{"id":1063,"date":"2021-06-14T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-13T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1063"},"modified":"2023-02-20T09:43:33","modified_gmt":"2023-02-19T22:43:33","slug":"how-to-start-your-career-in-freelance-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-start-your-career-in-freelance-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Start Your Career in Freelance Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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When everyone can be a photographer thanks to smartphones, how can you stand out from the crowd? Easy. Being a photographer is about so much more than just capturing a good photo. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Whether you\u2019re capturing someone\u2019s memories, handling a photoshoot or taking landscape pictures, photography matters. It captures something in an instant and that moment, you\u2019ll never get it back. For many people, the memories captured by photos – whether people, places or a combination – are irreplaceable. And if the house was on fire, you bet the photo albums would be among the things taken out first. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As the saying goes: a picture tells a thousand words. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Becoming a freelance photographer<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Starting a photography business isn\u2019t just about making sure you have a camera and a bank account. Of course, it depends what kind of photography you want to do, but there is quite a bit more work involved. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you haven\u2019t done any studying, it\u2019s probably a good idea to get something under your belt. The great thing about photography is that a lot of it can be done online, especially thanks to advancements in technology meaning photographs can be sent to course teachers instantly. Through an online course<\/a>, you\u2019ll learn how to work a camera, how to compose a picture including how to interpret light and colour, introducing texture, creating a visual language through photojournalism and even promoting yourself as a photographer. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Studying online<\/a> also means you can fit your studies into your life, working the time around your existing commitments. It also tends to be a tad cheaper than face-to-face courses. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Once you\u2019ve received certification, it\u2019s also about getting some experience and building a portfolio. It\u2019s all well and good to say you\u2019re a great photographer, but potential clients will need to see evidence of your skills. And of course, there are the actual set-up costs.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\n Find Photography<\/strong> Courses with ICI<\/strong>\n <\/div>\n
Learn More<\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>

Buying the equipment <\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While you\u2019ll likely be required to purchase equipment (if you don\u2019t have it already) before starting an online course, there\u2019s more to your business than just one camera. Many professional photographers actually suggest having two cameras and multiple lenses to accommodate the differences in shots. You\u2019ll also need multiple memory cards, external harddrives, a computer with sufficient memory and the right software, and potentially some lights depending on what kind of photography you\u2019re thinking of doing. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Then, of course, you have the costs that aren\u2019t equipment related. This includes insurances and the right contracts that you\u2019ll need clients to sign, marketing costs if any, design costs and payment systems. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Building your reputation<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Starting your business is more than just the equipment. You need to brand yourself properly, find your niche and build your portfolio<\/a>. Make sure your online presence is clean. Remember, once someone hears your name, it\u2019s almost certain that they\u2019ll start Googling. Make sure, also that any images you publish online reflect who you are as a photography business and always keep your language positive. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You\u2019ll also have to decide on your pricing structure. Build in travel time, editing time and the time spent communicating with the potential client. And make sure you request a deposit. This not only legitimises your business but also protects you should bookings be cancelled at late notice. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Finding the work<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Studying photography doesn\u2019t always mean you have to be a photographer. It can also lead to<\/a> graphic design work, magazine editing or work in television. But if photography is where your heart lies, there are several avenues you can use to find work. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Of course there\u2019s the wedding or portrait market. What\u2019s important to consider here, especially when it comes to weddings, is that you have limited time and in most cases, only one shot, to get everything right. With portrait photography, it is a bit more flexible. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If that\u2019s not your preference, there\u2019s also stock photography, where you can sign up as a contributor to websites such as Shutterstock. You can also get some contract work where you are only a monthly retainer for clients, work with real estate agents, help businesses with their commercial photography, cover sports or news, or get involved with product or food photography. There really are so many options. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The gig economy<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Working for yourself is scary, and being a freelance photographer can be nerve-wracking when it comes to your income, simply because it\u2019s not steady or guaranteed work. But being part of the gig economy can be a wonderful thing, providing freedom to take on whatever jobs you choose, when you want to do them. Just be wary though that plenty of photographers will say they\u2019re part of the gig economy when all they have is a camera (or even a smartphone) and some lights. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Photography is an artform, even if it\u2019s just taking photos of someone\u2019s shoe. There is a way to make that photograph stand out and it\u2019s the qualifications you have and the experience you\u2019ve gained that makes you stand out. 
Ready to take the plunge and become your own boss? Embrace your love of art and photography and start your online learning<\/a> today.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When everyone can be a photographer thanks to smartphones, how can you stand out from the crowd? Easy. Being a photographer is about so much more than just capturing a good photo.  Whether you\u2019re capturing someone\u2019s memories, handling a photoshoot or taking landscape pictures, photography matters. It captures something in an instant and that moment, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design-careers"],"acf":[],"blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/start-your-career-in-freelance-photography-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"full":["https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/start-your-career-in-freelance-photography.jpg",900,600,false]},"categories_names":{"20":{"name":"Design Careers","link":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/design-careers\/"}},"tags_names":[],"comments_number":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1063"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1063\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icieducation.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}