About two weeks ago I was able to speak to a local Art Institute class on building a career in the photography industry alongside another photographer I admire. Today I have the opportunity to speak on the same topic to a group of students at ASU.
Participating in these sessions and hearing the questions from the students has certainly led to a great deal of reflection on my own path I’ve taken to get to this point.
I hear questions like; how can I be sure I make enough money to live off of, how can I make the right connections, where is the best place to start, how do I network with clients, how do I find the right clients, how do I market the business, how do I do work I love and still make money?
These are not photo-specific questions. These are questions of the eager entrepreneur – regardless of what they choose to spend their time doing.
If there was one unifying lesson I’ve learned in this 13 year trip – it is the value and importance of persistence.
Persistence in the work you strive to do.
Persistence in the clients you want to work with.
Persistence in the pursuit of quality you want to have.
Persistence in the way you run your business.
Persistence in the relationships you make.
and most importantly persistence in the passion you have for the craft.
James Patrick
jamespatrick.com
IG @Jpatrickphoto
