EVOLUTION: From cosplay photographer to commercial photographer (part 2/3)

Posted on by Mezame

Onwards to Part 2 of this series! Just a quick recap, this series is made with the aspiring photographer in mind who wishes to make the switch from being a hobbyist to becoming a professional photographer who takes on commercial works.

Go here for Part 1 of this series. Go here for Part 3 of this series.

DISCLAIMER: In this 3-parter, I will share with you some tips and tricks which I have picked up during my transition from being a hobbyist cosplay photographer to a commercial photographer. However, I still keep true to the spirit of The Art of Mezame by planning and executing conceptual commercial photoshoots with corporate clients and couples who want to have a unique fantasy pre-wedding photoshoot. I also gave a talk at ShootBKK on this series during my recent trip to Bangkok, Thailand. 

Collaborations with Rea Kami and Ameerah Smith

These tips and tricks are from my own personal experience and may or may not work for you. Your experiences may vary.

If they do work for you, then that’s great! If they don’t, well, you just have to keep on looking for what works for you.

Good luck, Godspeed and may the Force be with you!

Joining competitions can also push you to your limits but beware clauses that are iffy – especially those that claim ownership of your works
  1. Keep on learning
    • The day you think you know everything is the day you did not realize you really know nothing
    • Go attend talks, seminars, classes, workshops, etc. to expand your skills and knowledge
    • Good way to network with others
    • Find other like-minded people
    • Competition is good; collaborate with others, keep learning from one another
    • Teaching is a good way of learning

  2. Have courage
    • Stop finding excuses!
    • Never be too shy to ask questions
    • Never be afraid to try new things
    • Never say never; take your time with projects but do not procrastinate as that will kill your momentum
    • Nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing
    • We are all never too young/too old to learn
    • And when you do indeed succeed, have the courage to share your knowledge with others

  3. First steps to going commercial
    • Find your niche; stick to it, improve it, be unique
    • Pricing: See what is your worth as no one can put a price tag on you
    • Pricing: Undercutting others is a quick way to make a quick buck, but in the long run, you’ll suffer and the industry will suffer too
    • Promises of exposure by companies mean absolutely nothing
    • Collaborations are OK but make sure these passion projects have very good reasons to be made and there is an agreement on who funds what – the whole thing must ideally be beneficial for all involved
    • Do not get exploited by others
    • Provide itemized billings in your quotations/invoices so clients can appreciate why they are paying you so much
    • Paperwork – very important, make sure you have your terms and conditions right and keep track of invoices
Shooting in the corridor outside of my flat was a welcome alternative as opposed to renting a studio for a passion project – save costs!

And that’s it for Part 2 of this series. Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 3. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mezame@theartofmezame.com. Cheers!