Feeling left out

[Schism]

That sort of sucks. Been there. But sometimes you can actually get better shots. Have more faith in yourself. Enjoy it, isn't worth it otherwise.

Fake it till you make it," as they say in show business.

Absolutely true. You can get pretty professional cards made up for next to nothing online. Or design & print your own. Then believe it yourself & blag away.

Btw. That photo you posted? Brilliant. Captured that guy's persona completely & perfectly framed/focused. Love it.

 

[Fade2black]

Being excluded for simply being different is difficult to deal with. I've struggled with this for 57 years. I look normal yet there is something that stands out as different and that causes people to avoid me. As I write this, I'm eating breakfast by myself at Waffle House and the waitress is avoiding me. Just a few minutes ago, I overheard her making comments about me to two customers at the eating counter. All three of them attempted to glance at me without being noticed as they were talking. It's just more of the same that I've become used to.

My point is; as we age and mature, it's a whole lot easier to realize we are different and to accept that we will be treated as being different, and not always in a kind way.

 

[GadAbout]

This link might give you some useful information:

How to Start a Photography Business

I found it by googling "how to start a photography business." You could use that search string to find a lot of other start-up advice.

That link makes the point that you not only need photographic talent (which I'm certain you do) but marketing skills, in order to succeed. Don't worry - people aren't born with marketing skills any more than they are born knowing how to type - the skills can be learned.

Back in the 1980s I started a word processing business in my home, which then moved into a commercial office space and yielded me some nice consulting and training jobs. I relied a lot on a book called Guerilla Marketing, which prescribed some low-cost ways of getting started with branding and marketing. Of course, any book from the 1980s is way out of date today; the original was updated in 2007 but even that is out of date. But it gives you a philosophy of building your business, so I recommend it.

 

[GadAbout]

A few other recommendations: 1. Learn some basic photo editing skills which can extend your reach, easily, to website content and place watermarks on your photos. 2. Teach intro to photography at places like adult education programs, summer high school enrichment classes, etc. 3. Connect with writers and editors in your niche (e.g. urban landscapes) to collaborate on word-and-photo essays. 4. Stop referring to yourself as semi-pro! You are being too humble.

 

[Judge]

Yeah. I always seem to notice the professionals at events I attend usually for the sake of taking photos.

But hey, it's their job. For me it's just a hobby. Keeps me in check.

 

[Streetwise]

I was at an event yesterday, doing lots of photography, at least trying to... A skijor event (horses pulling people on on skis or snowboards around a course)... I wasn't doing much if anything with the sports photography angle, but wanted some access to the horse trailer area...

But as always, because I don't have the right connections, I couldn't get there, I was stuck in the public areas, only "certain" photographers get into those areas, the areas that would have the best people photography, denied! I'll admit there was a brief argument and moment of frustration

Because I'm not a professional photographer, and don't really have enough connections, and struggle with that as an Aspie, thus I almost always get shut out of getting in behind the scenes

All I ever get is the crumbs from the public areas of events, which is never as good, I know they can't allow every photographer full access, and I shouldn't even expect that... But it frustrates me when it becomes a struggle to even get photos because of that lack of full access, where I question why I even bothered going in the first place... I felt a little like that yesterday, but I think got some good photos but could have done way better!

Have you ever sold any of your photographs if so you are professional! I presume! in the business! world! but it's relative!, to some of us you are professional, it's the age-old conundrum somebody to buy them.

 

[Joel's Hear]

I feel left out of so many things in this world. It's like a never-ending game of musical chairs and I'm always standing. Sometimes, in hindsight, I'm glad I got left out of some things. But at times I wish that it all made more sense.