On Becoming a Photographer for Love and Money
If you want to make the big bucks, becoming a photographer is definitely not the way to go. However, if you have the talent, the perseverance, and the creativity necessary, there are ways of making a good living off photography. So if you are a natural shutterbug and wonder if you can make your living doing the activity you love most, then here are some tips for becoming a professional photographer.
You Must Love Photography
The main reason to make photography your profession is that you love everything about photography. If you are not the sort of person who notices how the shadows fall across a field as the sun goes down and think about what angle would work best in this kind of light, then you should probably try another line of work. If you’re not the kind of person who knows all about shutter speeds and lenses and 35 mil cameras, then photography should probably stay as just a hobby. If you are not the kind of person who enjoys spending time in the dark room seeing what sorts of effects you can get, then becoming a photographer should remain a daydream.
Becoming a photographer is like becoming a teacher or deciding that you want to make your life by writing or painting. There are lots of people who love to play around with a camera and there are some pretty talented people who settle for having photography remain as a hobby. To make a living at photography you have to be committed to it and be willing to accept that even if you are very good at it and relatively successful, you will still probably have to supplement your photography income through other means.
So if you don’t absolutely love photography, try another profession.
Newspaper Photographers
When you think of photographers, the most common job people usually think of is newspaper photographers. This has long been a source of employment for many photographers. Increasingly, however, newspapers are using freelance photographers rather than keeping staff photographers. The newspaper industry, as you may have heard, is in a bad state, and they are looking for any way to cut costs. Many photographers find the reduced salaries difficult to live on, even if you are lucky enough to get one of the remaining jobs.
Private Photographers
One of the best means of making a living as a photographer is through private photography. Although many people take their own photographs, many people still like to have family photographs professionally done. School photos are also a popular use for professional photographers with an eye for how to properly pose and light individuals. Of course, if you are working with children it also helps to have a way with children and be able to get them to seem natural in very unnatural situations.
Many people also need professional photographs for their professional lives. Actors need headshots, business people like professional photographs for their cards and for advertisements.
The advent of the Internet has also opened up a new market for photographers. Many businesses need to put a human face to their business to make their online presence more personal. So, if you can master digital photographs you can add yet another source of profit for your business.
Teaching
Finally, you may also be able to supplement you income by becoming a photographer and teacher at the local community college or high school. Often teaching photography by itself will not be enough to get you hired fulltime in a teaching venue, but if you combine this with another subject of expertise, like say English, you could spend a good portion of your time on the photography.
Of course, if you want to keep it for yourself, then becoming a photographer for your own private subjects may simply mean getting a “real” job doing something else and leaving photography for your spare time.