10/03/2017
THE 3 BIGGEST THREATS FACING PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (AND HOW TO BEAT THEM)
1. COMPETITION FROM OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS
With an estimated 3.8 trillion photographs taken since the first at the start of the 19th century, attempting to get your own work appreciated amongst the noise can begin to feel futile. With the majority of this astonishing number coming after the rise in popularity of digital and mobile photography, it doesn’t seem likely that this task will become any easier over time.
Solution:
While it may seem on the surface that everyone with a smartphone or digital camera is now a photographer, if you scratch a little deeper you will find that most don’t stray far from automatic settings and pre-programmed editing filters. While the rise in popularity of digital photography has certainly brought interest in the subject at a professional level to a new high, most of the photographs out there are taken by amateurs who lack the conviction to put in the effort it takes to become a true professional.
If you are to compete amongst the noise and build a career for yourself, you need to make the effort to learn all you can about photography; not just about technical skills, but about the theory, history, professional practice, and global industry. Becoming an amateur photographer might have become easier in the digital age, but becoming a professional photographer, in the true sense of the term, has become even harder.
2. THE DECLINING PRESTIGE OF PHOTOGRAPHY AS A PROFESSION
With the rise in amateur photography, there has also been an increasing tendency for people to think that the art of photography is nothing more than taking decent photographs.
Solution:
Get educated. It’s rare for a professional photographer to come from the amateur pursuit of trial and error and self-promotion, and much more realistic for them to gain their skills through quality education.There is no short-cut to becoming a professional photographer. While you may have been lured into photography by the impression that it’s easy, you will soon find that on this foolish assumption you will not enjoy a career in photography for very long. Becoming a professional is about much more than pointing, clicking, and photoshopping and, as with any subject, becoming a professional requires a lot of study.
3. THE HIGH COST OF PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT
If you read the latest photography trade press, you could be forgiven for thinking that you need to spend a fortune to become a decent photographer. With so much digital equipment on offer it is easy to let the advertisements persuade you that the quality of your kit is what will make you a good photographer. Indeed, many amateur and professional photographers alike can be seen with giant backpacks and kit dangling off all their limbs. The quality of the kit, however, is never an indication of the quality of the photographer.
Solution:
As a professional photographer you are an artist. The camera is just a tool you use to capture your art. If you can’t take decent photographs with a bottom of the range camera, there is no way that spending a fortune on a top of the range camera will help you.
While the most expensive kit does tend to be of the best quality, you should view it as something to work up to rather than something you have to invest in at the start of your career. If you’re on a limited budget you should always prioritise lenses over the body of the camera, as lenses have more of an impact on image quality. A mid-range body, a couple of decent quality lenses and a sturdy tripod are all you need to invest in at the beginning of your career.
