How difficult would it be to start a career in photography?

Question

I mean, I don't know if I want to change my career this late in my life. I am 30 years old and established in my present career. But I would really love to be a photographer in some capacity. I have been interested in being a professional photographer for the past 8 years. I've only just now made it a serious hobby and I'm pretty good with a 35mm SLR but I want to switch to digital and learn photoshop. I'm taking a digital photography workshop this spring to get started. If there are any professionals established in the business reading this, are there any directions or advice you could offer me? My Uncle shoots professionally after pretty much teaching himself the trade, I can't get a hold of him nowadays, but I'd love to know is it better to have some sort of formal education or learn through experience, or both? If I need the formal education, how much? I thank anyone with input in advance.

Also, I'd love to mentor with anyone who has the time.

Wow, that's a lot of info, thanks everyone. To be a little more specific, I love photographing cityscapes and landscapes. I'm also interested in wedding and portrait work as well as architecture and automotive. To tell you the truth, I love to take pictures of just about everything.

I don't think I'm too old to learn neccessarily, I just want to transition into photography while continuing to do what I do now. I mean I like what I do and I'm good at it, I'm an electronics technician, but I'm nowhere near as passionate about it as I am photography.

Answer 1

First of all you are never too old to learn. I am 43 and an avid photographer and I graduated college at age 41 for Multimedia Computer Technology...you can do it. Age is a number and your hardly headed to a grave soon.

You didn't specify what type of photography you are interested in...there are portrait, wedding, photojournalism just to name a few of the fields in photography. You can also attend a community college to begin your training in photography and graphic arts. Goodluck!

Check out some sites I found for you!

Answer 2

Hi,
I am now a professionnal commercial photographer. I also did a few weddings, and a baptism. It's funny, because I asked, about 7 years ago, the same question to myself. And I will tell you the same thing another photographer said to me...

If you are really, really, passionnate about photography, and read about every books on the subjet, from the zone system to the finest subtilities of contrast and lighting, maybe after a few years of learning and working, eating and sleeping with your books and your camera, you can become a good photographer. But this was more true 20 years before. Today, there are so many people interrested in photography, that having a proper formation can give you a first step ahead of the competition. And you learn faster. I wanted to be a commercial photographer, in a studio, so I returned to school for a technique of 3 years at the CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal.
Maybe you don't need a formation that long... Some institutions gives evening courses for a year, or something like that, and that could provide you a solid base for a professionnal work. Too many people improvise themselves photographers, because almost everybody has a camera!! And of course, you can do great picture with your sensibility and your intuition. But to make a hobby like that a job, you have to maintain a certain level of quality throughout your work.
I must say also that when you take courses, you can have interresting feedback from your teachers who are usually experienced in that field.
Another thing that can be of a great help is to try being an assistant. Of course, if you prefer working on your own and being your own boss, you can start doing jobs by yourself. But assisting a photographer can be a great learning experience. Watching how the photographer is working, how this person deals with the client, the final results. And the best thing about it is you can see and learn through all this without having the pressure on your shoulders! Maybe you could offer to be an assistant for your uncle?

Good luck!

Answer 3

I too am in the midst of a career re-direction. I'm currently in the process of trying to develop a career in photojournalism, and I must admit that it's a lot harder than I anticipated, and I don't mean in terms of the amount of work. The problem I'm finding is that it's hard to get your foot in the door unless you've graduated with some prestigious credentials...and I already have a B.A., just not related to photography. It was a struggle for me just to find an internship (and an unpaid one at that)! And in doing my "homework," I've found that photojournalism jobs are few and far between- and lots of qualified people are applying! I've gone back to school to study the art and science of photography as well as Photoshop to help increase my "hire-ability" quotient, but I've been told numerous times that the key to success is just to keep shooting and adding to your portfolio. But I am committed to my goal of earning a living with my camera, and I intend to just keep shooting until then. Good luck to you!

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Pretty easy, it's just like journalism or anything else related to the mass media...start out with freelance work and go from there. It might be a good idea to take some classes, how many is entirely up to you and would demand on how successful in terms of money you want to be.

Answer 6

Just do like my friend did........You've got your camera, and fly down to Las Vegas, and just start clicking away, and get you a "Portfolio" going of all of the star's you can find, and then go too a court house and get a "permit" to do this, and start selling them to magazines, and the like!! Good luck to you!! I think it's okay to learn from either / or.....There's nothing like experience from doing it "Hand's on" right? A little bit of advice from those who know a little never hurt's either, however.. Smile!!!

Answer 7

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Answer 8

u could just start takin pictures and then send them into a newspaper company/magazine company.

Answer 9

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