I wonder if the same people would say Gabrielle Cilmi should not have recorded her first album at 13, or that Shirley Temple should not have been a film star at four. Or that some of the worlds great artists were under the age of 12 when they painted their first great works?
I was working at 14, but no one said I shouldn't be.
You have genuine talent and you SHOULD charge. The world is full of some great artists who started out young. Take Britney Spears for example, or how about Kylie Minogue? Don't even worry about those people who, tainted by jealousy and their own lack of talent will try to put you down. It's part of human nature. My view is "go for it". Build up your business, extend your imagination, and don't give a hoot about people who tell you what you should and shouldn't do. Your pics are excellent and you have a long and worthwhile future. Well done.

Posted 3 Aug 2008 by thinktank

I reckon as long as you belief in yourself and your talents it doesn't really matter what others think. Townsville is a beautiful area of Australia but (and I hope I don't tread on too many toes here) it isn't perhaps the most broad minded area of the country and that is possibly what the problem might be with people's opinions of your age. What others think is irrelevant, believe in yourself, sell yourself to the relevant people and/or companies and stick with it. By the time you're 30 you certainly won't be looking back.

Posted 3 Aug 2008 by Viruk

Best of luck to you as you have a wonderful talent for a person so young. Anyone who provides a service or product deserves to be paid for their time and talent regardless of their age, gender etc.
If you can achieve these quality prints at your age, I can't wait to see what you do in a few years time. Those people who don't want to pay now won't be able to afford you in the years to come. Set your sights high and go for it!

Posted 4 Aug 2008 by CowboysFan

One way to establish yourself until the age thing is no longer an issue for you. By the time you are 20 years you will have the whole community behind you.

Look at getting about 500 to 1,000 business cards made up and then staple a Special first time offer, like 1 free Print for first 500 customers, but also include a few package deals, from the photographs you have on your site, try to add some small groups, families and wedding pictures, I here this is a great are to get into, and prices of packages for wedding photos start at around $3,000.

I am not sure if you are looking at digital or the old film way of doing things, but with digital your get a good program like Adobe or something, and you can create almost anything the customer wants.

You need a room set up as a studio, and with a few different backdrops, material like curtains and some creates old chairs, suit cases and books you can start doing some real nice Family Shots.

I hope this post helps a little, and wish you the very best of luck with you lovely PHOTOGRAPHS. (resident Townsville QLD)

Posted 4 Aug 2008 by EFIJYFaMiLy

One thing I have always believed is that people deserve a break. I was given a break by John Singleton many years ago and that one chance became my career and a very successful one. In one of my lives I design and make websites. I have just put a new site up of SIBA MODA which sells very high class shoes, and Lina who runs the place is a wonderful lady who loves creativity. I don't have the time to take the pics and do the resizing and uploading, and because SIBA is a very high class outlet Lina needs a very high class photographer. This is a long term permanent job that can be done through your business and won't cut into fun time or study time. If it works out I will give you more. Every website needs the pictures taken and then every time new products arrive they need more, so this is permanent and requires talent and skill. You will have to take the pics, edit and size them and upload to the web. If you are interested call in on me at 169 Charters Towers road (Thinktankimports.com) or phone me at 4725 5886. Lets see if we can't make the critics eat their words.. Good luck

Posted 4 Aug 2008 by thinktank

EFIJYFaMiLy needs to do their research a bit better, wedding packages in Tville start at $500 if you go to Roy Leigh, he is very good.

Re: the original post- just because you have professional equipment doesn't mean you're good. You are good, but that has little to do with the equipment. The type of photography you're producing could be done on lower-range equipment.

Also, I wonder why you feel the need to come and whinge on this forum. It is not going to change the critics' opinions. And who is it who is criticising you? People your age, other professional photographers, who?

The only advantage of posting on here is that you plugged your website. If you invested your time and effort into promoting your work more rather than whinging on forums like this, you'd get your work out there faster and gain more respect.

Viruk- depends what you call "broad-minded". The most "broad minded" places in the country are the huge cities, and of course they are more "broad minded" because they have millions of different people, and so millions of different opinions. Be reasonable. If you compare Brisbane with its 1 million to Tville with its 200,000 of course you're going to get a much narrower field of opinions and beliefs in Tville.

Posted 5 Aug 2008 by LilaBear

To LilaBear... Give the young lady a break. How many other 15 year old's are doing what she's doing??? Um none that I know of. At least this young lady is trying to make something of her life which is more that I can say for SOME of the youth today.

LoriAna - if you want to start taking some pics or different genres, etc to build your portfolio, drop me an email zekani@gmail.com. I run a Dance Promotions agency and teach dance, I'll get all the parents to agree to you coming and taking photos to help you out in this area. Also looking for someone to do portfolio shots.

People only complain for two reasons, one there is a need for it due to bad service or outcome and the second is out of jealousy.

EFIJYFaMiLy had a good promotion idea with the business cards. Only place for cards in this town is Cardzilla. Ask for Ellinor and tell her MJ sent you. She did my cards and I'm more than pleased. Love them. Get some cards to me and I'll hand them out too.


Thinktank - wow someone else that believes in giving them ago and the fact that the word shoes was mentioned - where is that store again?

Look forward to hearing from you young lady

Best of Luck

Posted 5 Aug 2008 by emjay

Wow LilaBear, didn't see that coming.

Well done loriana - you have had 137 people view your post (to date)and who knows how many people visit your site as a result of your entry. I think what LilaBear calls whinging is actually a very smart tactic to market yourself and your product. You have got people talking about you and you'll get more business and experience as a result. Bravo.

Posted 5 Aug 2008 by Wings

Lilabear I think I see a little arrogance in your post. I don't think I would like you very much. There are ways to say things and I think you were unfair, unjust, and arrogant in your post. Loriana is trying to make a point, and she expressed herself well and made that point. Many young people are criticised for what they want to do, and when you look at so many Gen Y ers, they are not people I would personally want to employ! Lilabear has as much right to say what she wants to in her post just as you have. Best not to be so critical lest someone criticises you.
Lilabear has posted and she has got noticed. THAT is good thinking and she is obviously a very smart young lady.
Oh yes to MJ. The shoe shop is called SIBA on Flinders Street. Lina has a beautiful store and sells very high class Italian shoes and personally I think her shop is one of the most classily set up shops I have ever been involved with. Her new website will be live next week and she will be at www.sibamoda.com. I think Lilabear would be ideal to do the photography for her business. I have other local businesses I am doing websites for and I would be very happy for Lilabear to take on that business and build herself up. I have a friend who owns New Identity Wigs too and I am just doing a website for her too. She does gorgeous wigs for people who have cancer and that sort of thing. High quality, human hair that look good and look real. If anyone who has lost their hair for some reason just wants to look and feel good again, New Identity Wigs is the place to go. Debs is kind, compassionate, and married to a Dr so she knows what it's like. Anyway, long blog. Lilabear... CALL ME! Take care.

Posted 5 Aug 2008 by thinktank

This does not mean he will be always be available, I was actually speaking about the average price to get the package you want, not just the one or 2 photo's you can afford for $500.

I was trying to give a young aspiring talented photographer some good advise, and if you don't have good advise what do you have.

I hope she succeeds with all here endeavorer's.

If you ever need a person to make you a logo drop me a line, and I will see what I can design for you.

Cheers

Posted 6 Aug 2008 by EFIJYFaMiLy