Fuji XT5 Street Photography Best Settings: A Complete Guide
Are you ready to take your Fuji XT5 street photography to the next level? If you’ve been searching for the best settings to optimize your camera for dynamic, fast-paced environments, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the key settings I use on my Fujifilm XT5, including custom function buttons and film recipes that will give your photos a distinctive look.
But if you prefer video tutorials or want to see these settings in action, I’ve put together a detailed YouTube video where I go over my full setup for street photography, including tips and examples. You can watch the video here:
Now, let’s dive into the settings.
1. Image Quality Settings
Getting the right image quality is crucial for street photography, especially when you’re shooting fast and in varied light. Here are the settings I use to ensure I capture both JPEG and RAW files:
–Image Quality: Fine JPEG + RAW
–RAW Recording: Lossless Compressed
–JPEG/HEIF: JPEG
–Film Simulation: Classic Chrome (or your choice—check out my YouTube video for more film recipe options!)
– Grain Effect: Off
– Color Chrome Effect: Off
– Color Chrome FX Blue: Off
– Smooth Skin Effect: Off
If you want to see how these settings translate to real street photography scenarios, don’t forget to check out my YouTube video where I walk you through these settings in real-time on the street.
2. White Balance & Dynamic Range Settings
These settings will help you maintain accurate colors and prevent blown-out highlights or shadows in varying lighting conditions.
– White Balance: Daylight
– Dynamic Range: Auto
– D Range Priority: Off
– Tone Curve: Default (H: 0, S: 0)
Want to see how I adjust these settings on the go in fast-changing street scenes? Be sure to watch this YouTube video for live demonstrations!
3. Color & Sharpness
Neutral colors and sharpness are essential for clean, striking images. Here are the best settings to achieve that:
– Color: 0
– Sharpness: 0
– High ISO NR: -4
– Clarity:c0
– Color Space: Adobe RGB for printing, or sRGB for general use
4. Auto Focus Settings
Street photography often happens fast, and you need autofocus settings that can keep up. Here’s what I recommend:
– Focus Area: Zone
– AF Mode: Zone
– If Using Single Point AF: Set focus points to 425
– AF Illuminator: Off
– Face/Eye Detection: Off
– MF Assist: Peaking, Red High
– Interlock Spot AE & Focus Area: On
5. Drive & ISO Settings
Quick adjustments for burst shooting and ISO sensitivity are crucial in street photography. Here’s how I set them up:
– Drive Settings:
– CH (High Burst Speed): 10 FPS
– CL (Low Burst Speed): 5 FPS – ISO Auto Setting 1:
– Default Sensitivity: 125
– Max Sensitivity: 12800
– Min Shutter Speed: 1/160
– ISO Auto Setting 2:
– Default Sensitivity: 125
– Max Sensitivity: 12800
– Min Shutter Speed: 1/100
6. Function Button Settings
Quick access to essential functions is important for efficient street shooting. Here’s my custom button setup:
– Fn1: Face Detect
– Fn2: AF Mode
– Fn3: Photometry
– Fn4: Film Simulations
– Fn5: White Balance
– AE-L: ISO Auto Setting
Film Simulations for Street Photography
One of the standout features of Fujifilm cameras is their ability to simulate classic film looks. Below are some of my favorite film simulations for street photography.
Kodak Tri-X 400
*Credit: Fuji X Weekly*
– Film Simulation: Acros
– Dynamic Range: DR200
– Grain Effect: Strong, Large
– Color Chrome Effect: Strong
– White Balance: Daylight, +9 Red, -9 Blue
– Highlight: 0
– Shadow: +3
– ISO: 1600 – 12800
This recipe gives you a timeless black-and-white look.
Kodak Ultramax 400
*Credit: Fuji X Weekly*
– Film Simulation: Classic Chrome
– Grain Effect: Strong, Large
– White Balance: Auto, +1 Red, -5 Blue
– Dynamic Range: DR Auto
– Highlight: +1
– Shadow: +1
– Color: +4
Daily Driver
This is my go-to recipe for everyday shooting:
– Film Simulation: Nostalgic Negative
– Grain Effect: Weak, Large
– Color Chrome Effect: Weak
– Dynamic Range: DR400
– Tone Curve: H -2, S +2
– Color: +3
– Sharpness: -4
It balances sharpness and color for consistent, high-quality results.
If you found these settings useful and want to see them in action, don’t miss my latest video, where I show you exactly how I set up my Fuji XT5 for street photography. Whether it’s customizing autofocus or choosing the right film simulation, I cover it all in real-time:
Fuji XT5 street photography best settings: Final thoughts
The Fujifilm XT5 is an amazing camera for street photography, but having the right settings makes all the difference. I hope this guide helps you set up your camera for success.
How do you make it on to our list of the 5 best landscape photographers in the World?
Well below I shall go through my picks for the 5 best landscape photographers in the World based on the quality of their work first and foremost. We also take into account how influential they are in the genre and industry. You might not agree with my picks, that’s fine as I’d love to hear who you would place on your list of the 5 best landscape photographers in the World.
I worked solely as a landscape photographer in the UK for a number of years. I sold prints and had my own gallery too. In the end other ventures lead me down a different path but I will always love beautiful landscape photography and appreciate all the great photographers out there who are inspired by natures beauty.
To become a truly great landscape photographer requires passion, skill, dedication and developing your own signature look. That’s why number 1 on this list is none other than ….
Best landscape photographers in the World – Number 1.
Alain Briot is a French landscape photographer based in the USA. His work of the Navajo native American reserves and the Canyonlands of Arizona and Utah are simply awe-inspiring.
His images have a signature style and his Fine Art prints are sublime.
Alain started life in Paris but has lived in the Southern USA for 30 years now. His trademark images are of the vast landscapes of the American south-west where he makes his home.
So what makes Alain the best landscape photographer in the World?
One of the aspects of Alain’s work that elevates it above others, beyond his mastery of composition, is his ability to capture the subtle hues and tones of the Arid landscapes that he often photographs. He knows the limits of reality and doesn’t push his images too far in post processing.
However his images are still full of life, colour and detail. Staring at his artwork transports you to the landscapes that he has photographed so passionately for many years.
When creating his portfolio of work of the American Navajo’s, Alain lived among them for years, allowing him to learn about their culture and landscape. This enabled him to understand their values and capture them within his artwork.
Antelope Canyon
Alain has a fine portfolio of work, some of his most breathtaking are his intimate captures of Antelope Canyon. Great composition combined with meticulous post processing brings out every twist and turn of the canyon as the rare rays of light bounce off its walls.
Alain, is not only a highly respected landscape photographer but he is also a prolific teacher and author, contributing his years of knowledge and insight to the Luminous Landscape website and authoring many books on how to improve and market Fine Art Photography.
He also runs very popular workshops and tuition which you can see more of here
We were lucky enough to speak to Alain and ask him a few questions.
1. What inspired you to take up landscape photography?
“I was inspired by the realization that photography can be used as an artistic medium. I was trained as an artist at the Academie des Beaux Arts in Paris and when I started working with photography I decided to approach photography as art and use it as an art medium.”
2. What is your most satisfying image or project?
“For me photography is an art and I approach it as such. My goal is to create artistic photographs, not documentary photographs Therefore what is satisfying for me is creating photographs that are expressions of my vision, personality and inspiration instead of photographs that represent the subject factually. Documentation is what comes out of the camera. Art is what comes out of the artist’s soul. I want my photographs to be about what inspires and moves me, not about what my camera captures.”
3. Do you have one top tip for our readers to improve their landscape photography?
“Focus on improving your artistic and technical skills, not just on acquiring new gear. Collect art instead of cameras. The limiting factor is you, not your cameras, computer, software or other gear. Most beginning photographers own cameras, computers, software and gear that are far better than their artistic and technical skills. The limiting factor is their technical and artistic knowledge, not their gear. They don’t need to buy more gear! They need to improve their technical and artistic skills and increase their level of personal commitment to their work.”
4. Where is your favorite location in the World to photograph?
“I love the American Southwest: Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, California and so on. If you have not photographed the American Southwest yet you owe it to yourself to do it now. I teach workshops there and I invite you to join me in photographing these beautiful areas: Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Death Valley, White Sands, Arches, Canyonlands, and many many more.”
5. What camera do you use?
” I want to start by saying that what matters most for me is the personality of the photographer, his vision, his inspiration and his approach to the subject, not the camera that he uses. Asking ‘what camera do you use?’ is like asking Picasso ‘which brushes do you use?’ or ‘what brand of canvas do you paint on?’. It is reducing art to the level of craft. I know that we cannot take photographs without cameras. But we cannot paint without paintbrushes or carve without chisels or play music without instruments. Tools are important, but what matter most is the artist’s vision not the tools or the supplies he or she uses.
However, as I said, I will answer your question so here it is: I use a Phase One digital back on a Hasselblad Camera, several Canon 1Ds Series cameras and a Fuji X100s. Except for the Fuji which has a fixed lens, I use these cameras with an assortment of lenses ranging from 8mm to 400mm. I don’t think this gear is different from what many other photographers use. What matters is what I do with it.”
Best Landscape Photographers in the World – Number 2.
Number two on my list is Alexandre Deschaumes, another French photographer whose work is some of the most evocatively emotional in the World today.
His images exude atmosphere and his use of light and composition create photos that transport you in to his world.
Alexandre’s images often focus on more intimate details within a scene and combine this with incredible light and beautiful colours. His images of the Autumnal colours in the Forests of his native France are un-rivalled in their majesty. If you like your photography to be atmospheric then Alexandre will be an inspiration to you.
We were lucky enough to speak with Alexandre and learn a little more about what inspires him.
We suggest you take a look at the incredible work on his website .
1. What inspired you to take up landscape photography?
“The romantic feeling of autumn mist, and some kind of inner sadness and frustrations.
2. Which are your favourite images?
Alexandre Chose the two images shown, not surprisingly as they are simply stunning.
Ethereal Journey Click for larger version
3. What one tip would you offer aspiring landscape photographers?
“keep the first sight/spontaneity is very important”
Expanding on this we believe Alexandre is suggesting that what first attracts you to a scene is what you should attempt to capture in your photos.
4. What camera do you use?
Alexandre uses a Canon 5 DSr to capture stunning detail in his images.
A book of Alexandre’s beautiful images is out now and available through his website
Best landscape photographers in the World – Number 3.
Alex Noriega is an American photographer whose love of grand American landscapes can be seen in his photography of the Rocky Mountains.
His photos show great talent for breaking a scene down in to simple elements. They are uncluttered, pure in their form and this is all due to his mastery of composition.
Alex spends a lot of time in the field and this shows through his ability to capture beautiful scenes in the most incredible light. His images are breath-taking.
Alex kindly spared a little time to answer a few of our questions.
What inspired you to take up landscape photography?
“Having grown up in the flat and farm-covered Midwest of the US, my first road trip west of the Rockies was eye-opening. I was blown away by the geology laid bare in the desert and the grandeur of the mountains, and felt compelled to dedicate my photography to that, since it moved me.
2. What is your favourite image?
“Either “Volcanic Autumn” or “Hibernation”. One is a more grand image, and one is more intimate, and oddly enough, they’re both from Mount Rainier. What makes them favorites for me are the compositions, and the sense of mystery.
Volcanic Autumn Click for larger versionHibernation Click to see larger version
4. Do you have one tip for aspiring landscape photographers?
“Find your own style and artistic voice. Emulating other artists is a great tool for learning, but eventually the only satisfying and meaningful images you create will be those that are uniquely your own.”
5. What camera do you use?
Alex uses a Nikon D610 although he would quite like a D810.
Don’t forget to visit Alex’s website to see more of his beautiful work
Best landscape photographers in the World – Number 4.
Charlie Waite is a British landscape photographer who is renowned around the World for his elegant compositions. His images often have a calm and tranquil nature and this is achieved through expert use of composition and subtle tones throughout.
Rydal Water, England Click for larger version
The image above of a boathouse on Rydal Water is one of my favourite images of Charlie’s. It reminds me of a classical painting by Constable, the famous English artist. The composition, light and subtle hues are expertly brought together thanks to the photographers technical and artistic ability.
Charlie manages to capture the beauty of the English countryside perfectly and this is why he makes it on to my list as one of the best landscape photographers in the World.
It is little wonder that Charlie Waite has made numerous appearances on TV a well as being the brainchild behind the Landscape Photographer of The Year competition in the UK.
You can see more of Charlie Waite’s work on his website here
Best landscape photographers in the World – Number 5.
Marc Adamus is a widely published and acclaimed American photographer whose images show fantastic composition along with the use of great light.
He often makes use of foreground elements to draw the viewer in to the scene.
Here’s a snippet from his website
” Marc’s pursuit of landscape images have taken him around the world almost continuously for well over a decade now. The visual drama and artistry of his photographs are born of a keen eye for the many moods of Nature and a life-long passion for the wilderness. This passion shines throughout Marc’s work and has attracted a wide audience around the world.
Marc’s style is unmistakable. His talent for rare captures of amazing light and fleeting atmosphere imbue his portfolio with a sense of the epic, majestic and the bold. His success derives from patient single-minded pursuit of all the unique moments that generate the magic and energy of the wilderness, often spending weeks or even months immersing himself in the landscape he shoots despite the rigors of season and weather.
Marc’s photographs have been published extensively worldwide in a large variety of media ranging from calendars, books, advertising and the publications of National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography and over a hundred more. Marc’s clients have included Fortune-500 companies such as Apple, HP, Toshiba, Blackberry and more, in addition to wilderness focused enterprises such as the Wilderness Society and Sierra Club.
A full-time professional from 2005 onward, Marc has been frequently mentioned and recognized as an original artist, an innovator and a trendsetter in the modern age of landscape photography. Marc is regularly noted as one of the most influential landscape professionals in modern history. “
All the above photographers are technically excellent. It is their vision that elevates them above the norm and puts them on our 5 best photographers in the World list. . I hope you found their work as inspiring as I do and that you take the time to visit their websites to find out more about them and their photography.
If you want to improve your photography then don’t forget to check out my article on 10 easy ways to improve your photography or take a look at some of the eBooks that I recommend here
And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest news, reviews tips and more.
When you want to convince people of the value of your services, you have to first know your own value. Customers have many choices when it comes to photographers. Prices can vary a great deal, whether someone wants a wedding photographer, shots for a resume or glamorous shots for modeling jobs. Value is conveyed in many ways, such as the way you present yourself, the quality of your work and the prices you charge. When setting your prices, you could be making the mistake of pricing yourself so low that others don’t see the value in your work.
Know Your Own Value so Others Will Know it
Many photographers, especially when just starting out, assume that customers will always be drawn to someone who has the lowest price. This is certainly true for some customers, but certainly not all. You also have to realize that many customers are willing to pay a little more for superior work. It’s up to you, however, to convey to potential customers that you offer high value. First, however, you have to be fully aware of this yourself. Knowing your own value is the first step for building a successful photography business.
Presenting Your Services
Presentation is crucial for every type of business. With a visually-based art such as photography, however, it’s especially crucial. People who don’t know you are going to judge you based on how you present yourself. When they look at your brochure, website, ad or business card, they’re going to form an instant impression on who you are and what you have to offer.
When creating your promotional materials, it’s important to take the time to present yourself in the most professional and appealing way possible. If you want to convince people of your value, make sure that you convey your value in everything you do. This starts with your website and any other content that describes your services. Of course, it also pertains to your work itself. Do you have a portfolio that includes your best work? Do you have testimonials that help to build social proof of your value? Do you always put forth your best effort when taking your photos?
Set Yourself Apart
Part of knowing your value is being clear about what you’re offering to people. Don’t make the mistake of marketing yourself in a way that’s ordinary and generic. If you do this, you’ll have to set your prices low. If you’re exactly like a dozen other photographers in your area, there’s no reason for people to pay more than bargain prices for your services.
Even if you offer similar services as many other photographers, you have your own unique style and way of doing things. If you’re a nature photographer, for example, you may specialize in certain types of scenes. You may have a flare for creating old fashioned scenes for portraits. Or your look may be hip and modern. A good exercise is to write down a list of points that define your style or genre. If you can’t immediately think of any points that set you apart, you may want to give this some careful consideration. When you do something unique, you immediately add value to your work.
The Problem With Pricing Yourself Too Low
You naturally want to drum up as much business as possible. Setting low prices may seem like the best way to do this. If you’re business is new, you may have the notion of starting off with introductory bargain prices and raising them later. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to raise prices once people are accustomed to paying a certain price. This way of thinking can work alongside the tips I gave in my how to make money from photography article. You set your prices at the level that you want/need and you offer a discount to your first clients in order to build your portfolio.
In general, the lower your prices, the less value you are attributing to your own work. You may not see it that way, but others surely will. You may get clients who are seeking a bargain. However, such people will flock to another photographer who’s even cheaper the first chance they get. You don’t want to engage in this kind of race to the bottom.
Understand Your Value
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve had your business for years, it’s always good to reassess your image, both the one you have of yourself and the one you convey to the public. Remember that it’s never too late or too early to improve this image. Your value is communicated in many ways, including the appearance of your website, your marketing materials, the way you describe your services and your prices.
If you’re trying to obtain more customers by setting low prices, you may want to rethink this strategy. It’s a trap that keeps you locked into low prices and an image that conveys low value. People always assume that prices are commensurate with quality. Naturally, if you raise your prices, you must offer people quality that makes them feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.
Determining and increasing the value of your service is something you can do in many ways. It’s more of a long-term goal than a quick fix. The first thing you have to do is make sure that you value your own work highly enough. Once you do this, it’s much easier to convice others that you’re special.
Knowing your value will help you to make more money from your photography. You can see my article on making money from photography here.
If you are like I was when I started out and you are wondering how to make money from photography then keep reading because below I will go through some of the best ways to start earning some money with your photos and skills.
Making money from photography is a dream that a lot of us have at one point or another. We dream to be able to ditch the day job and make money doing something that we love.
Imagine how great it would be to be able to spend more time taking photos, less time grinding away in your day job and how fantastic it would feel to be your own boss.
One of the benefits of making money with photography is that you can decide where and when you work and this also gives you the chance to spend more time with your family.
I’m not going to lie to you though, it is hard and very competitive, especially when starting out. But if you are really committed, have the desire and passion plus some skill then it is still possible to make money from photography. A lot of people will tell you not to do it, that it can’t be done, that there’s too much competition and everyone has a camera these days. I’ve heard it’s a dying trade etc etc.
Well I’m here to tell you that just like any business you can succeed if you are willing to do what 99% of others are not. You have to work hard, be dedicated, make sacrifices and strive to be the best that you can be.
If you really want to make money with your photos then you can, you just have to know how, where and most importantly what is in demand.
I’ll start out with one of the most obvious ways to make money as a photographer and build up to the most profitable.
How to make money from photography – Stock
Stock photography is licensing your images to a stock photo library or agency who then sell them on your behalf to companies, newspapers, magazines and websites. This area is very competitive but most people think that they can upload a few of their holiday snaps and make a few bucks. That is very unlikely.
I know photographers who make a living solely from stock photography so it is certainly possible to make a decent income from your photos via stock agencies.
The key here is to research. Look around you and there are images everywhere, on bill boards, magazines, leaflets, newspapers, websites, holiday brochures and a million other places. Take a good look at those images and try to learn from them because a lot of them are taken by successful stock photographers. If they are selling their images then you can too. You just have to be as good or better than them.
Look at the types of images that are around you. They are usually evoking a mood, telling a story or have incredible light. So if you want your images to regularly sell on stock websites then you need to create images that do the same.
One of my most popular stock photography images is a shot of a very rural school in Scotland with a school sign in front of it. It is a completely average, un-memorable shot but it has sold countless times to national newspapers because it clearly represents rural schools. I took this shot on my way to a landscape location I had scouted out and because I had been following the news, I knew that the UK Government was considering closing rural schools. Therefore I predicted that there would be lots of news stories about it and in turn lots of demand for such an image.
That right there is research paying off. Keeping up to date with current affairs and trends is vital to making money from your photography in stock.
Below are some of the best stock agencies to sign up to.
Alamy – Alamy has a lot of newspaper clients in the UK. There is an initial submission requirement which if passed then allows you to upload the rest of your images.
Getty – Getty is one of the most prestigious stock agencies, working with famous and renowned photographers. They sell around the World and have a huge client list including major news networks and newspapers. I would suggest only applying to Getty if you have a portfolio of very distinctive images or you have access to celebrities and well known people.
Shutterstock – Shutterstock is what’s called a micro stock agency. They concentrate on selling in volume which unfortunately means that they often sell your images at quite a low price. However if you can build up a huge library of images then there is money to be made due to the volume of sales.
Istockphoto – iStockphoto is similar to Shutterstock.
There are hundreds more stock photography websites so just do a Google search. If you have a specific set of photos, such as steam trains of the UK etc then it might be worth searching out a particular agency that specialises in such areas.
How to make money from photography – Magazine Submissions
Even though the publishing industry has suffered a decline in recent years there are still plenty of publications that require high quality content on a regular basis.
I used to provide material to a number of different magazines in the UK, in particular I mainly supplied to the photography magazine industry. While the pay is not great it is another source of income and can lead to more work.
When submitting to magazines make sure you make it as easy as possible for the editor to say yes to your submission. He/She has to look through hundreds of submissions so make yours easy to deal with. Send some of your best images, follow the guide-lines to the letter and I always used to write a short friendly cover note and include a sheet of thumbnails of the images so that they could quickly scan to see the quality.
Eventually you will build up a rapport with certain editors and they may even start to throw some commissions your way which pay a little better.
How do I know who to contact?
Scan the magazines in your local store and grab a list of contact details. Alternatively in the UK there is an excellent publication which lists all active magazine publications, newspapers and other potential outlets. It gives you contact information for picture editors and submission guidelines as well as the types of images required.
For me producing prints and selling them is probably the most satisfying part of my job. If your images are of a high enough standard then get out there, find galleries, cafes, restaurants and hotels and show them a quick portfolio of your images. These establishments might buy your prints off you but in all likely-hood they will agree to display them for sale in return for receiving a percentage of the sale. The percentage of the sale they take ranges from 20-50% . Make sure to factor this in to your retail price.
Remember, local images sell best so look for tourist hot spots and get out there and photograph the most popular locations in the beautful light to give yourself the best chance of selling in any numbers.
Printing your own prints is not for everyone because you need to make sure you have a colour managed workflow. I’ll write up an article on that at a later date.
If you are going to use a print service then make sure you do a test print first to ensure that the colours match your screen. Most print services offer an ICC profile to download and use in Photoshop to ensure everything matches up. Check your printers website.
Selling prints can be profitable and it is all about finding the right place to exhibit. For instance I used to sell a few thousands Pounds worth of prints every month during the Tourist season on a Tiny island off the coast of Scotland. I had about four galleries selling my work on that island and the biggest most popular gallery was my worst performing outlet. If you can, find a space for your work in a smaller gallery where the owners meet and greet the customers and offer a personal service. They know you and your images personally so they are more likely to sell your work. They can offer a bit of information about you as an artist and that is what really sells your prints.
You could even offer to do open days where you meet the customers. In my experience, meeting potential buyers yourself is a surefire way to increase your sales. It makes the purchase much more personal and they have a beautiful print to remember you by.
What size prints should you offer?
In the UK I used to offer 12 x 8″, 20 x 16″ and 30 x 20″. Offering three sizes is often seen as the best idea as it means that you have something catering to all budgets. Anything smaller is not worth your time and anything larger you can take as a special order. Remember that houses in the UK are smaller than those in the USA so the market for larger prints in the States is bigger. The art market for photography is also more established than in the UK so there is more money to be made.
Remember the larger your print the more profit you make and that’s what we are trying to do here…. Make money from our photography.
How much should you charge?
This can be based on two factors. One is your costs. You need to add up all the costs you have to make each print. That includes the print itself, your time, your equipment and of course factor in any percentage you are handing over to the gallery. Then add your profit on top and you have your retail price.
You can also base this on your worth as an artist. If you are established and have a following then you can charge more for your work. Part of pricing is knowing your value as a photographer which I discuss in an article here
Alain Briot has a fantastic system for this so I encourage you to check out his website because he is an absolute expert in selling fine art photography and I learned a lot under his tutorship.
Do not make the mistake of undervaluing your worth just to get a sale. The right buyer will pay the right price for your work because they appreciate your talent. As a guide my fine art prints sell for anything from $40 up to $800 depending upon size and the number of prints in an edition.
How to make money from photography – Offering your services
This is probably the most common way for photographers to earn a living and it is also the most business-like.
Essentially you offer your services as a photographer, whether that be in wedding photography, portraits, kids, fashion, lifesyle, commercial, product or any other form.
There are several ways to start out in this industry. You can look to work under an established professional or company by applying to be their apprentice. I have had many requests for this from people just like you who want to get their foot in the door. I can tell you the do’s and don’ts when applying to be someone’s apprentice.
Send your CV, a brief portfolio and a cover letter. Don’t suck up too much in the cover letter. Do your research on the photographer and give them an idea of who you are and what you are looking for. Tell them why they should pick you above all the other applicants. We are not always looking for the best photographer but the best fit for our business.
As in a lot of other walks of life it is often who you know not what you know that gets you by so try to network with photographers and peers to get in to their social circle. It might just be the advantage you need to get your break in to the industry.
You can also start out on your own, after all, all you really need is a camera, a website and the passion, drive and determination to succeed.
Speaking of websites, that is one of the most effective tools a photographer can use to gain exposure and book clients. It can also be a platform to sell your prints and make money from your existing photos.
A simple wordpress site and web hosting costs peanuts to create and run so before you do anything else, set up a website. Simple, quick and easily navigable are the key ingredients to an effective website.
Host your site on a great webhost like TSOHost as they are reliable, fast and offer excellent customer service. That’s who I use for this website. You can even get a 10% discount off their packages by entering the code The Cotswold Photographer . This offer is only available to the first 20 customers though so don’t wait around.
I also use Hostgator in the USA because like TSOHost, they offer great service and fast, reliable and cheap hosting packages.
Running your own photography business is not an easy task though. When you are starting out you need to have more than just good photos. To make money from your photography you need to be able to identify a market for your photos and products and effectively advertise to them.
The best way to get your name out there is to network on social media but don’t just randomly tweet that your services or images are for sale. That’s like bombarding people you don’t even know with sales leaflets and we know that most of those get thrown in the trash. Instead talk to people and join in conversations on social media. Join related groups and add valuable input to discussions. Then when you have built up trust and rapport you can subtly point out what you offer.
Do not throw money at Google Adwords unless you know what you are doing because it can be a real drain on your finances and could even bankrupt your business before you get started. It can cost thousands of dollars to test to see what is effective on Adwords and you probably just don’t have the finances at the start of your photographic career.
Top Tip
Build up your portfolio by offering discounts to your first clients. A good strategy for wedding photographers just starting out is to offer a 50% discount to your first client and tell them it is because you want to build your portfolio. Tell them that this is a one off offer though and the next client will only get a 45% discount. The next client would get a 40% discount and so on until you are charging your full price. This not only helps you to book those first important customers but it also helps you to build a great portfolio which will justify your full asking price.
It is also very important to understand that to make money from photography you need to be a businessperson first and foremost. You need to have a grasp of your finances and be able to work out a business plan. You need so many skills to succeed, you need to be an accountant, web designer, marketer, customer service agent, secretary and of course a photographer.
Don’t let that put you off though because the rewards are infinitely greater than the initial struggles and if you plan, persevere and produce the goods you will become successful. Then eventually you can start to outsource some of the more tedious tasks and concentrate on what you love, creating photos.
I’ll have plenty more to say on the subject of how to make money from photography in future articles including some killer tips to make your website pay for itself so make sure you subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with all the latest tips, reviews and more.
Now if you are really serious about changing your life around, ditching the 9-5 and becoming your own boss then I suggest you read Going Pro by Kelly Kingman. In her book she has over 91 pages of insider tips on how to make money from photography. She is a very successful pro photographer and she explains step by step how you can fulfill your dream and turn Pro. Along with all the great information in the book there is also an audio download with interviews from some of the most successful pro photographers giving their incredible knowledge of what it takes to turn pro and make a success of it.
Here’s a link to the book
That’s all for now folk as I’m exhausted after another 18 hour day
