Business

You Can’t Fight Without an F-You Fund

by Mike Kelley

When it comes to negotiations, as a photographer (or any freelance artist, for that matter) you’ve got to master the art of not being emotionally invested in the outcome – something that is nearly impossible to do. But without it, you’ll never be able to break free of difficult clients and underpaid gigs.

How to Travel as a Working Photographer

by Mike Kelley

Getting paid to travel is simultaneously the single most amazing thing and single most overrated thing about being a working photographer. On one hand – exposure to new cultures, places, food, languages, and photo subjects is incredible. On the other hand, when it goes wrong, it can go very, very, wrong and make you question why you even bothered saying yes to the job in the first place.It’s

How To Create An Architecture Photography Book: Part Two

by Mike Kelley

In part one we touched on the pre-production process for my book New Architecture Los Angeles. In today's article I'll tell you a little bit about the gear I used and how the day-to-day shooting process went. Spoiler: traffic. Lots and lots of traffic.

Five Mistakes Beginner Architectural Photographers Should Avoid

by Usman Dawood

Starting a career in photography can be very challenging. I know that when I first started as an architectural photographer, I made a fair few mistakes that could have been avoided. Fortunately, those mistakes can serve as lessons for future architectural photographers.

We need that by Monday: How To Deal With Rush Turnarounds (Hint: You shouldn’t)

by Mike Kelley

A notorious sticking point for any photographer, the rush turnaround can be a great tool in your bag or it can turn into a living nightmare that threatens to create a rift between you and your client. Over the years I’ve been able to transition from the rush turnaround being a dreaded ‘ugh’ moment into something that is relatively effortless.I

How To Create An Architecture Photography Book: Part One

by Mike Kelley

For some reason photographers are obsessed with being published, I am a photographer, ergo, am obsessed with being published. It feels good, it looks pretty, and it makes your photographs real, as in a tangible thing that other people hold and look at and say “wow” like Owen Wilson.

The Biggest Wastes of Money in My Photography Career

by Mike Kelley

I already know that this is going to be a controversial article, but it’s something I have to get off my chest because I look back and almost feel guilty about how much money I have spent on these things. The photography industry is full of products that you may or may not need and separating the wheat from the chaff is going to be important when you’re watching where your money goes.