How can someone get into outdoor or animal photography?

Question

God Bless and Be Safe:)

Answer 1

As stated previously, exotic locales are most helpful. Good long fast focal length lenses are a necessity . Lens are not cheap when you start looking at the lens specifications needed for quality nature pictures. If you are talking landscapes rather than wildlife, wide angle lens are the norm. Photographers Market will give you an idea of what publications will pay for photos, but the pictures will have to be top notch. Look at your local bookstore in the magazine section and see what type of pictures are getting published and see if you can match any of them. Many cities have rental lens departments to see if you can deliver before investing heavily into gear. They are not cheap but when you look at the purchase price of big fast glass try before you buy makes sense.

Answer 2

The eyes you want on you are the publics...! . Take mounted and framed work to as many galleries as you can and see about hanging work there. Go 1st to see if you can actually compete. . Small restaurants and other Ma & Pa like shops and stores are another good place to see if they will let you hang some work. . Hit Swap Meets and Flea Markets. Most everyplace has a Arts and Craft show once or twice a year, take work there as well..... . Many places also have a hippy dippy parts of town as well. Go there, scope the place out and see if there are places you can bring in some work. . The more people who see your work "out there" (the name on the work) the more buzz you can get and with the buzz comes curiosity as to just who IS this guy..? . All work is by consignment of course, and price your work realistically. Really... Who will pay $300 or even $150 for a 8x10 or 11x14 matted and framed UNLESS it IS from someone already with a name out there and has shown to be hot. I would rather sell ten 11x14's at $35 to $45 each at a show than try and wait to sell 1 at $300.. . Be constant. Develop a style. Matt and mount the same way, for now. Always sign your work, on front, in a corner, bottom and stick with the way you do it. All work needs not be "named" but it can't help. If you don't print, find someone who can, but cheaper to do it yourself. Eliminate your variables - say this over - Eliminate your variables..... Other than you taking the pictures, everything else should remain the same for now. Same frames. Matt's. Paper. Name brand of printer, etc.. It helps in weeding out problems.. . Good luck

Answer 3

Camera is absolutely necessary.

You need a good eye and a lot of patience. Many animals see you when you don't see them so they go into contact avoidance mode.

You also need to spend money getting places that are not too populated, let's face it there is no shortage of people taking picture of dogs, cats and squirrels.

Never take just one picture.

Find a photo research/selling company that will catalog, promote and sell your images.

Go digital.