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“How to be a photographer” is a widely-used keyword phrase in any major search engine these days.
Many people are simply looking to make some money part-time by using their photography skills for e.g. wedding photography or by posting their shots on the internet on one of the many online – picture databases.
How to Become a Photographer?
If you are interested in learning how to be a photographer, here are some of the most important tips: the good news is, if you are genuinely passionate about photography, then becoming a photographer is relatively easy. All you have to do is to follow these five steps on how to become a photographer.
How to be a photographer
Step #1 – Acquire good Camera Equipment
Acquiring the proper equipment is one of the first steps you should take. You can use any major brand as long as you can master the particular model’s features. We definitely recommend digital cameras, like a D-SLR, with at least 5 megapixels.
A handy, light tripod and a lens with an aperture of 2.8 would also be a good set to start with. Whichever model you decide on, make sure you can operate your equipment with ease and convenience.
Take your time testing the equipment before you buy it; we therefore definitely recommend getting your equipment from a local brick-and-mortar reseller, rather than buying it online. This holds true at least if you want to be a photographer to make money with your skills.
Step #2 – Train with a Professional teacher, class, or book!
The second of the 5 steps on how to become a photographer sounds pretty obvious – yet, it happens all the time that digital photography hobbyists miss to focus on this important point when trying to be a photographer. You really need to train you’re your photography skills well, and repeatedly.
The best option to do so is to actually train or work with a professional photographer. If you have a friend who is an expert in photography, then work under him to develop your skills. Alternatively, you could enroll in local training classes or even simply get yourself a great book on learning (digital) photography.
Step #3 – Practice makes perfect
As the old cliche goes, “practice makes perfect.” Photography is primarily a skill that involves manual dexterity, so you need to practice every chance you get. You can practice shooting objects at home, around your house, or anywhere else you feel comfortable.
Experiment and use different settings for lighting, different angles, frames, shutter speeds, and such to determine how changing any of those factors will influence the outcome of your pictures.
Be as creative as you can – remember, in particular with today’s digital photography, experimenting and shooting lots of pictures does not cost you anything.
Step #4 – Ask for constructive criticisms
Ask friends and family members for their honest opinion about your work and what their input is as to how to become a photographer in your particular situation. Listen to their observations and reflect on their inputs. If they say your pictures are excellent, you still have to keep practicing. There is always room for improvement.
You could also ask for suggestions from professional photographers to improve your pictures. For example, there are endless ways of improving your camera skills – think outside the box; if you think you’re excellent in still pictures, move on to experiment with trick photography and special effects photography.
This literally opens a whole new aspect of photography that you may not even have been aware of before.
Step #5 – Advertise your services
Prepare a comprehensive but brief calling card or resume’ that best represents your services. Be honest. State only what you can truly offer.
That is why it is vital that you love photography because it would show when you talk about it. If you have a true dedication to your craft, then you can honestly say to your customer that your work is unique because it is done with care and dedication.
When people come to learn about your work, they will ask friends; word of mouth is still one of the best ways of advertising
None of the above 5 steps on how to be a photographer is “written in stone”. What’s also important is to actually get started, as opposed to procrastinate and worry about what it would take to get started. So go ahead, grab a book or other resource on photography and how to become a photographer, and get started!
