How To Become A Professional Photographer
Steps:
1-Develop your photography skills. There is no “right way” or "wrong way" to become a better photographer. Some people take a class or get a college art degree with a photography focus. Others believe that college is a waste of time for becoming a photographer. You may find that you can teach yourself about photography from books and experimentation, or you may want to learn from other professionals. Whatever you decide to choose, if you work for it you can achieve it.
2-Obtain the appropriate equipment. The type of equipment you need will depend on the type of photography you are doing, but you will likely need one or two camera bodies and a variety of lenses for different situations. You will also need a quality photo editing software.
3-Purchase equipment frugally. Having quality equipment is important for taking high-quality photos, but you need not invest all of your savings in brand new, high-end equipment before you really start your career. You can buy used equipment in good working condition, purchase older models at a discount after a new model comes out, rent equipment, or even borrow equipment until you are sure that your business will be successful.
4-Know your camera. Before you book your first paid photo session, you should know every setting, error message, and quirk of your camera. You should be able to change lenses with your eyes closed. Messing with equipment will make you seem unprofessional and could affect the quality of your final product.
5-Research camera technology and photography tips. Pick up books, magazines, and online articles for the most up-to-date information on camera settings, tips, and tricks. These will help to teach you new ways to use your camera and lenses to create great photos.
6-Learn to use editing software. Even the best photos may need some minor editing. Using a quality editing software can take your photos from good to amazing. However, be wary of over-doing special effects, your clients may not like photographs that are overly stylized or edited.
7-Build a complete portfolio. In order to get hired by someone who isn't a close family member or friend, you will need to have a portfolio to show. Use photographs from multiple shoots with different subjects to highlight the range of your talents. Make sure that your portfolio is comprised of more than just five or ten photos. People will want to see the great work you've done.
8-Find your niche. Try multiple areas of photography before settling on one as your favorite. For example, you may focus on portrait, wedding, sport, or landscape photography. Find your area of expertise and use it to your advantage in your business.
9-Give clients what they want. You may like to take creative portraits of people, but your clients might just want to look pretty. Remember that, especially when you are starting out, you need to make money. The best way to do that is to have your clients buy prints. They are more likely to buy prints if they like what they see.
These are the 9 steps to become a professional photographer. Its a long process and you have the have a lot of skills in order to become one but it you follow these steps you might actually have a chance at this dream job.