Are you one of those who started taking an interest in Photography? Maybe one who wants to pursue this field as a career or a newbie is excited about this field. Whoever you are, this field will change your perspective as to how you look at something and how creatively you can curate something for yourself.
Hi everyone, I am Satyam Prajapati, a full-time Fashion & Commercial Photographer, Retoucher & Image Analyst. After working as Assistant Photographer for several years and now into mainstream work for my brand named “Retro Color – A creative House” where we create creative images, Videos & much more for various brands & designers.
Today I want to tell you how you can start in this field and become successful.
So let’s divide this conversion into some points so that you can understand every Point clearly and ask yourself – “are you ready for this”?
Many people feel that they get bored with their jobs & now it’s excellent time to shift over this field with some good bank balance.
Please wait…… Think Again…. are you doing right.?
You have given yourself to the existing field for several years. You have started from scratch and reached this level with a lot of hard work. Earning a handsome amount of money but if you left your existing field then what’s your source of income.? until you don’t become a professional or start earning from it?
Don’t think that in just the learnings of 2 months you will start working and get a good amount of money from Photography. Never! it’s a slow and steady process that takes time as your earlier job did.
So, what should you do? The answer is to start slow. Maintain your mindset that you want to do Photography. Take a Part-time course to learn at least the basics of Photography – how to operate a camera, Exposure & much more in this field. When you feel you have learned, start doing some fieldwork.
Just a Hobby
If you feel it’s just a hobby for you, make up your mind that this new exciting field is set to refresh you from your daily routine and make you feel good. Start learning Photography, experiment with this field, and enjoy it.
If you have a camera at your home then that camera is best for you to learn Photography, Even nowadays your mobile phone camera has a lot more to know and performs similar functions as DSLR/SLR – Mirrorless camera does. Terminologies will remain the same from Mobile to Dslr. what’s the biggest difference come when you shift from a phone to Dslr, is just you will have a separate button to perform that function in Dslr cameras like the White Balance button, Focus ring, Mode Changing button, function button, etc. Image Quality will improve drastically due to an increase in sensor size & much more.
Now you have set your mind and are ready to do Photography what kind of Photography you took for yourself to do?
I am gone divide it into Two major categories and then into subcategories.
Commercial Photography
In this type of Photography, a photographer works with various advertising agencies and Brands. They together create work that a person can see everywhere like Hoardings on the road, Advertisement Banners, Television ads, and much more. This genre of Photography is the highest Paying among all and gives fame to photographers. As you know Success comes with great efforts and a steady mindset that leads you to cross all the barrier of difficulties that falls in your path.
Sub Categories:
These 4 are the majors that you can hear from anyone in this field. Many people add different types of Photography to this genre. It’s all completely up to them.
Photojournalism & Photo Story Telling
In this genre, you act as a storyteller who tells stories from photographs or works as a photojournalist for News houses, Print mediums like Newspapers, Tabloids & magazines. Wildlife Photographers, Street photographers, and Nature & Landscape Photographers work passionately for Organisations like Netgeo, Discovery, Photographers Without Borders, & Many more. These are the top organizations that give, international platform to your work
Many of you heard the Name “Steve McCurry” – a famous photographer Who covered many wars and the daily routine of life differently. One of his most notable works is ” Afghan Girl ” a beautiful pictorial depiction of innocence. Also, check the work of “John stanmeyer” & so on.
Subcategories
I will also include Wedding Photography in this Genre because a wedding is a kind of Event that happens once & documenting such an Event makes you a photo storyteller.
So I hope you will get a broader idea of defining yourself into a Particular genre of Photography and set your thinking according to that.
Stepping into a luxurious career, you should be aware of conditions that come with it like:
Important Note for every photographer
If you are shifting into Photography or taking it as a career, keep one thing clear with yourself. Want to earn from it? You should have a “Good amount of money in your bank account”. I will not tell you the reason behind it once you will come to a later stage, you will get it (Thank me later).
Networking is the key to get success in any business. The same applies here, A good network will help you in your entire career.
In commercial Work – Print media, Agencies, makeup artists, stylists, Designers, Production houses, and Brands. etc are the backbone of your network. If you have good relations with the above community, you will work a lot and have chances to get published.
Presentation is the most crucial thing in show business if you are weak to present yourself and your work. Please do hire someone to teach you or do it for you. I have learned it from great experiences like losing some high-level clients because my presentation doesn’t fit as they want or is incapable of reaching their expectations.
So please learn it from starting or if you have problems with such things, let someone do it for you.
I have included some key points in this article, as I feel all these points are necessary for you to understand before entering this field & you have to maintain the same while working.
If you feel I left something or need to add something from your experience. Do let me know in the comment section & also mention the topics that you want me to share with you.