Hi all...I'm very interested in learning more about photography, particularly portrait and wedding photography. I learned yesterday about a photographer in the area who does very nice work and I would like to contact her to see if she would be willing to allow me to learn from her. Is it really out of line to ask something like that? I feel that the best way to learn is to learn from others who do things well, but don't want to do something that is considered professionally rude. Any advice?
Definitely contact her and ask about the possibility of assisting her and maybe second shooting. It's definitely not professionally rude and it's a very good way to get experience. She can only say no after all. Before i set up doing weddings i emailed a few local photographers asking the same thing but didn't get any luck with it myself. I'm not sure if they were just not into the idea, or me, or just didn't want the competition down the line. The competition thing might stop them i suppose, if it is relatively small area and they are possessive about it. Anyway, i didn't get much luck before setting up but i've done a couple of jobs second shooting since then and it's a really good way to gain experience, and to see how others work, even if you are already working weddings on your own.
by all means, ask! they'll either feel flattered and say yes or feel threatened and say no. if they're truly professional, they would welcome the opportunity to help someone get started in the right direction, rather than leave another camera owner on their own to flounder about to the detriment of the profession.
It's how I got started, decades ago, in commercial photography. With practically zero photography experience. Just went up to John Oldenkamp and volunteered my services :-)
It's how I got started, decades ago, in commercial photography. With practically zero photography experience. Just went up to John Oldenkamp and volunteered my services :-)
was that before or after he had a hit with "little pink houses?"
It's how I got started, decades ago, in commercial photography. With practically zero photography experience. Just went up to John Oldenkamp and volunteered my services :-)
Originally posted by blindjustice:
was that before or after he had a hit with "little pink houses?"
I live in a small town and I randomly asked the big studio in town if I could work for them as a photo editor. He told me no to photo editing but hired me anyway to handle their facebook marketing.
Now a year later he is wanting to retire and is training me to take over the business.
I live in a small town and I randomly asked the big studio in town if I could work for them as a photo editor. He told me no to photo editing but hired me anyway to handle their facebook marketing.
Now a year later he is wanting to retire and is training me to take over the business.
You never know what could happen!
that's awesome. you never know what you're going to get, to quote some dude from a movie...
