A bit special ?

[martes86]

It was a great honor having you on board, sir!

[horsa]

Jonathan,

In the UK there's no real distinction between an amateur or professional photographer, except the latter decides to charge money and sets up in business. Over time the professional just gets more practice at it, learns a few tricks and techniques, and is probably more consistent, rather than "better".

Whenever an amateur starts taking his photography seriously ( as in your case), the results are usually frighteningly good. The photographs you have taken all have a creative eye, but you probably wouldn't be doing it if you hadn't got that.

If you want a goal, why not consider submitting to a picture library. This was once " strictly for professionals" but for many companies this is no longer the case. There are several on-line libraries who can deal exclusively through the internet - contracts, submissions, sales etc .
I've used this site but I'm sure there are others.
www.alamy.co.uk

It's really a numbers game. You need to submit tens of thousands of images to make "a living" ( even 1000 will only get you about 2500 Danish Kroner per year), but even for small numbers its a great kick to get paid for your images. Don't expect to get rich. The brilliant pictures aren't usually the best sellers.

[Carotio]

Earlier this year, I actually sold one of my photos to the local newspaper in Odense (3rd largest city in Denmark), and I was thrilled about it, untill I realized that the director in charge of photos had tricked me and paid me less than what I was entitled to according to the freelance organization for photographers.
I got 600dkk for it, but I should have got IIRC more than 1000dkk, because it was made in the night. The photos of a fire at 2am.
The photographer sets the price when offering the photo to whomever he/she wants to sell it to, and then afterwards the negociation can begin, if the buyer thinks it's too expensive. If the photographer has the only photos of a unique situation, then it's the time to "squeeze the fruit", "milk the cow" or whatever you say in English.

Anyway, if you wanna have a look at some of my photos - yes, I know, I haven't updated the site in a while, been busy elsewhere... - then go ahead and give me your opinion:

http://www.larsbundgaard.dk/

[horsa]

I was never into reportage for newspapers/mags etc (although I used reportage style for children, family groups and weddings) so I have no experience of negotiating, although I believe it is easy to be ripped off if you are not an established professional, or alternatively do not have an agent.

Neither did I do a lot of fashion/portfolio/glamour photography. I had a spell at makeover photography but hated it. My daughter knows more about that industry.
She's a partner in this business
http://jk-photography.net/

Her own sites are
As a digital retoucher :-http://www.myretoucher.co.uk/myretoucher_services.htm
and as a photographer
http://katharinemillichope.com/

I can identify more with the urban and nature shots you have done, and there are several there which I like, particularly the boating scenes - but as always this is a subjective thing.

Lars, are you doing paid portfolio work ?

[Carotio]

Originally Posted by horsa

I can identify more with the urban and nature shots you have done, and there are several there which I like, particularly the boating scenes - but as always this is a subjective thing.

Lars, are you doing paid portfolio work ?

What do you mean by identify?

Paid? No, not yet. I have purchased some transportable light equipment, and I have some different backgrounds. For now, I have to focus on finishing my thesis for university. But I hope to have all the photos online from a portrait session, I made in June with the 3 board members of the Danish Student Organization, DSF. I made portraits of three, but for some reason only one of them have used her photos online, since they apparently all stop by December.
You can see them here:
http://www.dsfnet.dk/drupal/?q=image/tid/215
They did what I asked for and put my url as photographer. Now they got it for free, though they paid my expences travelling there plus a bottle of redwine. I can then display the photos on my website. I know the chairman (or rather woman) in person, so that's why they got it for free.
I have offered friends portraits for free, so I have some more photos to display, but afterwards I intend it to be a extra income if possible.

It doesn't really matter to me what kind of photos. I don't even mind making erotic photos, BUT that doesn't mean pornographic. Erotic in something like page3, which I consider pretty innocent. But if it could be as travelling photographer for a newspaper abroad, then this would be nice too. I don't know, will have to wait and see, what the situation is like, when I finish my studies next spring. Which has nothing to do with photography, having studied French and German.

[horsa]

What do you mean by identify?

It means I am more familiar with that area of photography so I am able to have an opinion on it.

I don't even mind making erotic photos,.

Nothing wrong with that. Nice if you can get the work ! - but I think the dividing line can be a thin one. Personally I think photographing beautiful women/girls is a priviledge not to be abused. Eroticism should be about beauty, but pornography is about ugliness.

[Carotio]

Originally Posted by horsa

It means I am more familiar with that area of photography so I am able to have an opinion on it.

Nothing wrong with that. Nice if you can get the work ! - but I think the dividing line can be a thin one. Personally I think photographing beautiful women/girls is a priviledge not to be abused. Eroticism should be about beauty, but pornography is about ugliness.

Ahh... okay, I get it now. Well, nature and urban photos are "easy" motives, since they are mostly static objects in front of the camera. I like doing them, if I pass by a nice spot by coincidence, but there's not much challenge to it.
Making photos of sport, manifestations, riots etc for a newspaper would be so much more challenging. But it could be interesting too...
Personally, I make a big distinction between erotic and pornography. The last involves toys or "acting". I'm not at all into doing that. But making a serie of photos of nice girls/women to a magazine like FHM (which doesn't exist anymore in DK, but has a counterpart here though - M!) would be cool. And a bragging thing among friends...
This should ultimately lead to a point, where some good money can be earned and buy exactly the kind of equipment, which is top of the line. I have heard Hasselblad should be superb...