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I've been reading this forum for a long time.....maybe 4-ish months? And finally decided it's time that I suck it up and create an account.
Anyway. I've been in New York for about 4 months, graduated from risd in 2008 (yay worst possible time to ever graduate) and lived in Texas for a year after graduation (moved there for love, best decision I've ever made as far as love life goes, but set back as far as the career goes) so needless to say I've been Struggling with a capital "S" with this economy, trying to compete with seasoned veterans who are now on the job market and desperate enough to take whatever they can get their hands on, including jobs that normally only people as low down on the totem pole as me would be willing to take.
I know there's tons of advice on here for finding jobs, because I've read a lot of it, but anymore you can give would be appreciated, especially since a lot of the advice was given a couple years ago and since I was working in New York a couple years ago I know that it's already a whole different market/environment these days. I am currently freelancing and have two clients, working on high end product/fashion, as well as editorial/advertising/celebrity portraiture, but even so I'm not making nearly enough to pay rent (I'm crashing at a friends and living out of a suitcase) let alone student loans/debt. I don't have a book, which would probably be a good idea, but I guess I've never thought to or just plain don't know how to approach the subject of asking clients for the right to use their images in my portfolio, and sneaking isn't an option because for one it isn't right and is unprofessional and two I work on-site so it would be pretty obvious even if I was an immoral jerk. Do you think it's essential to have a printed book or is a web based portfolio alone acceptable? I'm not opposed to having a printed book, it's just not at all financially possible at the moment, but if it is necessary I would be willing to invest down the road a bit when I'm not in dire poverty.
Any advice you can think of would be great, as well as specific agencies, studios, companies that you've had experience with before that take on junior retouchers, on a freelance and/or part time basis would be great but I'm open to full time as well. And yes, I've heard of craigslist, all I have to do is type "N" into my browser and the art/media jobs page is the first thing that comes up, creative gigs is the second, casual encounters is the third...no just kidding, it's the fifth, no just kidding, it doesn't come up at all (God I hope most of you have a sense of humor).
I guess my problem is I have talent, tons of drive and am constantly training myself, but I managed to go through 6 years of art school without one thread of advice on how to run a business and how to get work. I can do the work, I just can't find enough work.
Anyway. I've been in New York for about 4 months, graduated from risd in 2008 (yay worst possible time to ever graduate) and lived in Texas for a year after graduation (moved there for love, best decision I've ever made as far as love life goes, but set back as far as the career goes) so needless to say I've been Struggling with a capital "S" with this economy, trying to compete with seasoned veterans who are now on the job market and desperate enough to take whatever they can get their hands on, including jobs that normally only people as low down on the totem pole as me would be willing to take.
I know there's tons of advice on here for finding jobs, because I've read a lot of it, but anymore you can give would be appreciated, especially since a lot of the advice was given a couple years ago and since I was working in New York a couple years ago I know that it's already a whole different market/environment these days. I am currently freelancing and have two clients, working on high end product/fashion, as well as editorial/advertising/celebrity portraiture, but even so I'm not making nearly enough to pay rent (I'm crashing at a friends and living out of a suitcase) let alone student loans/debt. I don't have a book, which would probably be a good idea, but I guess I've never thought to or just plain don't know how to approach the subject of asking clients for the right to use their images in my portfolio, and sneaking isn't an option because for one it isn't right and is unprofessional and two I work on-site so it would be pretty obvious even if I was an immoral jerk. Do you think it's essential to have a printed book or is a web based portfolio alone acceptable? I'm not opposed to having a printed book, it's just not at all financially possible at the moment, but if it is necessary I would be willing to invest down the road a bit when I'm not in dire poverty.
Any advice you can think of would be great, as well as specific agencies, studios, companies that you've had experience with before that take on junior retouchers, on a freelance and/or part time basis would be great but I'm open to full time as well. And yes, I've heard of craigslist, all I have to do is type "N" into my browser and the art/media jobs page is the first thing that comes up, creative gigs is the second, casual encounters is the third...no just kidding, it's the fifth, no just kidding, it doesn't come up at all (God I hope most of you have a sense of humor).
I guess my problem is I have talent, tons of drive and am constantly training myself, but I managed to go through 6 years of art school without one thread of advice on how to run a business and how to get work. I can do the work, I just can't find enough work.
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