ok... i am in the 9th grade. i want to be in the photography buisness... here

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ihop pancakes

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are my questions!? 1. what are colleges looking for from highschool/ what classes should i take in the future?
2. do i need a whole lot of computer skills to be able to be a photographer?
3. i really want the job to pay a fair amount(... the way the economy is going, i want to be prepared if when im 40, things get really bad and i lose my job). which places pay the most amount of money?
4.how hard is it to start your own buisness?
*i know its kinda early to be thinking about all this stuff but i want to be prepared just incase i need this job in the near future...
 
1) Art Center, Brooks and RIT are the top schools in the US

2) With the advent of digital photography, the computer has become an important part of a professional photographers skill sets.

3) It is difficult to answer this question. Some photographers make just enough to make expenses, others are successful enough to build nice retirements.

4) If you spend about 5 years as an assistant to a successful pro, you will learn how to run a business. Contact SCORE and they will help you write a business and marketing plan you can use in the future

Like any business, there is the cost of the initial business and this includes tools.
 
1. Take any photography classes that you can now (like Intro to Photog - that teaches aesthetic and tech consids.) and practice photography a lot (if you can get into a B/W photog or darkroom classes that would give you a big jump on undergrad photog offerings). Also take fine art classes - especially drawing and sculpture (they'll help with composition and developing an eye for 'space' in photography).
2. Yes. Become very competent in use of the computer. Digital is the wave of the future in photography. Even if you shoot film (as one option) you'll also likely want to edit (post-process) images in software. Learn Photoshop or Photoshop Elements or Adobe Lightroom.
3. Photography is not a field that pays well. Unless you end up becoming one of the handful of 'celebrity' photographers (like Richard Avedon, Annie Liebovitz, Scavullo, etc.)
4. Anybody can start a business. Making it successful is where most people fail. You need a business plan, strong marketing skills, thick skin and tenacity.

It's never too early to think ahead and anticipate things that might help in the future. And you lose nothing by doing the research and analysis work - even if you ultimately pursue a different career path (or approach to a photographic career).

Good luck!
 
1) Art Center, Brooks and RIT are the top schools in the US

2) With the advent of digital photography, the computer has become an important part of a professional photographers skill sets.

3) It is difficult to answer this question. Some photographers make just enough to make expenses, others are successful enough to build nice retirements.

4) If you spend about 5 years as an assistant to a successful pro, you will learn how to run a business. Contact SCORE and they will help you write a business and marketing plan you can use in the future

Like any business, there is the cost of the initial business and this includes tools.
 
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