What courses should I take to be a pro photographer?

Question

I am interested in building up my interest in photographer with a view to using it as a second career over the next 5 to 6 years. Whilst I enjoy landscapes, sports and street photography, i.e. carnivals, festivals, road races etc, most people want wedding or family photos. Naturally to be taken seriously I need to get a few quailifactions, but where to start? Ideally studying at nights at a local college but would consider a postal study course if they were legitimate

Answer 1

You don't need qualifications to be taken seriously - you need quality, outstanding work in your portfolio.



Get learning about lighting as that's crucial for weddings/portraiture and get a couple of flashes & start shooting. Join a local camera club where you'll be able to pick the brains of more experienced photographers, practice more and get your work critiqued.



When you've got an acceptable port & can nail exposures every time in manual, then will be the time to consider going 'pro'.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I don't feel like I have lost business at all. The people who are hiring an amateur or having a friend do it would not have hired me in the first place. The people who have a friend shoot their wedding probably could not afford to pay a pro. That said no corporation is going to have the data entry clerk with a good camera shoot their new products. Newspapers aren't about to send the paper boy to cover a football game. Some people trying to get into modelling or acting might have a friend do their head shots but if the person was ever accepted by an agency they would be sent out to get proper head shots done. When my father was young photographers were complaining about the same thing except the cameras were 35mm. If a technology becomes affordable to the public then you will have amateurs using it and the need for a professional will be diminished somewhat but never replaced. Your business needs to change with the economy and technology

Answer 4

This is the best photography course online:



http://photography-course.info



You can be like the masses of humanity and buy a camera you can afford that has auto this and that for worry free picture taking. And learn through trial and error how to use something like aperture or shutter priority auto modes or even attempt to use the thing on full manual mode.

You seem to know already there is some thinking to using a camera and to take pictures. A good place to start is by reading the owners manual that comes with a camera. Read the information and look at the illustrations with part names and look at the real camera. Handle the camera and take pictures. Let me rephrase that. Take pictures to learn how to use the camera and maybe even to keep some. Don't start with important stuff you cannot photograph over again such as birthdays, a toddlers first steps. That puts picture taking out of the learning phase and puts the pressure and emphasis to taking pictures for real and to keep.

These first pictures are for you to learn how to use your camera. And you have learned how to use your camera when you can take pictures with it and can teach others how to use it. Honest. You can also go to a college in your area and take a beginning photography course. There you will be taught the basics even a pro must learn and do in their work. Camera handling and use, taking exposures with film and/or digital cameras, and maybe even some photo assignments to get some real time learning. In this learning do not take serious pictures you must keep as that detracts from the learning aspect of the class. Do so only if you have mastered the use of your camera before class is over.

It's like growing up in a way. And I am happy you know there is a way to learn how to use a camera and take pictures. It's like learning how to drive I suppose. Someone can teach you or you can get taught at a driving school. Both will get you a drivers liscense. One though will really teach you the fundamentals you can use for the rest of your driving career.

Answer 5

Qualifications mean very little in photography. I have been a professional photographer for 10 years now. I finished 1 year if my photography degree but was lucky enough to be offered a position as a photographers assistant which was the best thing i have ever done.



Gain experience and skill rather than qualification. Spend as much time with a camera in your hand as possible rather than learning from a text book. If you are ready why not try contacting photographers to see if you can get some work experience from them. My advice would be to contact photogrpahers out of your area as they are more likely to help (you are not future competition).



The one thing a photography course may help with is if you need to improve your basic photography and skills but nothing will compare to practice.



Making a career out of photography also includes alot of buisness knowledge. You will need to know how to run a buisness and market yourself along with customer service skills.



Where to start ; get out with your camera and take pictures. Please please do not start charging or try to shoot something like a wedding untill your a 100% confident and have gained some hands on experience.

Answer 6

This is a course catalog from a local community college. They have an above average program:



http://www.cod.edu/Catalog/detail.asp?url=Photography



There are many ways that people learn - some can learn from the library or internet. Others learn best from attending school. If you go at it on your own, you need to put at least as much work into learning as if you were taking classes.



One of the advantages of taking courses is that instructors will push you into doing things you normally would not do - things outside your comfort zone. The other advantage is to have a professional photographer critique your work.



Again, there are other ways of doing this, but courses can be very helpful.

Answer 7

Actually qualifications at best will only help you get your first job, after that it's totally irrelevant. Real world experience is what counts and having a strong portfolio and testimonials/references are more important. Use friends and family to extend your skill and network, use that network to find newer opportunities, get those references.



By the way, the real money is in commercial work. Weddings are very seasonal, and really you don't want to be doing too many weddings, maybe two a month because of the vast quantities of images you end up shooting, and all the prep and post work involved.

Answer 8

since photography can be good it can be bad

sometimes having a studio and good equipments does not guarantee to make money i have seen many ppl go broken cuz business was really bad -depends on area prices etc etc

the thing is do not go to school.......practice practice and learn from the internet there is tons of info

i never went to school for photography and i am pro

it is my side job,i started 10 years ago and the people love my pictures.....so you get a good portfolio and then good equipment.....i found free lessons and courses on line

people do not care about diploma they care about your jobs unless you want to apply for a job

my friend spend 3 years at school and she is a photographer for about 8 years and she sucks taking pictures,she is ok but no good i have seen many others that never went to school and do better than her,also i do make more money than her

go to school is up to you and good if you have the time and money

Answer 9

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Answer 10

If you wish to fast track your way into understanding professional photography, there are different courses you can attend in the UK.

Nationally recognised NC/HNC/HND Photography is possible attending part-time (I know of someone who did) but it will probably require more attendance than the odd night per week.



There are also professional bodies that run courses, like the BIPP or the RPS



http://www.bipp.com/Default.aspx?tabid=101



http://www.rps.org/workshops