When you are choosing a career or profession, it is not an easy decision to make.
There are so many things you need to take into consideration, such as the job description, and whether or not it is suited to you. In addition to this, you will want to consider the wages, and the type of training you will need.
Photography is a fantastic career to pursue, there are so many routes that you can take, and it is a fairly well paying job too. Even so, there are some people that may not recommend photography as a career.
In this article, we will be talking you through everything you need to know about choosing photography as a career.
We will be talking you through the different types of photography you can choose, the pay, and whether or not it is a worthwhile career to consider.
What Is Photography?
Before we delve into whether or not photography is a good career, here is what photography entails.
A photographer is a person who takes photographs for a living. It is a fairly broad term, and can cover a wide variety of different types of photography.
Some types of photography include portraits, sports, animal, and macro. The photograph is taken on a camera, and they are often edited. Photographers are often hired for specific events such as photoshoots, parties, and weddings.
Qualifications Needed For Photography
What is great about photography is that in theory, anyone can become a photographer. Unlike becoming a doctor, or nurse, there are no specific qualifications you need to complete or carry out in order to become successful.
While there are photography courses, qualifications and degrees you can choose to take, they are not necessary. However, they will help you to improve your knowledge of the career.
In addition to this, they are useful when it comes to building up connections in the industry.
Essentially all you need in order to be successful at photography is a camera, the correct accessories, and experience using the camera. You will also need to be comfortable and confident editing the images on programs such as photoshop, too.
Is Photography A Good Career?
When it comes to the question of whether or not photography is a good career, this is something that can be debated. Whether or not something is a good career is relative, and will vary depending on what you are basing your opinion on.
On the whole, photography is a great career to consider, especially if you are looking to photograph events. This is because there is always a need for photographers, and therefore, you will not be short of work.
However, as with any job, there are a number of things that you will want to take into consideration, such as the wage, and the qualifications needed. You will need to weigh up whether photography is a good job for you to consider.
The Type Of Photography
The type of photography you choose will have an impact on how successful your venture is.
As a result of this, you will want to push your photography and skills as much as possible. The more experience you have, and the more connections in the industry you make, the more successful your career path will be.
If you are choosing careers in wedding or photoshoot photography, these tend to be a lot more popular in comparison to animal photography, for example.
As a result of this, you will need to take into consideration what type of photography you want to specialize in, and whether it will work for you.
Opportunities
The great thing about photography is the amount of opportunities it creates. If you are able to travel for your photography, you will be able to see some amazing sites you may never have seen before.
In addition to this, you may land your dream role photographing your favorite celebrity or animals. The possibilities really are endless when it comes to photography, and you get out of it what you put in.
The harder you work, and the more you push yourself to take on new and exciting opportunities, the better your experience will be.
If photography is your passion, being a photographer could be your perfect career path. You will be able to live the dream every day, which is something that is so rewarding.
The Downfalls
If you are successful in your photography career it is a fantastic option to consider. However, a job role is not always positive, and there are some drawbacks to being a photographer.
If you are carrying out your photography freelance, the pay cannot always be relied upon.
This can be difficult if you have a mortgage, bills, or rent to pay. A stable source of income is preferred. So, while freelance jobs can be great in terms of flexibility, the lack of regular income can be worrying for some people.
In addition to this, photography is quite subjective. As a result, a client may not always be happy with the photographs you have taken.
This can be difficult to deal with, especially if the photographs are from a specific event. There is a certain amount of pressure put on photographers that needs to be taken into consideration.
Can You Make Good Money As A Photographer?
Yes, if you are charging clients correctly, then you can make good money as a photographer.
With the more experience you gain, the more valued you will be as a photographer. As a result, you can justify raising the prices of your photography to reflect this.
On average, a photographer will make up to $40,000 a year, which is a reasonable amount. However, this can increase to over $50,000 for those who are particularly talented.
As the majority of photographers own their own business and are freelance, you are in control of the prices you charge. However, some photographers will have a set wage if they are employed by a company.
As we have already discussed, the only downfall with photography is that it is not always a steady or stable income if you are freelance. This can affect mortgage applications, which is worth keeping in mind.
What is great about photography is that there are so many routes you can go down, and there are different ways to make money.
You can even choose to sell your photographs or prints at art shows or online too. This can be done alongside being hired for specific jobs or events.
Summary
We hope you have found this article useful. As you can see, the answer to this question is subjective.
But, on the whole, we think that photograph is a great career to consider. It provides a great number of opportunities, and it allows you to showcase your natural talents.
While it can be difficult to put yourself out there and make yourself known in the photography world, when you do, you will reap the benefits from this. Overall, the pay is fairly good, and photographers are in high demand.
As a result, even though most photographers are freelance, and do not have a set income, they are able to find work easily.