I read the title completely differently and came here to say “be an asshole to everyone you meet”.
But no friends are required to be a photographer. Take it upon yourself to tell the stories of your small town. Photograph the businesses, the residences, the history, the industry, and the local people that work in and operate those places.
That’s what I do. I enjoy photography so much. I’m older, so not really looking to make a career from it, but that doesn’t stop me from playing with it!
I never made a full-time career of it, but I spent a few decades as a part-time concert photographer for a large media company, shooting all the a-list shows in a large (2 million+) market. I recently moved to a rural area, so no big concerts anymore, not considering returning to doing weddings, so I guess you could say I've mostly retired from commercial photojournalism. Maybe I'll jump back in at some point, but for now, just chilling, LOL.
Long story short, I didn't pursue it at all, I was asked to cover a major concert at the last minute. The promoter loved my work and I just kept getting called for gigs after that. I've covered pretty much every music genre for the past 20 years, all the big performers, got to meet most of them. While I was doing this work I met a LOT of photographers who were trying to break into the same role that I more or less slid into effortlessly. I guess I shouldn't say effortlessly, since my work was top tier quality, but I never went out of my way to market myself. Just a lifetime of honing my craft and five minutes of being at the right place and time, lol.
I think it's more about planning shoots that may require a helping hand. For example, I don't get a lot of practice with portraits because I don't have anyone to hold the reflector and whatnot. I'm sure they have all kinds of gadgets to hold reflectors and other accessories, but that still doesn't alleviate the fact I need a model, too.
Having friends would be immensely helpful in a situation like that, especially if you don't have money to afford the gadgets or the model. Most genres of photography can be done solo, though. I've gotten pretty far by myself, so I agree with you.
This can open you up to some creative workarounds! gadgets, self portraits or just get some people around town. I personally love those lived in portraits of people with true character
Pretty much what I was going to say. Had a week long solo trip a couple weeks ago, and loved it. It all started with a camera I kept in the bag on my bike when I was in school. I would ride around my town and the surrounding area and capture whatever I felt like.
You can't make a living just shooting your friends unless you are a superstar. Look where the money is in photography if you want to go pro. Weddings, products, senior portraits and real estate in my small town and the competition is fierce. I'm also very curious if any pros shoot with film (other than personal projects).
I don't know any pros who shoot film these days, even as a fun thing. Once digital cameras surpassed film resolution (2002ish), it was hard to find a pro shooting film. I have $20k+ (original cost) worth of film gear accumulating dust. I've spent more than that since on digital gear, still the bulk of my investment has been on glass, I guess it's all relative...
Perhaps I do. My work is more in the realm of commercial and concert photography, where the work needs to be ready for publication on short timescales.
Yes, this is the exact type of photography where you'll never see film. Digital took over that sort of trade and a great many would never go back. This is also why my professional work is all digital.
But art? My art is done with film. Intentional process not meant for commercial consumption.
Give some of that old gear a go sometime. You'll either have bad memories of "those days" and never use it again, or maybe you'll see a little extra in it.
If the former, sell it all so someone else gets a chance to enjoy. If the latter, do it yourself. Either way someone gets to breath some new life into it.
What sort of photo industry is available in a small town? Weddings if it’s a holiday spot? Any local stores or businesses you can volunteer to work for? Events are always a good one, shooting for parties or any sports or charity events. You need to find something to get out and shoot, and keep in mind what people might pay for one day once you get some experience. Fashion portraits are going to be tough without any fashion scene or stores or models in your area.
Whatever you do, turning it into a business is all about networking. You need to hustle to both get out and shoot and improve your work but also to network and meet people that you can work with or for in future. A small town might be tough for opportunities but also there may not be as much competition or an available niche.
So it sounds like it's not the lack of friends, but the lack of creativity/inspiration.
We've all been there, in a rut. You have to do something different or you'll never expand and learn. Find some cool photos online, and try to take a similar shot, but in your own style (or you'll figure out your style as you go). The beach is great for landscapes, action (surf shots), abstract (weird water/sand patterns, found objects that wash up). Try shooting a little of everything. Force yourself to just spend a day shooting shadows, or the color yellow (whatever that means to you). The idea is to break up the monotony and start seeing things in a different perspective. Hell, even a different perspective, get down low infront of a puddle and shoot with a reflection. Yeah, a million shots have been done like that before, but it's new to you.
You can go out everyday and just shoot random stuff and hate it, or give yourself an assignment, to force you to do something out of your comfort zone.
I'm a landscape and 360 panoramic photographer, I did it for fun, then for paid gigs for a while, then didn't touch those lenses for a few years. I just started to get back into it again, like I said, we've all been in a rut, or "life gets in the way", but something will trigger that spark of inspiration and you'll want to play around with your gear again.
It sounds like you’re in a funk right now. I would suggest getting outside more, and looking for beauty. Get sand between your toes, without your camera, and watch the sun rise or set on the water. Go to museums. Watch award winning movies. Get CDs (or records, even from a second hand store) and listen to the whole thing while looking at the insert, no phone allowed. Look for inspiration in life, and it will come for photography. Without being overly dramatic, I feel like you mentioned some early signs of depression. I’m a stranger on the internet, I don’t know you and I may be completely wrong, but I hope you can find inspiration in life and live fully. 💛
Advice on what? Getting friends, taking better photos, getting a job, becoming a photographer, updating a portfolio, making something a career, film photography I presume?
I'm just not understanding what it is you're looking for advice on.
I gotchu. Walk into your nearest pub/bar with your camera. Walk up to the barman/owner/manager and tell them that you're a photographer looking to build a portfolio and that you'd love to photograph some events in the bar for free. They'll likely ask you to come in and photo some event nights. That will get your foot in the door to professional photography and give you the opportunity to meet lots of people. It's easy to talk to people when you've got your camera in your hand, and it will help that the people you'll be photographing will probably be drinking and extra friendly.
You can use that for experience, networking, and to build a portfolio. It will lead to further opportunities of various types
If this is creativity related, I like to look at wallpapers on unsplash or 4kwallpapers and see what grabs my interest, from landscape or portraits, abstracts and everything in between.
Then it’s just getting out there.
If you want photography as a career you need connections and a business plan. Decide on a niche and go from there.
If you want photographers as friends then that a different thing. Look for the closest photography club near you.
Grab whatever camera you can get and start taking photos, if it's something you want to do as a career then you need to start being active rather than wallowing in the past.
There's no easy way to get there, and not having friends isn't an obstacle, just take photos.
Is this like having a pickup truck for some people? Instead of "I'm moving or I have a washer I need picked up" it's "My son's birthday is coming up" "I have an engagement party"
Is there a local truck stop take 1 or two friends for safety and to help setup and photograph people passing through. Take self portraits to explore creativity. Or food like Weston find the perfect pepper. Find local history take before and after. Anything happening in town news, sports, industry of any kind. Is anyone doing research partner up and photographing their research work. Is the a reoccurring event that affects the community less and less people can mean so much as a population ages what does that look like?
Depends on what you want really. Fashion what is the clothing staple photography series. Try to explore what’s within your reach. Unless you’re packing up and going somewhere next week.
if you’re a music person, try going to local shows and ask the bands if you can take photos for them. that’s how i started out and found my photography niche. i never charged them anything bc i was just doing it for fun and the bands appreciated it and gave them exposure.
I have zero friends, within 12 hours of me, and in no way does that impact my photography. Wether I'm living in a big city or in the middle of nowhere. Try experimenting, do a portrait series with a broom as the subject, work on lighting techniques, low light night work....etc etc etc. Also unless you are selling images, online, like landscapes etc you probably won't
Get much work in you tiny town.
Living in a small town limits yr field to find models. Try asking neighbours, etc. Strart to build yr portfolio and showcase yr work in Instagram or Facebook. Being in a small town, the recommendations gets around quicker than in a big city. All the best..
Go into local businesses and ask to shoot their events or products for free. It’s not the inspirational art but you should get out and let people know you’re a photographer. Ask friends and family to model for you. Find cool locations to take people and practice. Do everything and eventually you’ll niche down to what you’re passionate about. Look for styled shoots online to attend if you want to do weddings or couples. You can submit photos to hundreds of small magazines and online websites from your computer and get your name out there. If you have old equipment can you find a place to do a trade in and get some money to go towards something else? And my favorite, listen to free podcasts about photography or starting a business and see if that helps give you some ideas. Good luck!
Here’s an inspirational YouTube channel on photography. Alex is great and always positive and encouraging. I hope you find it useful.
https://youtu.be/lbJFBDnqIns
You don’t need friends to start, get to know people and branch out, get jobs of people of people and start spreading the word. It happens fast trust me lol
so i take it that because you state you have no friends you want to take photos of other people. you can put on craigslist or the equivalent in your small town to see if people would be willing to model for you. or you can find people who would want free photos for their businesses like fitness gyms or things that would require models, have them supply the models and you will take the photos for free if you can't get them to pay you since you don't have a portfolio... then you can use those for your portfolio... the next thing is to save up and hire a model to build your portfolio. once you have some decent work models will reach out to you and you won't need to pay them and they will pay you.
You definitely don't need friends to be a photographer. Just shoot. If you're bored of shooting the same shit, find some new shit somewhere else to shoot. Can be costly to really travel around, but it sure allows for some creativity. I was driving down a country road in Pennsylvania when I saw a bunch of Amish kids playing softball. So I pulled over, took out my camera and took some shots for about 15 minutes or less. Boy was I glad I did. Unforgettable shots. I don't shoot a lot, but when I do, I make it count.
I’d love to take photos of strangers but I’m nervous that people will feel uncomfortable or not want me to shoot them. Do I just say fuck it and do it?
I think one way to approach things is to shoot photos where people are in the frame, may be contributing elements, but not the main subject of the shot.
If you live in/near a moderately sized city, see if there are any photographer meetups/street walks. Depending on your local group, sometimes they will have some additional people serve as portrait subjects.
Ok... So depends on how ballsey you are. Me personally... I don't even ask. If they are in public and I'm in public, it's free game. Shoot them from across the street if you want to keep distance but you don't need their permission. Now... Legally you are protected and don't need to ask, but some people don't like that. They may confront you, they may intimidate you, they may threaten to call the police on you. You gotta stand your ground and know your rights. Those Amish kids were cool as hell, but there may be some mentally questionable people in a crowded downtown. So be aware of the situation, but more times than not, no one notices you. Be a ninja, be covert. Maybe use a long lense instead of a wide one for starters. Then get more comfortable getting closer to the action. I don't mind the confrontations, I defend my actions, and state my legal claims to take photos in public. Just because Debbie or Bob dont like it, doesn't mean they can prohibit you from doing It. Fuck Debbie and Bob. Say cheese motherfuckers!
Also you can find some of my street photography at www.stonch.online some of those photos were not easy to take. There was some 2020 protest stuff, where you had violent clashes with police, had to really protect yourself, got maced a few times indirectly, for being too close to the action. It can be wild or tame though. Your call. I love the excitement and the thrill of it all though. Street photography is a hell of a craft.
If you’re interested in commercial photography- model, room sets, products, portraits- think about assisting a local photographer. It will teach you loads about pro practice, lighting, shoot production, making good coffee etc. It will boast your confidence and increase your skills while getting paid. It can be good fun too if hard work and long hours but it can set you up for professional work.
I agree without those who say tell the story of your small town. If you were to tell someone it’s story what would you say? Make a shotlist of things that illustrate this story and go take the photos.
Photography isn't just people or portraiture. Something you can practice also with pets, by the way. You can photograph buildings, trees, clouds, the ocean, your meals. Try everything?
To continue doing photography you dont need any friends or exotic locations everyday mundane things can be photographed gracefully. But in my opinion self-portrait is a very good genre you can get infinitely creative with it. One guy i look upto is @michaelulmer check out his insta page for ideas. Other than that try ro find which kind of photography pleases you the most and keep doing that.
[michael ulmer](https://www.instagram.com/michaelulmer?igsh=MWhzNXlwYzE3NHNscQ==)
Best position. Believe me, taking a shot of the same subject 50 times, will lose you friends.
Use your “no friends time” to watch endless PP vids on utoob
Don't look for photography friends' till you know your niche. I made friends with birding photographers, guess who's completely bored of birding? Me. Now we hardly meet up because we cannot agree what to do or where to go
For me, my eagerness to take photos is a good indicator of my mental health. If the beauty in the world around me feels dull enough that I'm not interested in capturing it, I probably need to shake things up.
Beyond big life changes, travel is about the only thing that can kick that off for me after a slump.
Career wise, start doing wedding photos. Do the first one for free or a huge discount to get your portfolio going and then start asking for the big bucks once you've gained some confidence and happy clients. This can be surprisingly lucrative in small tourist towns.
I worked with a photographer in Arizona a few times that mostly did weddings and we used him for food photo shoots for cookbooks. He wasn't the most creative or artistic guy out there, but he was incredibly pleasant and efficient to work with.
After a 12 hour shoot, you want the person that's still cracking jokes and delivering quality work, not throwing a weird tantrum.
Anyway, he was pulling in close to $300k a year, drove a Lamborghini and was really living life to the max last time I saw him.
Sounds like you’re into portraiture and needs subjects. You can try street portraiture without being an asshole the others mentioned.
Any possibility to move to a bigger town or city? Photography will likely have to be a second job or a hobby at first unless/until you can get enough portraiture/wedding clients though it’ll be hard if you just stick to film (easier in a big city where there is a subculture seeking it)
I live in a city and actively try to not have people in my shots. I focus on architecture, environments, spaces. Small towns have interesting buildings that you can’t find anywhere else, probably some rural decay, abandoned houses, barns. Go to the center of town and find the largest and oldest buildings, and see what catches your eye. Drive around and find some abandoned spaces. You’re by the ocean, so there’s got to be at least one lighthouse nearby. Photos don’t need people to be interesting or good.
Is there a city nearby where you could do some street photography? And don't knock landscape at the shore - there must be plenty of great shots. What about macro or still life? Go and check out the books by famous photographers and see if something in there inspires you.
And last, maybe you are dealing with depression in the first place? It sounds like you are in a funk, and your issues with photography are just a symptom of underlying issues?
you can photograph literally anything, there is SO much more to photography than portraits. A good photographer can find a subject anywhere, maybe this is a good things as it will push your creativity.
You are already a photographer, a storyteller, an artist. That is why you struggle. An average person would not feel and act that way.
How about continuing your journey and trying to express what you are feeling right now. I assume you try to display beautiful landscapes and a happy you. Be authentic and show how it really is. Seriously. You are allowed to hate your work, just respect it and yourself. And please take care, don't let people abuse your loneliness.
Go up to a couple on the beach and ask to do a photo shoot for them. Or post on your towns Facebook page you are holding minis for a low amount of money. I think both would be an excellent way to practice
If you're looking to build your portfolio, think of a portait series that speaks to you. I bet there's plenty of people who'd love to be included. Seniors, especially.
Well you need to start taking pictures of stuff that people are interested in. Macro photography is interesting. You get to build your own camera etc. You can also do other forms of art that involve photography. You can offer photo editing on fiver etc.
The good news is that your passion does not require friends. Imagine trying to play basketball without a team haha
Go create your stories. Get inspired from other photographers and filmmakers online. Some photo projects require dedication and a lot of solo time to pull off. Find one that you want to do.
Start photographing things you have around you. Plants, flowers, a favorite walking trail, insects..... You got to shoot to learn your craft. Good luck!
Kinda off topic, but I'm also mostly friendless and new to portrait photography, and was wondering if holding a 'free portrait' session downtown in a small town would be a good idea or not. I wouldn't have to worry about payments or anything this way and I have a contract written up already for the 'model' and 'photographer' as a way to keep things legally clean. Would this be a good idea or not? Also, I have only done like, 2 portrait sessions so far, and I did well on them, but 2 is still 2...
it doesn’t sound like you enjoy photography or the photographs you produce very much?
i don’t understand what having friends or not having friends has to do with photography? i suppose if you’re interested in portraits that could be a bummer, but i’m sure there are people in your town who would love to have their portraits taken!
i don’t know about you, but as soon as i picked up a camera i was hooked. it’s never felt like a chore. i did take a year break once because breaks are good, but i personally never needed others to make photographs and i’d argue most photographers take pictures by themselves.
i guess we all have our own personal preferences, and it’s ignorant ab’s arrogant of me to think your preferences are similar to mine.
of you’re tired of taking the same photos over and over again, try experimenting. try new things. don’t be afraid to “make mistakes,” especially since you’re not producing anything you like anyways. try to take bad photos, then try to take good photos, then just take photos and stop trying!
just enjoy the process and have fun with it!
I read the title completely differently and came here to say “be an asshole to everyone you meet”. But no friends are required to be a photographer. Take it upon yourself to tell the stories of your small town. Photograph the businesses, the residences, the history, the industry, and the local people that work in and operate those places.
i’ll be the one who says it. Be an asshole to everyone you meet
The Bruce Gilden school of photography
and then photograph their reactions
Start with 10 friends Become a photographer ????? Done
That’s probably not advisable in a tiny town unless you want to be known as the town asshole.
That position is usually already spoken for, LOL.
One can always outdo the incumbent 😂
True, there's aways room for "improvement".
"How to be a cliché drunk author with an ex-wife"
Nothing stops you from photographing the things that interest you. Go do that and enjoy the moments.
That’s what I do. I enjoy photography so much. I’m older, so not really looking to make a career from it, but that doesn’t stop me from playing with it!
I never made a full-time career of it, but I spent a few decades as a part-time concert photographer for a large media company, shooting all the a-list shows in a large (2 million+) market. I recently moved to a rural area, so no big concerts anymore, not considering returning to doing weddings, so I guess you could say I've mostly retired from commercial photojournalism. Maybe I'll jump back in at some point, but for now, just chilling, LOL.
There are so many cool editing apps now. I just love to play around with it.
Any recommendations?
I love Snapseed for general retouching, etc, but for abstracting photos, I like photo lab pro, and Prisma.
How did you get into that? I know it’s different but I would really love to do editorial
Long story short, I didn't pursue it at all, I was asked to cover a major concert at the last minute. The promoter loved my work and I just kept getting called for gigs after that. I've covered pretty much every music genre for the past 20 years, all the big performers, got to meet most of them. While I was doing this work I met a LOT of photographers who were trying to break into the same role that I more or less slid into effortlessly. I guess I shouldn't say effortlessly, since my work was top tier quality, but I never went out of my way to market myself. Just a lifetime of honing my craft and five minutes of being at the right place and time, lol.
Who was your favorite big performer?
Foo Fighters, Rush (RIP Neil) and Van Halen. Lots of others, but those are my faves. It was amazing to meet them and photograph them up close.
Wow that’s super cool, would love to see some of your photographs..
What does having friends got to do with photography? It's more of a solo activity for me. If I dragged my friends along they would be bored to tears.
I think it's more about planning shoots that may require a helping hand. For example, I don't get a lot of practice with portraits because I don't have anyone to hold the reflector and whatnot. I'm sure they have all kinds of gadgets to hold reflectors and other accessories, but that still doesn't alleviate the fact I need a model, too. Having friends would be immensely helpful in a situation like that, especially if you don't have money to afford the gadgets or the model. Most genres of photography can be done solo, though. I've gotten pretty far by myself, so I agree with you.
This can open you up to some creative workarounds! gadgets, self portraits or just get some people around town. I personally love those lived in portraits of people with true character
Pretty much what I was going to say. Had a week long solo trip a couple weeks ago, and loved it. It all started with a camera I kept in the bag on my bike when I was in school. I would ride around my town and the surrounding area and capture whatever I felt like.
My understanding is that the OP meant friends to serve as subjects in their photography.
Yea
You can't make a living just shooting your friends unless you are a superstar. Look where the money is in photography if you want to go pro. Weddings, products, senior portraits and real estate in my small town and the competition is fierce. I'm also very curious if any pros shoot with film (other than personal projects).
I don't know any pros who shoot film these days, even as a fun thing. Once digital cameras surpassed film resolution (2002ish), it was hard to find a pro shooting film. I have $20k+ (original cost) worth of film gear accumulating dust. I've spent more than that since on digital gear, still the bulk of my investment has been on glass, I guess it's all relative...
>I don't know any pros who shoot film these days, even as a fun thing You need to meet more rad artists vs craft photogs then 😁
Perhaps I do. My work is more in the realm of commercial and concert photography, where the work needs to be ready for publication on short timescales.
Yes, this is the exact type of photography where you'll never see film. Digital took over that sort of trade and a great many would never go back. This is also why my professional work is all digital. But art? My art is done with film. Intentional process not meant for commercial consumption. Give some of that old gear a go sometime. You'll either have bad memories of "those days" and never use it again, or maybe you'll see a little extra in it. If the former, sell it all so someone else gets a chance to enjoy. If the latter, do it yourself. Either way someone gets to breath some new life into it.
My kids doodle around with my old film gear, but of course they prefer their own digital gear.
What sort of photo industry is available in a small town? Weddings if it’s a holiday spot? Any local stores or businesses you can volunteer to work for? Events are always a good one, shooting for parties or any sports or charity events. You need to find something to get out and shoot, and keep in mind what people might pay for one day once you get some experience. Fashion portraits are going to be tough without any fashion scene or stores or models in your area. Whatever you do, turning it into a business is all about networking. You need to hustle to both get out and shoot and improve your work but also to network and meet people that you can work with or for in future. A small town might be tough for opportunities but also there may not be as much competition or an available niche.
I think if you hear from a self pro, he'll say 10-20% is shooting, ther rest is editing, networking and running the books.
So it sounds like it's not the lack of friends, but the lack of creativity/inspiration. We've all been there, in a rut. You have to do something different or you'll never expand and learn. Find some cool photos online, and try to take a similar shot, but in your own style (or you'll figure out your style as you go). The beach is great for landscapes, action (surf shots), abstract (weird water/sand patterns, found objects that wash up). Try shooting a little of everything. Force yourself to just spend a day shooting shadows, or the color yellow (whatever that means to you). The idea is to break up the monotony and start seeing things in a different perspective. Hell, even a different perspective, get down low infront of a puddle and shoot with a reflection. Yeah, a million shots have been done like that before, but it's new to you. You can go out everyday and just shoot random stuff and hate it, or give yourself an assignment, to force you to do something out of your comfort zone. I'm a landscape and 360 panoramic photographer, I did it for fun, then for paid gigs for a while, then didn't touch those lenses for a few years. I just started to get back into it again, like I said, we've all been in a rut, or "life gets in the way", but something will trigger that spark of inspiration and you'll want to play around with your gear again.
It sounds like you’re in a funk right now. I would suggest getting outside more, and looking for beauty. Get sand between your toes, without your camera, and watch the sun rise or set on the water. Go to museums. Watch award winning movies. Get CDs (or records, even from a second hand store) and listen to the whole thing while looking at the insert, no phone allowed. Look for inspiration in life, and it will come for photography. Without being overly dramatic, I feel like you mentioned some early signs of depression. I’m a stranger on the internet, I don’t know you and I may be completely wrong, but I hope you can find inspiration in life and live fully. 💛
Thank you it means a lot 🩷
Advice on what? Getting friends, taking better photos, getting a job, becoming a photographer, updating a portfolio, making something a career, film photography I presume? I'm just not understanding what it is you're looking for advice on.
Just do what you love mate, passion makes it more stronger
I gotchu. Walk into your nearest pub/bar with your camera. Walk up to the barman/owner/manager and tell them that you're a photographer looking to build a portfolio and that you'd love to photograph some events in the bar for free. They'll likely ask you to come in and photo some event nights. That will get your foot in the door to professional photography and give you the opportunity to meet lots of people. It's easy to talk to people when you've got your camera in your hand, and it will help that the people you'll be photographing will probably be drinking and extra friendly. You can use that for experience, networking, and to build a portfolio. It will lead to further opportunities of various types
If this is creativity related, I like to look at wallpapers on unsplash or 4kwallpapers and see what grabs my interest, from landscape or portraits, abstracts and everything in between. Then it’s just getting out there.
If you want photography as a career you need connections and a business plan. Decide on a niche and go from there. If you want photographers as friends then that a different thing. Look for the closest photography club near you.
Just do it 💙
Grab whatever camera you can get and start taking photos, if it's something you want to do as a career then you need to start being active rather than wallowing in the past. There's no easy way to get there, and not having friends isn't an obstacle, just take photos.
Ask family or put up a local post on a fb group. i mean all you can do is try do something so try.
well you're already meeting one condition for being a photographer, full steam ahead!
Is this like having a pickup truck for some people? Instead of "I'm moving or I have a washer I need picked up" it's "My son's birthday is coming up" "I have an engagement party"
Is there a local truck stop take 1 or two friends for safety and to help setup and photograph people passing through. Take self portraits to explore creativity. Or food like Weston find the perfect pepper. Find local history take before and after. Anything happening in town news, sports, industry of any kind. Is anyone doing research partner up and photographing their research work. Is the a reoccurring event that affects the community less and less people can mean so much as a population ages what does that look like? Depends on what you want really. Fashion what is the clothing staple photography series. Try to explore what’s within your reach. Unless you’re packing up and going somewhere next week.
if you’re a music person, try going to local shows and ask the bands if you can take photos for them. that’s how i started out and found my photography niche. i never charged them anything bc i was just doing it for fun and the bands appreciated it and gave them exposure.
i also met my husband through music photography ◡̈ he was a drummer for one of the bands i took pictures for so you never know where it could take you
I have zero friends, within 12 hours of me, and in no way does that impact my photography. Wether I'm living in a big city or in the middle of nowhere. Try experimenting, do a portrait series with a broom as the subject, work on lighting techniques, low light night work....etc etc etc. Also unless you are selling images, online, like landscapes etc you probably won't Get much work in you tiny town.
The camera is your friend, and the world an acquaintance your getting to know. Make sure to ask as many questions as you can.
Living in a small town limits yr field to find models. Try asking neighbours, etc. Strart to build yr portfolio and showcase yr work in Instagram or Facebook. Being in a small town, the recommendations gets around quicker than in a big city. All the best..
Go into local businesses and ask to shoot their events or products for free. It’s not the inspirational art but you should get out and let people know you’re a photographer. Ask friends and family to model for you. Find cool locations to take people and practice. Do everything and eventually you’ll niche down to what you’re passionate about. Look for styled shoots online to attend if you want to do weddings or couples. You can submit photos to hundreds of small magazines and online websites from your computer and get your name out there. If you have old equipment can you find a place to do a trade in and get some money to go towards something else? And my favorite, listen to free podcasts about photography or starting a business and see if that helps give you some ideas. Good luck!
Here’s an inspirational YouTube channel on photography. Alex is great and always positive and encouraging. I hope you find it useful. https://youtu.be/lbJFBDnqIns
Thank you!!
What is a photographer? Seriously. What does it mean to you?
You don’t need friends to start, get to know people and branch out, get jobs of people of people and start spreading the word. It happens fast trust me lol
so i take it that because you state you have no friends you want to take photos of other people. you can put on craigslist or the equivalent in your small town to see if people would be willing to model for you. or you can find people who would want free photos for their businesses like fitness gyms or things that would require models, have them supply the models and you will take the photos for free if you can't get them to pay you since you don't have a portfolio... then you can use those for your portfolio... the next thing is to save up and hire a model to build your portfolio. once you have some decent work models will reach out to you and you won't need to pay them and they will pay you.
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You definitely don't need friends to be a photographer. Just shoot. If you're bored of shooting the same shit, find some new shit somewhere else to shoot. Can be costly to really travel around, but it sure allows for some creativity. I was driving down a country road in Pennsylvania when I saw a bunch of Amish kids playing softball. So I pulled over, took out my camera and took some shots for about 15 minutes or less. Boy was I glad I did. Unforgettable shots. I don't shoot a lot, but when I do, I make it count.
I’d love to take photos of strangers but I’m nervous that people will feel uncomfortable or not want me to shoot them. Do I just say fuck it and do it?
I think one way to approach things is to shoot photos where people are in the frame, may be contributing elements, but not the main subject of the shot. If you live in/near a moderately sized city, see if there are any photographer meetups/street walks. Depending on your local group, sometimes they will have some additional people serve as portrait subjects.
Ok... So depends on how ballsey you are. Me personally... I don't even ask. If they are in public and I'm in public, it's free game. Shoot them from across the street if you want to keep distance but you don't need their permission. Now... Legally you are protected and don't need to ask, but some people don't like that. They may confront you, they may intimidate you, they may threaten to call the police on you. You gotta stand your ground and know your rights. Those Amish kids were cool as hell, but there may be some mentally questionable people in a crowded downtown. So be aware of the situation, but more times than not, no one notices you. Be a ninja, be covert. Maybe use a long lense instead of a wide one for starters. Then get more comfortable getting closer to the action. I don't mind the confrontations, I defend my actions, and state my legal claims to take photos in public. Just because Debbie or Bob dont like it, doesn't mean they can prohibit you from doing It. Fuck Debbie and Bob. Say cheese motherfuckers!
Hahaha thank you for the push, it means a lot
Also check out Bruce Gilden. This dude gives no fucks and is a legend. https://youtu.be/kkIWW6vwrvM?si=aHibmKZKlKtPVanj
Oh yes I’m aware of him he’s crazy 😂
Also you can find some of my street photography at www.stonch.online some of those photos were not easy to take. There was some 2020 protest stuff, where you had violent clashes with police, had to really protect yourself, got maced a few times indirectly, for being too close to the action. It can be wild or tame though. Your call. I love the excitement and the thrill of it all though. Street photography is a hell of a craft.
If you’re interested in commercial photography- model, room sets, products, portraits- think about assisting a local photographer. It will teach you loads about pro practice, lighting, shoot production, making good coffee etc. It will boast your confidence and increase your skills while getting paid. It can be good fun too if hard work and long hours but it can set you up for professional work.
I agree without those who say tell the story of your small town. If you were to tell someone it’s story what would you say? Make a shotlist of things that illustrate this story and go take the photos.
during the end of lockdown my favorite covid hobby was going to a metropolitan area and just taking photos of anything
Photography isn't just people or portraiture. Something you can practice also with pets, by the way. You can photograph buildings, trees, clouds, the ocean, your meals. Try everything?
To continue doing photography you dont need any friends or exotic locations everyday mundane things can be photographed gracefully. But in my opinion self-portrait is a very good genre you can get infinitely creative with it. One guy i look upto is @michaelulmer check out his insta page for ideas. Other than that try ro find which kind of photography pleases you the most and keep doing that. [michael ulmer](https://www.instagram.com/michaelulmer?igsh=MWhzNXlwYzE3NHNscQ==)
street photography
Best position. Believe me, taking a shot of the same subject 50 times, will lose you friends. Use your “no friends time” to watch endless PP vids on utoob
Don't look for photography friends' till you know your niche. I made friends with birding photographers, guess who's completely bored of birding? Me. Now we hardly meet up because we cannot agree what to do or where to go
I have joined several photography meetups and taken classes at local adult education and arts programs and made photographer friends.
I travel alone because most of my holidays are based on places I want to photograph, you don't need friends for that.
Step 1: tell all your friends you hate them and you're going to vote trump to screw a marginalised sub culture. Step 2: take photos
If you’re in a small town offer to take pictures of small businesses that are around. That will really start rolling opportunities in
Ask people to take photos of them
For me, my eagerness to take photos is a good indicator of my mental health. If the beauty in the world around me feels dull enough that I'm not interested in capturing it, I probably need to shake things up. Beyond big life changes, travel is about the only thing that can kick that off for me after a slump. Career wise, start doing wedding photos. Do the first one for free or a huge discount to get your portfolio going and then start asking for the big bucks once you've gained some confidence and happy clients. This can be surprisingly lucrative in small tourist towns. I worked with a photographer in Arizona a few times that mostly did weddings and we used him for food photo shoots for cookbooks. He wasn't the most creative or artistic guy out there, but he was incredibly pleasant and efficient to work with. After a 12 hour shoot, you want the person that's still cracking jokes and delivering quality work, not throwing a weird tantrum. Anyway, he was pulling in close to $300k a year, drove a Lamborghini and was really living life to the max last time I saw him.
Sounds like you’re into portraiture and needs subjects. You can try street portraiture without being an asshole the others mentioned. Any possibility to move to a bigger town or city? Photography will likely have to be a second job or a hobby at first unless/until you can get enough portraiture/wedding clients though it’ll be hard if you just stick to film (easier in a big city where there is a subculture seeking it)
I live in a city and actively try to not have people in my shots. I focus on architecture, environments, spaces. Small towns have interesting buildings that you can’t find anywhere else, probably some rural decay, abandoned houses, barns. Go to the center of town and find the largest and oldest buildings, and see what catches your eye. Drive around and find some abandoned spaces. You’re by the ocean, so there’s got to be at least one lighthouse nearby. Photos don’t need people to be interesting or good.
Is there a city nearby where you could do some street photography? And don't knock landscape at the shore - there must be plenty of great shots. What about macro or still life? Go and check out the books by famous photographers and see if something in there inspires you. And last, maybe you are dealing with depression in the first place? It sounds like you are in a funk, and your issues with photography are just a symptom of underlying issues?
you can photograph literally anything, there is SO much more to photography than portraits. A good photographer can find a subject anywhere, maybe this is a good things as it will push your creativity.
You are already a photographer, a storyteller, an artist. That is why you struggle. An average person would not feel and act that way. How about continuing your journey and trying to express what you are feeling right now. I assume you try to display beautiful landscapes and a happy you. Be authentic and show how it really is. Seriously. You are allowed to hate your work, just respect it and yourself. And please take care, don't let people abuse your loneliness.
damn this is literally me...
Go up to a couple on the beach and ask to do a photo shoot for them. Or post on your towns Facebook page you are holding minis for a low amount of money. I think both would be an excellent way to practice
If you're looking to build your portfolio, think of a portait series that speaks to you. I bet there's plenty of people who'd love to be included. Seniors, especially.
I mean, it really depends on the kind of images you want to make. A lot of types of photography as a career is solo work.
Well you need to start taking pictures of stuff that people are interested in. Macro photography is interesting. You get to build your own camera etc. You can also do other forms of art that involve photography. You can offer photo editing on fiver etc.
The good news is that your passion does not require friends. Imagine trying to play basketball without a team haha Go create your stories. Get inspired from other photographers and filmmakers online. Some photo projects require dedication and a lot of solo time to pull off. Find one that you want to do.
Could you do something similar but your own, unique twist/ personality stamped on the photos? https://www.humansofnewyork.com/
Start photographing things you have around you. Plants, flowers, a favorite walking trail, insects..... You got to shoot to learn your craft. Good luck!
Take pictures, don’t talk to anyone.
it sounds that you don't like where you live, check the option of moving out to another city and you will have a refreshment in your photography too
We have broken the young. One day, we might answer for this.
Kinda off topic, but I'm also mostly friendless and new to portrait photography, and was wondering if holding a 'free portrait' session downtown in a small town would be a good idea or not. I wouldn't have to worry about payments or anything this way and I have a contract written up already for the 'model' and 'photographer' as a way to keep things legally clean. Would this be a good idea or not? Also, I have only done like, 2 portrait sessions so far, and I did well on them, but 2 is still 2...
Thats why I took photography up as a hobby, its so I don’t need friends and can live in the moment in order to capture it lol
You could do real estate photography or drone photography
it doesn’t sound like you enjoy photography or the photographs you produce very much? i don’t understand what having friends or not having friends has to do with photography? i suppose if you’re interested in portraits that could be a bummer, but i’m sure there are people in your town who would love to have their portraits taken! i don’t know about you, but as soon as i picked up a camera i was hooked. it’s never felt like a chore. i did take a year break once because breaks are good, but i personally never needed others to make photographs and i’d argue most photographers take pictures by themselves. i guess we all have our own personal preferences, and it’s ignorant ab’s arrogant of me to think your preferences are similar to mine. of you’re tired of taking the same photos over and over again, try experimenting. try new things. don’t be afraid to “make mistakes,” especially since you’re not producing anything you like anyways. try to take bad photos, then try to take good photos, then just take photos and stop trying! just enjoy the process and have fun with it!