This article first appeared in issue 164. Please note some details and pricing may have changed. Check with individual societies for current rates and offers. For back issues please visit professionalphoto.online
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ROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY can be a solitary profession. With the exception of the odd assistant or two we spend most of our business lives working alone. We shoot on our own, retouch on our own and plan our marketing on our own. However, it’s a recognised fact that groups generally make better business decisions than individuals might be able to. That’s why successful companies are run by a board of directors; so how can we become better photographers and improve our photographic businesses without the help of a boardroom table? Photographic associations are an invaluable resource for freelance individuals in need of the type of expert services that every photographic business needs. Now we all know there is another resource available out there. It’s free to access, on tap twenty-four hours a day and can provide pretty much any advice you might need, from how to shoot cars with mixed daylight and off-camera flash to comprehensive feedback on how best to approach your next tax return. It’s called the
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Photographers don’t have to trade in isolation since there are a number of professional bodies out there that can offer support, training advice and awards. Which is the right one for you?
‘Internet’ and increasingly it seems to be the go-to place where most of us head to look something up. It would be fair to say that photographic associations and Institutions have found it hard in recent years to compete with the world wide web. To the casual onlooker it can seem that the web can solve every problem and teach every skill required. But beware! Not all the ‘experts’ you encounter on the web are worthy of that title, while just maybe some of those ‘special offers’ you’re encountering are not always as ‘special’ as they seem. I’ve been a member of several photographic associations since I first opened my studio doors some 30 years ago. There are a few different groups to consider if you’re a UK based photographer and they all have their particular idiosyncrasies. Unlike the Internet, the associations are run by people who really do know what they are talking about. Experienced photographers and business professionals are a guaranteed part of the package, but are they really worth those annual fees and which is the right organisation for your business?
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