Hi fellow Redditors
I am a professional photographer with an experience of 7 years in different field of photography (product, advertising, interiors, food etc.) So basically I was exploring my options and did whatever came in my way for money and experience.
Now I am going to be 30 next month and very serious about my career choices. I want to have a niche in my profession and want one type of photography to be specialised in.
Right now I’m working in a product firm and my job is good paying and very relaxed environment and have a deal with the employer that I can do freelance work also.
Recently I’ve applied in an architecture and interior firm where my job requires social media content creation and handling with the photography aspect. Please note that I’ve worked in a social media marketing agency for almost 4 years and have a very good knowledge of how it works but not actual on hand experience of it.
I’m really confused about whether I should take this new opportunity to grow in the particular industry and take up something that I’m not very much interested (social media) just to gain immense knowledge of the sector. Keeping in mind that I’m pretty sure that I would like to pursue interior and architecture photography for my whole life.
Joining this new organisation will result in
-6 days working week (earlier 5 days) -too much workload because of social media handling -prohibited to do any freelance
Any kind of suggestion will be really helpful. Tomorrow is judgement day.
Very long post so here’s a 🥔.
Do you want to work for someone else or do you want to be self employed?
I went from shooting anything I could get paid for to shooting only architecture/interiors and corporate events, to shooting only architecture/interiors. I’ve been doing that exclusively since 2017. You can made decent money doing it for yourself.
I would not be interested in being a full time employee of an architecture firm, especially not working 6 days per week. I prefer freelancing and doing projects for many different architects on my own schedule. I would also not be interested in any job that involves social media. Sometimes one of my architecture clients will send their social media person out on shoots with me. I don’t mind that, but I don’t want to be the one creating the content.
Given the options you presented here, I would not consider leaving a job a like for one I don’t think I will like. You don’t need to work at an architecture firm to get experience shooting architectural photography. Start sending your portfolio out to potential clients. Stay where you are and work jobs as they come until you build up enough of a client base to go out on your own.
The eventual plan is to be self employed. Do you think considering this job as a cushion to meet people in the field and exploring other options in the field would be good choice?
The only things is the firm has a very big name in the industry and as a freelancer it would be quite difficult to get someone that big on board.
Also my portfolio in interiors and architects is okayish not something out of this world.
I mean even if I wear myself out for 1 year and get an in depth good experience of architecture and then start out my own thing. Could that be considered a sensible choice??