I started out as a Landscape Photographer. It took me about a year of studying through The University of You Tube until I started seeing results. My landscape shots were improving with every photo shoot.
My wife and I were looking for something new to do with the family when she suggested we try attending a local rodeo. I’m always up to try new things so why not. I began trying to shoot fast moving subjects. It was not as easy a transition as I thought it would be. Long story short, I began practicing my rodeo photography. When I talked to the rodeo clown, I was informed that I would not be allowed to sell any of the photos until I got my professional rodeo photographer card. The process is long, expensive, and political. In the meantime, I thought I’ll keep practicing.
I would post my photos but at first no one from the rodeo every saw them. I wanted to make sure they saw them. I friend requested the rodeo clown and he accepted. Now, I know he is seeing them. Although it’s a start, I wanted more. I took the contestant sheet given at the rodeo, and I friend requested EVERY single one of them. Some excepted, some left the request sit.
So, I asked myself: How do I get these people to know who I am? I quickly found the solution. I asked the rodeo clown if people were allowed to go back to the area where contestants parked their trailers. He said that it was open to the public but most don’t go back there.
That was the key I needed to unlock the door of opportunity. I began showing up to the rodeo as early as possible week after week. After getting into the arena and claiming our seats, I then walked back to the trailers with my camera. Although I always love capturing behind-the-scenes shots, my main goal was to introduce myself to any contestant that I could recognize. I would hand them my card so they can see the shots I captured of them in action. Soon, I began to form professional relationships with these people.
Not only, did I see my friend requests being accepted, the contestants were starting to friend requesting ME.
Knowing that I still could not make any money off of the rodeo work, I allowed contestants to use and repost my work as long as my watermark was on them. A lot of them began doing just that. Although it is not making me any money, it was valuable in the way of being free exposure to my work.
In attempt to constantly improve my work, I began asking the contestants for their feedback. I asked them what they liked to see in photos and what did they not want to see in photos. Using that information made me a better rodeo photographer, and the fact that I was asking them for their feedback really impressed them.
With my first rodeo season coming to a close, I contemplated what came next. What is the next step for me to continue to make a name for myself and increase business. Just then I got a call from a high school rodeo association. One of the board members was a contestant at the rodeo. When the need for a photographer came up, she remembered me. For these events, I would not need a professional card and I was paid a day rate in addition to selling my photos to parents. Suddenly, I was a professional rodeo photographer, even though I was still learning myself.
Around the same time, my daughter wanted to learn to ride a horse. Another contestant from the rodeo owns a horse ranch that offers lessons and holds their own competitions. Beginning in the fall, through the cold winter months and into the spring, my daughter never missed a lesson. During her lessons, I gained permission to wander around the ranch and take photos. Anything good that I got, I would usually send them copies of. The ranch began to admire my work and got to know me more.
When the springtime came, they were starting their competitions up that my daughter was competing in. Being that it’s my daughter, I was going to take photos anyway, so, I figured I would take photos of the owners' kids as well and they loved them.
Trying to continue to advance myself, I wanted to try and see if could strike up some work here. I knew I had to make them an offer that they couldn’t refuse. I asked to set up a table for my photography and cover the event and sell photos to the parents of the contestants. In exchange, I agreed to waive my day fee and grant them any photo at no cost to them. They were getting a photographer to cover their event and they didn’t have to pay anything. They could also use any of my photos however they saw fit and have since used them in on-line marketing.
Now, not only am I professional rodeo photographer, I am a working one as well. Their events gave me a constant work flow through the summer and I have just acquired the rights to cover other events at their ranch.
With my first rodeo season coming to a close, I contemplated what came next. What is the next step for me to continue to make a name for myself and increase business. Just then I got a call from a high school rodeo association. One of the board members was a contestant at the rodeo. When the need for a photographer came up, she remembered me. For these events, I would not need a professional card and I was paid a day rate in addition to selling my photos to parents. Suddenly, I was a professional rodeo photographer, even though I was still learning myself.
Around the same time, my daughter wanted to learn to ride a horse. Another contestant from the rodeo owns a horse ranch that offers lessons and holds their own competitions. Beginning in the fall, through the cold winter months and into the spring, my daughter never missed a lesson. During her lessons, I gained permission to wander around the ranch and take photos. Anything good that I got, I would usually send them copies of. The ranch began to admire my work and got to know me more.
When the springtime came, they were starting their competitions up that my daughter was competing in. Being that it’s my daughter, I was going to take photos anyway, so, I figured I would take photos of the owners' kids as well and they loved them.
Trying to continue to advance myself, I wanted to try and see if could strike up some work here. I knew I had to make them an offer that they couldn’t refuse. I asked to set up a table for my photography and cover the event and sell photos to the parents of the contestants. In exchange, I agreed to waive my day fee and grant them any photo at no cost to them. They were getting a photographer to cover their event and they didn’t have to pay anything. They could also use any of my photos however they saw fit and have since used them in on-line marketing.
Now, not only am I professional rodeo photographer, I am a working one as well. Their events gave me a constant work flow through the summer and I have just acquired the rights to cover other events at their ranch.
With my first rodeo season coming to a close, I contemplated what came next. What is the next step for me to continue to make a name for myself and increase business. Just then I got a call from a high school rodeo association. One of the board members was a contestant at the rodeo. When the need for a photographer came up, she remembered me. For these events, I would not need a professional card and I was paid a day rate in addition to selling my photos to parents. Suddenly, I was a professional rodeo photographer, even though I was still learning myself.
Around the same time, my daughter wanted to learn to ride a horse. Another contestant from the rodeo owns a horse ranch that offers lessons and holds their own competitions. Beginning in the fall, through the cold winter months and into the spring, my daughter never missed a lesson. During her lessons, I gained permission to wander around the ranch and take photos. Anything good that I got, I would usually send them copies of. The ranch began to admire my work and got to know me more.
When the springtime came, they were starting their competitions up that my daughter was competing in. Being that it’s my daughter, I was going to take photos anyway, so, I figured I would take photos of the owners' kids as well and they loved them.
Trying to continue to advance myself, I wanted to try and see if could strike up some work here. I knew I had to make them an offer that they couldn’t refuse. I asked to set up a table for my photography and cover the event and sell photos to the parents of the contestants. In exchange, I agreed to waive my day fee and grant them any photo at no cost to them. They were getting a photographer to cover their event and they didn’t have to pay anything. They could also use any of my photos however they saw fit and have since used them in on-line marketing.
Now, not only am I professional rodeo photographer, I am a working one as well. Their events gave me a constant work flow through the summer and I have just acquired the rights to cover other events at their ranch.
With my first rodeo season coming to a close, I contemplated what came next. What is the next step for me to continue to make a name for myself and increase business. Just then I got a call from a high school rodeo association. One of the board members was a contestant at the rodeo. When the need for a photographer came up, she remembered me. For these events, I would not need a professional card and I was paid a day rate in addition to selling my photos to parents. Suddenly, I was a professional rodeo photographer, even though I was still learning myself.
Around the same time, my daughter wanted to learn to ride a horse. Another contestant from the rodeo owns a horse ranch that offers lessons and holds their own competitions. Beginning in the fall, through the cold winter months and into the spring, my daughter never missed a lesson. During her lessons, I gained permission to wander around the ranch and take photos. Anything good that I got, I would usually send them copies of. The ranch began to admire my work and got to know me more.
When the springtime came, they were starting their competitions up that my daughter was competing in. Being that it’s my daughter, I was going to take photos anyway, so, I figured I would take photos of the owners' kids as well and they loved them.
Trying to continue to advance myself, I wanted to try and see if could strike up some work here. I knew I had to make them an offer that they couldn’t refuse. I asked to set up a table for my photography and cover the event and sell photos to the parents of the contestants. In exchange, I agreed to waive my day fee and grant them any photo at no cost to them. They were getting a photographer to cover their event and they didn’t have to pay anything. They could also use any of my photos however they saw fit and have since used them in on-line marketing.
Now, not only am I professional rodeo photographer, I am a working one as well. Their events gave me a constant work flow through the summer and I have just acquired the rights to cover other events at their ranch.
With my first rodeo season coming to a close, I contemplated what came next. What is the next step for me to continue to make a name for myself and increase business. Just then I got a call from a high school rodeo association. One of the board members was a contestant at the rodeo. When the need for a photographer came up, she remembered me. For these events, I would not need a professional card and I was paid a day rate in addition to selling my photos to parents. Suddenly, I was a professional rodeo photographer, even though I was still learning myself.
Around the same time, my daughter wanted to learn to ride a horse. Another contestant from the rodeo owns a horse ranch that offers lessons and holds their own competitions. Beginning in the fall, through the cold winter months and into the spring, my daughter never missed a lesson. During her lessons, I gained permission to wander around the ranch and take photos. Anything good that I got, I would usually send them copies of. The ranch began to admire my work and got to know me more.
When the springtime came, they were starting their competitions up that my daughter was competing in. Being that it’s my daughter, I was going to take photos anyway, so, I figured I would take photos of the owners' kids as well and they loved them.
Trying to continue to advance myself, I wanted to try and see if could strike up some work here. I knew I had to make them an offer that they couldn’t refuse. I asked to set up a table for my photography and cover the event and sell photos to the parents of the contestants. In exchange, I agreed to waive my day fee and grant them any photo at no cost to them. They were getting a photographer to cover their event and they didn’t have to pay anything. They could also use any of my photos however they saw fit and have since used them in on-line marketing.
Now, not only am I professional rodeo photographer, I am a working one as well. Their events gave me a constant work flow through the summer and I have just acquired the rights to cover other events at their ranch.
