Starting a career as a photographer is a challenging task, as there is a lot of ground to cover. Why don’t you focus on mastering your new DSLR and practicing your technique and leave the rest to us? We give you 8 ways to jumpstart your career as a photographer. Let’s see what we’ve got in store for you.
Blogging
There is no better way to start building your name in the world of photography than to start working on your online presence. You can start a WordPress blog even with minimal technical and IT knowledge.
You can share what you’re working on, what you’ve learned, and your thoughts on the current photography trends. Once your audience starts growing, it will become easier to discover what type of content resonates the most with them.
Photography Competitions
Photography competitions are a great place to improve your photography skills. Websites specializing in photography competitions will allow you to get valuable feedback from your colleagues, make friends and earn rewards.
You can even have fun by leveling up and earning achievements by participating in a new challenge every day – a feature list that sets GuruShots apart from other online photography competitions.
Focusing on One Niche
You won’t be able to jumpstart your career and make a name as a photographer if you spread yourself too thin. Instead of pursuing knowledge in different photography niches, focus on just one. Your first choice should be something that you’re the most passionate about.
Your passion is what is going to be pushing you forward even when you hit a wall trying to master the most delicate techniques. Don’t worry, all that experience and knowledge you gain in the process will make it easier for you catch up in some other niche if you decide to make a switch down the line.
Networking Events
Networking events are really popular in the world of photography. They are great for meeting your colleagues, exchanging opinions and experiences, learning about the best practices and building your contact list.
Remember, as a photographer your career depends on the number of high quality contacts in your phone. So don’t be passive during the events you visit – try to make the most out of them and engage in conversation with other people as much as the situation allows.
Social Media Presence
Social media presence is one of the main building blocks of your online presence. Some of the social media platforms are great for photographers, including Instagram, Pinterest, VSCO, Steller Stories, and many others.
Thanks to these platforms, you can showcase your work to a wide audience. While you are at it, try to be as responsive as you can because people on social media tend to leave feedback or ask questions. If you’ve started your blog, you should consider using social media to share your content as soon as you publish it.
Collaborations
Collaborations provide amazing opportunities for personal and professional growth. While you may be concerned about it at the start because it may affect your individual approach to this visual art form, trust us when we say that collaborations are the most efficient when it comes to learning and practicing photography.
You can assist another photographer or pose for one. In any case, don’t look at collaborations as gigs, instead look at them as if they were a photography class.
Keeping up With Industry Trends
Photography industry trends are not as stable as you might have previously thought, as said on this article. So before you completely dive into learning how to be competitive in one particular niche, always consult the Internet.
You should subscribe to the most authoritative photography blogs and follow your renowned colleagues on social media networks. This will help you stay on top of photography news and trends, and enable you to quickly adjust your workflow to stay relevant in your niche.
Investing in Quality Equipment
Do you, by any chance, remember the old saying “You can’t make bricks without straw”? Photography is no different. You won’t be able to make breathtaking shots without the proper equipment.
If you can’t afford to get everything at once, make a list of priorities. At the top of this list should be your DLSR, the lens appropriate to your niche, tripod, case, strap, filters, remote shutter control, cleaning kit, flash, extra batteries, and memory cards.
Photography is one of the best career choices; here’s why. We hope that you will find this information useful and that you will be able to jumpstart your career and grow into a renowned photographer.