How do I get into Freelance Photography

Hi all,
I'm new to the forum and was hoping I'd be able to get some advice on becoming a freelance photographer. Firstly, what sort of course should I look into doing to gain some knowledge? Secondly, how easy/hard is it to actually get work and make money? Lastly, what is the best equipment to start out with. Starting with cameras obviously and all the bits that are needed for the job?

Any help that you can give me is greatly appreciated.:

 

Ive read an article before saying that to get into freelance photography, as a full time job, your looking at around £20,000 worth of gear fi you are buying everything straight out at the beginning - assuming your going to be using digital.

I'll list the few I can remember for a digital freelancer:

Main DSLR camera
Backup DSLR camera
High end lense, maybe a 150-500mm? 300mm prime?
Mid fixed lense - 150mm?
Low zoom lense - 70-200mm?
Low prime - 50mm? (brilliant for portraits)
Accesories - filters, cleaning equip, shutter release etc
Good tripod
Bag for all gear
Day bag
Fast Memory cards (PLURAL!)
Flash
Laptop
Desktop computer for home
Editing software - Photoshop, Aperture
External hardrives

The list could go on...and depending on what sort of a photographer you want to be more or less things need to be aadded or taken away. For isntance, a sport photographer would need less lenses of 50mm butmore of 200mm, 500mm + whereas a portrait photographer would also need studio lighting kits and more!

 

Something that just came to mind is an expensive pritner! Capable of a3 mounts or simliar - again, depending on your chosen route!

 

I have to pretty much agree with that, though obviously a lot depends on which type of photography you want to get into.

Don't forget lighting, if you want to do portraiture. Budget another grand for that. I'd even budget a good £500.00 just for bags to carry the stuff around in.

Then don't forget a good £600.00 for insurance, which includes your liabilty and other legal bits that you'd need.

I doubt you could even start in any serious capacity for much less than £10k

Maybe not the answers you wanted. But its the realistic answer.

 

I do agree with Philljones and Riddle that first you have to select the niche of your photography, the accessories and the gadgets will automatically be selected on that particular style.

The other important thing is that, don't start taking pictures a just by clicking here and there and tell yourself as a photographer. You must have to take some lessons from a photography institute or from some expert professional photographer of your choice. Like all the other arts photography can also be god gifted but you need to get that skill polished and sharpen through a rigorous session of training. This all make you prpare to face all the situations like outdoor shoots and shoots in non-favorable weather conditions etc.... So all the best for your future. Hope we'll be able to see some decent appreciable piece of work from you.....

Regards....

Jason