Freelancing with Photoshop: "

Remember, prospective clients will want to look at examples of your

work.

If you’ve got them posted on high profile websites such as the

ones mentioned here, it is a good step towards reeling in projects as

well as making yourself ‘known’.

They may see your profile and keep you in mind for a future project…

who knows?!

Keep track of all correspondence with your contract employer (email)

whatever you do and you will be using contracts to clearly define the

relationship, make it nice and legal. Most of the good freelance sites

will have these resources available to you.

Its always a good idea just to have a contract with your client so that

your directions and agreement is clear. Some of the ‘meet markets’

help provide you with a template.

Here is a great resource on how to do it:

http://advertising.about.com/cs/copywriting/ht/howtocontract.htm?terms=invoice+template

You must be able to keep track of payment records. When the project

is done you will have to invoice your client. Here is a sample form that

you could use. It’s Canadian but if you’re from another country, most of

the principles should apply.

http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/management/a/invoice1.htm

If you have incorporated a business then you would count your services

as business income; so I just recommend finding out more information

or talk to your CPA (or find a CPA).

If you haven’t incorporated, you will have to claim it as personal income

on the records. That’s all I’m going to say on that because that’s not

my specialty.

You might want to save this article for your future reference but if you’re

freelancing or going to be freelancing then make sure that you are doing

the right things that will help you favorably in getting more projects,

meeting more prospective clients/contractors, increasing your own skill

level ability as well as marketing your self and services.

And there ARE businesses and corporations that are looking for the

right graphics solution that you can offer them. Freelancing can be very

rewarding because you get paid for doing what you love to do so it can be

fulfilling both personally and professionally.

If you know that you still need to get the Photoshop side of things taken

care of (kind of hard to get the job done if you don’t have the skills), then

take a look at my TutorialKey video tutorials training for Photoshop CS/2.

http://www.tutorialstraining.com/photoshop_training.html

In one place you can get all the foundational training you would need

as well as additional ‘real world application’ skills training in step by

step ‘from scratch’ tutorials that will help give you the competitive edge.

Other than that, keep on learning and make sure you actively promote

yourself to keep getting more work! Get involved, stay proactive in

seeking work and getting referrals.

Grow and maintain a courteous reputation for win-win business

relationships. Also have a main income stream coming in while you

get going so it doesn’t become a dependency and have fun with it.

Seek out opportunity and soon it will find you! It doesn’t matter what

country you’re from if you are professional and capable on both sides

of the bat.

Orion Williams

Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop CS

orion@photoshopdesigner.com

www.TutorialsTraining.com

"

(Via Tutorials Training for Photoshop.)