The occupation of photography is gaining its popularity every year, as well as the number of amateur photographers is constantly increasing. But it’s one thing to shoot with your family and on vacation, and quite another to turn your hobby into a constantly profitable job. Many amateur photographers dream of becoming professionals, but not everyone succeeds, and not at all because it is impossible in a competitive environment, but rather because of insufficient perseverance and painstaking work.
If you are on fire with the idea of becoming a real photographer, then it is not necessary to immediately leave your main job, try photography in your free time, and when the results appear, then you can completely switch to a new income. But do not forget that photography is not just pressing the shutter button, it is a constant many hours of work and patience. But first things first.
How to start a photography career
First of all, you need to get the necessary equipment. It is worth noting that at first you do not need expensive equipment, an average amateur-level SLR camera is enough, for example Canon 500D, Nikon D5000. Of course, the choice of camera also depends on your skills, maybe you already have a number of practical and theoretical knowledge, and it will be easier for you to get used to the new technique, or maybe you can just start with an ordinary compact soap dish to learn the very basics of photography.
When starting out in photography, you will also need a large memory card, a tripod if you are most likely to shoot studio or landscape photography, a lens filter to help prevent lens contamination and damage, and a handy camera backpack. In the beginning, you may be limited to a standard lens, but later on you will also need detachable optics, depending on your needs.
How to start a photography career
Learn theory and put it into practice right away. In photography, it is impossible to first read a ton of books, and only then start photographing. From a variety of literature and Internet sources, you can choose the most suitable literature on the basics of photography for yourself. You can also sign up for a master class where group classes are held with a teacher. The convenience of such lessons lies in personal contact, the possibility of discussing mistakes and communicating with other shooting enthusiasts. Usually such courses are not very expensive, but if you cannot afford them, then study everything on your own, which will also bring you good results with diligence.
Try yourself in a variety of photography genres: portrait, landscape, wedding, children, scene photography. It often happens that a person succeeds perfectly in one direction close to him. After you have tried different types of photography, decide which genre is more interesting for you to work with and practice it more.
How to start a photography career
Take more photos wherever you are. The more you shoot, the more experience you will gain. Going to work, on a visit, on vacation, take a camera with you, because interesting moments can even be in unexpected places. After you have more hands-on experience, try taking photos for free or for little money. You can shoot at friends’ weddings, birthdays, take portraits of your acquaintances and place the most successful of them in your portfolio to let your future customer understand examples of your work.
A good solution can be photobanks, where you can post your pictures for sale on the Internet. Although the clientele in photobanks is multi-million, the requirements for photographs are quite strict, therefore it is always necessary to improve in knowledge of technical and exposition. A great solution would be your own website, where you can advertise your work and find new customers.