fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2748 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2748 ⌋

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Notes:

Early because ... World Cup! No other excuse.

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Somehow while showing photos I took at work, my coworkers said I should become a photographer. Pretty sure they were joking, but now I wonder. I take pictures a lot. They always get good comments. I wouldn't mind doing it for money, if it were at all possible (I'm still trying to figure out if it's logical...)

I have been wanting to buy myself a "real" camera and learn to use it for a long time. After today, I'm thinking about it more.

Is there more to becoming a "professional" than buying a camera and offering your services? How do you cross the line between "likes to take pictures" and "is a photographer"?

Posted too soon. By "is there more" I meant do I have to have any kind of certification? The local community college has community education classes, but I don't know if I would have to make myself a photography/art major and go through the whole degree to make it worth the time...?

I mean you can take classes, but your actual skill matters more than if you've taken so many classes. In art fields, there really isn't more to being an professional than getting paid and supporting yourself through it. The line between "likes to take pictures" and "photographer" is pretty blurry.

That being said, classes or a degree can be really helpful for improving and making connections (which is vital if you want people to hire you), but do realize you can do that your own too. A degree isn't required for someone to pay you.

(Btw if you go pro or plan on it, it's to good have an online presence and not undercharge your work.)

From what I saw, any certification is purely for bragging/networking.

Classes seem to be 1-2 years, and are more about how to work studio and developing equipment and programs, staging/lighting/etc, or building a portfolio. So, it could certainly be helpful, and it would start to get your name known.

Really, like with any other art, there's nothing you need other than skill, knowledge, and tools. You don't need a degree to be a photographer. From what I could see, you don't need to take a full degree, even a two-year one, just take the photography line. The school I looked at showed seven classes spread out over three semesters.

If you really do have some skill, the community college route sounds like a good idea for honing skills and experience.

You don't necessarily have to "offer services", either. Find out if any local cafes, or your library, or city hall, or whatever have gallery space for rent. If your work sells, you're a professional.

Classes will help you develop lighting skills, and give you practice with various types of cameras and filters, but a good eye, a printer you trust, and a camera with raw image format is all you really need.

I'd say the best way to be known "as a photographer" is word of mouth. I don't know about classes (my college has done away with black & white photography class because now everything is digital and can be manipulated with software, pity). Take pictures, maybe of an occasion that your friends would like. Start off free, then learn how much to start charging. Which I can't help you with on how much to charge. But someone said a community college class would be a start.

Sometimes a college may offer classes that don't involve tuition, or a nearby art facility has courses too.

Coming from someone who likes to think of herself as a serious amateur here are a few of my thoughts...

You need to take a complete set of classes. If you want to become a serious photographer I would take a few classes to learn about lighting - both natural and studio, maybe go over the basics so you have a really firm footing on the jargon, and learn how really use your camera and image processing program of choice. In short,take a few classes to help improve your technical skills.

I would also look and see in you can find a group of fellow photographers. (And you might find those through the classes.) They can help with some of the non-technical skills by being more objective eyes who may point out things that you just don't see - because you know the story behind the photos and they mean something to you but they don't. They are just looking at the images as images.

They can also help with what I think as one of the biggest distinctions between a photographer and someone who just takes a lot of pictures and that is editing. Taking that stack of say 500+ pictures and by going through them over and over find the best 10 or 15. A portfolio is only as only as strong as the weakest image.

Hope this helps.

[ SECRET POST #2748 ]

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