Photographer, make-up artist

Briefly explain what you do for a living. 

I spend most of my workdays taking photos. I also provide a make-up and hairstyling service, often as a stylist to photo shoots and at times as a make-up artist for special occasions. I also do gig work as an advertising model and performer, take knitting commissions and provide training. As entrepreneurs get to determine what they do, I have tried to make versatile use of my competence. 

How have you ended up in the profession of your choice? 

I started photographing about 10 years ago through my pin-up hobby. At first, I took photos of model friends and gigs. People told me I was good at it and should take more photographs. That is where my enthusiasm started.  

I did not want to start by spending thousands on equipment and calling myself a photographer, so instead, I gradually practised my skills to see if I was any good at this. The more I did it, the more confident I felt and gained the courage to invest in equipment. I have gradually acquired studio lights and a decent camera. 

For a long time, I took photographs alongside my work as a youth counsellor. After I had been photographing for a while, a colleague encouraged me to study the industry. My studies enabled me to master the technical side of things i.e. I learned how to use a flash and shoot photos in studio conditions. Since my graduation, I have supported myself as an entrepreneur. 

Describe your typical working day or week. 

My work weeks are hugely diverse. At times, there are quieter periods and no photography gigs during the whole week. At others, it is busier. For example, this week, I spent four days on photography gigs, which is pretty rare. Autumn and spring are usually busy times. In addition to photography, I edit the photographs and market my services.

What kind of work environment or working hours do you have? 

One of the best parts of being an entrepreneur is that I get to choose my own working hours. I am not a morning person, so I usually start my photo shoots at 10 a.m. at the earliest if it suits my customers. I work during the day, on weekday evenings and Saturdays. I aim to have Sundays off. You should work when you have it. I take photos at my studio, outside or at the customer’s company premises. I do any work done on the computer, such as editing, at home.  

What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession? 

You have to have the required technical skills. As a photographer, you must understand how the camera and lights work and know how to use editing software. If you take portraits, you must have good social skills, as it is necessary to know how to work with different people. Few people you photograph are professional models, so you must guide them. Creativity is also essential. You need to come up with new ideas for your photos and have an eye for visual detail to understand how to position people in your photos and see which colours look good together. Entrepreneurs must have stress resilience. There are times when my next month’s schedule is still empty and the financial situation is uncertain. My customers often book photography sessions at one or two week’s notice.

What is the best thing about your profession? 

The best parts of my work are freedom, flexibility in working hours and planning my own schedule. There is this stigma with entrepreneurship that entrepreneurs are always at work. I feel that, as an entrepreneur, I have more leisure time. I also get to have a job that I like. I am sociable, so it is nice to get to work on different gigs with different people.

What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging? 

The hardest part is the uncertainty, as you do not usually know what your work situation will be for more than one or two months at a time. You have to learn to live with this uncertainty. Sometimes you earn more, sometimes less. There is no fixed monthly salary to rely on. That is something everyone coming to the industry must understand. You also have to get your own gigs, so you must keep constantly advertising your services and networking. 

What would you tell a person considering the profession of a fotographer? 

In this work, you must have confidence in advertising what you do. You must treat every job like it is the most important job in your life. If you do your job well, customers recommend you to others and your old customers order new photo shoots. Loyal customers are important in this profession, so you should take good care of them. 

Make sure your pricing is in order right from the start. There are many skilled amateur photographers in Finland who work free of charge, which lowers the salary level of photographers. You have to ask for the salary you deserve for your work. In the beginning, you can say that you are still learning and price your services accordingly.  

Think about what makes your work special, as there are lots and lots of photographers. You should not do everything. My special area of expertise is pin-up photography. I also stand out from the rest as I offer a make-up and hair styling service. I do not think there are many photographers in Finland who also provide styling services, especially in a pin-up style. Think about what you are really good at and invest in it to get the customers you want.

How do you see the future of your profession? 

I think the future is bright, as there is always a need for photos. The downside is that the equipment is constantly evolving and you can already take very good photos with mobile phone cameras. Even though photos taken with a mobile phone are good, they cannot beat high-quality photos taken by a professional. Companies in particular will continue to need professional photography services.   

Many people have their own system cameras, so they learn to take their own photos. For young people, taking photos is part of everyday life. In other words, more and more people are producing photographs, which creates competition. Artificial intelligence also creates pictures, but I don't see it as a competitor, as the photos that AI creates of individuals are not real. I am certain that there is still demand for genuine photographs taken by people. 

The demand for video is also increasing. It is not something I do yet, but would also like to extend my competence to it in the future.

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