All you need to know about starting a career in photography

If you love clicking photographs, saving every little memory of your loved ones and finding aesthetics in even the bleakest of landscapes, you can turn your hobby of photography into a thriving and passionate career. So without further adieu, let us do a deep dive into photography.

What is photography?

Photography is the quintessential art of capturing moments with a simple click of a camera and turning them into visual masterpieces. A simple photograph silently conveys the story behind it. It is all about capturing that right emotion in the right moment.
A career in photography opens the world for an individual. Learning the craft of photography is a craft that may never end in itself. It is a continual process of development and advancement. The process of photography is that of experimentation. The backbone of a successful career in photography is a perfect amalgamation of creativity and technology.
Photography is a fast-emerging and popular career choice for this generation. With the advancement in advertising, media and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option to many youths. Previously regarded as a hobby only, now it has emerged as a big profession.
As a Photography graduate, there shall be no shortage of job opportunities in India as well as abroad. The demand for photography has gone up with ever-expanding social media platforms. Hence, it is a fascinating career to pursue at the moment.

Key skills required:
To become a great photographer and have a rewarding career in photography one should be well versed with the art of –
• Combining conceptual elements with technical elements.
• Arranging and understanding composition.
• Using digital editing technology.
• Setting up lighting.
• Putting together a photography portfolio.
• Using software and technology like Photoshop.
• Understanding terminology.
• Using different cameras, films, and equipment.

Available job roles: Aerial Photographer, Landscape Photographer, Fashion Photographer, Food Photographer, Sports Photographer, Wildlife Photographer, Astronomic Photographer, Astrophysics Photographer, Portrait Photographer, Product Photographer, Lifestyle Photographer, Wedding Photographer, Photojournalist.

What to study?

Individuals wanting to pursue a career in photography can choose from the following pathways:
# Path 1: Class XII in Any stream; B.Sc / BFA in Photography; Diploma / M.Sc / MFA in Photography.
# Path 2: Class XII in Any stream; Diploma / Certification.
# Path 3: Class XII in Any stream; Graduation in any discipline; Diploma / M.Sc in Photography

Where to study?
In photography, there are diploma as well as certification courses offered by several leading international universities. Here are some of the top programs.

[ India ]

• Sir J.J Institute of Applied Arts, Mumbai
• National Institute of Photography, Mumbai
• Delhi School of Photography, New Delhi
• Indian School of Photography, Gurgaon
• Indian Institute of Digital Arts & Animations, Kolkata

[ Abroad ]

• London School of Arts, UK
• SPEOS Paris Photographic Institute, France
• The New York Institute of Photography, USA
• The Art Institute of California, USA
• School of Art Institute of Chicago, USA

Pros & Cons

# Pros: Varied work environment, Chance to travel.
# Cons: Highly competitive.

Top Recruiters
Various government departments, Matterport, Blueprint,Snappr, Skin Analytics, Cloudstudoi, Filmbaker. Individuals can also work on a freelance basis with newspaper agencies, media and press, magazines, advertising agencies, fashion houses, industrial houses, and stock photography companies.

Advancing North East (www.advancingnortheast.in) is a one stop solution web portal for career and livelihood developed by the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi) and funded by the North Eastern Council, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (M-DoNER), Govt of India. For any query related to your career and livelihood reach out through guideme@advancingnortheast.in.