Photography.

[Leon]

I keep thinking to myself I'm wasting my time and money trying to make my hobby pay, there are just too many people doing it and the camera phone rules the roost so to speak.

 

my website will go back to a simple link back to Flickr as I have already bought the domain for a year. I am closing my other facebook 2 weeks today.

if you are on facebook you can look up my personal page you all know my name.

 

maybe I'll give it a better go when I have more available funds just like JR has done...

 

on the positive side I have made myself a bit of a Photography bucket list, things I want to capture, every time an image pops into my head I'll do anything possible to get that shot.

 

martial arts , 

boxer training/sparring

tattooist (similar to Fuji's)

hairdresser at work (did that last week quite well POTW) 

Edited August 2, 2014 by mrwall

[pdcpic]

That is a shame to hear. maybe something pops up at some point. 

[jeremy rundle]

NO totally and 100% WRONG in so many ways

 

I only started last year (in earnest), Nothing good comes overnight.  "Better" in what way, nothing I have done has cost me money website wise

 

Also your "splash" site really isn't a site, it is a slide show.  You need

 

Home, contact, gallery, links to facebook on contact page

 

The ONLY way to be seen out there is to get sites,PLURAL, they are FREE, I have FIVE

 

A1sportsphotography.co.uk

A1sportsphotography.com

A1sportsphotography.tv

JRS-photography.co.uk

and of cours the one you must have facebook

 

ALL but JRS photography have cost nothing as ipage is free for 6 pages and sub pages

 

All my sites link to each other but there are very serious rules you must follow.

 

1.  ALL sites must have a title which is NOT part of a heading or image, Google picks up on TITLES, have a different one on every page

2.  More sites means more coverage but do NOT use the same content Google will penalise you for that

3.  Facebook is as important if not more so than a website, you can also advertise your website ON facebook but this is where you build an audience

4.  Ensure you complete all the metadata etc on your webpage

5.  Go to and use the SEO page on your site builder (search engine optimisation) ensure it is filled out saved and published

Edited August 2, 2014 by jeremy rundle

[pdcpic]

Wordpress is a great tool to make photography websites too.

[colinb]

 

The ONLY way to be seen out there is to get sites,PLURAL, they are FREE, I have FIVE

 

A1sportsphotography.co.uk

A1sportsphotography.com

A1sportsphotography.tv

JRS-photography.co.uk

and of cours the one you must have facebook

 

ALL but JRS photography have cost nothing as ipage is free for 6 pages and sub pages

 

 

I'm just wondering why you need 5 sites rather than push/forward each domain name to the one site? 

 

Of course more than one site can give you a different look but surely this can also be confusing for the purchaser who may question if a second or third site is really yours or a copy trying to pull your business? 

 

and just using a web forwarding address to one master site via the domain panel for each domain name you hold  must be a lot easier than maintaining 5 sites?

Edited August 2, 2014 by colinb

[Denis]

I have lots of hobbies Leon, none of them pay. Hobbies to me are things to occupy my mind, not to earn a living from. Just enjoy what you do. You love your motorsports, keep taking pictures and if people ask for them , then sell 'em!

 

 

When I first attended night classes for photography, I had in my mind from the outset that I only wanted to learn how to use a DSLR a little better. The chap taking the classes kept on saying that 'if I did things right, you can be a professional photographer' . I knew different, I knew my limitations,  I still do.  I dont think any of those who attended with me ever became 'Photographers' in the real sense. Everyone is doing it these days as you say. You have either got to be really really good,with top knotch equipment or just become a snapper like me!

[jeremy rundle]

I'm just wondering why you need 5 sites rather than push/forward each domain name to the one site? 

 

Of course more than one site can give you a different look but surely this can also be confusing for the purchaser who may question if a second or third site is really yours or a copy trying to pull your business? 

 

and just using a web forwarding address to one master site via the domain panel for each domain name you hold  must be a lot easier than maintaining 5 sites?

 

1.  You can push one site or another but Google prefer sites to be different, in content and domain.

2.  JRS Photography is a general purpose site, .TV is for VIDEO only and will be used for commercial video

3.  .COM and .CO.UK A1 sports photography are for "photography mainly NOT video

 

I am investing £20,000 during the next two months in new gear and sites and publishing the business. NONE would be possible if my father had not died, so I am fortunate.

Edited August 2, 2014 by jeremy rundle

[jeremy rundle]

I have lots of hobbies Leon, none of them pay. Hobbies to me are things to occupy my mind, not to earn a living from. Just enjoy what you do. You love your motorsports, keep taking pictures and if people ask for them , then sell 'em!

 

 

When I first attended night classes for photography, I had in my mind from the outset that I only wanted to learn how to use a DSLR a little better. The chap taking the classes kept on saying that 'if I did things right, you can be a professional photographer' . I knew different, I knew my limitations,  I still do.  I dont think any of those who attended with me ever became 'Photographers' in the real sense. Everyone is doing it these days as you say. You have either got to be really really good,with top knotch equipment or just become a snapper like me!

 

So ABSOLUTELY true.

 

MY photography has always been a HOBBY. I can't get enough of it, for 40 years it has been my passion, along with Astronomy.

 

It just happens that with the death of my father I am able and lucky to be able to afford to expand it into a job, one I love getting out of bed for.

 

For info, I am in debt (well business wise so far) it has cost me £12,000 over 5 years to get here, I don't smoke, drink, gamble, I live photography, as I say I only really started last year.

 

Sending as many images to as many magazines, tourist informations, newspapers (local) and so on as I could, I handed out FREE dvds with lower quality images to people at events, ANY and ALL I could attend.

 

Live it, love it and believe me it will happen.

[Leon]

If i were a single man with no ties/mortgage, NOTHING would stop me doing this trust me.

 

and something I should explain in better detail.... the ONLY reason I want my hobby to pay is I don't have spare money to upgrade my gear, Jeremy hit the nail on the head when he said I had reached the limitations of my camera, not the other way round...

 

I was discussing with a friend the other week about this, I think if it were my full time job it would be like every other, eventually it would become a burden HAVING to go and stand in a wet cold forest taking pictures while missing a family party or whatever.

 

I guess I wanted a happy medium, a little income to buy better gear....

 

as for the websites I'm a bit of a numpty, all the info posted above may aswel be written in Swahili , thats why I asked someone for a basic web page, was better than a link to Flickr....

[jeremy rundle]

If i were a single man with no ties/mortgage, NOTHING would stop me doing this trust me.

 

and something I should explain in better detail.... the ONLY reason I want my hobby to pay is I don't have spare money to upgrade my gear, Jeremy hit the nail on the head when he said I had reached the limitations of my camera, not the other way round...

 

I was discussing with a friend the other week about this, I think if it were my full time job it would be like every other, eventually it would become a burden HAVING to go and stand in a wet cold forest taking pictures while missing a family party or whatever.

 

I guess I wanted a happy medium, a little income to buy better gear....

 

as for the websites I'm a bit of a numpty, all the info posted above may aswel be written in Swahili , thats why I asked someone for a basic web page, was better than a link to Flickr....

 

 

OK here is a challenge for you

 

I will BUILD a site for you.

 

Go to ipage, and spend the weekend thinking of a GOOD domain name NOT Mr Wall, the domain name is THE most important 1st step.

 

A1rallyphotography.com is available as is A1rallyphotography.tv    for just £9.50 for the .com

 

Register it

 

Chose the £1.19p a month option just £14 for a year and I will do the rest

 

This can then be linked into a BUSINESS facebook account/page and cross referenced, add the meta data to the website and you are away

 

Oh and when I come up that way I will show you what is and has been done

 

Simples

 

(£45 per hour)   :)

Edited August 2, 2014 by jeremy rundle

[Leon]

my domain is leonwallphotography.co.uk..

 

although I am truly really grateful,  this came about from other posts.

 

car insurance, liability insurance, income tax, gear insurance, too much time away from the kids at weekends (am covering Harewood hillclimb for the BARC members only website again tomorrow), 

 

I'm going to focus on more non specific challenges, like the few subjects I posted above, my bucket list, it will grow

[jeremy rundle]

ANY help I can give just ask

[FUJI]

Hi, Leon,

We would all like to follow our dreams, but sometimes the reality doesn't match the dream, you have been wise enough to realise that, your family comes first.......well done you.

The way to go is to attend the events you can, continue taking great shots, then there is no harm in offering the odd print for the pocket money you require to maintain your hobby.

The hobby that you love, the hobby that probably keeps you sane ;-)..........

In my mid fifties, I became completely disenchanted with a job that I had loved for twenty years, stress levels built up to danger point, my fantastic wife realised this and positively encouraged me to pack it all in, dropping a good professional salary almost overnight.

In doing that, I was able to follow my dream, of being my own boss.......what followed was almost twenty years of being financially poor but very rich in happiness and contentment.......I think most of you know that iI was able to retire with a BANG!

Treasure your family, guard your health, enjoy your hobby, stay happy.

The one eyed Sage

FUJI

[Leon]

when we are more financially sound Fuji I'll give it a proper go

 

another few years my kids won't want to know me anyway..... I'm already thinking of a comb over, socks and sandles next

[Guest]

best way Leon, I gave up photography when we had our son as I couldn't afford the developing costs and took it up again when the kid was older and we had a bit of spare cash, now I do it for fun and make money from it when I can

[colinb]

Leon you can make some pin money you just need to reconsider 'how' e.g. last weekend was my 3rd boxing show shoot and so far I have sold around £100 worth of pictures just for last Saturdays fight. I enjoyed the night and each time more people take note of me. I am even starting to sell pictures from the previous events where there was originally little or no response to the point I wondered if it was worth it.

 

 

 

But don't let it take over your life, you don't need a web site and I can recommend using Facebook -  'friends only view' works extremely well (make sure you diagonally watermark your pictures) I am finding more and more people looking to view the new and old photos.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2014 by colinb

[jeremy rundle]

Could not agree more with the above three comments

 

Remember I did nothing for 20 years  having raised three sons as a single father, now they are old enough to manage ok, and two come along, I am 57, so I am making the most of it while I can.

[NannyFerret]

I agree with Denis. 

Do what you feel comfortable with and enjoy your hobby, at least for now.
A bit of extra money from doing a little photography jobs for friends is always handy, but don't be soft and do the photography for nothing or next to nothing or people will put on you.
I used a knitting machine for years and designed styles and patterns, even finishing off a jumper or cardigan etc. with swiss embroidery and other embellishments.
If I had my time again, I would have charged a lot more than I did.
The true friends who knew that they were getting exclusive or limited designs were more than happy to give me more than I asked, but these people were far and few between.
One person asked me how much I charged for a certain designed children's cardigan, and my prices we very low, but when she told me that she could get children's jumpers cheaper in the market, I told her to do just that, and when she couldn't get the quality, she came back a couple of weeks later begging me to make her some.
I politely told her to go back to the market.

I enjoyed my knitting and only made a bit of extra money to help out with school clothes etc. for the three kids, but I enjoyed what I did at the time and I was there for my family too.
Learn by my mistakes as there are some very mean people who think that these little pocket money earners are free to them, just because it's a hobby and they know you.
Most of all, don't give up shooting and posting your smashing shots, as I for one look forward to seeing them.
I wish I had made a bucket list when I had my knee op as it would have encouraged me to get back into it more easily.

Edited August 3, 2014 by NannyFerret

[Leon]

thanks Nanny

 

the bucket list may become my project for the rest of the year

[NannyFerret]

A list is a very good idea. I will have to try and do one to get more motivated, although I did take my compact to Birmingham last week and got a couple of market pics. One of which I have entered into the August comp.

[Leon]

just received payment for a print I SOLD!!!

 

gonna take a chance and print a few off for the next meet, see if Impulse buys work??

[Heather]

congrats Leon  

[Leon]

in the last 2 weeks I have ben asked to do a 21st, a Comicon and some family portraits (hence buying the backdrop)  I must have tempted fate?

 

think my lack of patience is my worst enemy??