Harvard Business Review

What Does It Take to Be a Professional Photographer? | Career Crush

Harvard Business Review

Summary

Raven B. Verona, a New York-based photographer, shares insights into her journey from hobbyist to professional, specializing in portraits and concert photography. Initially capturing moments at underground shows and events during her late teens, she transitioned to freelance work at 25 after recognizing the growing demand for her services. Verona emphasizes the importance of networking, recounting how relationships with venue staff helped her gain access to high-profile concerts.

Verona discusses the realities of the photography industry, debunking misconceptions about the glamorous life of shooting celebrities. She highlights the physical demands of the job, the extensive pre-production work, and the often lengthy editing process that follows a shoot. Pricing her work remains a challenge, as she advises aspiring photographers to consider their living expenses and the value of their time, including post-production efforts.

Addressing the notion of working for free, Verona acknowledges that while some unpaid opportunities can be beneficial for exposure and growth, she cautions against overextending oneself. She reflects on the transformative experience of photographing icons like Beyoncé and Jay-Z, noting that such high-caliber work inspires her to continually improve her craft. Ultimately, Verona's passion for photography drives her commitment to making her subjects feel good about themselves through her art.

Show Notes

What Does It Take to Be a Professional Photographer? | Career CrushUploaded 23-06-2124 Jun 2021---𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮! ✨ https://www.youtube.com/c/HBRAscend ✨What does it take to become a professional photographer?Raven B. Varona shares her journey from taking concert photos as a side gig to quitting her job and pursuing photography full time. She chats with Ascend editor Kelsey Alpaio about gaining traction in the industry, how she charges for her work, and how she cultivated an audience of 158k Instagram followers.00:00 I Want to be a Photographer00:49 Meet Raven B. Varona01:44 How did you get started as a professional photographer?02:44 How do I get permission to bring my camera to a venue?03:29 It's all about relationships.04:29 You've got to create an experience on social media.05:23 What's the day to day like for a photographer?06:42 Misconceptions About Being a Photographer07:15 Let's talk money.09:39 Do I ever have to work for free?10:56 What's it like to photograph Beyoncé and Jay-Z?11:23 What skills do I need to get started?We’d love to hear from you! Tell us about your content preferences in our 10-minute survey: https://hbp.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2ldQ5v6xeoxKHrM?source=social_youtubeLearn more about Raven’s work at https://ravenbvarona.com/Produced by Andy Robinson, Kelsey Alpaio, and Eliza LaycockVideo by Andy Robinson, Kelsey Alpaio, and Eliza LaycockEditing by Andy RobinsonAssistant editing by Eliza LaycockAnimation and Design by Riko Cribbs and Karen PlayerFollow us:https://hbr.org/ascendhttps://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hbr...https://www.facebook.com/hbrascend/https://twitter.com/HBRAscendhttps://www.instagram.com/hbrascend/#portraitphotography #careeradvice #photographer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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