Professional photographers enjoy a creative lifestyle and may utilize their talents in a number of ways. As a professional photographer, you may work in one or more of the following fields:

• Wedding photography
• Portrait and studio photography
• Fashion photography
• Photo-journalism
• Advertising photography
• Magazine photography
• Event photography
• Digital photo art
• Fine art photography
• Landscape photography
• Architectural photography
• Medical photography

As you can see, the options are many and diverse! If you are interested in pursuing a career in professional photography, your best bet is to look for art schools or photography schools that can provide you with the technical instruction that you need.

You may be wondering if attending art school is a pre-requisite for a career in professional photography. A few short years ago, it seemed nearly anyone with a camera could parlay their skills into a career. This is no longer true. The technical aspect of photography has exploded with the digital photography boom. Not only do you need to learn all the artistic angles of setting up and shooting a photograph, you also need to learn how to produce that photography in its best possible light on a computer.

With digital cameras, anyone can shoot a photo—but not everyone can shoot a good photo, and not everyone knows how to turn what they’ve shot into a professional-quality picture. Digital ohotography enhancement could take years to learn on your own. Doesn’t it make more sense to attend a concentrated program taught by professionals, so that you can learn all you need to know in a relatively short amount of time?

Fortunately, there are many reputable art schools teaching photography today. During your course of study, you will not only learn all of the technical aspects of professional photography, you will also study art history, the history of photography, color theory, and composition. Most art schools and photography schools also include courses in business practice, in order to get you up and running in your new career as soon as possible.

You will also receive assistance in creating your own portfolio to show to prospective customers. Most art schools also aid their graduates in job placement and career counseling. After all, it is to their benefit to help their graduates find jobs, as that is the point of the programs.

Begin your journey toward a professional photography career by researching top photography schools using our simple search engine. A degree from an accredited photography school is the best way to qualify for entry-level positions within this exciting and growing career field.

Is Photography School Right for You?

Do you have an eye for detail?  Do you feel that your creativity is restrained by a 9 to 5 job? If so, photography school may be the right choice for you.

Photography has become more than just a hobby. It is now a full-fledged,. rewarding career of capturing, processing, and manipulating images. A young enthusiast would need to have some amount of technical skill combined with a creative flair. Going to photography school will teach you how to unleash your creativity behind the lens.

Career Options in Photography

Professional photography offers a variety of career options. Graduates may be employed in a corporate office,a media center, or work as part of a professional team. However, if you would rather be your own boss and have flexible working conditions, you can choose to be a freelance photographer. 

With the growing popularity of visual communications and digital technology, employers are looking for talented photographers for skills in the following areas:

• Still photographic applications
• Wild life applications
• Travel photography
• Advertisement applications
• Sport photography
• News photography
• Industrial photography for catalogues and corporate presentation applications
• Scientific and educational photography
• Fine art applications

Degree in Photography

Similar to any other profession, the professional photography industry is a highly competitive career field. It’s not enough for photographers to be talented, you will also need the proper training. With the advent of digital technology, it has become relatively easy for an amateur to learn the ropes. However, professional training is required to reach industry standards, and most magazines, photography companies, newspapers, and corporate employers require all applicants to have a degree in photography.

Photography degrees and certificates are offered at most art schools and are structured to train students to apply their basic creative instinct and imagination in a productive way. These courses are designed to bring out your hidden talents through systematic training and practice.

Several high quality art schools offer degrees in photography with specialization in digital photo art.  These courses differ in duration and depth. An easy way to research these programs and request more information is through an online art directory.

Most photography schools offer a course that starts with the basics, unless you have opted for an advanced level of study. The basics will give you a firm foundation on which to build your experience. These courses will teach students the techniques and concepts of professional photography, so you can then experiment on your own. By working with professional photographers, you will be able to learn from their experience. They will teach you how to combine artistic talent with technical skills to produce a quality photograph.

Basic courses expose students to areas such as:

• Brief history of photography
• Photo composition and types
• Camera use
• Exposure controls
• Photo processing
• Creative controls for depth and motion
• Lighting and flash use
• Practical applications
• Types of cameras and their applications
• Technological development in photography
• Exposure to career options
• Projects and competitions for skill development

Many photography schools also offer specialized, career-oriented courses to train graduates in a particular field or niche area. For example, the rising popularity of digital photography has paved the way for digital photo art.

These specialized areas can be broadly classified as:

• Professional photography
• Visual communication
• Visual journalism
• Video production

Photography as a Career

If you want to pursue photography as a career, you have two broad options:

1. Full-time photographer
2. Freelance photographer

Full-Time Photographer

So what do you need to do to become a full-time photographer? It starts with developing a great professional portfolio. A portfolio should feature your best work in a very organized and professional manner. You’ll want to create a unique portfolio based on the position you’re interviewing for so that it contains photographs that are relevant to the job. For example, if you are applying for a still photographer’s vacancy, then your portfolio should contain photographs of close-up shots, covering every detail with sufficient depth and clarity. Photography school graduates will have developed a portfolio of representative work during undergraduate courses. Most degree programs require the completion of a professional portfolio before graduation.

However, if you wish to pursue a career in digital photo art you should prepare your portfolio in digital form and place it in a prominent website for wider coverage.

Photographers are recruited on the basis of their portfolio. Fresh recruits are often selected by business houses as trainees and placed under experienced photographers. The training period gives recruits an opportunity to refine their skills and learn on-the-job techniques.

Freelance Photographers

To be a freelance photographer, you need to have sufficient expertise and experience in the chosen area. A good list of professional contacts will also be helpful. Professional photographers who have been in the business for a while branch out on their own to freelance on their own terms.  This works well because they have developed the skills and experience to handle their own clients independently. It also offers more freedom when it comes to the method of working and fixing pay rates. To become a successful freelance photographer, most photography degree programs require students complete courses on marketing, advertising, and business courses related to entrepreneurship or management.