Contrary to popular belief, there is only one major reason why you don’t have enough time to start your photography business. I am doing to go over that major reason in this article. Please read the blog post over and see if any of these resonate with you.
There is a huge amount of people out there in the photography market with a digital camera. They’ve recently upgraded to a DSLR because they are becoming cheaper and cheaper [and cheaper as people resell to upgrade further]. Like me, you’ve probably realized how much you fucking love taking pictures. You’ve heard of people making money from this online or doing portraits so you’d love to be able to make some money doing that as well and pay for the new camera or go even further, escape cubicle hell in the corporate world.
Get to the reason already? OK
The Single Largest Reason You Don’t Have Time For Your Photography Dreams
The single largest reason for why your don’t have enough time to start your photography small business is because of Excuses. We spend so much time running excuses through our mind that we run out of time to shoot photography. An open loop of continuous excuses will be the fastest energy suck that you’ve ever experienced.
We all have excuses and I’m going to list a whole bunch of them for everyone. I encourage your to Digg, bookmark this on delicious or stumble this post once you’ve read it so that we can gain power over these excuses holding us back from our photography business. My ask is also because we’re publicly acknowledging these excuses and hopefully removing them from our continuous loop. By doing that, we open ourselves up to new thoughts and ideas which should help us to move forward in the home business of our dreams: photography. For myself, writing this out is allow me to get these thoughts of out my head as well. So, I also encourage you to leave comments on your thoughts, anything else that I missed, and what your biggest challenge is for starting or continuously moving forward in your photo business.
Excuses run far an wide when it comes to doing what we really want in life. Why the hell is it that if we want something bad enough, we figure out why we should not do it? It might be because what we really want is considered ridiculous, unrealistic, utopian, fantasy, or not possible by everyone else. We’re socially conditioned to follow the rules – go to school, get a good job, start your family, stay in that job for 50 years, retire and do what you always wanted to do. Why do you think such importance is put on retirement and saving for that time in your life? Well, it’s important no matter what, but it should not be the end goal: “I can’t wait to retire and travel or move to Florida.”
I talked to an older man, years ago, and he was retired. He made me very emotional. I was taking calls for a call centre that took payment arrangements for delinquent hydro accounts. This man said this to me as he was telling me about why he couldn’t pay yet:
I thought retirement was about going to Florida and enjoying my time. I never envisioned retirement about going in and out of the hospital continually.
Think about that for a moment. After that call, I actually went to the bathroom and cried. This is the first time I am admitting it to anyone other than in my old sketchbook. It reminds me that I need to be doing what I love now and I cannot wait. I’m very happy to be writing this blog post right now, and acting on something I love. I hope that someone eventually reads this and wakes up, or reflects on the enjoyment of pursuing dreams now.
This is an example of just 1 responsibility excuse that holds someone back. It might sounds something like this:
I cannot buy that off camera flash that would seriously help me out because I need to put $300 into my retirement plan before the deadline.
More Excuses Why You’re Short on Time to Start Your Photography Business
- Fear of Failure (this is a huge topic as well)
- I never went to school for Photography
- You’re stuck in a cubicle working overtime (for life)
- I don’t know or I can’t list off historic or big name photographers or their work
- I don’t make a lot of money currently
- I don’t have any photography equipment and can’t afford to build on my gear
- I don’t drive – So I can’t get to interesting locations to shoot
- I’m too old to start now
- My entry time has passed
- I lack confidence and I’m too shy to talk to people about taking their pictures
- I am too busy with my day job (again, see picture above)
- My cubicle umbilical cord is pulled really tight
- House projects get in the way of shooting photography
- My family needs me and spending time with them puts me at a disadvantage for shooting and learning photography.
- I can’t risk it financially if I fail
- I am not really that good at photography
- I don’t know who I am as a photographer
- I can’t pick just one type of photography to shoot
- I can’t afford Workshops to improve my photography skills
- I don’t know how to start a blog or website for my photography business
- I don’t have enough energy to work 2 jobs.
- People in my city would never pay the price for a professional photographer
- I find it demoralizing when I see other people doing so well with their photo business
- My children like to wear fashionable clothes to school so I don’t have money for myself
- I need to learn more in school, workshops, online courses before I’ll have the credentials to ask people for their money to photograph them.
- Real life gets in the way
- I have far too many responsibilities to take care of instead
- I live pay cheque to pay cheque
- I spend my time writing e-mails about how much I can’t start a photography business when I could be practicing and taking photos.
- No one e-mails me for photoshoots, or no one comments on my photoblog/photography website
- I can’t find motivation to earn money from my pictures I’ve taken already
- I don’t have room for a studio
- I don’t deserve success in the photography industry because I just take pictures
The list could go on forever. We have, something like, 60000 thoughts per day and if these are continuously running through our mind we’ll never get to do what we dream.
What is it about these excuses? Do you have more to offer? Comment! It will be getting it our of your head and you may even receive the idea on how to overcome it.
“Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt.”
Shakespeare: “Measure for Measure”, Act 1 scene 4
A little creative flexibility gives you all kinds of time. I just happened to make a blog post myself about how to utilize family time to improve skills.
http://phackpic.blogspot.com/2009/09/make-family-time-learning-time.html
Those sound like a lot of really good reasons to not start a photography business. If you’re not a very good photographer, don’t have any eduction, don’t have any gear, don’t know what kind of pictures you want to take and are too shy to talk to people about making their portraits…why on earth would someone start a photography business? That sounds like a recipe for failure, especially given the highly, highly competitive nature of the field. And failure in an art business doesn’t mean you lose money…it means you waste precious years of your life.
Why not just enjoy photography as a hobby? I’m passionate about cooking. I cook every day and collect every kitchen gadget there is. But I’m sure not going to pursue a career as a chef because I’m not as good as a professionally trained chef, have never been to cooking school, don’t know what kind of food I’d want to specialize in, and don’t have a pro kitchen. So I enjoy cooking for myself and my loved ones as a hobby instead.
@Ted, It’s awesome that you’re making that connection and using that time for greatness. In the mean time you’re getting awesome family photos!!! Who knows your family may learn a lot too and become very interested in doing photography too. Smart thinking!
@Matt,
I agree these are a lot of reasons! If someone gave all of those reasons as to why they couldn’t start their business, I would also question why they are interested in it at all in the first place. It was more of holistic list of reasons that many people have used before, and not just from one person.
If someone is interested in just doing photography as a hobby that’s totally awesome. Some people find that the interest is so pure and that involving the act of making money from it would taint their interest and ruin it for them. That’s perfectly cool with me. I was more directing the post at the people that do want to make it more of a business and begin working for themselves.
I am at a point in my life that I am willing to risk failure. I don’t want it to happen but I don’t want to always wonder as well. I want to live my life creatively expressing myself and providing inspiration to others through it. I know I will learn a lot as I go through the journey and I might learn that I am totally interested in something else along the way. :)
Totally appreciate your comment and taking the time to write. It’s something readers should consider for sure!
The excuses listed above are such eye-openers. I’m pretty sure that anyone hesitating about jumping into a photography career (or any career for that matter), would now think twice about thinking twice before making that plunge. I think most people are afraid of failure. I say failure is merely a chance for you to do better the next time around.
Those reason are so true, but also we cannot deny that photography is quite an expensive hobby :) .
It really needs a lot of courage to step into this kind of hobby. I believe the more you fail the more you learn and succeed. Thanks for this post this is truly an encouraging one.
Procrastination may be the culprit in some cases. They keep relying on a never-ending chain of “tomorrows” because they are concerned that they could not finish what they started. Photography will demand a lot of one’s time, effort, discipline, focus and … cash.
Some people find that the interest is so pure and that involving the act of making money from it would taint their interest and ruin it for them. If you’re not a very good photographer, don’t have any eduction, don’t have any gear.
Those sound like a lot of really good reasons to not start a photography business. If someone is interested in just doing photography as a hobby that’s totally awesome. I believe the more you fail the more you learn and succeed.
This post applies to so much more than just photography.
I’m bookmaking this to read every time I start to doubt my newest venture.
Some things you just have to “fake it till you make it”.
I have heard many stories from some of the best photographers in the world that took a leap and accepted a job when the water was way over their head and by sheer determination (and a bit of luck) things panned out. Some of these opportunities actually turned out to be their big break.
For one, Scott Bourne says that he borrowed his uncle’s camera and didn’t know what he was doing when he grabbed some great shots from a racetrack accident which led him to his first sale. That sale made him enough money to convince him to start into photography full time, and look at him now!
Opportunities are everywhere, just take the time to go looking for them.
It’s awesome that you’re making that connection and using that time for greatness. In the mean time you’re getting awesome family photos!!! Who knows your family may learn a lot too and become very interested in doing photography too. Those sound like a lot of really good reasons to not start a photography business. If someone is interested in just doing photography as a hobby that’s totally awesome. Thank you.
It’s awesome that you’re making that connection and using that time for greatness. In the mean time you’re getting awesome family photos!!! Who knows your family may learn a lot too and become very interested in doing photography too. Smart thinking. Thank you.