But being a photographer is a great career choice, giving you the opportunity to work for yourself and practice your creativity.
There are many ways to train in photography now, from a traditional university course to training online through multimedia materials. Though it’s never been easier to get into photography, it is an extremely competitive sector when it comes to making yourself a successful career.
Skills Needed To Be A Photographer
It’s not just an eye for a good photo that makes a good photographer. There are a number of other skills you’re going to need to have in order to run your own photography business. These can include sales and marketing skills (including social media), business management, and IT skills.
Types Of Photographer
As a photographer, you’re going to want to focus on a particular niche. Some of the most popular types of photographer include:
Photojournalist
Landscape
Animals and pets
Product and food photography
Portrait
Commercial/corporate
Wedding
Fashion
There are new forms of photography cropping up all the time such as aerial photography, which is now able to be done via a drone, rather than having to have a helicopter or aircraft. It’s a relatively low cost to get up and running with drone photography. Take a look at https://www.drdrone.ca/pages/dji-fpv where you can find out about different types of drones.
Drone photography is being used more and more in tourist campaigns and in the real estate industry, where large properties can be photographed from above without having to hire a costly aircraft to do it.
The niche you choose will dictate what type of equipment and premises you need. For example, if you’re shooting portraits, you may have your own studio space, whereas if you’re a wedding photographer, then you’ll be traveling to take photos, so can do your photo retouching and other activities from home.
As a photographer, you’re going to want to focus on a particular niche. Some of the most popular types of photographer include:
Photojournalist
Landscape
Animals and pets
Product and food photography
Portrait
Commercial/corporate
Wedding
Fashion
There are new forms of photography cropping up all the time such as aerial photography, which is now able to be done via a drone, rather than having to have a helicopter or aircraft. It’s a relatively low cost to get up and running with drone photography. Take a look at https://www.drdrone.ca/pages/dji-fpv where you can find out about different types of drones.
Drone photography is being used more and more in tourist campaigns and in the real estate industry, where large properties can be photographed from above without having to hire a costly aircraft to do it.
The niche you choose will dictate what type of equipment and premises you need. For example, if you’re shooting portraits, you may have your own studio space, whereas if you’re a wedding photographer, then you’ll be traveling to take photos, so can do your photo retouching and other activities from home.
Look Into Sources Of Funding
When setting up your business, you’re going to need money in order to get it off the ground. Depending on where you live, there are a number of start-up grants and loans available to small businesses.
Getting Started: Learning About Photography
There are many different ways to learn the ins and outs of photography. You can take an online course, watch tutorial videos or buy specialist books. There are also a number of formal training courses you can go on.
In addition to learning about photography and composition, there is also a lot to learn about the technology and software needed to view and edit your photos.
Typical traditional courses at university or art schools last between two and three years. Instagram and Pinterest also lend themselves well to imagery in posts.
Get Some Work Experience
Working alongside a professional photographer can teach you so much, many things which you can’t learn on courses. Ask a local photographer if you can get some work experience. You’ll develop people and business skills. You’ll learn photography and the business of photography. You’ll also be able to build up your self-confidence and contacts within the industry.
Most photographers will be happy to have the help and you could even end up with a job for a professional photographer, which is how a lot of people start out before launching their own photography business.
Even if you’re only there for a short time, use the opportunity to absorb as much advice and mentorship as you can.
Buy Your Equipment
The tools of your trade will be the biggest expenditure. You’ll need a lot of equipment, cameras, and lenses alongside any laptops and software you’ll require. It can be a lot of expense all at once, so build your collection smartly, looking for good deals or second-hand equipment. If there is any large-scale or expensive equipment needed, then work out if it’s something you’re going to need every day or just once in a while, then you can rent it and save yourself a lot of money.
Find Your Style
Some forms of photographer require you to adapt your style in order to fit in with your client’s band. This is especially the case in commercial photography. In most other sectors, you’re going to want to develop your own personal style which is instantly recognizable as you.
Keep Up To Date On The Industry
Photography styles and techniques change all the time, and it can be difficult to keep up. Sign up for the latest YouTube channels, blogs,s, and publications so that you’ll always be in know and find places to spark your imagination.
Build Your Portfolio
When it’s time to start looking for clients, you’re going to want to show them what you’re capable of with a photography portfolio. How you do this is up to you but it’s a good idea to have it somewhere online so that people can view it whenever they wish.
Your online portfolio can be a simple gallery on a site like Behance, or you can build a full-grown business website that has all of the information on the services you provide.
Don’t forget social media too. Posts with images get the most interaction and you should have no shortage of those.
Go Out And Practice
Get as much practice as you can, so you can continue to grow and develop as a photographer. It’s a great way to learn your equipment and you’ll be able to work out your strengths and weaknesses as a photographer, so you can continue to work on them.
Enter Photography Competitions
Getting your name out there is a must if you’re going to start building a reputation. Every year there is a range of photography competitions that can bring your name and work to a wider audience.
Even if you don’t win these competitions, the raise in the profile you’ll get will be worth it.
Get Your Contracts In Place
When you work with a client, you’re going to need good contracts in place regarding services, pricing, and licensing. If you aren’t familiar with image licensing then you’re going to need to know the ins and outs of who owns the images and how and when they can be used.
Start Your Marketing
Being paid fairly for your work means that you’re going to need to estimate your baseline costs and work out a price based on fair profit margins. Check out other photographers in the area so that you aren’t pitching your prices too high or too low.
You’ll need to get your website and social media profiles up to date. As you gain more clients, collect testimonials and use them to attract others to your business. You could even start using a referral system, where clients could get a small discount for recommending others to your services.
Final Thoughts
If it is your dream to go into business as a photographer, then it is definitely possible to do this, and most of the skills you need you can learn without having to go through a traditional educational training course.
There are so many resources online that you can use to get up to speed with the craft of photography and from there, it’s a great idea to also brush up on the business skills that you’ll need to be able to run your own business successfully.
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