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Photography Question 

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a good way to get started in fashion photography?


I'm about to graduate from school, and i'm completely stumped on how to get my name out there, I would really like to break through on fashion, and photo illustrative work, as well as find a market for my personal work which is usually darker or grittier. but the thing is I don't even know where to start... I obviously can't just waltz into shooting hi fashion models... I need to start somewhere.

I've asked some teachers how to "sell a style" and I was informed it'd be a good idea to send out promotional cards with my contact info and all that with a nice picture retouched and everything. which is another thing I don't understand much about, should I send them in an envelope? just the card? I don't get it.

any advice would help alot! thanks in advance for taking your time to read+respond!


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April 21, 2008

 

Mark Feldstein
  About the best suggestion I think I can offer you is to get into a college degree program, maybe a two year A/A program then 2 more to get a B.A. You'll need some kind of career to fall back on, whether it's related to art or not is up to you.

I also suggest you study courses in business, business law including contracts, basic accounting, advertising, marketing, english, fine arts, and generally arts and sciences because a well-rounded education is a real necessity these days in any business including and maybe especially photography, regardless of which specialty you end up in.

It's tough enough to get started and stay in this business, let alone flourish in it, even with a formal education. Without it, now or in the not too distant future, you're going to likely feel like a trout swimming upstream. Promo cards are a good idea, but unfortunately only the tip of the marketing iceberg. And selling "style" as you put it is just another small piece of the marketing pie. You need the wherewithall that comes with knowing how to develop your own marketing and self-promo plan and like I said, something to fall back on if this doesn't work out.

You may not feel that way now, but when times get lean, like now, (even for those of us who have been working in this field for a long time) you'll see what I mean.

First, maybe you should get that eye taken care of. LOL !
M.
M.


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April 22, 2008

 
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