Information on Photography Careers
There are countless photography careers available in many industries to suit various personalities. Photographers are needed in news, magazines, online, the fashion industry, studios, and so much more. Each one of these outlets allows a photographer-to-be to showcase their skills and to sport their creativity and attention to detail. With a lot of hard work and dedication, photographer wanna-be's can enter a satisfying career creating photographs that make their mark in history.
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Photographers in Business
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There are hundreds of opportunities for photographers in the world of business. Newspapers, magazines, and online venues need press photographers go out into the field and photograph an event such as a concert or an award ceremony or cover breaking news that just took place. The photograph will accompany a big story created by a writer. Photographers in this field must be quick on their feet, guaranteeing that they get the best shots as the events are unfolding. Sometimes shots are are staged in the studio, particularly for magazines. Another opportunity for photographers in business is to shoot for catalogs. Photographers can be employed for catalogs selling products or by television shopping networks such as QVC. Each product needs to be photographed and cataloged for record keeping purposes. In either industry, the process of setting up the props can be tedious and taking the photographs can be a little monotonous since the photographer has to take shots over and over of the same thing until the best shot is achieved.
Photographers in Arts and Entertainment
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The arts and entertainment industry can vary widely in it's opportunities for photographers. Photographers can be members of the paparazzi who badger the stars and violate the privacy of stars just to get the perfect million dollar shot to sell to big name magazine. Or they can work on the run way of a fashion show, recording fancy poses of popular models. Another great opportunity is to be an artist hanging their photographs in art galleries and selling them for large sums of money.
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Phographers Working with Consumers
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Photographers can work for big companies that service consumers for their wedding day. The goal of the photographer is to meet with the bride or groom to discuss prices, sign contracts, review photo packages, and determine what specific shoots the couple would like. On the wedding day, the photographer visits the bride's home to take pictures of her and her family, then visits the groom's home to take pictures of him and his family. The photographer then takes shots of the ceremony, special shots afterward, and of the reception. Studio photographers also work with consumers and even business people, to take staged shots inside their studio. Their day is also spent reviewing paperwork and discusses prices and take photographs. Their strength lies in choosing the best background for the shot and posing those who will be in the picture. Often, props which are determined by the photographer are added to enhance the picture. On occasion, the studio photographer will take their work on their road to photographer large numbers of high school seniors and church members.
Freelance Photographers
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Freelance photography has it's advantages and disadvantages. When choosing to work as a freelancer, the photographer works for themselves rather than any specific business. That gives them the freedom to accept or decline any job and allows them to work at their own pace, when they want to. If the job is in a location the photographer is not comfortable going to, they can simply decline it. They can also take on a wide variety of jobs that will keep them from getting bored. Maybe they'll cover a wedding one day and cover an interesting news story the next. The problem with freelancing is the pay can be sometimes erratic because a steady flow of jobs may not exist or because clients do not always pay on time. Additionally, freelancers have to foot the entire bill for all equipment, processing supplies, and all other costs incurred. Finally, if the freelancer is working alone without an assistant it may be difficult to keep up with the photo shoots, developing the photos, and billing.
Education and Skills
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Skills needed to be a photographer vary but in general include being an outgoing person to work with others, detail oriented to capture and bring features out of what they are photographing, patience to wait for the best shot, and a sense of spontaneity to photograph a subject that is constantly and quickly changing. Obviously, photographers must be well skilled in using their equipment, and must have the knowledge to develop the shots, and even edit them using a computer and photo edit software such as Adobe Photoshop. Education requirements vary depending on the field. Just like with most careers, having an associate or bachelor's degree from a university or art school can provide an advantage.
Salary
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Salary ranges vary depending on the years of experience, education, and the field. Photographers working for small town newspapers make a lot less than photographers working for a multi-million dollar magazine. However, the average salary is between $29,000 and $43,000 annually.
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