How to Become a Professional Digital Photographer
One way to begin a career as a professional digital photographer is to become a contributor on a microstock website. Once accepted, digital photographers upload their images to the website and let the microstock site do the marketing and handle the sales. Buyers of the images might be webmasters or advertising companies. While one sale of an image may only bring the photographer $1, that same image can be sold hundreds of times, which means it can keep earning, long after the photographer has moved onto other projects.
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Instructions
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Purchase a quality digital camera that can produce digital images that are 2400 x 1800 pixels or larger. Larger images uploaded on the microstock sites will bring in more money, and if the camera is unable to produce images that are crystal clear when enlarged to 100 percent, they will be rejected.
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Know your craft. Take some photography classes and continually work to improve your photography skills. Digital photography is different than traditional photography, and if you were trained in film photography, increase your knowledge by taking courses on digital photography.
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Study the microstock site's requirements before applying. Each microstock website is looking for different types of images and have their own requirements. Learn what each is looking for before applying. Do not apply by submitting images they expressly stated they were not looking for (such as pictures of flowers).
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Submit only your best images. Most microstock sites will require you submit a certain number of approved images before they will accept you as a photographer. If you are denied the first time, you can apply again, but you must wait before reapplying. Do not waste your time trying to apply with inferior images, or you may need to wait another month or more before you can reapply. Instructions for applying are included on each microstock website.
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Keep submitting images. Successful microstock photographers continually submit new images. Portfolios without "fresh" submissions often get overlooked by clients who check to see what is new, and from those images find the photographer's portfolio.
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Pay attention to what images are popular. Keep abreast on the client demands and submit images that customers are looking for.
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Learn to use a photo editing program, such as PhotoShop. You will need to be able to do minor edits to your images. Learning to "isolate" an image will also increase your sales. An example of an isolated image is included with this article.
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Branch out and take candid photographs for weddings and other events. Many wedding planners place disposable cameras on the tables during the reception, to encourage wedding guests to snap candid photographs. This can be expensive and produce few usable images. Encourage wedding planners to hire you as a candid photographer, which may cost them less money. Don't worry about developing the photographs, deliver the candid images on a CD. You can perform a similar service for birthdays and business events.
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Learn from the seasoned wedding photographer. When taking candid wedding shots, pay attention to the photographer who is taking the formal shots. Eventually you can work into formal wedding photography.
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Keep your camera with you, and ready to shoot at all times. When you stumble upon a great photo opportunity or breaking news, take plenty of pictures. The pictures can help you break into news photography.
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Develop a portfolio of your work. After you have successfully worked in microstock photography you might be able to break into product photography, with a powerful and impressive portfolio showcasing your work.
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Explore your artistic side by marketing your finest images on calendars, posters and postcards.
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Resources
- Photo Credit A. Johnson
