5 Steps to Becoming a Professional Photographer

Photography is a bold career choice that suits people with a blend of artistic flair, technical skills, and entrepreneurial thinking.

If you’ve always been fascinated by the photographic arts, and you dream of a creative career that pays the bills, photography can be a practical way to make a living while expressing yourself creatively. Over your lifetime, you can build a body of work that you’re proud of and spend your working days doing something you love. In this career toolkit, we’ll guide you through each stage of becoming a professional photographer.

If you’re considering a career in photography, you probably have some questions, like:

This career kit will brief you on answers to these questions and more in five chapters. 

What do photographers do on a daily basis? They take photos, of course, but there’s much more going on behind the studio doors. This is what you’ll find photographers doing on any given day:

Professional photography is growing fast. The Australian government makes Strong Growth Projections for the next 5 years (source). Unfortunately, this data does not factor the impacts of COVID-19, but it’s feasible to guess that, as businesses increasingly move online, the demand for product and commercial photography will rise. Some niches may decline, but at this point it’s hard to say exactly which ones and how much.

17,900 Australians make their living doing photography. If they can do it, then with the right skill sets, practice, and experience, then why not you?

Photography jobs are usually priced by the hour or the day. Photographers charge anywhere from $500 (for beginners) to upwards of $5000 a day. That may seem high, but you’ll need to subtract running costs from your photographer’s fee to find your real hourly rate.

Some examples of standard costs include equipment, marketing, and account for the hours you will spend in pre- and post-production (which often vastly outnumber the hours you devote to shooting) .

Yearly income varies widely across industries, but these are some typical ‘salaries’ for different kinds of photographers.

For ease of understanding, hourly rates have been translated into yearly salaries, though most photographers work variable hours.

Starting photography later in life gives you some key advantages.

Having been a young photographer, I observed that older photographers can have an easier time establishing trust with the client. Even if you’re less experienced or trained, they tend to assume you know what you’re doing – it may not always be a fair assumption, but first impressions count. If you’re in your early twenties and your clients are a decade or more older than you, they will find it hard to trust in your abilities until you go above and beyond to prove yourself. 

As an older person, you have the benefits of life experience, which can include communication skills, a professional demeanour, and assertiveness, which often take time to build. It’s also likely that you are better equipped to handle the complex, challenging situations that will inevitably come up.

As you get older, you often have more spare time, which means more time to hone your craft. Also, you may have more money available. The benefits of this are twofold: It means more freedom to choose the types of work you want to do, and more money to spend on equipment.

Case in point: Melbourne portrait photographer Nancy Flammea didn’t start photography until she turned 50.

Photography is perfect for you if:

Once you’ve passed the absolute beginner stage, it’s time to upgrade your lenses to professional quality. Professional photographers aren’t caught dead with the ‘kit’ lens that comes with the camera body, because the lens you use is perhaps the most important factor in how your images look and feel.

Apologies to my Nikon friends; I used Canon exclusively while shooting and at TAFE, so I only speak Canon. Most brands will have an equivalent lens for each category. Here’s what you might consider for a starting lens kit, depending on what kind of photography you enjoy.

Equipment research is a deep rabbit hole. May I suggest reading up on The Wirecutter before you start Googling away and end up frazzled? 

Not all photographers work for the same kinds of clients. The genre and industry you work in will dictate whether your photography falls into the B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to customer) categories.

Personal branding photography is a new, trending niche. Personal branding photographers produce photography to be consistent with a business’s branding. They usually work with small businesses, often producing portraits – but also covering still life and lifestyle styles. 

Common ways to get your first jobs in photography include:

Some less common ways to get jobs:

Full-time isn’t necessarily for everyone. Photography can be a great side job, and more often than not, it’s a better strategy to transition from a side hustle, then part-time, then to full time. A part-time job gives you a stable income while you’re building up a base of clients, as income can be unpredictable in the beginning.

Gradual, measured entry into the industry helps you to learn the ropes without making serious mistakes or getting in over your head. After all, your reputation is your most precious asset in the photography business: yes, more precious than that costly telephoto zoom lens you don’t let anyone else touch.

Here’s a step by step plan for getting started:

1. Start with assisting experienced photographers, especially if you admire their work.
2. Save some money for investing in gear and paying tax.
3. Do collaborations with other creatives to build a portfolio. An online portfolio is a must – consider Instagram to start with, and later add a website.
4. Take on small jobs through your extended network.
5. Do your best work, all the time. Always over-prepare and only hand over your best shots to the client. Blow clients away with your personal service and attention to detail.
6. As you do more jobs, purchase better equipment: a second camera body, a prime lens, a telephoto, better Speedlites, and a basic two-flash lighting kit.
7. Build up a base of repeat clients through word of mouth: your ultimate marketing tool.
8. As you get more and more jobs booked, reduce the hours you work at your other job.
9. Get even better equipment. Think about setting up a small studio if you have a spare room.
10. Quit your security job. You’re a full-time photographer now! Congratulations. 
11. Keep pushing to become better technically and artistically. Always read and take in new work. Read photography books and blogs. Watch documentaries about great photographers. Experiment with new techniques and concepts. Take short courses and workshops regularly.

Assisting isn’t for everyone – it’s very physically demanding. It’s best suited for commercial photography, weddings, studio product photography. Some photographers prefer to work alone. But it’s definitely a good idea to try it out, and one good relationship can end up opening many doors.

Yes, as a fine art photographer, you can make money selling fine art prints.

Other photographers can upload photographs to a stock site, but this may not be a right choice for beginners – your work needs to be of very high quality to make any money, and usage rights can be complex to get your head around. Once you’re more experienced and skilled, this could be an excellent option to supplement your primary income.

• The Loop – This is a creative jobs site, but it’s also a great place to research the industry. Check out other creatives in your city. See their work and how they describe themselves.
• The Brownbill Effect – This is a creative directory run by a legendary Melbourne-based networker. This is where I found my first assisting jobs out of TAFE. It’s a great place to list yourself as an assistant. There is a yearly fee, but your membership pays for itself after your first full day of assisting.

• Platon Documentary – A fantastic Netflix documentary about famed British portrait and documentary photographer Platon Antoniou. 
• Adorama YouTube Channel – Gear reviews, insights into the workflows of top professionals, and loads of tips and tricks.
• Depth of Field 2018 –  A valuable photography learning resource in video form. This series is recorded at a conference hosted by B&H.

• Shotkit – The Camera Gear of the World’s Best Photographers – Helpful and clear guides for getting started, and they have a whole “what’s in your bag” series.
• Lens Rentals | Blog – For all you gear freaks out there, this blog posts infrequently, but they do through technical and thorough discussions of new equipment and tech.
• The Wirecutter – Straightforward, no-fluff reviews. The best part is that they recommend cameras and equipment based on your goals – no one-sized fits all approach.

• AIPP: The Australian Institute of Professional Photographers  – The AIPP is the principal membership organisation for photographers and videographers in Australia. They offer accreditation for photographers who can complete their rigorous process. It’s certainly not necessary to join to work in the industry, but you may find it useful as a community and a credential to back up your skills.

• Australian Photography – Read for inspiring photographer profiles, insightful articles, gear reviews, competitions and news.
• Feature Shoot – An online magazine that’s great to read for inspiration, with somewhat of an art focus, but covering many genres like travel, fashion, and portraiture.
• 500px Blog – An inspiration and education hub.
• Capture Mag Profiles – Get inspired with round-ups of Australia’s contemporary photographic talent, and get a feel for the kinds of photography the industry awards recognise.

• Australian Photographers Journal – An online magazine with a focus on contemporary and fine art photography.
• Centre for Contemporary Photography – A Melbourne gallery space that curates some of Australia’s most exceptional fine art and documentary talent.  
• Australian Centre for Photography | Photography Courses & Exhibitions – A Sydney gallery, founded in the 1970s, which showcases and promotes Australian fine art photography while also running workshops.
• photography • frankie magazine – Some inspiring examples of curated editorial, art, documentary, and travel photography.
• LensCulture – An online magazine that focuses on contemporary art photography.
• Photo Booth – A section of the New Yorker magazine that features photographer profiles and essays on photographic art. 
  

Photography is challenging, and it’s competitive. But it’s also thoroughly rewarding. Success in this business requires immense commitment and perseverance, but many people make excellent careers out of it, and the earning potential is high for top photographers. On the other hand, you may decide you’d like to do it part-time, as a side job, or stay an amateur and do it for love. Whatever you choose, photography has something to offer for everyone.

If you want to make this your full-time career, you must be willing to put in everything you have. Be prepared to learn the business and be continually learning and improving. But if you commit, you’ll have more than a career ahead of you – you’ll have a calling.