There are many that find their way to this blog who wish to make nature photography their full-time vocation. This is for those of you who don’t have a fat bank account, or aren’t happy with photography being only a part-time endeavor. It is for those of you who don’t have another income in the family.

Many, many years ago when Ron and I were new friends, I was at his house (in Illinois) as we chatted before heading out to look for flowers. I had already said that I planned to go back to full-time photography sometime in the future. I confided that I had taught a couple of workshops and I was beginning to realize that workshops/photo tours were necessary to supplement stock photography. While I never tried to make fine art/gallery photography a vocation, it seemed to me that for someone who is pursuing that avenue, who does not have extra money, and has to endure the expense of producing prints, that workshops would be the answer there as well.

Facebook has taught me that every photographer who truly earns their whole living from photography, teaches workshops or possibly does photo tours. Even the editorial, sports, model and yes, even wedding photographers teach workshops. Unfortunately not every photographer comes prepared to do that. If you’re willing and are a good photographer, you can learn how to conduct workshops. Start small with inexpensive and instructive workshops. Small groups or a single participant. If your stock, art, or the workshops themselves begin to give you a name, then you can move up to larger groups and higher prices. Eventually when you become an Art Wolfe, Nevada Wier, or Jim Zuckerman, you can conduct high-priced photo tours or indoor seminars.

You need a love of photography and the desire to pass that along to others. If you have the first part of the equation you can find the second half. Nothing will lead you to failure at workshops quicker than not having an infectious attitude towards photography and your subjects.

So you need to teach workshops to feed your art or stock, but any money-making activity should be for the purpose of getting you into the field to make new pictures.  If the act of creating images is not the driving force behind all and any money-making efforts, you will ultimately fail.  I personally know photographers who are beginning to fail because they don’t have the burning hunger to go out and make images.  People don’t even think of them as photographers any more. Having John Smith Photography behind your name is irrelevant if you aren’t starving to make new pictures. You will also ultimately fail at workshops if you do not consistently produce new and evolving images. Those images will motivate people to want to learn from you.  Those old pictures help but it is a current photographer that will attract participants.

I have been writing about photography on one internet forum or another for a long time.  There are many who read (or at least did read) this blog who are excellent and experienced photographers.  I can imagine how many times someone has read an article of mine and said ”who the hell does he thing he is”.  Everyone knows how to do that, or he’s not Frans Lanting for gosh sakes.   There is no question I write about photography for those who are new to making photos,  or those who have experience but wonder why their own pictures seem to lack that something extra, and also for those who need help because they don’t have the time to make enough images to get good at it.  I have always said to get good at this shoot, shoot, shoot.  There are some who read Earth Images that were down on themselves at one time, but clicking the shutter every chance they could has made them good, and even great.

In recent years I have made precious few pictures. Things beyond my control have dictated this, but even for a 40 year veteran photographer it is hard to stay good at this, on my once every two month shoots, or even once a week.  It is very hard to create award winners or art if you shoot four hours a month.  I invite those of you who are newcomers, to browse through Earth Images and look for titles of posts that are nothing but a date. Look into other posts for images that have dates written above them that are current and from 2011 and 2012. You may find a series of ordinary bird pictures, but within any group you will see that I am always looking for something special.  When I am photographing a Blue-winged Teal or a Solitary Sandpiper near the water, I wait for that moment when a reflection appears.  When there is a common bird that is in my viewfinder, I am always looking for the moment when they might scratch or preen.  If all I can do is photograph a common little flower in my backyard, I look for backlight, or for that one blossom that is choked with pollen.

The point I am making is that when you do not have time, you may not get those rare species of things, and people may not think you are creating art, but you can still make images that have that “little something special” so that everyone enjoys viewing them.

So there it is…..more advice. For the aspiring professional and the newcomer alike. Now aren’t you glad you have me.

Have a great day.

4/20/12  I was able to get out the door to make pictures today.  I clicked the shutter six times.  I cannot remember the last time I made only six images, but normally when I photograph wildlife I can’t get my finger off of the trigger before I have made ten shots.  No awards for these two but I still thought I would share.  The buck was made at 1/30^th sec. hand-held, 500mm lens with no Vibration Reduction.