The work of a photographer is primarily to capture images. The kind of work and techniques involved will depend on which niche the photographer operates. For example, the techniques employed for studio photography will be very different from paparazzi photography.
Career options available:
There are many career paths available today if you are seriously considering becoming a photographer. Here are some of the lucrative career options you can pursue:
Press Photography:
Also known as photojournalism, as a press photographer, your work will involve capturing current events and supplying pictures to local and national press publications. The range of subjects shot will be diverse and hence you need to possess the instinctive ability to know which pictures will create headlines in a magazine or newspaper. Press photography usually involves working under tough situations and a good rapport with other reporters is crucial.
Feature photography:
This involves photography in the form of a narrative. In other words, your pictures need to tell a story to the audience. The range of subjects can be diverse and assignments vary. This also means working at unusual locations at odd hours. There are many subjects that fall within this sphere like wildlife, sports, environment or ecological issues, travel etc.
Editorial photography:
This is primarily for newspapers and magazines. Most of the work is in the form of freelance assignments as work can be sporadic and random. The focus is to depict the theme mentioned in the report or article in the form of photographs.
Industrial photography:
In industrial or commercial photography you will need to capture images of products and merchandise, machinery, parts etc. These will be a part of corporate brochures, promotional materials, annual reports of a company etc. The focus should be on making a company’s products and merchandise look appealing to the consumer.
Portrait photography:
This is wedding photography. These focus on capturing images of small groups of people like children, pets, the wedding elements, family get-togethers etc. You could choose to work at a studio on a full-time basis or work independently as a freelancer.
Advertising photography:
Advertising agencies, freelance photographers or studios take these photographs. The range of work can encompass catalogue projects, mail orders and much more. Advertising photography has the most potential and poses the toughest competition compared to other spheres of photography.
Fashion photography:
This is a highly paid and lucrative career path in photography. You could work at a studio where you would get regular work from advertising agencies or fashion houses. Otherwise, you could choose to freelance with commissioned work.
Wildlife photography:
This is a very interesting career path in photography and involves capturing images of nature and wildlife. You could capture pictures of animals, birds, landscapes, rare species and lots more.
Forensic photography:
Another very interesting and exciting career option in photography, forensic photography is about capturing images from a scene of crime. Object distances, angles and accuracy play a crucial role in such a sphere.
Paparazzi photography:
This involves taking pictures of celebrities and is in great demand today. This is also a very highly paid career path and if you establish yourself in this segment there will be lot of work coming in.