Capturing the Photography Career the Right Way!

On some beach in Bora-Bora Island, sipping the margaritas in the backdrop of the perfect sunset and symphony of waves. Well, isn’t this the perfect moment to capture the serenity of life? A career in photography opens the world for an individual. It is an art that soothes the mind and soul. Opening the smartphone camera and ‘click’, well that’s a photograph for us. It might seem like a cakewalk to many people but it is a lot more complex than we can think. Photography as a career is all about capturing that right emotion in the right moment such that the simple photograph silently conveys the story behind it. In this blog, we will explore all you need to know about a career in photography!

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Why Choose Photography?

Learning the craft of photography is a craft that may never end in itself. It is a continual process of development and advancement. The process of photography is that of experimentation. The method in itself is the one that provides insight into the workings of the photographic world and the creativity behind it. The emotional involvement and physical connection are what make a picture worth a thousand words.

The backbone of a successful career in photography is a perfect amalgamation of creativity and technology. The possibilities for the outcome of the photography process is limitless. It has been proven that photographic vision and creativity can be evolved with learnings and practice. These are the groundbreaking skills in any professional photographers’ life. Some of the things one needs to concentrate on to have a successful career as a photographer are:

• To think deeply about the issues involved in creating successful photographs.
• Defining one’s own unique rhythm and approach as a photographer
• How to translate the scene in front of you to the final photograph
• The differences between realism and abstraction, and the possibilities and limitations of each
• Learning to expand one’s own seeing and creativity through classes, workshops, and associating with other photographers
• To follow one’s passion
• When to listen to the critics and when to ignore them

For an individual to progress, one must acquire skills and technical knowledge to learn about the workings of the photographic world. An eye for detail and understanding the camera well are essential for all budding photographers.

Skills Required for Career in Photography

To become a great photographer and have a rewarding career in photography one should be well versed with the art of:

• Combining conceptual elements with technical elements
• Arranging and understanding composition
• Using digital editing technology
• Setting uplighting
• Putting together a photography portfolio
• Using software and technology like Photoshop
• Understanding terminology
• Using different cameras, films, and equipment

Types of Photography

The world is dependent on this form of art and expression to such an extent that it is impossible to imagine one without it. This has developed into many genres and fields. Let’s look into top genres to draw inspiration from:

Aerial Photography

It is a field of photography wherein the atmosphere and earth’s features are captured from a flying object. Aerial Photography is a lot more to it than just simply taking photographs from the air- even the external factors like air traffic, climatic conditions, etc have to be considered. In today’s time, it is vastly used via satellites, drones, or planes.

Candid Photography

Capturing moments spontaneously, that is as they happen without creating a posed appearance is known as candid photography. Wedding photography is a perfect example of this style of photography. This field of photography is in high demand today. One of the beauties of this field of photography is being able to catch events in the act without disturbing them. It adds life to your pictures.

Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is one of the most popular styles of photography. It describes the fundamentals of taking landscape pictures. It can be pictures of nature or man-made things giving them a perspective. Landscape photography is popularly done by professional travel photographers.

Fashion Photography

‘What we see is what we want to pay for. From fashion magazines to your Instagram wall mocking you with Christian Dior suits and Sabyasachi lehengas- this is fashion photography.
It’s a form of photography wherein photographs showcase clothes and accessories. It’s a complete industry of its own, used for advertisements to online selling of clothes, and can be a lucrative career in photography.

Food Photography

That drool-worthy image of a stack of pancakes with dripping maple syrup. That’s simply heaven, isn’t it? Well, that’s a trick played on you where food photography just tempted away from you with a stack of pancakes with cardboard in between them and motor oil poured over. Don’t fear away, that is advertisers who fooled you. But did you witness the majesty of food photography? This form of photography is all about creating attractive and engaging food pictures. It is an essential part of photography since we are in a generation where it is preferred to upload the photo on Instagram rather than pray to god before the meal.

Check Out: Career as a Food Stylist

Sports Photography

Sports photography is about capturing the action at its peak. This category involves getting up close to the performance in a very fast-paced and action-packed setting. In Sports Journalism, photographers utilize advanced and very long-sight lenses as they are essential to capture sports events.

Street Photography

Documenting daily life with a perspective in public life such that it conveys a story is street photography. It is very similar to candid photography, but the photographer documents the public space as he or she sees it. It is more about capturing the essence of humanity in its raw version. Observation plays a key role in street photography.

Wildlife Photography

This style of photography concentrates on capturing animals in their natural habitat. It is one of the most challenging forms of photography, as it is difficult to capture animals in their proper habitat. This style requires appropriate technical skills and fieldcraft skills. In Wildlife Photography, one needs to be absolutely comfortable with the camera’s settings. If one is not quick enough, they might miss the perfect shot. This is a rewarding and exciting field, especially for animal enthusiasts.

Photojournalism

Amongst the unique types of Journalism, Photojournalism utilizes visuals and images to tell a journalistic piece or news story. If you want to explore a journalism career but as a photographer, this specialized field is an ideal one for you. Photojournalists cover news by capturing compelling photographs that tell a news story without any added text or content. It has been quite a popular style to pursue a career in Photography as photojournalists used to cover wars and significant news events in earlier centuries by working under conflicts and dangerous scenarios.

Forensic Photography

Crime scene photographers or forensic photographers are hired to click pictures of a crime scene for use as evidence. If you are enticed by the thrill that one gets to experience in this job profile, then, it would be best to choose this photography career. However exciting it may sound but, forensic photography is considered to be one of the toughest jobs as it would require you to click detailed images.

Medical Photography

Medical photographers is another prominent name in a list of photography careers. Medical photographers assist the surgeons as well as physicians by helping them understand the complexities of an illness through detailed photographs. Medical photographers may also be asked to keep a record of the operations through photographs. To become a certified medical photographer candidates will have to pursue a UG degree in Medical Illustration where they will be familiarised with peripheral concepts of anatomy and physiology with respect to photography. 

Military Photography

Similar to criminal photography, military photography has now shown out to be a popular job option amongst the ones willing to serve the nation. Military photographers are asked to follow the same proteins just as the soldiers and are asked to cover news conferences, training events along with other important events of the military. They even travel along with various groups to do criminal photography. This field under the photographer career is slightly different as it requires candidates to have advanced level photography skills along with dedication to serve the nation. 

Travel Photography

Experiencing the enchanting views across mountains and capturing them feels more like a dream than a job! But if you have a passion for photography and I like exploring new places, then, setting up a career as a travel photographer would be the best option for you. Either you can lookout for a climb that makes sponsor your trips or do it independently. You can get connected with travel journals and magazines that elaborate the itinerary of popular destinations. By creating a magnificent portfolio, you can apply for the profile of a travel photographer for travel and tourism organizations. 

How to Become a Photographer?

As a field of art, a career in photography does not necessarily require a certain degree or qualification but rather the skills and knowledge of operating cameras and their equipment, composition, aesthetics, lighting, photo editing software, amongst others. The minimum education requirement you would be required to be fulfilled might be 10+2 or a bachelor’s degree in Photography or a related field. Most importantly, those aspiring to become a photographer, generally take up specialized courses [mentioned in the next section] in Photography to learn about the intricacies of carrying out different types of photography, image editing, lighting techniques, amongst others. Many photographers also utilize photo editing services to enhance their images, ensuring the final product meets the highest standards of quality and creativity. It is through years of experience in the field of photography that you can furnish your skills and knowledge of composition, camera techniques, aesthetics, and other factors needed to create scintillating and thought-provoking photographers.

Check Out: Film Direction Course

Duties of a Photographer

Pros of Becoming a Photographer

If you are eagerly prepping towards opting for any of the above-mentioned photographer careers as your full-time job, then, here are some pros of working in this field- 

• Pursuing a career in photography helps one enhance their creativity skills 
• Certified and highly skilled photographer is well paid as compared to the other professions
• Flexibility of working hours 
• Career in this field will enable you to stay updated with the latest trends

Cons of Becoming a Photographer

Here are some cons of pursuing a career in this field- 

• Often photographers are asked to work at odd hours
• The competition in this industry is increasing day by day

List of Photography Courses

Now that you know about the different fields you can explore to pursue a career in Photography, here are the popular Photography courses that you must consider:

• Diploma in Photography
• Diploma in Digital Photography & Imaging
• Associate Degree in Photography
• BFA in Photography
• Bachelor’s in Photography
• BA/BA (Hons) in Photography
• BA/BA (Hons) in Fashion Photography
• BA/BA (Hons) in Photojournalism
• Bachelor’s in Image Arts – Photography Studies
• Masters in Fashion Photography & Film
• MFA in Studio Arts – Photography
• MA Photography

Top Colleges to Study Photography

Here are the top colleges to build a successful career in photography:

London School of Arts, United Kingdom

Established in 1837, the London School of Arts is a premium photography college. Photography is one of the main courses of study available at this premier university. BA (Hons) Photography at London College of Communication (LCC) is an innovative program that encourages young photographers to develop a distinctive approach to photography. It provides a critical and educational environment in which students can develop as artists. They have conceptually driven, multi-genre photography programs, combining practice, theory, and professionalism.

Check Out: Famous Art Colleges

Maryland Institute College Of Art (MICA), United States

MICA founded in 1826, is a leading institute in redefining the role of artists in society as well as in the economy. As one of the oldest colleges that is continuously granting degrees for art and design, it is deeply connected with the community. The photography program at MICA was started 100 years ago, a one of its kind program at that time. The program has developed over the years and today it supports both careers in film and a career in photography. MICA’s new course ‘Picturing the third dimension’ is also a suitable program for budding artists.

Ryerson University, Canada

Ryerson University is at the intersection of mind and action. World-renowned teachers and guest lecturers, and speciality classrooms are the keys to success for a well-rounded education in fine arts and photography. It is considered to be the only postgraduate art and design institution in the whole world to offer its postgraduate students Master of Philosophy, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy. Also known as School of Image Arts, this Canadian school is one of the best fine arts programs in the world. Photography studies at Ryerson are full-time studies, lasting four years.

SPEOS Paris Photographic Institute, Paris

Founded in 1985, SPEOS is at the forefront of photography practice and an option you can’t miss when you plan to add a professional course in your career in photography. They provide professional photography courses in French and English. Speos has its campus in Paris and London. It offers various programs from 1-year and 2-years courses to summer workshops. Over the years SPEOS has also developed its own learning technique based on ‘The Stop System’. Since 2015, Magnum Photos and Spéos have partnered to create a one-year Master’s Award in Creative Documentary & Photojournalism in Paris. And in 2016, Spéos developed a new Masters Level Fashion Photography Programme in collaboration with the iconic photographers, Paolo Roversi and Dominique Issermann.

The New York Institute of Photography, United States

The New York Institute of Photography is the world’s top online school for building a career in photography. Opened doors in 1910, NYIP has been a leading college for photographic education. The NYIP focuses on providing the highest level of distance education training in the art, technique, and business of photography using multi-media training materials developed by the staff and faculty. Even today, real photographers continue to provide high-quality education at The New York Institute of Photography. There are various courses offered at the institute such as travel photography, wedding photography, etc. These courses are moderately priced. Especially if we compare them to a standard college or university degree program. Certificates of completion are awarded that actually have relevance to larger firms.

Parsons School of Design, United States

Founded in 1896, Parsons School of Design was the first school in the United States to offer programs in the field of fine arts. Ranked as the top Art and Design School in the United States, Parsons is a degree program education centre. The main campus of Parsons is in New York City. Parsons also offers online studies and provides certificates on successful completion. Cost of the education will depend on what type of course study you are interested in, but the online courses are very reasonably priced. The New School in NYC is the only university where an eminent design school comes together with premier undergraduate and postgraduate courses and colleges to seek out ways to create a better-designed world.

Vevey School of Photography, Switzerland

Vevey School of Photography, a fine arts school in Switzerland is known as one of the best schools for photography courses not just in Switzerland but also in the world. There is a lot to discover here about photography techniques in addition to the usual print and electronic media. It is a well-known school for its International Photography Award, a grant for photography projects or initiatives. Students at the Vevey School of Arts enjoy a comprehensive and detailed syllabus which covers both the print and electronic media.

Top Colleges in India for Photography

• University of Delhi
• Institute of Mass Communication, Manipal
• International Institute of Mass Media, New Delhi
• Sri Aurobindo Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
• Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida
• YMCA Centre of Mass Media
• Film and Television Institute of India, Pune

Photography Books

If you are going to start a career in Photography or already into it professionally, then you should definitely have a look at these books!

Books	Link
Complete Digital Photography – Ian Farrell	Click Here to Buy!
The Adobe Photoshop CC Book –  Andrew Faulkner & Conrad Chavez	Click Here to Buy!
Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom –  Bruce Fraser	Click Here to Buy!
The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC Book – Scott Kelby	Click Here to Buy!
Our World Now 4 (Fourth Edition): Reuters	Click Here to Buy!
LIFE 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography: The Platinum Anniversary Collection	Click Here to Buy!

Photography is the essence of life in today’s time. Wherever you go, whatever you see they are the frames- frames of life that are captured and transformed for entertainment to corporate purpose. Living in the generation where everyone is interested in photographs, develop your career in photography with us at Leverage Edu to not just kickstart your career but also accelerate it.