4 Tips for Aspiring Professional Photographers
If you want to be a photographer, starting can be overwhelming. You can do some things that will put you in the right position to make a career out of this fun activity. A bunch of little things go into being a great professional photographer. Here is a guide to set yourself up for success.
Do your research and purchase a quality photography starting kit
The first thing you will need, obviously, is equipment to get the job done. There is a high cost of entry into photography, so make sure you are saving up and making an educated decision. You will want to save up to have the money to buy excellent starter equipment that you can use for years. This will be worth far more than just buying any normal camera. Look on some photographer forums and find the best camera that is in your price range. Make sure to reach out to other professional photographers, as well, to get their opinion.
Canon and Nikon both have quality cameras that you can’t really go wrong with. The price might be high, but it will pay off once you have clients pouring in.
Think ahead about the elements when shooting photos
Being a photographer means having to deal with a lot of outside factors such as weather. If you are shooting engagement photos or family photos, make sure you are on top of the best time to shoot and the best day. Sunrise and sunset always have the best lighting, which is known among photographers. Plan out your shoots meticulously so that you don’t run into rain or bad lighting.
If you are shooting in the elements, always come prepared. Bring an umbrella as well as a raincoat just in case. When shooting on a sunny day, you will definitely need some designer prescription sunglasses so that you can see clearly while not being blinded by the sun!
Practice with friends and family, then start a client base
Before signing with clients, you will need some trial runs. If you have a family member getting engaged, ask if you can do their engagement photos for free. Obviously, you won’t want to work for free after you practice. This is a way to benefit them and get in some practice. Doing a few practice shoots with friends will build your confidence and give you some photos for your portfolio. After this step, you’ll start deciding on a pricing structure and business model for your work.
Have a portfolio website
People aren’t just going to blindly hire you without a portfolio — that is the bottom line. You might be able to start out getting friends and family to hire you, but eventually you will need to collect your best photographs and create a website. It doesn’t have to be anything too time-consuming, but you will need to go through your photos and find the best ones.
Store all the photos you take on a cloud photo storage platform. You never know when you will want to switch up your website or send sample photographs to clients. Storing your photos also gives you a backup in case clients lose their copies. The fun part is that storing photos helps you to see your progress over time as a photographer.
A career as a professional photographer is a lot of hustle, but also a lot of fun. You get to meet people and capture their lives in a way that they can cherish forever. Kick-start this fulfilling career with these tips, and you will be sure to be happy with the results.
