Shooting for Others

My recent experience

I recently had an opportunity to shoot for my friend in a completely different niche than I usually shoot in. That was a great experience, and I recommend that others should do the same. It’s an excellent way for you to see how others operate their business. It can be a great way to learn. However, I wouldn’t recommend that you go looking for jobs as a second shooter if you haven’t become comfortable with the basics of photography. You’ll probably need to have an adequate working knowledge of the camera gear with just a small learning curve to adjust to the equipment they use and how they use it. 

Working with my friend Suzan was undoubtedly a new experience. We do things differently, but neither of us is wrong. It is ok to do things differently. I just went there as a friend to help out and not as someone who will eventually be her competition. I’ve hired people who are there to take my clients from me, and I’ve learned to distance myself from them. My point is, to make sure you’re going into it with a helpful mindset and not to be cutthroat. 🙂 We can all accomplish much more if we work together instead of trying to be at odds with each other. 

Do I hire or shoot for others?

I get asked quite a lot if I hire photographers and if I shoot for others. I do employ other photographers sometimes, but this is the first time I’ve shot for another photographer. That’s why I wanted to talk about it today. Since I had a new experience, I wanted to get it down while it was still fresh in my head. I do much more hiring than I do working for others. 

Side Hustle or Full-Time?

There are lots of companies that hire photographers. You can work as part of their team, or you can freelance with them when it works out for both parties. Many opportunities will push you out of your comfort zone and start making money with your camera. There is plenty of room to grow from there as your skills progress and there are not many barriers to entry when shooting for others. You will find that there are lots of ways to get paid as a side hustle or as a full-time job. 

Shooting for others is great if you don’t want to run a business but love to shoot photos. Yes, you can make more if you own the company, but shooting for others can be a great way to get started, or supplement an existing income. I know several people who only shoot for others because they have no desire to run their own business and deal with the headaches that come with it. Or, maybe they don’t have the confidence yet, shooting for others will give you the feedback you need right away so you can get that confidence or figure out where you need to improve. 

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