Rosanne Pennella: Sounds Like a Plan

Rosanne Pennella is a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens.

Professional photographers will tell you that to succeed as a pro takes more than skill as a photographer. It takes dedication, planning, even a little luck. For Rosanne Pennella, add self-confidence and a savvy understanding of the role promotion plays in the process.

"There are many excellent photographers who cannot make a name for themselves because they cannot figure out how to market themselves," Rosanne says. "In the same way a photographer can make things happen with an image—creating a background, choosing a subject, interacting with that subject—you can create development in your career by projecting that same sense of mastery and competence."

Eleven years ago Rosanne was a practicing attorney. She had clerked for a federal judge and had worked in top litigation firms. But she wasn't happy. "I was in the wrong career," she says. What she really loved to do was travel, and when she put that love together with her aptitude for photography, she came up with a plan. Believing that you can create your own destiny, she gave herself five years to pursue a career as a professional photographer. If it didn't work out, it was back to court, or time to take a step in another direction entirely.

We wouldn't be writing this if it hadn't worked out. In fact, her career so far has exceeded her expectations and initial hopes. She's seen her images published in national magazines, she's taken on commercial projects as well as assignments for various tourist boards, and she has become a photography teacher in classrooms and on international photo treks and tours.

Mastery of the craft is what made everything possible. "That's what I tell students," Rosanne says. "When they say they want to be pros and ask me what to do, I say the first thing is to be as good a photographer as you can possibly be. Master it; don't settle for less than excellent." The reason is simple: The first person who has to be convinced of your ability is you. "When it comes time to market yourself," Rosanne says, "you're going to be up against a lot of other talented shooters, and if you want others to believe in your abilities, you have to believe in them first. Part of what makes me successful is that I waited until I thought I was good enough to make it work." And when she started out, she went right for the top when it came to clients and magazines. "I never thought, okay, I'm good enough for some local publications."