This is a guest post from Becky Patterson who writes on the topic of Becoming a Photographer . She can be reached at beckypatterson89[@]gmail[.]com.
The advent of the digital camera
has redefined the way we view photography today – any Tom, Dick or Harry with a
camera thinks they’re the best because technology has made it so easy to
capture images that are clear and beautiful. However, only those with the
discerning eye know that it takes much more than an automatic contraption to
make a photographer worth mentioning, and it’s these people who strive to find
a career in photography. For them, there’s more to shooting pictures than the
mere capture alone; they view photography as an art form that requires the
greatest creativity combined with a host of other factors which vary according
to the kind of photography you choose to go with. So if you’ve decided to make your
passion your profession and hook up with photography for the rest of your life,
here are a few tips that will come in handy: Choose your field of photography because you’re passionate
about it and not for the money. While money is a good thing, it’s passion that
keeps you going and provides the motivation to stay on the job when there are
hindrances and deterrents. However, since there’s no use working for peanuts,
try and find something that lets you achieve a balance between money and love. It’s not easy to find the job of your dreams immediately, so
it’s best to settle for the job you do get, and work towards securing the job
you’ve always wanted. Very often, you find that you like what you’re doing and
settle in to make a career out of it. While formal education is not really necessary to achieve
success in the field of photography, employers are increasingly leaning towards
those with at least a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a major in
photography when they’re hiring. So go to college for four years, or choose to
study online even as you continue to practice photography and experiment with
its various techniques. There’s nothing more important than practice to a
photographer – the more you practice and try out new things, the better you become.
So work at honing your skills and keeping up to date with all that’s happening
in the world of photography, and you’re going to do just fine. Create a portfolio of your best work – talk is good, but
actions (or in this case, photos) speak much louder than words. Each field of photography requires specific skills, so work
on developing yours based on the kind of work that you do. At every stage of your career,
remember this: It’s not easy to become a professional photographer and taste
success overnight – most people slog it out for years as an apprentice or
intern before they’re able to secure a break and branch out on their own. The money may not be good at the beginning and at times, you
may fail miserably if people don’t acknowledge your work and refuse to pay you
the attention or the money you think you deserve. So if you’re hoping for your
own gallery exhibition right from the word go, you’re only chasing a pot of
gold at the end of a fictitious rainbow that’s just a mirage. The hours are long and erratic, especially if you work with
nature and have to wait it out for the perfect light or for the animals to
break from their routine. Boredom is a huge part of photography that you must
be willing to put up with before you enter the profession. Wildlife photography, photo journalism in war-torn countries,
and travel to exotic locations may sound glamorous, but there’s also an element
of danger in these assignments. You could hurt badly, and in worst case
situations, even killed. Most photographers choose to freelance at some point or the
other during their careers; so when you decide to go down this road, know that
the going is going to be tough, and that unless you’re prepared to work hard
and prove yourself through your work, you will not be able to reap rich
rewards.
Excellent article. It does seem that almost everyone with a camera is now self-proclaiming to be a photographer. I totally agree that the physical act of pressing a shutter button does not make someone a photographer.
One point you make that I do not fully agree with, and that is that photography is boring. With the digital age, it's more exciting than ever. Outside or your personal time, what are we wasting snapping 1,000s of pics while we wait for that perfect moment? There are images all around us all of the time, they are just waiting to be captured !
Posted by: Hank | September 26, 2010 at 11:25 PM
Hank - Thanks for your comment. I agree about the improvement wit digital. I am much more likely to be experimental. I take many more images and some end up as paintings. I also photo the stags my paintings and get instant feedback. Bill
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