Is a Career in Photography Right for You?

Finding a career that you love and that you are good at is important. When you earn money from selling goods or services that you are passionate about, you will wake up every morning prepared and potentially excited for the day ahead. If you have a passion for photography, then it makes sense for you to go into a career as a photographer. Whether you are starting fresh or you are looking for a career change, starting up your career within the photography industry will feel daunting. This field is extremely competitive and there is a huge abundance of knowledge, resources, and tutorials in order to get into this creative sector.It can be easy to jumpstart your career in this industry. The main challenge you will face is becoming successful and standing out from the crowd. In order to decide whether a career in photography is right for you, there are a number of important aspects of this industry that you need to focus on. Today, we will be taking a deeper look into the photography field, to determine whether or not a career in photography is right for you.

Equipment to Purchase

One of the best things about a career in photography is that it can be started off as a hobby. This allows you to see whether or not you are good at being a photographer without taking too many risks. In order to start photography as a hobby or as a career, you will need to purchase the necessary equipment. The main piece of equipment you will need is a decent camera. The camera you go for will depend on the quality you desire, your budget, and your own capabilities.When you are beginning your journey in this field, you should try to keep the costs low by purchasing a camera that is easy to learn and accessible. If you plan to shoot digital photography, then a standard DSLR with a basic kit lens is the perfect first camera to consider. Other gear to add onto your list includes:

• Camera tripod – useful in low light settings, night-time selfie shots, and night sky photographs.
• Remote shutter release – takes shots without having to physically touch the camera body.
• Prime lens – for cameras with an interchangeable lens system, will teach you lots about proper composition techniques.
• External flash – also known as a Speedlight, needed to shoot in the dark.
• AA batteries and battery charger – batteries get used up quickly when you start using external flash units, so investing in rechargeable batteries is highly recommended.
• SD memory cards – a handful of smaller SD cards instead of one large SD card will reduce the risk of corruption.
• Camera cleaning kit – neglecting a camera can be expensive, cleaning it prevents irreversible damage to the camera body, lenses, and other accessories.
• Camera strap – a quality camera strap will be more comfortable, durable, and adjustable than the one your camera came with.
• Camera bag – getting a camera bag to carry all of the above will make life a lot easier for you and will give you a professional appearance.

Skills You Need to Have

As well as having the right equipment, you will need a number of skills in order to succeed as a photographer. You will need to be creative, to capture shots that grab people’s attention and turn heads for all the right reasons. You will need to have technical photography skills, so you get the most out of your equipment and you work quickly and efficiently. Patience and concentration are key to capturing the most unique and mesmerizing photographs. Attention to detail will help you achieve the right kind of finish to your work. Your people skills will need to be on point to become a successful photographer, as you will need to be good at networking, working in a team, and communicating with customers, especially if you are photographing them.

Things You Should Learn

There will be a number of things you can learn to prepare yourself for a career is a photographer. An educational and professional insight is perfect for building up your skills and knowledge. To do so, you should choose to pursue a professional photography degree or qualification at an arts institution. Enrolling in workshops based on your niche will teach you knacks that you can use in your career. Teaching yourself skills via the internet will make your abilities unique. You can use blogs, websites, online learning tutorials, YouTube videos and more to teach yourself. Before you take the plunge, you should reach out to local photographers and ask to assist them and consider a part-time job in the photography industry to test the waters.

Ways to Stand Out

Standing out from the crowd isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible either. Finding ways to turn heads and keep people industry is vital for success. The first step to standing out is by evolving your craft and aiming to master every aspect of photography.  A good percentage of your clientele will also ask for photobook recommendations, so having friendly relationships with vendors or suppliers like MILKBooks.com will help you provide this extra service. Your customers will absolutely love you for this!To evolve your craft without getting overwhelmed, you should focus on one area of expertise. This step is perfect for those who want to start a photography business. Continue to network and work on your people skills, as this will open doors that could be life-changing.

Jumpstarting Your Career

Now that you have your equipment, you have the right skills and education and you’ve learned how to stand out from the crowd, the next step is jumpstarting your photography career. The first thing you should do is create an online blog. There is no better way to begin growing a name for yourself as a photographer than blogging. Next, consider entering photography competitions. This is a great way to grow your skills and get feedback. Creating a presence on social media is a building block of forming a presence online. Social media platforms to consider using include Instagram, Steller Stories, Pinterest and VSCO (to name a few). Finally, you should collaborate with other photographers. Collaborating provides amazing opportunities for professional and personal growth.

Paths You Could Follow

Once you have everything in place, you will need to consider permanent paths to follow. This choice will depend on many personal factors, such as your financial stability, skill set, photography niche, marketing abilities, and comfortability. If you want to work with one client, agency or studio, then you should consider contracting. This path provides consistency and work security. If you want to build your own business, then you can consider working as a self-employed/ freelance photographer. This path is flexible and allows you to choose what projects to work on, but it can be stressful and inconsistent. The final path that you can consider is having your home studio. This falls into the category of self-employment, but allows you to reply on creating studio work as well.To summarize, a career in photography isn’t for everyone. It requires dedication, patience, startup costs can be expensive, and becoming successful can be difficult. However, we will always need photographers and if you are prepared for the long journey ahead, then there is no reason why you should not follow our dreams and get into a career you would love.