Your photography is a career where you never stop learning, no matter how many years you've been in the business. And while there are things that can be learned before starting out as a professional and setting up your own business - like which camera to buy or what kind of gear will best suit your needs - some skills only come with time spent working on projects for clients. You're not just capturing moments; every single day counts when it comes to honing creative talent and building an impressive portfolio because everything's different: from lighting conditions at sunrise vs sunset, people-watching around town during lunch hour versus rush hour traffic...
Your photography is full of endless possibilities!
In today's post, we will be looking at six of those things.
Ready?
Six Things About Being a Pro Photographer
1. Technology Changes Rapidly
When I first started out as a photographer, we were still shooting on film cameras so when digital became the norm there was a huge technology shift. To begin with, it wasn't always clear if digital would ever be able to replace its predecessors and take over from them but now some of my favorite photos are taken digitally. Digital cameras have come a long long way in a short time period. And besides that point is you'll realise at one stage or another in your life that whatever camera gear you have access to - whether it's new or old - doesn't matter because photography has never been about just having fancy equipment anyway; your creativity is what makes great photographs.
2. It’s Not Just About Your Photographs
One of the best ways to become a successful professional photographer is not necessarily to be great at photography. Don't get me wrong. Your images need to be good but you don't have to be the best. You need instead, as one may find out only through experience, an exceptional business head on you or else your career in this profession will fall short before it even starts.
If you’re thinking about becoming a photographer then I would always remind you that you won't spend most of your days capturing images. People aspiring towards being professional photographers should prepare themselves from day 1 by understanding what running a photo-based company means -- namely finding new clients, keeping up with administrative tasks (and there are a lot), updating your website, retouching images and even keeping your social media fresh.
3. Working Your Own Hours
Yes, being a freelance photographer does allow you to set your own hours to a certain extent. But the more experience you gain, the more you’ll notice that clients don’t always stick to regular 9-5 hours. Weddings almost always take place on a weekend, as do most family portrait sessions.
And if you shoot events, expect to be shooting late into the evening. Do you like to party into the wee hours of the morning? Guess what? So do your clients. What you'll learn as you get further into your photography career is that your hours have to be flexible in order to accommodate your clients’ needs.
4. Only A Very Few Photographers Get Rich
Photography requires perseverance and deep dedication to the art. There is a lot of competition in this industry, but most people get into it because they love what they do and couldn't imagine doing anything else. To make photography successful you need time invested at work as well as dedicating yourself wholly to your craft by practicing often, networking with other artists like yourself, reading up on techniques from different schools or philosophies such as those found within street photography or fine arts for example; there are many ways that one can go about becoming better which will inevitably lead them towards success if not fame also. Furthermore photographers should always keep themselves updated when new technology comes out otherwise their skills will become obsolete very soon - so stay current my friends.
5. Networking Is Crucial
Whether it’s building a network of other photographers to discuss ideas with, or call on if you need help, to meeting people in business who can help you find work, networking is vital for growing your business. When you start out, it can be easy to become insular and just focus internally. But with experience comes the knowledge that no photographer is an island. I must admit to living in my own little world just so you know.
6. Clients Won't Always Appreciate Your Creative Vision
Photography is art, and all art is subjective. Each and every one of your clients will have different ideas on what they like and don’t like. When we first start out in photography we all want to shoot in our own style and it can be a struggle to realise that not all our clients will want the same thing we do. But with time and experience, you’ll learn that adapting your style to your client’s needs is no bad thing – it allows us to keep growing and learning as photographers and to carry on evolving. On the other hand, if you have your own unique photographic style, there is a good chance your clients have come knocking on your door for that very reason.
Evolving in the photography business is a lot like growing up. A key word to remember is "evolve". When you're evolving as a photographer and artist, your talent is changing with you. As time progresses we see things differently than before and adapt accordingly when we grow up; this applies to photographers too.
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