First paid photoshoot
By CaseyL
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
United States
May 4, 2017 12:39pm CST
Last Friday I had my first paid photoshoot. A girl at my college posted on Facebook that she needed a professional photographer to take some headshots for her vet application for vet school. Well, my friend, Lana saw the post and commented on it and told her to ask me about it. She messaged me, saw some of my photos, asked me what I would charge her for it, and we set up a date. It took a while to pick a date because it rained every day up there for a week. We eventually got around to take them and I got 10 really good ones for her to pick from. She is paying me through Paypal this Friday and I am sending her the photos when the payment goes through. I even got a lot more practice with Photoshop as well since Brandi has a gap in her teeth that she doesn't like and asked if I could close it all the way or part of the way. Well, I had done it for my sister earlier because she also has a gap she doesn't like. I was flatter that my friend Lana thought of me when she saw the post and I am proud to say this was my first paid job for taking someone's photos. I took my best friend's prom/graduation photos for free, my friend Morgan and I trade photo shoot with each other so we both got pictures taken of us that we wanted for free, and I did some photos for my sister because she cuts my hair for free. I did take my boyfriend's brother's senior pictures and his mom did pay me but I don't consider that a paid job since I would have done it for free and insisted that she didn't need to pay me for it since she has done a lot for me since I started dating her son. One of my high school friends is pregnant and she saw the photos that I did for my sister and told me that she really liked my work and once she was farther along she wanted e to do some maternity photos for her. I told her that I would love to do it because she would be my first maternity photo shoot.
I tried uploading my favorite photo of Brandi from her head shots but myLot won't let me. I tried uploading it here several times and I even compressed the image multiple times since I figured the size of the photo was too big but it still wouldn't let me upload the photo.
8 people like this
11 responses
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
5 May 17
good friends are like that. they are on the lookout for you so you get more exposure. hopefully, brandi refers you to even more.
can you compress her picture to around 45 to 55kb and reupload it?
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
6 May 17
@CaseyRoss9966 too bad. i hope you get more clients.
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
5 May 17
I compressed them as small as i could without drstroying the quality of the photo and myLot just wasn't having it. I guess the size was just too big to compress. I hope she does. I have told my sister & my mom to let people know that if they need photos done I will take them & i don't charge much since I'm not a "professional". It all depends on what they want done.
2 people like this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
5 May 17
Thank you. I hope i do to. I love taking photos and editing them.
2 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (51974)
• Philippines
6 May 17
I'm sure it doesn't have to be a good quality when you resize it. I am looking forward to see this photo of yours. It's nice that you get to have a picture with your friends and your doing it for free. My mom seems to have that kind of experience.
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
6 May 17
I would never post a photo that wasn't of good quality because that makes me look bad as a photographer. and that's not the message I am trying to send.
@supercalifredge (606)
• United States
7 May 17
That's awesome! I've always wanted to be a photographer, but the cameras always seem so expensive. How much was your camera?
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
8 May 17
It was $500 for the camera. I told my boyfriend he should have waited to buy it since now it is only $200 something since they have moved on to the Canon Rebel T7 and I have the T5.
@_ge_ez_ (531)
• India
7 Jun 17
Having a network is so important. Without the network of people, you cannot know when any opportunity pass by. Your friend Lana did the right thing and it's only because of you know Lana. You are already passionate in this field and doing a great job.
I congratulate for your first paid photoshoot. I can understand how proud and happy you are feeling after you've got your money for your efforts.
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
7 Jun 17
Thank you. Since then I have done two more photo shoots that were paid.
1 person likes this
@_ge_ez_ (531)
• India
8 Jun 17
@CaseyRoss9966 oh that's great. I think it's already begun now 
1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
4 May 17
First pay is always exciting, hard earned money. Hope you get more and more work and earning well.
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
4 May 17
Thank you. Photography is mostly a hobby for me but if I get paid for it every once in a while then that is nice too.
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
5 May 17
Thank you but I'm only an A student because i spend every waking moment studying so i can keep my GPA up for grad school. The photography is just a hobby but if i get paid for it every once in awhile thats nice too. I still have a lot to learn about it.
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
4 May 17
I don't mind doing it for free for my friends because they do a lot for me. The one I did the prom pictures for is the only one I wish I didn't do the photos for. Plus I'm not trying to make a living off of taking photos. I know it is hard to start up your on business especially for something like photography since every girl with a camera thinks she can do it but none of them realize that a lot more goes into it than just hitting a button (I don't mean to offend anyone with this statement). My best friend tried to get a business going but no one wants to go to someone who doesn't know what they are doing or has no experience doing it. You only get experience if you're willing to put a lot of work into it and that means doing shoots for free and just going to events and snapping photos. The only way you can get better is if you just do it and she doesn't have the drive to just do it. I am getting two degrees next May in biology and psychology and then going to grad school for a master's in psychology and eventually get certified for photography. I want to do something with art therapy/counseling in the future.
1 person likes this
