What is Professional Photography?
Photography can be described as the art and science of clicking photographs and editing them. It involves equipment such as cameras, lenses, computer software (for image processing and editing) etc. In Professional photography we covers topics such as the use of cameras, angles, computer graphics, image editing, lighting, lenses, editing software, digital photography and exposure.Skills required to become a Professional Photographer
One must possess a set of qualities and skills to thrive in the field of photography, some of which includes-- Cooperative and Understanding: cooperate with his clients and should be ready understand what kinds of images are expected by him.
- Ready to travel and work at odd hours: should be willing to work at different locations in order to get a perfect shot expected by his client.
- Creativity: Must be creative and passionate enough to get better results as there is no substitute for creativity.
- Portfolio: should be expert in creating a great portfolio.
- Good Understanding of the Software: expertise regarding cutting, editing, cropping, changing emphasis etc.
- Knowledge about the equipment: have a wide range of knowledge about the various types of equipment and how to operate them like adjusting the apertures, shutter speeds and camera focus etc.
- Marketing Skills:Good at compiling and marketing finish products for sale.
- Technical Skills: have good insight about traditional films and contemporary digital photography and must be familiar with every small detail like lights, developing and printing photographs.
- Association and Coordination: have association with other professionals like graphic designers, researchers, art directors etc to get a better end product.
Various career options possible within the realm of Photography
Photographers can work in many different areas and often choose an area to specialize in and work for a company or may become a freelancer. The various options available are-- Fashion Photographer: In this one works for fashion houses, designers or individual models and for this he must have knowledge about the glamorous world, latest fashion trends and should be creative enough to experiment with his ideas.
- Photo Journalist / Advertising Photographer: In this one works for magazines, newspapers, websites and television stations. Thus provide press with pictures that are relevant to the daily news and events, for example civic situation, streets, conditions of hospitals etc and sending them to a newspaper. For this the person needs to be instinctive and spontaneous to know what kind of a picture would best illustrate the information about the article.
- Portrait photographer: They take pictures of people and events and are therefore people-oriented photographers. Their subjects range from children to pets, functions to social events etc. Some portrait photographers also specialize in school photos and travel to schools to take pictures of students on picture day.
- Wedding Photographer: These photographers have to work with wedding and related events and capture the moments of bride and groom and make it a memory worth remembering for them. In this one needs to know how to work with different kinds of camera. Wedding photographers can never run out of job.
- Event and Concert Photographer:Event and concert photographers need to be present at any event like parties, launching of certain products Event photographers take photos of big concerts with thousands of people.
- Wildlife and Pet Photographer: This includes nature photography which covers animal kingdom, plant life, landscapes and scenery and captures the perfect sunsets and waterfalls. Pet photographer is also similar to it here you shoot cats and dogs not lion or cobra.
- Travel Photographer: In this the person covers all the places and sites that he visits during his trip and captures them in his camera.
- Scientific photographers and Medical Photographer: It covers areas of biology, medicine, chemistry and engineering and deals with shooting pictures in an operation theatre especially during a surgery to get close images of it. This photography is used for scientific publications and research reports. In this the specialized equipment is used to take pictures of cells, bacteria, internal body parts and faraway planets.
- Commercial and industrial photographers: In this the person captures pictures of machinery, merchandise, industrial layout, workers at work, buildings, archaeological findings, outdoor scenery and consumer goods. It also includes pictures for books, magazines and advertisements. These pictures are used for company publications for the purposes of advertising, marketing and selling.
- Fine arts photographers: These photographers sell the pictures they take which may be featured in a museum or gallery.
Cost of starting a career in Photography
It includes the cost of the education in learning professional photography and also the cost of buying the equipment required for the same.- Cost of Course: It can range anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 for a 2 years course.
- Cost of Equipment: It includes the cost of camera, lenses, accessories all the equipment that ranges up to Rs 100,000/- to Rs 200,000/-.
How much can a Photographer earn?
Well it depends upon the niche you are in and the experience you have. It basically depends on the role that a photographer dons (freelancer, staff photographer, specialization etc). Average starting salary for a staff photographer could be anywhere between Rs 10,000 to 25,000 it may also vary according to the specialization. But there is no particular or fixed salary structure. A wedding photographer can make anywhere between Rs 100,000/- to Rs 300,000/- from one particular function. A Fashion photographer can make between Rs 50,000/- to Rs 200,000/- per project. One may also work as a freelancer or open his own Photo Studio.Various Courses available in Photography
In India, three main courses are available, when it comes to photography-- Bachelor’s Degree courses
- Diploma courses
- Certificate courses
Bachelor’s Degree Courses
- BA Photography
- BA Visual Arts and Photography
- BFA Photography
- Sc. Photography and Video Visual Production
- Sc. in Photography and Cinematography
Diploma Courses
Some of the well known Diploma programs are-- Diploma in Digital Photography
- PG Diploma in Photography
- Diploma in Fashion Photography
- Diploma in Professional Photojournalism
- Diploma in Photography and Cinematography
- Diploma in Advertising and Commercial Photography
- Diploma in Photography and Digital Imaging
- Diploma in Digital Cinematography
Professional Photography Course in Chandigarh
These are the shortest courses available for photography. Some of the well known certificate programs are-- Digital Photography
- Fashion and People Photography
- Commercial Photography
- Photography and Image Editing