One of the most popular hobbies that people get involved with comes in the form of photography. It is popular as everyone who has a mobile phone camera can get involved. Photography as a career has evolved because of this. You may be sitting there wondering how you can turn your hobby into a career. Continue reading to find out.
Understand What You Like
Before doing anything else, consider what you like about photography. Think about what sort of photos you like taking and what elements of that could be interesting for a career. For example, are you someone who likes taking candid photos, or are you someone who likes focused photos at events?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be photos you have taken; it could just be a style of photos you’ve always liked. Having more of an understanding of what you want out of a potential photography career will serve you well. Not only should you think about the roles and job titles you would like, but also specific styles.
If you like a few different styles and types of photography, then it may be a good idea to consider going into a freelance role. It would help if you researched the job profile of a freelance photographer so that you understand what it entails. This could give you more freedom than it otherwise would if you had partnered with a company. The main takeaway is, you should have an idea of the direction you want to go in when it comes to being a photographer and what you like about it.
Take Lots Of Pictures
All in all, taking lots of pictures could be your pathway to turning your photography hobby into a career. The more photos you take, the more you can learn and develop your skills. Taking and posting more photos also allows you to also be seen more, which could allow you to secure more jobs and gigs further down the road.
You can compare your older photos to your new ones to see just how your skills may have trained. While you can learn through experience and time, it will also serve you well to research different methods and the different elements involved in taking a good photo. This will improve your skills and give you the knowledge you can use on clients to showcase your expertise.
If you don’t already, you should read about lens aperture through expert guides. This will give allow you to learn how aperture affects photos and give you more of an understanding of some settings on your camera. The best photographers know how to work with light, and having more of an understanding of your camera’s aperture gives you control. Take more pictures and utilise different settings to find out more.
Network Around Naturally
You may have made some photographer friends over the last few years through your own photography hobby adventures. These connections could provide you with a platform to turn the hobby into a career, especially if they have established themselves in the industry with their own career.
You could lean on them for advice and gain more insight about what you need to do to advance your own potential career. Once you have an established base, you should look to network further. This can be done via social media as well as word of mouth. There are networking tips for photographers available online that could be of use to you, too.
The more connections you build through networking, the more your name will be known. This allows you to secure more jobs in the future and can lead to more people coming to you. There will also be industry networking events that could serve you well. When you are networking, it will be key to do this naturally and not force through any attempts, as this will likely fall flat.
Consider The Finances
Lastly, while it’s a topic that no one like to discuss, it is still a topic that must be discussed. You will need to consider the finances. For someone looking to make photography their career, the money you invest will likely focus on your equipment. This will include your camera and any accessories and lenses you may need to enhance it.
There are a few examples of accessories that could serve you well. For example, you could make use of a tripod to help get a more stable and accurate photo. You can also purchase storage equipment that allows you to take and hold more photos. Some photographers also make use of key lights that can bring the lighting to an event in any situation.
You may not be in a financial position to be able to purchase all of this equipment yet, but it will be something that you need to consider and potentially plan for. You may be able to hire some of this equipment or quote a client the hire price if you need it. For all these reasons, you will also need to have a long hard think about what sort of pricing you will also charge. Consider being flexible and pricing people on a job-to-job basis.
