Can you teach me to become a photographer?

This is the number one question I get on Instagram. I almost get asked this question on a daily basis. Not exactly, however it happens so frequently that it feels like it. Somehow it amazes me, that people think, they can be taught to become a photographer via a message. Like it’s somethin easy. Something that everybody can do. And while I do believe, that it is something everybody an achieve, through very very hard work, I also believe that you have to have an eye for it.
You have to be willing to study photography and editing. You have to put in a ton of hours, in order to achieve your goal. It is not something I, or anyone else, can teach you via a message.

However, in this post, I’m going to outline some very basics, that you NEED, in order to start your journey to become a photographer.

A willingness to put in the work

You will get absolutely nowhere, if you dont put in the work. I cant state this enough. If you are not willing to spend countless hours, researching, on youtube, reading article, watching programs, reading eBooks etc. don’t even bother buying a camera. If you are serious about becoming a photographer, you have to be willing to study it. Not necessarily going to school to become a photographer, however self studying. You have to be willing to learn the craft. Being a photographer is a job like any other. You can’t become a chef in a restaurant without first learning how to cook right? Photography is the same. Anyone can take a photo with their phone today. Does that make them a photographer?

You have to learn about editing, about compositions, light, movement, angles, settings and so much more.

A camera

This one explains itself. As phone cameras keep getting better and better, so does mobile photography, obviously. However, personally I still feel like a camera is absolutely necessary. If you want to do client work, work for tourist agencies and so on, you need a camera. It is pretty self explanatory.
When you have a camera, you need to know it. You have to learn how to use the different settings, which mode to shoot in, when to change your settings and so on.

Practice

You will get nowhere, without practicing. This is how you learn and grow. Once you start gaining knowledge from your research, go out in your neighborhood, or anywhere close by, and try out your new found skills. This is the best way of growing. Believe me. I personally made the mistake of thinking that I knew how to take great photos simply by watching and reading. I never bothered photographing locally as I found it boring, and I paid for it. I planned trips because I thought I knew how to take photos, and only went home disappointed because I never bothered using my new knowledge at home first. Don’t make the same mistake as me.

Find your niche

Which kind of photographer do you want to be? Being a photographer covers a huge band of opportunities.
Do you want to be a travel photographer?
A wedding photographer?
Shoot portraits?
Photograph food?
A landscape photographer?
Wildlife?
Aerial photographer?
Event photographer?
There are tons of different kinds of photographers, and you have to find out which niche you want to be in.

Reach out

if you want to make photography your job, you need to be willing to reach out. Nobody knows you at first. Nobody knows which kind of work you are able to produce. Hopefully by now, you have a small portfolio, due to you local photography.
You have to use this work, when you reach out to companies. And I dont mean that you have to reach out to just 10 or 20 companies, because you expect them to answer. You have to reach out to thousands. Every kind of possible work you can find. And you have to do it daily. If you want to find work, you need to put in the work to find out.

Get ready to be disappointed

When you start out, you will most likely be very disappointed with your return of emails. Chances are that many of them won’t even get back to you, and even if they do, you “offer” will be declined. This is what happens when you start out. But you HAVE to keep going. You can’t let a bit of disappointment knock you out. I was extremely frustrated when I started reaching out to brand and agencies, but slowly I started getting work, and at some point it seemed like I started to get more and more answers, and pick up bigger jobs.
You have to get through the phase of disappointment, if you want to persevere in photography. And you need to know that it will happen.

Build up your social media

Chances are, that before you started your photography career, you already had social media accounts. By now, you should start focusing these accounts on your photography. You have to post pictures, focusing on your niche, in order to attract a following. Furthermore, you have to interact with people, comment on their photos, answer comments on your own photos and reach out to photographers in your area in order to shoot together. You will most likely always be able to learn something new on shoots like these.

Here are just a few very basic things you need to be aware of before you start. Did this article teach you how to become a photographer? Absolutely not. However hopefully it gave you some idea of what you need, when starting out. I have included a fraction of the things you have to need. This article could have gone on and on. However these are the basics, and as you develop, you will figure out even more on your own.