Careers in Photography
Introduction
Is photography a good career to pursue? This is probably one of the many questions that get through the minds of those pursuing courses in photography, and they want to know if it would be a good career. Photography might have faced several ups and downs over the past and thanks to technology growth, which has provided so many platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram that have made photography flourishing. The fields that makeup photography are varied concerning different areas of interest. The photography field is, therefore, quite vast. There are also stipulations to becoming a photographer and focusing on the various areas of interest. To better understand the careers in photography, it is key to look at the basic nature of the field, which focuses on the intricacies of the same.
To establish oneself in photography as a career, there is a need to acquire certain skills and qualifications. Photography, as a visual career, targets the perception of its audience. A career in photography does not necessarily require a graduate degree; a diploma course will still do the trick of equipping a person with the techniques vital for photography. This means that the focus is on how appealing and professional the photography is and not the professional qualifications. Employers in the field of photography value hard work and a good attitude over qualifications. People with a good head for business and a strong portfolio become successful in all industry aspects.it is important for a photographer to build on their skills overtime to ensure that they provide work that is of high quality.
The knowledge prerequisites for any photographer vary from basic information on the field to specific individual skills that are acquired through hard work and dedication. First, the basic knowledge of modern and traditional forms of photography gives the photographer a better understanding of the field. It is important to have historical knowledge as well as the current knowledge on the issue. It informs the photographer’s choice in the development of their style. Without this basic information, the photographer will be unaware of trends in the market, but they will also not know which trends didn’t work out well. The other key aspect of photography knowledge is the acquiring of excellent image editing and composition skills. As mentioned, photography is mostly about the appearance and the perception of the audience. These two skills, image editing, and composition, provide the background of ensuring that an appealing picture is produced. The photographer needs to apply all the skills at their disposal to inspire the audience through their work. This will require not only knowing the target audience but also applying their learned skills to ensure they do high quality work.
Motivation as a controlling factor in photography has often been cited as a very important thing. This could be attributed to the nature of photography itself. Photography is presented as a career choice where the photographer has to convince the audience of the beauty of their work. Therefore, it is the photographer’s work to present their idealized vision to people and expect them to perceive it positively. It is the work of the photographer to present what they see to other people. The motivation factor comes in entwined with passion. Without a passion for photography, capturing the scene would not be as inspired. The photographer needs to have a strong passion for their chosen career and also have the motivation to keep at it. Most careers in photography do not bring in good enough money until a few years after starting. This is because clients mostly trust seasoned photographers who have versed portfolios and good recommendations. Therefore, many beginners have to go for little pay or long periods without work. Without passion and motivation to keep at it even when they have no paying jobs, it would be easy for them to lose hope. It is thus important for photographers to acquire motivation in order or them to increasingly work hard towards establishing themselves in their careers.
A career in photography is more than just making a living, but it allows realizing a career that is fulfilling, based on love. If a person is determined to succeeding in a photography career, then dedication and hard work will open endless opportunities. Photography is a magical career in itself that allows the imagination of the photographer to go wild and free. Techniques are vital in this field since, as times are changing, so is technology. A photographer must do research and keep up with the available techniques. The presence of technology has hugely changed the photography field. To begin with, it has promoted the field and the work of individual photographers greatly. Technological advancements have introduced a global platform for photographers. Through various social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and more, photographers can showcase their work to a wider population. Also, there are more chances to learn photography from online classes and such forums that encourage upcoming photographers. The photographers are hence able to expand on their skills through the internet by learning from other professionals located all over the world.
However, the introduction of all these technological advancements has led to some problems in the field. First, the internet has ruined the market for photography due to pirating and sharing pictures on social media platforms. It has become increasingly hard for photographers to copyright their work, which results in their manipulation. The works of many photographers are used for financial gain by individuals and companies without the creator’s knowledge. Also, the presence of the internet has resulted in flooding in the photography market. Due to easily available online courses and tutorials, there has been a rise in the number of photographers. This has affected the price ranges and quality of the photographers. The prices fluctuate about the quality provided and the market demand. The quality of photographs, especially on the internet, has declined due to the various individuals working as photographers without proper advanced skills.
There are numerous careers to venture into in photography. These careers are based solely on an individual’s source of interest. Examples of these careers include; wedding, commercial, wildlife, industrial, photojournalist, fine arts, portraits, and freelancers. These are not all the available careers in the field as there are more options. To begin with, commercial photography refers to the style of photography that captures pictures for media-related purposes. The job has more of a freelancing angle as the photographer works with magazine commercials, websites, and the like. Another form of photography is wildlife photography. As the title states, this type of photography has to do with wildlife. The wildlife photographer captures images of the world and various wildlife. These works are then presented in magazines or the general media. Employment for such photographers can be in various wildlife media societies or even freelancing then selling them to interested parties.
A photojournalist can work with newsworthy places, people, sporting, community, and political events. A photojournalist can work as a salaried employee or own their business as a freelance photographer and have a license for their photo stock agencies and contracts with clients. A person can become a fine art photographer and enjoy the creative freedom of creating their work and selling it to galleries, people, libraries, churches, banks, hotels, and interior designers. Industrial photographers capture machines, artifacts, buildings, landscapes, industrial processes, and other models. Industrial photography aims to showcase the processes within industries to the consumers.
A studio/ portrait photographer can work in their studios and take pictures of individuals and groups. They also have the opportunity of specializing in particular events such as religious ceremonies, weddings, and school photographs. Some portrait photographers work on location while others own their businesses, which necessitates them to advertise, schedule appointments, frame pictures, and mounts, and on other occasions, hire and train other employees to help them in their work. Another career in this field would be to become a freelance photographer who can be hired out on a job basis. It is an enjoyable prerequisite to those who prefer to work on their schedule or even to work on several projects. Freelancers do as many jobs just as employed photographers, and the difference is that their pay is not consistent. Some of the freelancers specialize in aerial photography, weddings, fashions, and portraits.
There are several challenges and problems associated with photography as a career. These problems stem from the individual’s professionalism and also the client’s satisfaction. The current and most prominent problem is the fact that the photography market is saturated with skilled photographers. This poses a major problem, especially for beginner photographers. The beginning photographers need to work on their skills and clientele to ensure that they attract a reasonable customer base. Also, photography skills keep changing. The market demand for photographers keeps shifting, necessitating photographers to keep themselves up to date with the various trends. The advancement of technology has led to varying and rapidly changing trends in most fields. It is easy for a photographer to be surpassed by modern trends if they do not pay attention to the changing times. Lastly, the customer’s needs are always varied and relative under each of the same. It is the photographer’s work to ensure that they are not only aware of their clients’ needs but also to work to cater to them.
Many people argue that a photography career does not pay and that it is too challenging. The challenges associated with a career can be easily navigated. These problems can be resolved by staying up to date on all the new photography trends and paying attention to the clients’ needs. Photography is all about capturing an image that pleases the clients through incorporating skill and passion. Furthermore, there is no job without challenges, but photography requires good skills that can only be obtained through a lot of hard work and practice. The career is rewarding, but only if one is willing to take rewarding challenges and living life through the eye of the camera. The options are multiple and can help one create photography. To achieve added benefits from photography, it is important to maintain hard work, diligence, and patience.
Conclusion
As a field, photography can be very rewarding. It requires sufficient exposure through the right channels, which can only be achieved by proving that one has sufficient skills and knowledge to provide quality work. There are numerous careers in photography, which can accommodate a variety of people’s needs. The challenges that face the field can be overcome with diligence and patience, which would reflect positively even in regards to financial payout. Generally, photography is a field that caters to the people and is highly fulfilling as it leads to the art of the photographer being appreciated by people.