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BY T.J. TIERNEY

Are you ready to take the jump from amateur photography to professional? Most amateur photographers would like to be able to sell their work. Knowing where and how will certainly give you a helpful start.

Taking the jump from amateur photography to professional or semi-professional photography isn’t easy and will seem like a daunting task at the best of times. The following is a brief guide that may help if you are ready to take the leap.

You don’t need a collection of hundreds of images to start selling. If you have a collection of 20 good images, you’re off to a good start.

The first step is to create an online portfolio or Website. If your photography interests involve landscape, wildlife or any images that can also be sold as framed prints, implement ecommerce technology so that visitors to your website have the option to buy.

The next step is to submit images and your website details to companies that might use your work. Contact local newspapers and local advertising companies that may suit your photographic interest.

One of the greatest fears amateur photographers have is seeing rejection slips. This should not turn you off; if you feel your images are good enough, submit them to other companies. Every photographer gets rejected at some point in their careers.

One of the greatest lessons that any amateur photographer can learn is that you must study the photography market. If your photography interest is fashion, for instance, study the fashion industry. Buy different fashion magazines on a weekly and monthly basis. Know the standard of work submitted by other professional fashion photographers.

You must be your own hardest and toughest critic. If you think that your photographs are “just ok,” then they are not good enough. You must be truthful to yourself. Once you are satisfied that your images are good enough, you can start submitting, and with a little bit of luck the first steps down the road to a new career will have begun.

Seeing an image published for the first time will give you a great feeling. Seeing your images published on a regular basis will give you a new lease of life.

The road from amateur photography to professional photography involves a lot of hard work, but if you are willing to put in the work, your amateur status will certainly become history.

T.J. Tierney is an award winning Irish Landscape photographer. For more tips visit his photography site. To view his images visit his on-line gallery of pictures of Ireland or see his travel site.