I completely feel what your talking about. I probably didn’t listen as well as I should have (I know, you can smack me next time you see me). But I think when it comes to an art student in college, they don’t really care about the business end, they just care about the art end.
I think I spend more time meeting people, calling people, being at certain places, making sure people know I’m alive, spending money to let people know I’m alive (whoopie), making sure I get invoices and estimates right, making sure my money is in line and now worrying about getting my taxes in line, more than anything. Its a big change when you go from shooting school assignments everyday to shooting maybe once a week or every other week. Or finding yourself in winter, when there is nothing to do but wait for it to warm up and for the days to be longer.
I’ve been making it a habit to carry a small body with a 50mm on it everywhere, just in case I come across something that I find interesting. But the real world is for sure a bite in the ass.
If SCAD had a Art Business whatever major, I would probably not apply for it (because of money reasons), but I would really encourage students to apply more time to business and less time to art. Cause you’ll get better at art as you go along with it, but you won’t get better at taxes if you don’t learn anything about them. I know the one thing I tell high school students all the time that are interested in attending school for photography, is to learn business first and then learn how to apply photography to that.
@Morgan. This is the problem, I see many (but not all) students’ eyes glaze over the first day of a “Business” class. Maybe I can have you or Dan or both of you come in and scare the students into really thinking about the content.
That would be awesome. Being that I am as poor, as poor can be. Let me know if you want to do this and I can make an apperance…I mean, I’m just across the bridge.
Greg, well put. I feel the same way Dan feels, I am successful but it has come with a huge learning curve. I could have saved myself alot of money and tears if I would have taken a class or two or three on the matter. Taking great photos is about 10% of running the business, and doing your business the right way from the start will help you grown that much faster. Knowing your numbers and cost of sales is so important.
The question is would students be receptive to two business courses in photography? As Morgan pointed out, he was much more interested in making pictures and producing art than he was on thinking about “The Business of Photography.”
that is all fine and good that you want to make pretty photos, but if you do not know the numbers behind it and can’t make a living behind it you should look for another job and do pretty photos on the side. Having a studio is not an easy task, it is way beyond making a pretty photo. I have seen average photographers make a great living because they know the business behind it and incredible photographers not make anything. So I think it is a fine balance and students should pay close attention to the business side no matter what area of photography they go in.
I completely feel what your talking about. I probably didn’t listen as well as I should have (I know, you can smack me next time you see me). But I think when it comes to an art student in college, they don’t really care about the business end, they just care about the art end.
I think I spend more time meeting people, calling people, being at certain places, making sure people know I’m alive, spending money to let people know I’m alive (whoopie), making sure I get invoices and estimates right, making sure my money is in line and now worrying about getting my taxes in line, more than anything. Its a big change when you go from shooting school assignments everyday to shooting maybe once a week or every other week. Or finding yourself in winter, when there is nothing to do but wait for it to warm up and for the days to be longer.
I’ve been making it a habit to carry a small body with a 50mm on it everywhere, just in case I come across something that I find interesting. But the real world is for sure a bite in the ass.
If SCAD had a Art Business whatever major, I would probably not apply for it (because of money reasons), but I would really encourage students to apply more time to business and less time to art. Cause you’ll get better at art as you go along with it, but you won’t get better at taxes if you don’t learn anything about them. I know the one thing I tell high school students all the time that are interested in attending school for photography, is to learn business first and then learn how to apply photography to that.
@Morgan. This is the problem, I see many (but not all) students’ eyes glaze over the first day of a “Business” class. Maybe I can have you or Dan or both of you come in and scare the students into really thinking about the content.
That would be awesome. Being that I am as poor, as poor can be. Let me know if you want to do this and I can make an apperance…I mean, I’m just across the bridge.
Greg, well put. I feel the same way Dan feels, I am successful but it has come with a huge learning curve. I could have saved myself alot of money and tears if I would have taken a class or two or three on the matter. Taking great photos is about 10% of running the business, and doing your business the right way from the start will help you grown that much faster. Knowing your numbers and cost of sales is so important.
The question is would students be receptive to two business courses in photography? As Morgan pointed out, he was much more interested in making pictures and producing art than he was on thinking about “The Business of Photography.”
that is all fine and good that you want to make pretty photos, but if you do not know the numbers behind it and can’t make a living behind it you should look for another job and do pretty photos on the side. Having a studio is not an easy task, it is way beyond making a pretty photo. I have seen average photographers make a great living because they know the business behind it and incredible photographers not make anything. So I think it is a fine balance and students should pay close attention to the business side no matter what area of photography they go in.