A photographer is a person who has skills in taking pictures or photographs with a camera. Photographers are in two aspects, one as a professional and the other as an amateur.
Professionals take pictures for their job to earn money and an amateur takes a picture for pleasure and to record the personal moment. A photographer mainly works in a freelance capacity and is hired for specific jobs by different clients.
| Advantages of Being a Photographer | Disadvantages of Being a Photographer |
| Photographers follow their passion | Never in many photos |
| Chance to be Creative | One is extremely perfectionist with images |
| Specialize or Generalize | Best cameras and accessories are indeed expensive |
| Artist Relationships | Most people think it is the “Camera” |
| Exposure | No guaranteed income |
| Job Satisfaction | One has to do everything |
| The business opportunity | |
| Flexibility and freedom |
Advantages of Being a Photographer
Photographers follow their passion
Most photographers do not choose this career in this field only for the money, but as they really love doing photography. Moreover, many photographers do not feel their work is work at all.
This just feels like doing their favorite pastime along with making money at the same moment and it can be considered as possibly the best way to work as one will simply be able to really love what they are doing for a living.
Chance to be Creative
Photography gives an opportunity to a person to express their creative nature, and a successful photographer earns money for doing what they like.
A skilled photographer can present forth beauty from even the most humdrum object, enabling people to view things nearby more than they look to be. Their project may add value to the pages of top-selling magazines or be hung in business galleries.
Creating extraordinary photography is very lucrative for all; many famous photographers earn millions annually.
Specialize or Generalize
A photographer has the freedom they may generalize or specialize in only one genre of photography.
Many photographers work as photojournalists, while others specialize in advertising photography or photographic studios. Several photographers work as freelancers for their employers, covering sports photos for a company while snapping wedding photos for a second.
A skilled photographer with good equipment and the right work ethic will have themselves with an interesting professional life and a big clientele.
Artist Relationships
Photographers usually collaborate with other professionals, including hairstylists, makeup specialists, prop stylists, photographers, wardrobe experts, and set designers.
Many get projects to work with gorgeous models, big politicians, or even business tycoons. Irrespective of what or who they shoot, photographers have the chance to socialize with other creative artists in their routine life.
Using their network, photographers came to know about forging professional, career opportunities, and even personal relationships, and attain photography-related skills.
Exposure
Photographers may attain fame, wealth and if one is dedicated their work can lead to wide exposure if photos are printed in regional, local, domestic or global publications and other media.
Along with this, their assignments may offer a chance for national and international travel. There is enormous potential for exposure both abroad and home which leads to all of the other personal benefits a photographer can attain— more work opportunities, freedom, and new relationships along with the esteem which comes from knowing that people appreciate their work.
Job Satisfaction
By clicking memorable or high-quality photographs, photographers gain some quantum of immortality.
Photographs are never changing objects, with photography from the initial ages or even earlier still liked in this century. While photographers do what they like, clicking photographs that will last for ages, one may experience good levels of job satisfaction.
The business opportunity
For many professionals, photography is not only a profession or passion. It leads to starting my own business. After gaining sufficient experience, sharpening their own skill sets, one can very easily start their own venture.
It has a minimal capital investment. While working somewhere one creates a good client base, be popular.
Flexibility and freedom
Many photographers choose their careers as freelancers rather than being employed by companies. It gives them the choice and freedom for the projects they desire to work on and the number of hours they want to work behind their camera every day.
Unlike several other professions who have to work in a regular 9 to 5 desk job facing problems like next to impossible to get leaves sanctioned, get a furlough, or exit early from office if they desire to socialize with friends and family.
One is free working as a photographer from these bindings. The profession also allows one to embrace creativity on their terms.
Like, one might not like shooting marriages, but they might crave wildlife photography.
Disadvantages of Being a Photographer
Never in many photos
People will always ask photographers to click group photos or the photos for an event. They are not in photos. It may look in a lighter vein. But after a while, it is a photo that lasts forever and has moments.
The photographer is always left out. Not making the pages on magazines, newspapers or displays. It is indeed demoralizing and a significant, unavoidable factor.
One is extremely perfectionist with images
As a photographer, I have hands-on experience and knowledge of photographs. They are, by default, very picky with the quality of pictures.
They desire someone to click a picture as they would like. Making it very difficult to allow someone else to take the picture because it probably would not be right to them or as good as they may desire.
They may force the person to click, again and again, spoiling the moment
Best cameras and accessories are indeed expensive
One does not need to have an excellent camera to be the best. But, with recent technology people crave the best possible quality they can have achieved, It is competitive if one is selling images.
It means that one has to shell out a big amount of cash for the equipment required. A Nikon basic level full-frame DSLR camera body costs about USD 1600 gives an idea of the cost involved.
A 50mm camera lens costs about somewhere in the price range of USD 150, a nice zoom lens will cost another USD 800 at least. Consequently to start, one needs to be shelling out USD200 at the basic end, not including accessories like flashes, batteries, and others.
The cost of most lenses can easily exceed thousands of dollars, it is costly but it has to be there. It can be a costly profession.
Most people think it is the “Camera”
Though the camera may click some excellent images in the automatic setting, the camera can only do so much.
One can try to click a picture while in the automatic mode setting when there is low light without the flash getting off, they most likely cannot.
A photographer does know to pump up the ISO, drop the shutter speed, and drop the aperture if needed. Skilled photographers think of several perspectives, know how important the composition is, and know how to frame a good photo.
Though the camera will be able to get a few things, the camera cannot do it without the intervention of someone who has the know-how to manipulate the settings to best click what they desire to achieve.
No guaranteed income
Like with all other freelance career options, photography does not guarantee a fixed income.
If one is famous, has a good customer base and the workflow is good, one will make more than they expected. But there will be times when one will be out of work.
Most people who pursue photography as a profession must be mentally prepared for a dry time when one will have no money as well as a time when you will have a lot of no money.
One has to do everything
While working in an office ensure that one has designated duties. One has to do what one are allotted to do. But if one starts on their own, they have to look beyond their craft.
They will be needed to look into their personal finances and correspondence, tax and sales inquiries, generate invoices and contracts, do social media promotion, and even photo editing.
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I’m a former teacher with a background in child development and a passion for creating engaging and educational activities for children. I strongly understand child development and know how to create activities to help children learn and grow. Spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and volunteering in my community.