Overcoming The Challenge of Unemployment By Acquiring Vocational / IT Skills, Series One, Day 7: Photography
One of the fastest ways to beat the unemployment challenge is to focus on your creative hobbies. And, Photography is perhaps one meaningful creative art that can translate into a goldmine within a short period of time.
It was a hobby for a young man simply known as “Lenstroke” way back in the 90s. He was a National Youth Service Corps member posted to the Polytechnic, Calabar. From a small motor garage in a shared apartment with fellow corp members, Lenstroke turned that garage into a studio. He made improvised lighting boxes from cartons and wallpaper backdrops of different painting shades. He began taking passports portraits, to attending social events building up clientele among the students’ population. He did this consistently, improving around the same neighborhood.
He moved from the garage to a more spacious studio with welded fabricated lighting equipment and it wasn’t long when Lenstroke became established and began competing with more sophisticated professional photographers in the industry. He got so big and expanded in the city eventually becoming a great brand well known for both photography and movie making in Nollywood. You can call his story from the ‘bottom to zenith’ phenomenon.
Photography remains one of the skilled businesses any youth with passion could venture into successfully with little start-up requirements.
The camera gear has become more affordable and consumer-friendly. These days, almost any smartphone or android phone comes with a good camera … Anyone can turn into a photographer. You can graduate from taking pictures to owning a Photography business.
From being an amateur shooter to becoming a professional standard.
You can start small.
#1 START-UP PLAN
To get you started, prayerfully begin with a *start-up plan or business* *idea.* to get a foothold. This serves as a roadmap and makes you more organized.
*Habakkuk 2:2* “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it”
Photography is also one of the most competitive businesses anytime, so you need to start out right. Writing out your business ideas will make you focused and not leave it the basics.
# GET A PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
You could get mentoring help from professional photographers around your neighborhood. You could be an apprentice or volunteer assistance to any good photographer for a while. That helps you to gain your own experience.
✓Start building your portfolio
✓ learn the pricing, lighting effects
✓ learn how to edit images
✓learn how to use different lenses
# GET A GOOD CAMERA
You need to consider making research on what model will best work for your particular niche.
✓ A smartphone with a good camera is essential if you can’t afford a good camera.
✓ you could get a few lenses of different makes and sizes to add up if you can afford it.
# SET OUT BRAND TIPS
Depending on choices, you may start with a studio space or work out of your home if you can’t afford the studio. You could take or rent an open space within your green areas or recreational parks where people can easily access your spot as a mobile photographer.
✓ Create your own brand and style.
✓Start as a mobile event photographer.
✓ Be sure to have a mobile workstation or a studio workstation, photo printer, backdrops, computer laptops for or for storage, lighting boxes, tripod stands to help your camera remain steady, props and costumes.
✓ you may need to carry your business cards if you operate as a mobile photographer or studio for referrals. A lot of people especially in mobile photography need to reestablish contacts after the first time meeting, so you need to have a contact point.
#NETWORKING
✓ A good photographer professional or amateur must meet people. It’s a social world, so meeting people is your constituency. Develop a wonderful relationship skill of being friendly.
✓ Share your teasers on Facebook and Instagram. Keep showcasing your works.
✓ Keep improving and make your customers interested
✓ Master your game, invest in marketing
✓ Maintain a blog and generate clientele from social media
✓ Join the professional photographers’ forum. Get licensed.
✓ Build credibility with testimony from happy customers
#LEARN TO SELL YOUR PICTURES ONLINE
The internet offers an excellent way in our modern times for marketing your picture products.
✓You can actually make a fortune online by pulling large numbers of customers through
platforms like:
Alamy
500 pix
Shopify
Pinterest
Getty Images
Smugmug pro
Shutterstock
Instagram
Written By. Pastor Akan Akpan/Photo Credit : Krists Luhaers [Unsplash] / Lenstroke; ©www.cymi.org.ng https://web.facebook.com/groups/cymiofficial
Christian Youth Mentoring Initiative provides opportunities for mentorship, leadership training, growth, and development of youths. Our vision is to raise well-balanced youths, high flyers, focused, and capable of standing out in the global world. Email us: info@cymi.org.ng
