walmart. I have a couple of home-made sandbags to keep it all stable. I bought workshhop lights from Lowes and use some white foam-core board as a reflector. I'm hoping to have enough money to expand to more professional equipment soon, but for now, it's all I can afford. I think we spent about $150 on everything. Use what you have and what you can afford, then build on it as you make money to support your passion.

Congratulations on your focus and determination. I wish I had as much when I was 14! You're getting great advice from some great photographers (above) listen to them, I do!


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July 18, 2005

 

Debby A. Tabb
  YOU KNOW I ONLY RECOMMEND WHITE AND BLACK TO START WITH- YOU CAN TURN WHITE-RED,BLUE,PURPLE,PINK,YELLOW,GREEN BY JUST USING GELS ON A BACK LIGHT
THEN DOWN THE LINE WATCH EBAY FOR A ANTIQUE BROWN AND ANTIQUE BLUE THESE ARE TRADTIONAL PORTRAIT BACKDROPS FOR THOSE EVER SO CLASSY TRAD.PORTRAITS.
LEARN YOUR POSING THOUGH IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PROBLEM CLIENTS BE IT FAMILY OR NOT- JUST IN YOUR KINDEST VOICE REMIND THEM THAT YOU DO THIS AS A PROFESSIONAL/THATS WHY THEY CAME TO HAVE THIS DONE BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THIER DOING :AND VERY, VERY LAST IN THE VERY WORST CASE YOU CAN DO WHAT I DID-SIT DOME ON A STOOL(AFTER SOME GOING ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND)HAND THEM THE CAMERA AND TELL THEM THERE IS A SELF TIMER ,TAKE THE SHOT YOUR WAY-i ONLY DO PROFESSIONAL WORK.
BUT SEE YOU CAN ONLY DO THIS WHEN IT GETS VERY TOUGH AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE YOUR POSING HOMEWORK AND KNOW HOW TO MAKE THEM LOOK A LITTLE BETTER-THERE ARE WAYS TO HIDE 10LBS BY POSING-NOT 110 BUT 10.
BEST OF LUCK TO ALL,
DEBBY


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July 18, 2005

 

Fawn M. Schutt
  Well, thank you all, but I asked this question of October of last year and I have expanded so much since then, in camera's, and in props. (And in age!)
If any of you are intrested in seeing my work now-a-days, please visit HTTP://TimeExposure.tripod.com and also Http://PortraitsWA.tripod.com
Thanks again.

Fawn


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July 18, 2005

 
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