Career in Photography – How to become a photographer?

By Sharmilla Shah

A career in photography is indeed as exciting as it sounds. To spend a life time behind a camera and to observe the world through a viewfinder is a great opportunity, for a fulfilling life, and a perfect medium, to express your beliefs and views in a visual language. A picture speaks a thousand words and has with it a great power to impact people and their lives.

A decision to become a photographer is driven more out of passion rather than any alternative objective. All photographers across the globe share a sense of deep passion and commitment towards capturing fleeting moments of history, in the life of a product, person, community, nation or a society at large.

Photography is an applied art and refers to the act of taking photographs. The medium of doing so has evolved over the years but the purpose and passion continues even today.

The photography business has seen an exponential growth in the last few decades and the advent of the Mobile cameras have made taking pictures that much more accessible to people all across the globe.

Do you want to be a photographer?

All human beings need to express their opinions, feelings and emotions. And we all choose different mediums to do so. Some people are inclined to paint, or to sing or to write. Some people communicate with words either by writing or speaking. Some people who are visually inclined may have a natural tendency to express the world around them by capturing their view of the world ona film or the digital format.

If you are a visual communicator, that is, if the images move you, talk to you and you find yourself reaching out to a camera to capture and document that particular moment in time, well, I am guessing you would like to consider a career as a photographer.

How do you become a photographer?

Like all industries, where skill is developed, trained and mentored, the photography business too has various training centers, institutions offering full-blown courses in this field. And since photography is more of a vocation it can even be learnt in an unconventional manner by say, like assisting some bodywell known or well established in the industry. A master craftsmen who teaches you the various nuances of this art form.

A lot of photographers are self taught as it is an art that gets better with practice, patience and perseverance. I began by assisting a photographer and learning the ropes of the trade, as against graduating from a photography school. That does not make me any less or more professional than a person who has been certified by a graduating school. So the choice ultimately boils down to where you are in life. If you are fresh from college, then it definitely makes sense to join a college that will certify you in the field of photography, which only means you get to spend your time doing something that you know for sure you love, rather than pursuing an alternative subject which does not interest you.

But a solidgrounded, dedicated few years in to any skill is always preferred and recommended.  A few lost souls like me, took the road less taken, but the journey is the highlight, right?

What skill sets do you need to require?

Well, first off you have to got to love taking pictures. Everything else then can be sorted. Techniques can be learnt, skills can be developed, butpassion, love for the visuals and a style and point of view is something you have to acquire on your life’sjourney.

Options available in the Photography field

I am a wedding and Food photographer. And I have chosen this after experimenting with various genres of photography. Shooting still life or Product photography is a huge line of work itself. The world of market is on line, and there is a photographer behind every single photograph of a product that is sold on line. So you can imagine how big the opportunity for growth there is.

People or portrait or studio photography can be a genre in it self. Shooting babies, people, children, and models can all come under this. Fashion photography can be categorized under this.

Photojournalism and working for the Press or the editorial magazines is a prominent field in itself.

Wedding photography is itself an art and industry to itself. Food, Architecture, Travel, Lifestyle Photography, the options are unlimited, truly. You have to find out what you love shooting and what you good at shooting with a little time and patience.

The Professional hazards

Like any industry the photography industry too has its fair share of trials and tribulations. The often-heard dilemma in the industry is of art vs. commerce. An artist struggles building a bridge between these two ends of the spectrum. You may be a great photographer but may suck at marketing. There are photo studios opening and closing round the year. So like any business you need to find a balance between the two. I would highly recommend learning the art of photography as well as the business of photography, as they both go hand in hand.

Building your portfolio initially may also be a tough task. But with a little creativity from your side, for e.g., doing a few free shoots or low priced shoots at the start of your career may bring in an opportunity to show your skills as a master craftsmen and allow you the room to make your mistakes, to learn, grow and become a better photographer.

Why did I become a photographer?

Because I love taking pictures. I love people and I love emotions. Tears, smiles, happiness, pain, the lost look, I want to capture it all. I find this world beautiful, the people in it amazing, and each moment of this I want to hold on to forever. That’s why I chose a camera over a pen or anything else. I worked in a Mobile company, I worked in a bank. But none of them gave me the freedom, personal or financial to live my life the way I had envisioned. Photography found me and not the other way round. I feel a sense of joy, love and happiness when I am around people and capturing their life, just forthese teeny weeny moments. This gives me a high.

My work allows me to meet amazing people and allows me a peek into their lives, which I find is a great honor and privilege. They allow me into their lives and I get to shoot some truly soul bearing, heart-warming moments which enriches my life.

About the Author:

Sharmilla Shah is the Founder of Weddingbellz Photography and Films and Sharmilla Photography. She is a Food and Wedding candid photographer based out of Bangalore, but travels across India. She has an experience of over 10 years in the Photography Industry and has been featured in prominent magazines like The Cosmopolitan and the Deccan Chronicle.