Getting started, building first portfolio

[Enkay]

Hi, I've been retouching pictures as a hobby for a while now and I feel like it's time I bring it to another level.

My question is simple, I'm not a photographer and I only do retouches so I'm lacking "raw" material to build a portfolio. By raw material I mean high quality pictures taken by photographers at a high enough resolution. It goes without saying that I want to have the right to use those pictures for my portfolio so no copyrighted images!

I'm in no way ready to start working for a big reknown photographer or advertizing agency but I can see myself working with a photographer who is in a similar situation that I am in with their work.

How do you get in touch with photographers? Where do you find high quality pictures to retouch for your portfolio? How did you get the ball rolling?

Thanks for any input from people who have been there before!

[PatNugent]

I've had a little luck with Craigslist. Alot of people will hate you and tell you that you're ruining the industry, but what the hell, everyone needs to start somewhere. I'm in the same position as you, just starting to build a book to try and get work.

[pixelzombie]

you could try royalty free stock photos to begin with...

[PatNugent]

Damn that's a good idea. There are plenty of great photos out there for little to nothing.

[Mike]

Think about contacting a photographer in your area, see if they will provide you with some images, maybe trade them work for work?

[sandr35]

Originally Posted by Mike

Think about contacting a photographer in your area, see if they will provide you with some images, maybe trade them work for work?

That's a good idea. Ive been a retoucher for some portrait companies, a newspaper and do some for idividuals around the community for years. Until now, never thought about hitting an agency or professional photographers. Yes, check out agencies. Around here, employers love a degree in design/arts, those are very helpful in landing a job when your portfolio is small. I would check out istock or stockexchange.com too or ask friends and ppl you know to take some pics and try to retouch/manipulate those. Ive got some stuff to upload for critiques on here too, I'd like everyones opinion when I get the chance. How do ppl present a portfolio these days anyway(Book or DVD or depends on your target employer)?

Didn't mean to write so much! Good luck!

[Enkay]

Thanks alot for the input, keep it coming!

I'll give stock photos a try, that's a very good idea. I'm also trying to ask photographers but without a portfolio most of them don't seem to be that interested.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Enkay

I'm also trying to ask photographers but without a portfolio most of them don't seem to be that interested.

How are you presenting yourself? If you came into my studio and said you wanted to show me how good you are, just give me a copy of an image that you had a problem with and let me show you what I can do, then handed me a memory stick to put the image on, I would most likely call your bluff.

Then the ball is in your court to show me if you will sink or swim.

By doing this, you have cost the studio owner nothing but a bit of time and maybe he gets first chance to hire a great retoucher!

[Enkay]

Originally Posted by Mike

How are you presenting yourself? If you came into my studio and said you wanted to show me how good you are, just give me a copy of an image that you had a problem with and let me show you what I can do, then handed me a memory stick to put the image on, I would most likely call your bluff.

Then the ball is in your court to show me if you will sink or swim.

By doing this, you have cost the studio owner nothing but a bit of time and maybe he gets first chance to hire a great retoucher!

That's actually what I'm doing, by email tho. I havent tried going in person as I don't want to bother them in the middle of a shoot or whatever.

I also haven't asked that many photographers just yet as I've been busy with other projects but I should have more time in a few weeks and will be doing it more.

I tell them I've been retouching pictures for a while now and that I'm thinking about building a portfolio for more professional work.

I offer to retouch one of their pictures for free to show them what I can do since I do not yet have a portfolio for show.

I usualy get... no reply. Or maybe I should give them a few days more as I've only started doing this friday.

[sandr35]

Originally Posted by Enkay

I tell them I've been retouching pictures for a while now and that I'm thinking about building a portfolio for more professional work.

I offer to retouch one of their pictures for free to show them what I can do since I do not yet have a portfolio for show.

I usualy get... no reply. Or maybe I should give them a few days more as I've only started doing this friday.

If I were a photographer...I would think your full of it; ask you to bring in something and then we'll talk. I wouldn't want my time wasted.

[Mike]

sandr35 is obviously a harder sell than me

Remember that its almost xmas, most of the studios are trying to get everything done by that date, really start to hit them in Jan, thats a slow month for most studios.

[sandr35]

Hey Mike,
I know Xmas is the time to "Pump" out the photos of fashion, events, families, friends, new babies...But It's usually the time when quality is thrown to the wind in order to ship out the crappy/rushed work by "Yesterday" and any warm body that can turn on a Mac gets the job in some places. I didn't mean to sound mean, really! What if a photographer/company doesn't have a spare computer, familiar set-up or time? Or maybe Im too harsh, my bad!

[Mike]

Originally Posted by sandr35

Hey Mike,
I know Xmas is the time to "Pump" out the photos of fashion, events, families, friends, new babies...But It's usually the time when quality is thrown to the wind in order to ship out the crappy/rushed work by "Yesterday" and any warm body that can turn on a Mac gets the job in some places. I didn't mean to sound mean, really! What if a photographer/company doesn't have a spare computer, familiar set-up or time? Or maybe Im too harsh, my bad!

You need to start looking for a quality studio. My studio does not ever throw quality to the wind and the studio owners that I hang out with do not do that either. Thats not a really good way to get any repeat business. And since we guarantee our work 100%, we really do not like to be refunding the money when the customer is unhappy.

Scheduling both our time and looking at the time lines for the labs that print our work is kind of an art if we are promising the final prints by a certain date. After we establish our cutoff date, it is not unusual to either turn down the job or convince the customer that they will be OK with a delivery date after xmas.

[sandr35]

I knew I liked this site for a reason. It's full of smart and helpful people. You're a good one Mike.

sandr35

[Enkay]

Thanks alot for the input everyone. I'll be browsing through stock photography or buying myself a rebel xt on boxing day haha. I've actually taken a photography class and I'm not half bad at it but I cant do much with a point and shoot 4mp powershot...

The replies of Mike and Sandr35 show me that some people are in fact harder sells than other but that's the reality of the work we're doing. If I ever find the ultimate way to sell my services I'll be sure to write a book about it!

[AdamZx3]

...I'll be browsing through stock photography or buying myself a rebel xt on boxing day haha. I've actually taken a photography class and I'm not half bad at it but I cant do much with a point and shoot 4mp powershot...

Not only will having your own camera (and training) help you get images for yourself, you will also be able to retouch better. Knowing what went wrong when the photographer went snap will only help you, not to mention know more about the photography side of things rather than post production.

Just be careful, you buy a body one day and before you know it, you have thousands of dollars in len's, flash units and other equipment

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Enkay

Thanks alot for the input everyone. I'll be browsing through stock photography or buying myself a rebel xt on boxing day haha. I've actually taken a photography class and I'm not half bad at it but I cant do much with a point and shoot 4mp powershot...

The replies of Mike and Sandr35 show me that some people are in fact harder sells than other but that's the reality of the work we're doing. If I ever find the ultimate way to sell my services I'll be sure to write a book about it!

You may make more from the book sales than anything else

[iceblue1980]

What a wonderful thread! I too thinking of getting more serious now, concidering retouching.