So you want to be a Professional Photographer? [Pt 1]
So you want to be a Professional Photographer? [Pt 1]
In the first in this series I'll be offering tips and advice to aspiring professionals, amateurs and enthusiasts alike
Hi Steemians!
Thanks for stopping by, I'm Chris, I've been a photographer for around 13 years now, starting out working in Live music and for the last 8 years almost exclusively shooting weddings with my wife Verity (@vtravels) around the world but mainly here in the UK.
You've got the bug
Maybe you're hooked on Instagram (Or Steem!), you have just bought your first DSLR or maybe you have already got yourself a great portfolio. If you're reading this I'm going to assume you're at least semi-interested in pursuing a career as a photographer. Awesome! It's a fantastic career that can give you a lifestyle unlike any other. It's also a commitment to a lifetime of financial insecurity. That's not me trying to put you off, it's really not! But this IS a tough industry, whether you're shooting weddings, live music, portraits or any other sector. Over the last 10 years the industry has exploded at the ground level. That's to say - there is more competition now than ever before. What's more, even when you do establish yourself in the industry you're going to face stiff competition for the duration of your time in business.
Bring it on!
Still interested? Whew! I'll tell you a secret - despite all of it's negatives, stress and effort, photography is one of the most rewarding careers you could possibly have. You'll get to make your own hours and working routine, if you're lucky you'll even be able to command a fantastic hourly rate. But none of it comes easy, if you're really interested in being a photographer - like most things in life; you're going to have to work for it!
But where to start?
Start everywhere. Start anywhere. Just start. Get out there and take photos, with whatever camera you have. You may have heard the quote:
'The best camera, is the one you have with you'
As an amateur I remember thinking this was just something people with nice cameras have. But it really is true. It was true ten years ago and it's certainly true now. Lets not forget the Canon 5D Mark 1 had 12.8 Megapixels. The new iPhone has 12.
The point is you need to find where your passion in photography lies. Test your patience and your persistence. Some things, like sports, offer almost instant gratification (I think that's what I always liked about live music) whereas something like wildlife photography can take days of dedication for that one great shot!
It's not about the camera
Well no, but I know what you're thinking, and you're right. You will need to invest in photography, early on and indeed throughout your career. But what are your options early on?
Option 1 - 'I've got a bit of money saved up'
If you have the money then a DSLR is the perfect starting point. I can safely say that any consumer grade DSLR currently available in stores will be plenty good enough. Hell, I shot over 100 PAID weddings on a consumer grade Canon (Read - The cheapest Rebel available), a kit lens and a 50mm 1.8 lens. Yep, paid the bills and everything! The 50mm 1.8 is a fantastic addition to any kit bag, mainly because it's about the cheapest low light lens you can buy and at a focal length that is fairly flexible to work with.
Option 2 - 'The shoestring budget'
No, you're not totally screwed! There's a plethora of incredible deals to be had on outdated equipment. Whether that's an older model DSLR (My first Rebel the 350d is now on ebay at 39.99!) or a 35mm Mechanical SLR, there are options out there that will allow you to not only practice your craft, but create an incredible portfolio. Most portfolio websites only use downscaled images (Our wedding website's biggest images are only 2000 pixels on the longest side!) that means that whether you're using a scanned 35mm shot, or a 8MP first wave DSLR, you'll be just fine! Maybe stay away from those high ISO's (DSLR) and ASA's (if you're using film) but you'll certainly be able to get to work on a portfolio.
Lights, Camera [in hand], ACTION!
So you have your camera sorted? And it all seems mighty complicated? I remember the feeling well. So I immersed myself in text, learning everything I could about light, kit, technique and just about everything I could possibly read about. And after 6 months of reading I learned more in one night shooting a friends band than I had in 8 months of reading.
The truth is there is no substitute for practice. Photography is an art. But it's also a skill. Like any skill it can be practiced and refined. They say that after 10,000 hours of doing anything you'll become a master. It's true, really! Trust me, if you spend 10,000 hours taking photos, you WILL have some bloody incredible ones!
I'm not going to go into how to use a camera here, there's plenty of them online and I'll do technique posts down the line anyway.
For now, just take those cameras, get out there and make photos! If they aren't quite right, take them again!
I'd love to hear where you're at with your photography journey and what you'd like to learn about. This will be a fairly comprehensive guide with multiple 'bitesize' pieces.
I really hope you've enjoyed this introduction to the series and, most of all, I hope I've inspired you to get out there taking photos!
That first photo is just perfect!
I hope you like it on Steemit! There's an amazing number of photographers here and quite a few photo contests for you to smash.
Good luck!
Thanks @Aussieninja, great to see another Ninja Warrior on here too! It's an incredible thing to be a part of and I definitely didn't expect to find more Ninja's here!
Awesome, are you still training? Do you know Fred Dorrington? He did so well on Aussie Ninja Warrior!
You are so so so followed now!
Not personally, he wasn't on my series but I tested one of the courses he ran, he did pretty well in the UK too!
That's a great write up and exactly on point! Photography really starts with what's between the ears and in the heart. Any camera can work in the hands of someone who's inspired. But at some point, I do want to get a DSLR and actually learn photography. Everything I post on here is exclusively shot on iPhone mostly because of ease. I always have my phone with me.
Absolutely! It's amazing how many photos you see that you just wouldn't know were shot on a smartphone!
Great post, lots of information, I hope a lot of people find this useful!
Congratulations @skiesandsports! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP