Photography is undoubtedly one of the most loved art forms of the modern day. Almost everyone has access to a high-quality camera and simple editing formats that have exploded the medium. In numbers greater than ever before, a new generation of photographers is upon us. But in the age where many photographers are struggling to get paid work, it’s essential to figure out what skills you need to learn to be successful. Read on to discover techniques to transform your photography game from amateur to pro.
It’s not for everyone to flip their hobby to a full-time career, and not everyone wants to. Take Chris Ozer for instance. He quit his 9-5 job to pursue a photography career. And after seven years of crazy practice and dedication, he now has an impressive list of clients including Apple, Target, and The New York Times. Ozer made a conscious decision to amp up his photography game by improving his skills and shooting like crazy. However, the photography field has its own unique set of risks and challenges.
Challenges Faced When Starting as a Photographer
Photography is an amazing art that helps us capture the moments of the world around us. Whether you’re a professional or simply do it for fun, there’s always room for improvement. Unfortunately, despite all the efforts, there are a few challenges that every novice photographer faces. Let’s dash ahead to understand these challenges and learn the essential skills for every photographer.
Lack of Practice
Less practice is a primary reason people struggle to improve their photography skills. Photography is an art skill that comes with consistent practice. If you only pick your camera once a month, it can be challenging to improve. Even if just a few minutes a day, make time to click some pictures.
Fear of Failure
We may not realize it but in most scenarios, it’s the fear of failure that keeps us away from practicing what we really enjoy. If you’re afraid of clicking bad photos, then it can be tough to experiment and try new things. Not every click will be a masterpiece, learn to embrace failure as part of the learning process.
Lack of Direction
A lack of knowledge or direction can hinder your growth. Photography is a wide industry and it can be challenging to improve your skills without knowing a clear path or focus. A definite path is vital to transform your photography game from amateur to pro. Without a specific field or goal, you’ll be clicking photos with no clear purpose.
Lack of Technical Knowledge
Yes, photography is an art, a skill that is enhanced over time with practice. However, without a basic understanding of technical elements, it can be difficult to master the art of photography. Lighting, camera settings, composition, focus, and all other small details.
Regardless of what your goals are as a photographer, these surefire tips can help you adapt to the professional world.
Build a Professional Portfolio
A portfolio is a way to showcase your story on your own terms. It can be hard to find new clients and engage with existing ones while connecting with the wide community. All the while, improving your skills. When armed with a well-written impressive portfolio you can take the command of your work. Your portfolio shares your creative vision with potential clients. A portfolio will help you stay organized, make higher sales, build your following, and will be your around-the-clock salesperson.
Get Familiar with Camera & Equipment
Now that you’ve decided to transform your photography game from amateur to pro, it’s necessary to get yourself familiar with camera and equipment settings. You’re free to experiment with equipment to click a distinctive shoot. Food, portrait, wedding, or sports every event and shoot have a different requirement. You should also thoroughly check the camera manual. It’s a great tool to master your chosen model.
Hit the Books
Whether you’re a pro shooter, a total beginner, or somewhere in between, every photographer can benefit from books. Sure, almost everything is easily available on the internet for free. However, books can help you absorb details in a creative, colorful, and interesting way without straining your eyes. Books have an incredible amount of knowledge and are also a change from hectic and digital everyday life.
Learn to Use Post-Production Tools
Clicking a photo is one thing and editing and making it perfect is another. Adobe, Picsart, Canva, and Pixlr are a few famous editors to help photographers. Editing can help with lighting, combination, contrast, and exposure, and give them a look as expected. On top of this, we have an industry-loved sensational tool for you – Picktime. Picktime is a simplified cloud-based photographers scheduling software for photography business. Freelancer or full-time, one-on-one or group meetings, day or night Picktime will serve all your business needs.
It has an incredibly easy-to-use interface that can be accessed 24/7 on any device from multiple locations. Using Picktime you’ll get a customizable booking page with a unique URL and a book now button for your website. Picktime is a feature-rich tool to help you save time so that you can focus on your photography skills. It offers real-time slot availability. You can manage your team, clients, payments, and sales all from one platform in a few clicks. All you have to do is sign up, set up your booking page, change a few required rules, and you’re ready. Picktime can help you transform your photography game from amateur to pro. There are no extra installations and no hidden charges. Anyone can create an account and start managing their business for free.
- Automatic time zone conversion
- Multiple languages
- 24Hrs chat support
- Smooth & secure payments (PayPal/Stripe)
- Secure database
- Automatic SMS & email alerts
- Online calendar (Apple/Google/Outlook)
Get a Mentor
In addition to finding your inspiration, find someone who inspires you. It is surprising how often mentors are overlooked as a way to break into the photography industry. Ask any successful self-taught pro how they learned – they’ll mention a generous, knowledgeable, and encouraging person who helped them. Your mentor will be the one who will see the potential in you. A mentor is supposed to help you set realistic goals according to your lifestyle and prevent you from making serious mistakes.
Click What Excites You
At the end of the day, nothing makes photography more exciting and fun than clicking what interests you. Animals, flowers, streets, crowds, the moon, your loved ones, or even empty places. Shooting your favorite things motivates you to do photography and keep learning. Put all your passion in your every click. Photography is an art and the best art comes from a place of passion.
Try a Photography Challenge
Challenges are an excellent way to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Accept challenges to transform your photography game from amateur to pro. Meet new people, visit a new place you’ve never visited. This can be a push as an amateur photographer to test your potential and create something new.
There, you have it. All the tips to become a pro in photography. Whether you’re following your passion or looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of your life, picking up the camera and starting to practice is the only way to become successful.
