If you’ve been snapping pictures of the world around you for years, a photography qualification will help you turn your hobby into a thriving and profitable business.
How do I know if it’s the right career for me?
Photography essentially tells a story using images that are carefully crafted to evoke emotions or action. To master it you’ll need a combination of creativity, technical ability and often people skills too, but most importantly you need to have “an eye” for the picture.
A photographer is often distinguished from the happy snapper by their flair and natural talent for one or several of the following:
The ability to see light
Have you ever been driving down the road and you see this amazing light and you just have to stop the car and get out and create a photograph? If you do, you have learned to see light. The thing is, that until you learn to see light, the qualities of light are completely invisible.
They see the details
Attention to detail is one of the hallmarks of a professional photographer – and it is something that only comes with practice.
They are artistic
If you consider yourself a photographer – you are artistic – and you are probably artistic without even knowing you are being artistic.
Just seem to “understand” the camera
There is a very big difference between trying to figure out how to trick your camera to automatically take the photo you want by adjusting metering modes, exposure adjustment settings etc. versus just knowing what settings to use and understanding why you use them.
Can see the difference between a good and a bad photo
You would think it should be obvious – but non-photographers have no idea what specifically makes a photograph good or bad. Of course, they have a reaction to photography and can point to a photo that they like better than another – but when asked why – they are stumped.
Talent is valuable but a photography course will turn an amateur photographer into one with the skills to make a living from their passion. Oakfields College offers two options to learn photography:
The one-year, full-time photography qualification covers everything from photography styles and equipment through to lighting, editing and running a business.
The short, part-time photography course gives you the basic skills to help you get the most from your camera and turn your amateur photographs into professional shots you can be proud of.
What can I do with a photography qualification?
The opportunities to put your skills to work are endless. If you love glamour and people, your niche may be fashion, wedding or event photography. If you’re all about artistic flair and seeing things in new ways, art or food photography or the advertising world may be for you. Photojournalism puts you in the centre of current events and travel photography pays you to scratch your itchy feet. And of course just about everything that’s published, in hard copy or online, from magazines to business documents, needs good quality images.
Once I complete my studies, then what?
You can work as a staff photographer for a company, start your own studio or be a freelance photographer. The portfolio you create while you study serves as a way to showcase your work and inspire people to hire you.
Putting your love for capturing the world around you to good use in your photography career just about guarantees job satisfaction. Snap up the opportunity now!
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