Teaching the business of photography

(Music playing.) Natalie Fobes: I was astounded and amazed when the father of the groom jumped up and started clapping after they had been declared a married couple. There might be some sort of moment; you always have to be ready for something that happens. I started working at Seattle Central three years ago. I was invited to come and teach the business of photography to the students, about what it takes to be a photographer and make a living as a photographer. They all have personal projects that they feel are very important for people to understand. That's why I got into photography. And it's great that every week I come here, and I'm reminded - and sometimes in small way, sometimes in big ways - that that is why I got into photography, to do good things with my photographs, to make a difference in this world. My students range in age from right out of high school to people in their 50s, and in some cases I have had students in their 60s. The questions are basically the same. They have the passion for photography. They know that this is what they want to do, and they want to figure out how they can make a living at it, how they can do what they are passionate about. They are asking, what is the future of photography? What am I going to be doing in 20 years? What are the skills that I need 20 years from now to be able to survive in this dramatically changing environment? I mean, in the old days there used to be magic when I came to being a photographer. You'd take the picture. You'd go away. You'd develop the film. You'd come back with an amazing shot. The client had no idea how you did it. Nowadays you take the shot and most often the client wants to see it right away on the back of your camera. They need to learn the importance of giving the client more than they expect. They need to learn that how your dress matters, how your act matters, that you are on time, that if there is a deadline that you meet that deadline, if you have created an estimate that they come in at the estimate or under the estimate. I mean, all of these things relate to being a professional. And now, more then ever, it's important to be a professional. So for me to be able to help them develop the skills that will allow them, or enable them, to succeed in the marketplace is something that I think is really important.