How to Become a Photographer

You’ve been taking your camera everywhere, shooting photos of your experiences, and you love the way photography makes you see the world. Gradually, you’ve started to wonder what it would be like to turn your passion into a career. This guide will walk you through the process of how to become a photographer.

If you put some thought into what you want out of your photography, you can build a career or a business that’s fulfilling and sustainable. There’s a lot that you’ll learn as you go but planning ahead will allow you to take a few fewer detours. You’ll want to start building a map with your destination in mind and an idea of what tools you’ll need to get there.

Photography is a technical skill as well as a creative endeavor. The photography industry is multifaceted and ever-evolving. In this guide, we’ll walk through your motivations, the craft, the various specialties, and the steps you can take to go from hobbyist to professional.

Reflect on Your Why

The first step in becoming a photographer is identifying your why. This may sound less important than some of the hard skills we’re going to walk through but having a strong and clear purpose will be valuable in your journey. Your why will help you determine which photography specialties you’re interested in or whether you should build a business or find a job working for someone else.

In this section, we’ll talk about meaning, money, and lifestyle. Thinking through these three topics will give you clarity as you work through the rest of this guide. It will also give you strength as you ride the ups and downs of your career.

Meaning

People choose professions for many reasons. Some people choose their careers based on things they are good at or things they enjoy doing. Others want to make a difference, do something meaningful, or be a part of something bigger than themselves.

Photography has the potential to make a big impact on people’s lives. Some photographers make people happy by capturing important moments while others create change in the world through their art by adding more beauty or making strong statements. Photography is a form of expression and storytelling which is what gives it such great meaning to those of us behind the lens.

The first question to ask yourself is why you want to be a photographer. Your answer will help you wake up and get yourself to work even on days when you’re dealing with a difficult client or struggling to tap into your creativity. It will also help you decide how to build a career that will best align with your actual goals.

Money

Despite being a question of how you spend your time, talents, and energy, most of us also have to consider money. While you’re likely not here because you think photography is going to be the most lucrative career, money is still a factor worth considering. Can you support yourself financially?

Whether you’re looking to quit your day job or simply supplement your income, your relationship with money will influence the steps and processes you take in becoming a photographer. Your financial needs and situation, such as if you have a family to support, might dictate how much risk you can take while building your career. Regardless, I hope you don’t ignore the money side of the work equation.

Money is part of our why because it’s part of the relationship between our work and the other aspects of our life. While we would love to work for passion alone, our society is set up in a way where we trade our expertise for money that we then use to support our lifestyle.

Lifestyle

Speaking of lifestyle, working as a photographer can give you a schedule that you either consider flexible or chaotic. Depending on your perspective, the lifestyle of a photographer can be romantic or a nightmare. Again, identifying what you want your life to look like might dictate how you choose your specialty and how you build your career.

For some of us, the lifestyle is part of our why. I love working at sunrise and sunset rather than sitting at a desk from 9 to 5 regardless of what I’m working on. But let’s be honest, a chaotic schedule makes it really hard to have any sort of routine.

It’s important to think about how your work is going to interplay with the rest of your life. Understanding the type of lifestyle you want to have will help guide you as you think through these topics. For example, it might push you towards or away from creating your own business.

A Word of Warning: Count the Cost

If your love of photography as a hobby is the reason you are considering making it a career, you should think long and hard about whether or not you would be willing to sacrifice your hobby for your career.

While the idea of doing what you love as a job may seem perfect and like a dream come true, that idealized view may come crashing down to Earth when the going gets tough and the profession does not turn out to be as glamorous as you thought.

It isn’t uncommon for passionate hobbyist photographers to completely lose their love and passion for photography once they become professional and find all their energy being put toward shooting things for work rather than for pleasure, and once they discover that actually working with photos is only a tiny part of what it means to be a professional photographer.

Learning the Craft of Photography

For those of you who impatiently skimmed the previous section hoping for more hard skills, this section is for you. Photography is a craft.

Photography is a creative and artistic act but an artist has to know how to create their art. Craft is that ‘how.’ How do I evoke emotion, inspire change, or ensure someone connects with my art?

Learning Design

There are a lot of people that can take great photographs but fewer people who can consistently take great photographs. Some people have a great eye for design and there are others that seem to have access to an endless well of ideas. However, what sets the professional apart is that they have to consistently create high-quality work.

As you work towards becoming a photographer you’ll learn that it’s not as simple as relying on instinct. First, you have to train yourself to have the right instincts. That’s one of the reasons they talk about experts having 10,000 hours of experience, the more you’ve practiced good framing techniques the more they will become instinctual.

It’s one thing to have a great eye for design. It’s quite another to understand why something is effective and how to create it on a daily basis.

Learning Your Camera

Things like composition and framing techniques apply to art in general. Next, you’ll want to dive into photography specifically. How does your camera work and how can you use it to create the story you’re trying to tell?

You’ll want to understand shutter speed, aperture, and ISO — the exposure triangle. You’ll want to know how to use your camera and understand the purpose of different lenses and other gear.

And finally, you’ll also need to learn about post-production and processing your images. How do you take the raw image and turn it into something marketable?

Studying the Profession

You’re learning the craft of photography. Now it’s time to study the profession. Meaning, you know how to take a picture, now how do you turn that picture into something you can sell?

Who are your potential clients? What are the different ways you can work in the photography industry? And what other skills will you need based on the role you end up playing?

Photography and other creative pursuits can be stuck in a nebulous place between hobby and profession. In order to take the leap to profession, you’ll need to know how and why people get paid for their work. In the next section, we’ll dive deeper into the various photography specialties.

Choosing a Photography Specialty

Understanding the industry is actually more complicated than it sounds. If you ask the question of what it’s like to be a photographer, first you need to know what type of photographer we’re talking about. A portrait photographer’s life is different from a product photographer’s.

Each photography specialty has its own industry and there are also different industries within each specialty. For example, are you a commercial photographer working in the automotive industry or the healthcare industry? Or you might be a portrait photographer but do you shoot newborns, families, or corporate headshots?

As you read through the following photography specialties, you’ll notice that they have more than just different subjects. They also have different types of clients, schedules, pay, and more. Think back to your why and see which one of these specialties fits your meaning, money, and lifestyle requirements.

Portrait photography
Wedding photography
Event photography
Product photography
Food photography
Stock photography
Architectural photography
Real estate photography
Commercial photography
Editorial photography
Photojournalism
Fashion photography
Sports photography
Still life photography
Fine art photography
Conservation photography
Aerial photography

Each specialty and the sub-specialties within each category will be different in terms of the types of clients you’re working with, what you get paid, and what type of schedule you have. Some photographers are shooting products every day while others are working on one bigger project over a longer time span.

Getting Experience in Your Field

Once you’ve narrowed down to the specialty or specialties you’re most interested in, it’s time to dive even deeper. You might find yourself interested in more than one specialty and while some people say you need to choose, I would encourage you not to limit yourself. You mind find that having more than one specialty will help you build a more sustainable business.

However, you do need to dial in and get very specific within your specialty. Who are the clients, what are their needs, and how can you best serve them? And how do you even find or contact them so that you can get them to hire you?

Some industries are more straightforward than others such as when you’re shooting weddings, portraits, or events. Your clients are individuals looking to hire you. In other industries, your clients will be businesses and it’ll be important to tailor your marketing plan to the industry you’re working in.

Steps to Go From Hobbyist to Professional

OK, you’ve done your research. You’ve studied your craft, the profession, and your specialty or specialties. Now you’re really wanting to know what you actually need to do, what steps to take, and which to-do list items to start checking off.

It’s essential to start with building a budget, you need to know how much money you need to make in order to run your business. You’re going to need contracts and pricing in place, you can use your budget to help determine your pricing. Note that your pricing structure might be influenced by your target client so that will be important to identify next.

With your target client in mind, you’ll build a marketing plan for how you’re going to acquire new clients. Likely your marketing plan will direct potential clients to your website and portfolio. You’ll get work, get paid, and suddenly you’re a professional.

Here are 7 easy steps to becoming a professional photographer:

Build a budget.
Have pricing and contracts in place.
Identify your target client.
Create a marketing plan.
Put together a website and portfolio.
Get work.
Get paid.

Sounds easy right?! Just take it one step at a time.

Building a Business or Finding a Job

At this point, it’s important to note that building a business isn’t the only option. There are also photography jobs that you can look for. If everything about being a photographer sounds great to you except the entrepreneurship part, you don’t have to abandon the dream.

In almost every specialty there are business owners that hire photographers to do the photography. You could shoot real estate for a larger real estate photography company or work for a portrait photography studio. You don’t have to be a freelance photographer.

In fact, depending on where you are in life you might decide to start by working for someone else while you gain experience and confidence. There are also adjacent jobs to consider, jobs in the photography industry that are similar but different such as photo editing or creative directors.

Here are some careers that are similar to photography:

Photo editors
Videographers
Film and video editors
Camera operators
Sound engineering technicians
Graphic designers
Fine artists
Creative directors
Producers
Stylists
Product stager
Photography teacher

How to Know When You’re Ready

If you’re reading this article and you’ve made it to this point, you’re wondering how to know when you’re ready. Maybe you’ve read countless articles on becoming a photographer and still aren’t sure about pressing that trigger finger. It’s daunting, overwhelming, and feels like a big decision.

At some point, you’re going to have to try it out. You’re going to have to get that first client, go on that first shoot, and see if you really like it. If you’ve thought through everything in this guide then the risk isn’t really that great.

I’m not saying it’s time to sell all your possessions, buy camera gear, and risk everything. Be smart, start slow, and see how it goes. Life is an adventure and our creative pursuits make it even more interesting, fun, and meaningful.

Get out there and make something.

About the author: Brenda Bergreen is a Colorado wedding photographer, videographer, yoga teacher, and writer who works alongside her husband at Bergreen Photography. With their mission and mantra “love. adventurously.” they are dedicated to telling adventurous stories in beautiful places.

Image credits: Header photo by Brenda Bergreen.

How to Become a Professional Photographer (2025 Guide)

Photography can be more than just a passion, it can be a profession! This complete guide on how to become a professional photographer will answer every question you’ve ever had about professional photography and starting a career as a professional photogr

The advent of digital photography has led to an explosion in photography, both as a creative art form and as a career choice as well. The basics of becoming a photographer are incredibly easy now; You can buy a camera and some equipment, learn photography from a multitude of free online photography courses, practice your photography skills, find a niche that you can focus on. You can indeed find your own answers to the question – how to become a professional photographer.

professional female photographer

However, though it sounds easy, the truth is not that simple. Photography is an extremely competitive field that requires you to have talent, skills, marketing acumen and discipline to make your mark as a professional photographer. To be successful, professional photographers need to not just be talented; they also need the tenacity to put in long hours, compete hard due to supply-demand imbalance and manage their business as an entrepreneur. Here is an extensive collection of great photography website templates for your reference.

How much do photographers earn?

Professional photographers earn a median pay of $34,000 per year / $16.35 per hour

While you can earn much more as a photographer, based on your talent, skills, portfolio, and business acumen, it would be wise to make sure that it’s your passion and love for photography that’s driving your decision to go down the path of becoming a professional photographer.

Once you have figured out what motivates you and decided on taking up photography as a career, it’s time to start looking into the big question of ‘how to become a professional photographer.’

In this comprehensive guide, we have covered all the aspects and steps that you would need to take to complete your journey from a hobbyist/amateur photographer to becoming a professional photographer:

Here is a 15-step guide on how to become a professional photographer:

1. Start by asking the right questions:

Professional photography can be an excellent choice for a career if you can manage the right balance between your creative passion and entrepreneurial instincts. Just like starting any other business, put together a list of questions that you need to answer for yourself before you begin your photography career, set goals and think about how to be a good photographer.

What motivates me?
Am I prepared to start small and persevere alone?
Can I work alone as a photography professional?
Which photography speciality niche excites me?
What are the gaps that I can fulfil in my local area?
How do I improve my skills?
What value would I offer to my clients?

2. Find a photography mentor

You would find the answers to most of your questions on how to become a good photographer through research, both online and offline. Go to photography talks, exhibitions, and seminars. You would meet a lot of photographers at these events, and you can get a lot of answers directly from them. There are a number of online photography communities that you can become a member of. Some of the answers that you seek will come from structured education, and some answers will only come with experience and time.

Tip: Find a professional photographer to mentor you. Help him out in his assignments and begin learning the basics of photography business from him.

3. Get the right photography education

Professional Photography is one of the very few fields where structured training is not a prerequisite. You can self-learn, practice, and improve your skills without going to a formal educational institute. However, it can add a lot of value to your career, skills, and experience as a professional photographer.

A lot of professional photographers have taken photography courses at top photography schools, universities, or design institutes. Besides a formal course of instruction to develop their skill sets, a photographer should have a keen eye, oodles of creativity, and technical ability. We have listed a few simple steps to get you started.

Choose wisely from the many Photography Courses available.

A wide range of photography courses from Photography Certificate programs to Masters level courses is available.

The Certificate Photography programs can be completed in a few months. They help students learn essential skills and knowledge in photography. These programs cover the basics of:

Fundamentals of photography.
Principles of Digital photography, how to use Photography software, and image manipulation techniques.
History of photography and foundation of film photography

The Associate Degree in Photography is offered in various Art Schools, Colleges, and Universities. The Associate Degree course typically lasts for two years. The curriculum is technical and prepares students to learn the different types of photography and use various techniques – from transparency and negative films to working in a natural setting. Students also learn to acquire skills for making photographs in a studio.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography is typically a four-year course available at a University or College. The course includes in-depth curricula and supporting coursework. It entails a study of the fundamentals of photography, digital and film photography, its narratives, history, and techniques. The course also teaches understanding imagery in Editorial, Advertising, and Fine art photography. And, this guide will walk you through some of the fruit-producing tips and tricks editorial photography.

The Master’s Degree in Photography or Master of Fine Arts prepares students to explore theory and gain essential practical experience. The Master’s Course is available for students who have completed the Bachelor’s Program.

Online Photography Courses

If you are currently employed full-time, you can choose from a range of Online Photography Courses that will give you a good understanding of the basics. While the really good ones are paid, there are several free online photography courses also available. You can take up these courses in your free time and improve your skills. You can also join photography workshops during weekends to build your portfolio, which would become a base in your journey as a professional photographer.

Read career guides on ‘How to become a professional photographer?’ or ‘How to get into photography?.’
There is ample information available on photography blogs and podcasts to get an understanding of the basics of photography – composition, aperture, shutter speed, ISO settings, depth, white balance, etc. You can always learn additional skills in lighting, posing, equipment, flash, and improve your editing skills as you go along. Start small and then begin working on your images using photo editors. Gradually you will learn the art of perfecting your pictures using settings in professional editing software.

4. Do a Photography Internship with a Professional Photographer

If you’re a young, budding photographer, look out and network with other professional photographers and mentors. It is very important to develop your people skills. Good communication, flexibility, and a patient demeanor are as important as developing your technical skills as a professional photographer. Never shy away from getting feedback about your work. You are eventually going to make a living based on the quality of your working. Here is an example of best wedding & lifestyle website templates you can check.

Look out for vacancies and get a photography job as an intern or an Assistant to gain hands-on experience that no university or school can teach. The key is to get professional photography experience by applying the knowledge and skill-sets that you have learned in the real world. During your internship, focus on learning how a photography business is run and how to deal with clients.

Practicing to be a Photographer

Tip: As a professional photographer, you do not want to fumble with your equipment in front of clients. Make sure you know everything inside out before your first professional photo shoot.

8. Build your Photography Portfolio

Your photography portfolio is the most crucial tool in your arsenal to become a successful professional photographer. Having an impressive photography portfolio will pave the way for success as all potential clients will judge your skills and talent based on your portfolio. Select your best images that show the full range of your work – make sure that your portfolio wins over new clients for you.

Tip: Don’t shy away from taking up a free project for a client when you are starting out if it can add substantial value to your portfolio.

9. Create your online portfolio website

Creating your online portfolio website is critical for you to get exposure, reach out to clients, and have them view your work. Your photography website is your window to the world – it can open up new opportunities for you and win your clients and projects beyond your network and local area when people search for a ‘professional photographer near me.’ Your website, branding, content should reflect the kind of work you specialize in, to draw the right customer base. Learn from how other top photographers are showcasing their portfolio – have a look at these photography portfolio websites.

Choose the right platform to create your portfolio website. Make sure that the portfolio website builder you choose offers the flexibility, features, and ease-of-use you need to put together a professional portfolio website without requiring any coding knowledge. Once you have a strong portfolio, you can register yourself with the photography associations in your country to become a certified professional photographer.

Check out our guide on best practices and tips on how to create your portfolio website.

Meet Pixpa – An all-in-one photography portfolio website builder trusted by thousands of top photographers around the world.

Pixpa offers an easy yet powerful drag-and-drop website builder and includes client proofing, e-commerce store, and blogging tools to enable you to manage your complete online presence through one seamless platform.

10. Set your photography pricing

Make sure that you calculate all your input costs and profit margins to arrive at the prices for your photography. Research the top professional photographer/s in your area and field, but factor in the value that you bring to the table. Be flexible and have a price range. Do not undercut your competition too much to win projects and also be wary of over-pricing and losing clients. Learn the basics of how to license your images and also put together templates for contract agreements with clients.

Check out our comprehensive guide on how to price your photography.

11. Start marketing your photography business

Once your online portfolio in place, you need to invest your time in marketing yourself. One of the first steps is to find a creative photography business name that resonates with your brand identity and appeals to your target audience. This name will be a cornerstone in all your marketing efforts. Additionally, there are several ways in which you can market yourself as a photographer.

You can participate in photography contests to gain exposure, participate in local trade exhibitions, email potential clients about your service offerings, learn how to write a cold email, get active on social media, network and build client relationships, pitch for the right openings in your industry, and be open to collaborations. You can also consider attending photography events. Carry a digital business card for IPhones for convenient sharing of contact details with event attendees. Remember to add the portfolio link to the card.

There are a number of online resources for pro photographers that you can use to learn how to market yourself and get more exposure as a photographer.

12. Join professional photographer associations

Joining professional photographer associations is a great idea. There are several associations, groups and networks for professional photographers. This lets you connect with, learn from and build your network with other professional photographers. Become a member of as many groups as possible and start networking and learning from fellow professional photographers

13. Learn from professional photographers in your area

Just google the term “professional photographers near me“, and you will get results from several professional photographers from your area. Study their websites and research the services and the pricing packages they are offering. See if they are a part of any photography network or association and learn how they are marketing their professional photography business.

14. Start building your photography clients relationships

Clients want to work with Photographers who are professional and get the work done right. Managing your client relationships is key to success. This includes setting the right expectations, having a proper contract agreement in place for every project that clearly lays out the scope of work and deliverables, and of course, making sure that you deliver on their expectations. Make sure that it is a win-win for both sides!

Using the right tools can be very helpful in managing clients. For example, you can use Pixpa’s Client Galleries to share, proof, sell and deliver your work to clients. Tools such as Jotform let you manage your photography forms and contracts and embed them in your portfolio website.

Tip: Retaining clients is critical for you to become a successful professional photographer. Be professional, set the right expectations, and always strive to deliver your best work.

15. Grow your photography business

Your number one priority from here on is to grow your photography business. Everything that you and all the choices you make will impact your success – the kind of work you do, the clients you work with, how your price your photography, your speciality and your area of operation – all of these affect your photography business. Make sure that you are consistent and are continually marketing yourself, meeting new people, and, most importantly, retaining old clients.

Conclusion

Keep your passion for photography alive, and continuously strive to do great work that would make you stand out. That’s the sure-fire recipe to pave the path to your long-term success as a professional photographer.

We wish you the best of luck!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications do you need to be a professional photographer?

There are no set educational qualifications needed for becoming a professional photographer. Most photographers are largely self taught although some may have degrees in film, visual art or design. Photojournalists often have journalism degrees or extensive field experience.

How much money does a professional photographer make?

Since most photographers freelance or are self employed professionals, rates and incomes can vary by a lot. According to the US department of labor statistics from 2018, professional photographers tend to earn a median income of $34,000 per year or $16.35 per hour

Can you make good money as a photographer?

Photographers of different experience levels and in different industries earn a variable range of income. It is very much possible to earn a good income as a photographer but you may need to do pro bono work or work for relatively low pay at the beginning of your career to build up your photography portfolio.

Is photography a good career?

Photography can be an incredibly fulfilling career for individuals who are creatively or artistically inclined. While it takes some time to build your photography portfolio and reputation and start earning a good income, in the long run, photography can be a rewarding career.

How can I start my photography career?

While there are no particular educational qualifications that are required for a photography career, a course in the basics of photography, editing and artistic composition could be a very helpful start. It is also a good idea to find a mentor who is a professional photographer. Your mentor can show you the ropes of not just photography as an art but also how to build and grow your photography business.

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