How can I start a career as a photographer?
I love photography and think it would be super cool to pursue it as a career! But I've heard that it's really hard to break in so I'm not even sure where to start. What steps should I take to become a professional photographer?
I got started in photography by taking courses in college. I started looking into photography, photographers, and types of photography areas in Los Angeles. I did my research on what the photographers in Los Angeles were like, and I felt like there was an area where my photography aesthetic could fit in and fill a gap. I started asking people to come into the studio without charging them so I could build up my portfolio.
For me, the most fulfilling part of being a photographer is having the clients come back to me saying how amazed they are, they can't believe that that's them in the pictures. They just get so much joy by seeing themselves in this new light. Having a professional photographer who knows how to find your right pose and the right light really, really matters when having a picture taken.
When you get to the point where you're setting up your own photography studio, you want to be able to control the light. It depends again on what your specialty is; I work with both natural light and primary for boudoir. The main thing is just wanting to be able to control the lights. On all of my studio windows, I have two sets of curtains: I have a curtain that can blackout the windows and then I have a curtain that can just diffuse the light. When I'm shooting natural light in my studio now, I can either cut up light by using blackout curtains or soften the light by using the sheer curtains. And that's going to affect all of the images and get the right mood.
Also, when it comes to building up a studio, having a place where people can get their hair and makeup done with mirrors, having a place where people can change privately, and then having some kind of lobby or reception area where people can, either wait for their turn, for their shoot or just have a nice place where people can sit and chat and get some refreshments, and then having storage space because photographers tend to have a ton of gear is very important.
For me, the most fulfilling part of being a photographer is having the clients come back to me saying how amazed they are, they can't believe that that's them in the pictures. They just get so much joy by seeing themselves in this new light. Having a professional photographer who knows how to find your right pose and the right light really, really matters when having a picture taken.
When you get to the point where you're setting up your own photography studio, you want to be able to control the light. It depends again on what your specialty is; I work with both natural light and primary for boudoir. The main thing is just wanting to be able to control the lights. On all of my studio windows, I have two sets of curtains: I have a curtain that can blackout the windows and then I have a curtain that can just diffuse the light. When I'm shooting natural light in my studio now, I can either cut up light by using blackout curtains or soften the light by using the sheer curtains. And that's going to affect all of the images and get the right mood.
Also, when it comes to building up a studio, having a place where people can get their hair and makeup done with mirrors, having a place where people can change privately, and then having some kind of lobby or reception area where people can, either wait for their turn, for their shoot or just have a nice place where people can sit and chat and get some refreshments, and then having storage space because photographers tend to have a ton of gear is very important.
If you have access to any photography classes, I would highly recommend taking them just to get an intro into how camera options, the exposure triangle, for example, shutter speeds, all play a part in the final image. And in addition to that, the most important advice I would give to young aspiring photographers is to carry a camera with you at all times. It doesn't matter whether it's a professional camera or just a point and shoot camera that is an image-making device that is something other than your phone that you can use to record what you see. Because that enables you, as an image creator, to develop a unique vision and an understanding of how to create images, way, way faster than if you're just taking the camera out for the sole purpose of taking pictures. So when you stumble upon a scene, you always have that camera with you, for you to practice on to get pictures. Practice makes perfect. But in photography, nothing is perfect. So you always have to be carrying a camera around, you always have to be looking for the picture. And the only way to do that, in my experience, is to carry one with you at all times. A lot of young photographers do 365 projects. The focus of that project is to take at least one picture every single day. The goal with that project is that you're always taking pictures. The idea is that you have a body of work after 365 days that shows the kind of progression that you make as an artist or a photographer. I would highly recommend people to commit to something.
To create a great studio where you get people in for headshots and portraits and family pictures, create an experience. That means having a dedicated client section in your studio where there's a sofa, some chairs, a side table, water or sodas to drink, something to make people feel at ease, I think that's one of the most crucial elements of running a successful commercial studio, is that when people walk through your door, they immediately feel this sort of ease. They should feel like they can take their coat off, they can put their purse down, they can sit down with you because usually with portrait sessions, you don't just jump into it. It's like a 10 to 15-minute process, where I would sit down with people and ask them what they do, what they want out of the session, where they want the pictures to be shown, whether it's for social media if it's for a new LinkedIn bio, something like that. And this element, for me, is super important because it puts me in a position as an expert, but it also allows me to connect with my clients.
To create a great studio where you get people in for headshots and portraits and family pictures, create an experience. That means having a dedicated client section in your studio where there's a sofa, some chairs, a side table, water or sodas to drink, something to make people feel at ease, I think that's one of the most crucial elements of running a successful commercial studio, is that when people walk through your door, they immediately feel this sort of ease. They should feel like they can take their coat off, they can put their purse down, they can sit down with you because usually with portrait sessions, you don't just jump into it. It's like a 10 to 15-minute process, where I would sit down with people and ask them what they do, what they want out of the session, where they want the pictures to be shown, whether it's for social media if it's for a new LinkedIn bio, something like that. And this element, for me, is super important because it puts me in a position as an expert, but it also allows me to connect with my clients.
I think a lot of budding photographers think that if they get a website and a camera, and they take good pictures, people are going to come to them and they'll be busy. It takes much more than just having a camera and a website. A lot of photographers don't even have a website, they're only using Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. I think websites give a lot of credibility. They also hold a lot of information that social media can't, like your policies. Websites can help you sell—you can sell gift certificates, you can sell sessions, you can set appointments—there's just so much that a website does. It's almost like having a brick-and-mortar. I think that's important. I think learning marketing outside of social media is also important. Learn to collaborate and network within your community and make a place for yourself within your community so people refer you. I think that when people are learning photography, they should also be learning business.
If I could go back in time, give myself one piece of advice, I'd tell myself to get a mentor. That is because, while people can do it very cheaply, it takes them a long time to learn what works and what doesn't. People who are successful and are mentors, they've already been there. They've done that so they know the quickest path between A and B. You're saving yourself money by having a mentor because otherwise you're going to be wasting time and time is precious. It takes a lot of trial and error and time and money to buy little courses and things and try to piece business together. When you expand that out over years, that is way more money than if you were to just go get a mentor, do it right in the first place, get everything done, and have your business up and running in a shorter period.
If you're curious about where you should start investing your money in photography, I'd recommend a nice camera, but obviously, it doesn't have to be brand new. It just has to be a camera that allows you to change your lenses. Other equipment you'll need: something to clean your camera with, starting batteries, extra batteries, battery chargers, an external hard drive and cloud to download your images and save them in a safe spot, and a reliable computer.
If I could go back in time, give myself one piece of advice, I'd tell myself to get a mentor. That is because, while people can do it very cheaply, it takes them a long time to learn what works and what doesn't. People who are successful and are mentors, they've already been there. They've done that so they know the quickest path between A and B. You're saving yourself money by having a mentor because otherwise you're going to be wasting time and time is precious. It takes a lot of trial and error and time and money to buy little courses and things and try to piece business together. When you expand that out over years, that is way more money than if you were to just go get a mentor, do it right in the first place, get everything done, and have your business up and running in a shorter period.
If you're curious about where you should start investing your money in photography, I'd recommend a nice camera, but obviously, it doesn't have to be brand new. It just has to be a camera that allows you to change your lenses. Other equipment you'll need: something to clean your camera with, starting batteries, extra batteries, battery chargers, an external hard drive and cloud to download your images and save them in a safe spot, and a reliable computer.
I agree that having a mentor when getting into photography is invaluable. In addition to everything the above comment said, having a mentor can also help you break into the industry because they already have connections in the industry. They can help you find another photographer to be an assistant for or even take you on as an apprentice themselves. Being an assistant will allow you to see how a real photographer works and can help you land jobs through referrals.
Also, it's important to find a niche. It can be wedding photography, real estate photography, boudoir photography, anything you like, but people often find more success specializing in one thing instead of trying to spread themselves thin across a lot of different spaces. Focusing on one thing will allow you to get really good at that one thing and make a name for yourself in it.
Also, it's important to find a niche. It can be wedding photography, real estate photography, boudoir photography, anything you like, but people often find more success specializing in one thing instead of trying to spread themselves thin across a lot of different spaces. Focusing on one thing will allow you to get really good at that one thing and make a name for yourself in it.
It's cool to take pictures of everything when you're just getting going, but if you are trying to start a business, it's in your best interest to figure out what specific type of stuff you want to shoot, and be able to build a portfolio around that type of thing, as it pertains to like your branding. So for the photographer starting now, understanding a niche allows them to fine-tune the type of stuff that they shoot, and also the messaging that they're putting out there. And once they get that down, then it's just a matter of shooting more content that looks super good and clean.
Once you have that portfolio built, it's all about marketing. Regardless of how good your work is, you have to market yourself, you have to put yourself out there if you want to get clients. And if not, you want to be as good as you can be. And always working on your craft.
To build your clientele, focus on connecting with the people that you're meant to serve. Prioritize customer service. Once you get a client, do what you say you'll do, show up when you say you're gonna show up, and do a good job for the people. That reputation will carry itself with them referring you to other people. So that would be my advice: definitely focus on the craft side of it, but also put just as much time or even more time in marketing, because that's a vital part of any business. If you're not making money, you don't have a business. So you have to put that time into understanding your marketing, and then providing a good service to people.
Once you have that portfolio built, it's all about marketing. Regardless of how good your work is, you have to market yourself, you have to put yourself out there if you want to get clients. And if not, you want to be as good as you can be. And always working on your craft.
To build your clientele, focus on connecting with the people that you're meant to serve. Prioritize customer service. Once you get a client, do what you say you'll do, show up when you say you're gonna show up, and do a good job for the people. That reputation will carry itself with them referring you to other people. So that would be my advice: definitely focus on the craft side of it, but also put just as much time or even more time in marketing, because that's a vital part of any business. If you're not making money, you don't have a business. So you have to put that time into understanding your marketing, and then providing a good service to people.
When you first pick up a camera and take pictures, you might feel a little joy. Initially, you may be overwhelmed by the information, but it will be really easy if you put the camera on automatic and take pictures. Family pictures can be a lot of fun, but once you start becoming more proficient or professional with the camera, it can get very overwhelming. I think the best approach is to decide what you want to do first before you start exploring the ocean of options and styles out there. If you just want to have fun with it, just have fun with it. Don't worry about pictures other people take, as long as you like what you see and change what you don't.
There are many cameras that are easy to use, such as point-and-shoot models, which can still provide great quality images. Once you start going towards becoming a professional, it becomes very, very difficult and overwhelming. So, definitely search and research. Go to school, and look for resources. If you can, it'll be a lot easier if you just do one thing; don't try to do everything. You might say, “I'm going to do action pictures at the park, during the daytime, and I’ll do it for friends or family for practice.” Once you figure out what you want to do, then it will just be fun, fun, fun.
Once you start seeing people’s reactions after you take and show them the photos you took of them or their children or whoever, people will be very happy and then they will be wowed. And that's the biggest prize that you have. As a professional later on, you're going to make a lot of mistakes in the process. And you must learn from those mistakes. Don't be belligerent. Be flexible. Listen to your clients. See what they didn't like and improve. That's the best and only way to improve your photography or videography, really just listening to your client and subjects that you took photos or videos of, and seeing what they think. And based on that, you will improve. And once you reach that level of professionalism, then you just make a lot of money and you'll be happy.
There are many cameras that are easy to use, such as point-and-shoot models, which can still provide great quality images. Once you start going towards becoming a professional, it becomes very, very difficult and overwhelming. So, definitely search and research. Go to school, and look for resources. If you can, it'll be a lot easier if you just do one thing; don't try to do everything. You might say, “I'm going to do action pictures at the park, during the daytime, and I’ll do it for friends or family for practice.” Once you figure out what you want to do, then it will just be fun, fun, fun.
Once you start seeing people’s reactions after you take and show them the photos you took of them or their children or whoever, people will be very happy and then they will be wowed. And that's the biggest prize that you have. As a professional later on, you're going to make a lot of mistakes in the process. And you must learn from those mistakes. Don't be belligerent. Be flexible. Listen to your clients. See what they didn't like and improve. That's the best and only way to improve your photography or videography, really just listening to your client and subjects that you took photos or videos of, and seeing what they think. And based on that, you will improve. And once you reach that level of professionalism, then you just make a lot of money and you'll be happy.
What do other wikiHow readers have to say?
Other wikiHow readers have submitted their own tips on topics similar to this one.
Reader Tips from How to Become a Professional Photographer
Carry your camera with you everywhere. Or if your camera is too big or expensive to carry around all the time, take lots of pictures with your phone.
If you have a DSLR, get a big memory card and shoot in RAW format. You will have more freedom to edit your photos and the quality will be better.
Stay active posting on social media and ask people to tag your account if they post pictures you've taken of them.
Try not to take photos at noon. There is bad lighting then. Instead, take photos in the early morning and at dusk.
Put your favorite pictures that you've taken onto a portfolio website so people can see examples of your work.
Reader Tips from How to Develop Your Photography Skills
Always save your pictures either on a computer or USB drive. SD cards can easily be broken after normal wear and tear, so it' always best to have a back up.
Read photo books from famous photographers to get inspiration and learn how they set up their shots.
Practice shooting in black and white to really focus on your light sources and composition.
Reader Tips from How to Start Doing Photography
If you want to start shooting photos professionally, try reaching out to event planners in your area to see if there are any small events looking for a photographer.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles and settings to see what you like best. Developing your own unique style can make your photos stand out more.
Don't forget to look at what's in the background of your photos to make sure there isn't anything distracting from your main subject.
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