Trying to get a job as a Photographer can seem daunting, if not completely impossible. Photographer's do not have to have a degree in tech, but they need to be persistent business people. Often enough, internships offer unpaid positions which is geared towards students that teach the best route to the copy machine or the water cooler. However, photography is a career that is very well alive and includes multiple opportunities that have increased dramatically with the growth of online media.
Below I will give you some tips on how to get a job as a photographer:
This is the most important because many employers will not even look at you - you need to prepare a portfolio that literally includes ALL of your BEST work. You need to have creativity with your portfolio - look for images with contrast, different subjects and something that will really catch the employers eyes. Use a variety of different tones especially black and white photography. Your portfolio should empathize you and the style of photography you capture through the lens. It is extremely good practice if you prepare a professional presented portfolio in hard copy format and also on a disk.
A good idea would be to join a photography association. There are multiple industries that are photography organizations.
Be sure to have a
resume that shows all of your qualities as a photographer. If you took any
classes, went to
college, joined a
club or even if a photograph was featured in a
magazine - these are all extremely important to an employer and in the end will probably hire you especially if you have all of the experience. I would leave out anything non-photography. If you have some difficulties putting a resume together, you can always hire a
resume consulting company that will help you get the right words out and what you should and should not have on your resume. Now it is time to check online for any job listings. Look on
websites like
Journalism Jobs or
Get Photography Jobs. A good factor is to
remain open to any
freelance work - this can really help build up your portfolio and many freelance clients are often happy to pass along your name.
As a photographer,
networking is a huge thing. Talk with
local newspapers and bring your portfolio. Even if you prefer artistic photography, you can really build your repertoire and your foundation as a photographer by first working as a professional one.
Be sure you become a member of a stock photography website such as iStock. iStock has many guidelines and requirements their photographers must follow and this can really open the door to selling your work. You can always post your work online - purchase inexpensive website templates or consider posting to a free website like Deviant Art.
Always be persistent with your job search and always take pictures. Take your camera everywhere - go to weekend photo shoots, take photos of friends/family, go to the beach, go driving. If you have a variety of photographs for your portfolio, it will increase your chances of landing a job.
Start to network with other photographers. You can receive feedback from other photographers and compare your work to theirs. Look for websites of professional photographers - do your research. Ensure you are always thinking of new ways of how you can improve your photography techniques and make your work more marketable. If you stay in the loop of the different industry trends, you'll have a job in no time!
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