If you’re here, you may have been inspired to become a photographer. It must have been after purchasing your first new camera or you just love taking photographs! Maybe you’re a professional photographer wondering if you still got what it takes. Whichever group you belong to, this read will help you understand the world of photography from scratch. Check out this list of things that you need to be a photographer.
#1 Equipment (Camera)
Owning even a basic DSLR camera can really put you one step closer to your dream of becoming a professional photographer. Having your own equipment helps you in practicing this art whenever you want and wherever you want. After owning a camera or having access to at least the basic equipment, you need to ask yourself the following.
#2 What type of Photographer do you want to be?
There are many branches in photography. Some of the major branches are as follows:
Portrait Photography: Taking pictures of people
Press and PR photography: Taking pictures of events as they happen
Landscape photography: Taking pictures of landscapes
Wild Life or Nature Photography: Taking pictures of wildlife and nature.
Wedding Photography: Capturing moments of someone’s wedding.
Fashion Photography: Taking photos of models and designer’s creations
Product Photography: Taking photos of things which are generally to be sold
It’s important to at the least define what type of photographer you want to be based on your inspiration and interests. Every branch has it’s own category of things you need to learn. It’s best to master at least one type of photography if you are serious about becoming a professional photographer.
#3 Technical Education:
Learning basic technical concepts like ISO, Shutter speed, Light balance, etc. of photography are an absolute necessity for you to become a proper professional photographer. You can choose to learn these concepts in one or a mix of the following ways. Join a professional certified course; learning from a reputed institute has many advantages like industry experts being your teachers and guides in the chosen subject. A recognized certification can also open many doors of job opportunities in the industry. You can also take help of the alumni of the institute to get a good paying job.
Intern with a professional photographer:
Another cost-effective way to learn all the tricks and tips of photography is to intern with a professional who’s in the field of your interest. You might even make a small stipend to while you learn photography from a professional.
Learn on the web:
Today information of every kind is freely available online. This method of learning is not for everyone as it takes a lot of motivation and planning to go this way. But if you are someone who’s very good at finding stuff online then this can be for you. Just make sure you make a list of things that you need to learn and find everything online and learn in a structured way.
#4 Patience:
One cannot give enough importance to this in photography. Photography takes a lot of patience. To just click one photo you might have travel a thousand miles and have to wait hours for your subject to get into the right pose. Hence, you need a great amount of patience with this art.
#5 Motivation:
To learn anything new you need to have a great motivation to do it. Make a note of the inspiration which pushed you into photography in the first place so that when you lose motivation in the elaborate and lengthy process of becoming a photographer, you can always remind yourself of the motivation.
Featured image courtesy: Canvera
I’m 60 my Dad was a Photographer all my life, he in his mid 80’s now, back then he work for Cypress Gardens as a Photographer and was always changing jobs trying to make more money. Being a photographer he never made much money, my parents could never pay all the Bill’s. Photography from the 1950’s through the 1990’s when through many changes from Black and white film to color, faster speed film to bether cameras and lenses, did wedding still pictures Nd videos, sports pictures, cheerleading, dance and beauty pageant’s. He stay busy all the time even won several awards for some of his picture, But never did make any real money at it, never could pay all of the home Bill’s, sometimes got the water or power cut off back in thoughs days. He taught me how to do photography to help him, but after watching my mom and dad struggle all their life. I wont take a picture or pick up a camera. When considering become a Photographer think about never having anything in your life to own. Then buy a cheap camera and take picture of your family on vacation instead.
So sorry to hear about your experience !.
And Thank you, for sharing your thoughts on this.
Great. Your points are absolutely so helpful. I will also suggest to the beginners.
Hey Robert, So glad you found this helpful! Thank you for your feedback
[…] Also Read: What Does It Take To Become A Photographer? All You Need To Know […]