How do photographers start their career?
The beginning is always the same, for us all.
We somehow have a good eye for images, then we get really passionate about taking photographs and finally we buy a camera. Is enough to call ourselves photographers? It's a common belief among beginners.
But when we step into the professional world, with our pretty portfolio online, we get slapped in the face.
The truth is that becoming a professional photographer is a lot harder than you think and it requires more than just a good eye.
FIRST, LEARN THE CRAFT
If buying plumbing tools doesn’t make you a plumber, then buying a camera doesn’t make you a photographer, right?
This is like any other job. People go to school for years in order to get good at something, they invest time in their education.
So why should you be fine with that 2 hours class on YouTube? I have nothing against YouTube, it’s a marvellous learning tool. And nothing against self taught photographers either.
What I’m trying to say is that - whether you go to photography school or you decide to learn on your own - you’ll have to dedicate A LOT of time to improving your skills.
Do you think that Picasso pulled his creativity and technique out of nowhere? Or that he studied and practiced every single day?
MARKET YOURSELF
It’s a common - and naive - belief that if you’re good at taking photos you’ll be soon discovered and appreciated by people. I’m certainly guilty of it too.
Truth is, your shiny website’s got zero value if nobody knows it exists. And - frankly - out there there’s plenty of other good photographers.
So roll up your sleeves and start asking yourself why people should invest in you.
LEARN HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS
Running a photography business is not only about taking and delivering images. In fact, taking photos is only a fraction of your daily life as a professional photographer.
We talked about marketing already, but there’s so much more. You have to find new clients, be active on social media, write emails, take care of your website, stay updated with the new trends, study, read magazines and books, deal with your finances, be a book keeper and report your taxes, etc.
If you can’t be bothered with all of it then I’d suggest you keep photography as a hobby.
WORKING CONDITIONS CAN BE CRAZY
Some photographers work in uncomfortable, or even dangerous surroundings. Imagine for example news photographers covering accidents, natural disasters or war conflicts. Or nature photographers forced to wait hours in all kinds of weather conditions. Or reporters, who often work under strict deadlines.
We usually carry heavy bags, and so we all suffer from back pain.
We don't even have normal working hours, because sometimes things take place during holidays, weekends, evenings. Most weddings for example take place on Saturdays.
Not to mention the fact that we often find ourselves voluntarily sacrificing our own safety just to get “that” shot. LOL.
YOU ARE IN CHARGE!
There is a nice sound to it.
Self-employment offers autonomy, freedom of expression and flexible scheduling, yes. The down side of it is that income can be uncertain and the continuous, time-consuming search for new clients can be stressful.
Among all the aspects of running a photography business, I believe this is the scariest. Being your own boss means that you are the ONLY ONE responsible of how your business goes. Every success and every mistake is on you and there’s no room for blaming other factors.
On the other hand, every success will be your success, and - trust me - that will be priceless.
I didn't write this article to scare you out. My intent is simply to tell you the truth about a job that's always been idolized. Social media show successful photographers that seem to do nothing but travel and take photos. But there's so much more behind it. There's the hard work and the passion, there's study and dedication. And there's also plenty of mistakes along the road.
But hey that's how you learn, isnt' it?