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Finding clients for Photoshop design and retouching work


ElizabethM

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Where does one go to find cilents for PS design work? I know my way around PS enough that while studying the software I wouldn't mind to try my hand at maybe a little photo retouching or even extraction work, simple things that can still bring some income for me.

But where do you look for such gigs? All the sites I found are for big scale things like logos and other things.

To be honest I'm freaking out a bit because I just talked to somebody and they asked me what I can actually gain out of being a PS designer and well... I know it's a good and convinent job but so many people don't see it as a proper job that their doubt tends to freak me out a bit. Is that even relevent to this topic? Oh I'm sorry. I'm just a ball of nerves right now.
 

Tom Mann

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I couldn't possibly compete with all the useful info you will uncover if you do a Google search. For example, searching for {find clients graphic design business} produced 47 million hits, and the first two pages of listings looked quite interesting.

I should add that I'm probably not the best guy to ask about striking out on your own because I have two well-established niches for my own photography and PS work. Both of my employers use my images for everything from glossy super high quality printed publicity / recruiting materials to low-rez web postings (eg, for events), so I'm a happy camper.

That being said, the general feeling among freelancers that I've talked to is that the low end market has become saturated in recent years because everyone thinks that they are a photographer as soon as they buy a $500 entry level dSLR, or think they are a graphic artist or retoucher as soon as they buy a $100 version of Photoshop Elements or some other software they come across when shopping in a big box store, etc.. Unfortunately, these people will often work for nothing, thereby undercutting much more experienced individuals who can guarantee the customer a good product.

Anyway, let me stop here before I rant on too much on this topic. :mad2:

Cheers,

Tom M
 
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Thanks Tom, I fully agree with what you said.

Today everyone is an artist who has a Camera and Photoshop.
The big problem is that these guys actually believe in doing big business and earning big money. Instead most of them are "working poor".
In todays saturated market it is nearly impossible to to earn a living with photography or graphic design.

I don't want to disappoint you Elisabeth, but your chances to find clients on your own is extremely low.
If you would have very good connections in the publishing business, then maybe you would get your chance to show and proof your talent.
 

IamSam

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As the others have pointed out, I don't want to sound discouraging either, but I need to reinforce what they have said.

The internet is full of 'wanna be' designers with 'cracked' pirated copies of Ps and Ai who have inundated the low end market who will work for nearly nothing. The clients are more than happy to pay as little as possible for shoddy work. As Tom pointed out, this undercuts the better and more experienced designers who could actually provide a better product as well as service for a few dollars more.

Your best bet is to get as good as you can and approach your local businesses (design firms, photographers, advertising, etc.) about picking up some freelance work.

As much as this will not set well with some of our members, I actually did quite a bit of free work that has boomed into big paid jobs. I managed to get my foot in the door with several local photographers and a local advertising firm that caters to local business on air as well as internet advertising. I do enough work to keep me in what I call "Toy" money. So far, I have not done any work from online clients.
 

Paul

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Keep going keep trying and keep posting your work use as many outlets to get your work out as possible, pennies become pounds/dollars what ever, me i do it for the fun but you can make some money while having fun just not big bucks like others have said above.
 

ElizabethM

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Wow thanks for all the advice you guys, they have been a real eye opening.

I have seen that the online market for graphic design is really hard to step into because so many people offer it for such low prices. Currently as I study the software I try to take on group projects here and there just to widen my skill range and find my "niche" so to speak. I've been thinking of steping into the stock photography zone to at least get myself some sort of an income as I study (your thoughts?) but yeah the main question I really have is where in the world does one start getting clients.

Especially since I don't have a certificate to begin with. Hence why I want to get my Adobe Certification for at least SOME added bonus. I think the advice about contacting photographers and local places sounds brilliant. Thanks!

I'm happy to start off with simply helping a photographer edit their pictures, but is that something they'd even look for or do they tend to do them themselves? Ahhhh!! Hahaha why'd did I have to pick the most unconventional route for a future career? :eek:
 

Tom Mann

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Hi again, Elizabeth!

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time, so this is going to be quick ...

re: stock photography - I hate to have to continue to be so negative, but I have to tell you that the bottom completely fell out of conventional stock photography about 5 or so years ago with the introduction of micro-stock photo sites. Read this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microstock_photography . Unless you have thousands of very high quality images placed with such agencies, or have access to some type of photo opportunities that others can't get into (eg, backstage pass for big rock concerts, medical photography, etc.), you probably wouldn't even earn coffee money from microstock. Also, just look at some microstock sites and get an idea of the type of competition you will be facing. You also need to be very good/efficient at bookkeeping to keep track of lots of very small payments.

re: photo editing - Most photographers just starting out edit their own photos - they don't have enough money to do otherwise. A bit up the experience ladder, some wedding pros do outsource postprocessing, but, often it's to individuals or companies in the 3rd world who work for outrageously low prices. For this avenue to work for you, you've got to be good, reliable (both in a business sense, artistically, as well as technically, eg, full color managed workflow), know how to give what they want (ie, not what you want), and be able to work extremely fast, maybe only spending a few minutes per image for a wedding for which the contract calls for many hundreds (or more) of images.

Gotta run. More later.

Tom M
 

ElizabethM

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Hi again, Elizabeth!

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time, so this is going to be quick ...

re: stock photography - I hate to have to continue to be so negative, but I have to tell you that the bottom completely fell out of conventional stock photography about 5 or so years ago with the introduction of micro-stock photo sites. Read this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microstock_photography . Unless you have thousands of very high quality images placed with such agencies, or have access to some type of photo opportunities that others can't get into (eg, backstage pass for big rock concerts, medical photography, etc.), you probably wouldn't even earn coffee money from microstock. Also, just look at some microstock sites and get an idea of the type of competition you will be facing. You also need to be very good/efficient at bookkeeping to keep track of lots of very small payments.

re: photo editing - Most photographers just starting out edit their own photos - they don't have enough money to do otherwise. A bit up the experience ladder, some wedding pros do outsource postprocessing, but, often it's to individuals or companies in the 3rd world who work for outrageously low prices. For this avenue to work for you, you've got to be good, reliable (both in a business sense, artistically, as well as technically, eg, full color managed workflow), know how to give what they want (ie, not what you want), and be able to work extremely fast, maybe only spending a few minutes per image for a wedding for which the contract calls for many hundreds (or more) of images.

Gotta run. More later.

Tom M

Ah Christ, I'm trying to stay opptomistic here but where's a girl suppose to start with all these insane compertition and various people bring the value of work down? Yikes! I am.... Do I take my time, go to uni and get a degree so that big companies will hire me instead? Or do I just take that leap and hope I find some sort of cilent base whether it's through out sourcing people, asking local businesses and growing it through the years.

I mean... You guys obviously have way more experience than I do but... Thinking back to right from the start. How did you build up your cilent base? When all you had was an idea and well scrapes of talents you're growing. Haha thanks for the quick advice though Tom. Hurry or not, you said so many helpful things!
 

IamSam

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Elizabeth said:
Especially since I don't have a certificate to begin with. Hence why I want to get my Adobe Certification for at least SOME added bonus.

You've mentioned this before so I feel like I should be up front and honest about this. While it's a great personal goal, you would be better served in utilizing your time and effort at improving your skills. Anyone can get a certificate and most clients could care less. There are many persons that are what we call 'book smart' and can regurgitate learned information. But most completely lack the skills to perform even the most simple edits.

Learning the ins and outs of the technical aspects of Photoshop may make you sound like you know what your talking about but the proof is in the pudding. It's much more about your skill set. Finely honed Ps skills and a strong portfolio will speak much louder than a certificate.

Think of it this way, your the client and you have 2 persons competing for the same project, one person has the Adobe Ps certificate, what would be your criteria for who will get the project?
 

ElizabethM

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You've mentioned this before so I feel like I should be up front and honest about this. While it's a great personal goal, you would be better served in utilizing your time and effort at improving your skills. Anyone can get a certificate and most clients could care less. There are many persons that are what we call 'book smart' and can regurgitate learned information. But most completely lack the skills to perform even the most simple edits.

Learning the ins and outs of the technical aspects of Photoshop may make you sound like you know what your talking about but the proof is in the pudding. It's much more about your skill set. Finely honed Ps skills and a strong portfolio will speak much louder than a certificate.

Think of it this way, your the client and you have 2 persons competing for the same project, one person has the Adobe Ps certificate, what would be your criteria for who will get the project?

Good point. Should I be faced with such a choice, I'd look at what they have to offer me rather than what their certified in. If once can design better than the other he's the pick regardless of what he holds. I'm doing it for a personal goal truthfully and also just so I cna have some sort of certification in my life that I'm proud off.

I'll go a little deep for a moment and say that I've always done things half arsed even at just the mere age of 21. So to actually accomplish getting a certfication would be like, "Wow. You actually went all the way on this one."

I'm scared, I admit. I don't know where to start and what to do. Especially when nobody but my dad and his partner really thinks of this as a potential career for me. But I enjoy designing and hope through practice... Designs and creativity flows and comes naturally.
 

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