How To Become A Freelance Photographer

Full disclosure, I am no expert at what I do. I’ve only been doing this for a little over a year, so of course, I’m still learning as I go. When I wanted to start out in the music photography world, I had no idea where to begin, who to talk to, or even how to shoot. These are just a few things I wish I knew when I started out

Work for free

Yes, work for free. While it’s not the most ideal thing, you have to remember when you’re just starting out in this field and you have no portfolio or work showing that you know what you’re doing, no one is going to want to pay you. Don’t worry, you won’t be doing free work for long. Think of this as a time to learn as much as possible.

Start out small

Shoot for opening acts or local artists. There are hundreds of local bands or artist in need of pictures. It’s a great way to learn what you’re doing and how to shoot. Support your community; you’re a local artist too. I’ve personally worked with PNTHN for some time now. Because of them, I’ve gotten better at my craft.

Take your job seriously

Big or small, it doesn’t matter. Remember you’re dealing with people that also take what they do very seriously; artists, management, promoters, etc. These people have put time and effort into what they do. No matter how big the show, each gig you get should be taken just as serious as the last.

Shoot everything

As cheesy as it may sound, I started doing this because I wanted to capture moments that I could hold dear to me. This meant not just capturing the artist. Look at the crowd. They’re just as important as the artist. People come to shows because they want to get away from their everyday lives, there are bound to be great moments during any show.

Use flash wisely

Even to this day, I have trouble gauging how much flash is too much flash. When it comes to shows that have full stage production, the likelihood of you really needing flash in slim. I only ever use flash when it is absolutely necessary. Always try your best to use it sporadically, especially when there is more than one photographer using it.