Photo section or Business section???

[Mantis]

I look, once again like I may be about to need a new career as my employer may be about to let me go !

Fortunately I am financially secure and will be instructing solicitors the minute they do 

But it has lead me to consider what next?

An idea I have been considering is something like Event Photography but through schools sports days, school plays etc. Clearly I would need Police clearance to do events like this. Also I would have to think how pictures could be displayed on a website and how parents could access them to order. You would not want everyone to have access to pictures of children. But what sort of kit would I need?

Decent high quality Camera plus lenses I will need to take pictures in low light conditions
Hot snot Printer

I have an idea of charging rates from what I paid for pictures of me and junior sailing in the summer.

[Notorious MCSE]

But it has lead me to consider what next?

Have you thought about thievery, either armed or of the common kind?

You may find it much like surveying, in the aspect that you do very little, but ask for a lot, and if you dont pay up you get aggressive.

Simply trade your biro in for a Berrata 9mm!

[samhs]

But what sort of kit would I need?

Decent high quality Camera plus lenses I will need to take pictures in low light conditions
Hot snot Printer

plus at least two off camera lights IMO, tripods, spare camera, reflectors, backgrounds for the inevitable studio work, liability insurance. I'd budget maybe 10K if you can. Having said that, you could take bloody brilliant photos with a disposable film camera - you are the artist, not the camera.

Sam

[Ben]

..and you'll need loads of business cards for the punter who come up to you - "what you doing...?"

[Mantis]

I am just considering my options at the moment I may just have a year off. I will end up buying a load of hardware and not really get much of a return.

[Britman]

Being an event tog isn't easy and a lot of events already have people they use, it's also cut throat. I do it as a side line and only as a tog, other people do the printing and stuff.

Yes you will need a police check if working with kids but you cannot get this yourself the school or whatever you maybe be working for has to acquire this and as far as I know you won't be able to see it (possibly wrong on this)

If you decide to have a go be prepared to travel... a lot. I know of some togs that have only just earned enough to buy fuel.

anyway for some superb advice have a read of this forum:
http://www.ephotozine.com/forum/Event-Photography

and more on being freelance
http://www.ephotozine.com/forum/Freelance-1

IMO event photography is over subscribed unless you can find a niche.

As for kit, it all depends on what you decide to do.

[Mantis]

Thanks for that I was beginning to think that.

There are several private schools in my patch I was considering an approach to but it does seem too much like hard work 

[yawner]

There's always B&B 

[Mantis]

I was thinking Holiday Let, I have seen a nice place in Basentwaite village 

[yawner]

I was thinking Holiday Let, I have seen a nice place in Basentwaite village 

You can have ours* - we're totally and utterly pissed off with the whole caper.

We totally renewed the upstairs bathroom this year for around £6k.

Went to visit on Saturday - wash basin smashed, glass shelf chipped and mirror missing. Fire guard knackered and we discover (from the guest visitor book) that the boiler has been unreliable all summer. I could go on... Have the agency noticed this and taken the trouble to let us know via a tuppeny phone call? No.

(The agency get 20% + VAT of every letting fee, then cleaning is an extra £50 a time)

Upstairs we find that our new "cleaner" hasn`t changed the bedclothes. Imagine arriving at a holiday cottage to sleep in last weeks guests sheets. Uuurgh. Cleaner denies this, even in the face of duvet covers being crumpled and stained. Agency says "As a gesture of goodwill, we'll have everything cleaned". I say "How about a gesture of doing your job properly in the first place?". Grrr.

Completely disillusioned and fed up.

*make us an offer - we're having the valuers round this week.

[Jeewhizz]

*make us an offer - we're having the valuers round this week.

You've really sold it for him

[Mantis]

I was thinking Holiday Let, I have seen a nice place in Basentwaite village 

You can have ours* - we're totally and utterly pissed off with the whole caper.

We totally renewed the upstairs bathroom this year for around £6k.

Went to visit on Saturday - wash basin smashed, glass shelf chipped and mirror missing. Fire guard knackered and we discover (from the guest visitor book) that the boiler has been unreliable all summer. I could go on... Have the agency noticed this and taken the trouble to let us know via a tuppeny phone call? No.

(The agency get 20% + VAT of every letting fee, then cleaning is an extra £50 a time)

Upstairs we find that our new "cleaner" hasn`t changed the bedclothes. Imagine arriving at a holiday cottage to sleep in last weeks guests sheets. Uuurgh. Cleaner denies this, even in the face of duvet covers being crumpled and stained. Agency says "As a gesture of goodwill, we'll have everything cleaned". I say "How about a gesture of doing your job properly in the first place?". Grrr.

Completely disillusioned and fed up.

*make us an offer - we're having the valuers round this week.

Ouch !

If I did it I would probably manage it myself. My friend has 4 cottages close to Bassentwaite and we could jointly do much of the management, maintenance and employ someone to do the cleaning etc.

My friend may be interested in yours keep me posted.