Photography is an art form, a hobby, a career path and something that everyone can learn. Studying a photography degree does not mean you have you have to work full time as a professional photographer, you may just want to learn how to take better photos and gain photography tips for when you go travelling or for posting on social media.
Learning how to be a good photographer through an online course or in a classroom setting offers an opportunity to explore and experiment with photography in the real world and learn new skills along the way.
Studying Photography Classes for Fun
We all share common reasons for wanting to take photos, and taking the time to attend a few photography workshops or studying an online course in photography can just be for fun or for a purpose other than to start a photography career. Some common reasons as to why you should study photography include:
“Photography today provides the alphabet for an international language that informs all forms of global interaction. By understanding that alphabet you can create your own journey within the new media environment.”
– Gavin Scott, photographer, lecturer, author and the founder of The United Nations of Photography
Careers in Professional Photography
If you’re contemplating a career in photography, go for it! Professional Photographers explore and see so much in their life through the eyes of a camera.
You would capture important moments in time, be a part of people’s lives, use tools such as Photoshop to edit and be able to communicate to people through still images. There are so many careers within the field of photography, naturally you will learn over time how to become a great photographer in the niche of your choice.
Some of the most common career paths include:
Documentary Photography
A standard yet exciting field of photography, documentary photography using images to convey real world stories and emotions could see you travelling the world, working for a variety of organisations and being part of the photojournalism department. Documentary photos do not manipulate a viewers reaction by trying to find unusual angles or adding special effects, it is about real and raw images that becomes a visual record of that moment in time.
Freelance Photography
A Freelance photographer is a common pathway that many people turn to as a hobby or as a second job on the side of a full time one. Freelance generally covers many social photography areas including family, weddings and celebrations. Fashion photography is also a typical freelance path, fashion photographers utilise their skills to highlight certain features of a model or specific item of clothing.
Teaching Photography
Teaching photography as a lecturer at a photography school typically requires the successful completion of Fine Arts Bachelor degree, then a teaching certification or license if you’re looking to work at a university or community college.
Other career paths that you can look into after completing a photography course include capturing company promotional material, working in science or medicine to capture research and treatments, or you may consider working within advertising for magazines and adverts.
Learning the processes of photography and being able to use a digital camera in a variety of ways will allow you to move into a career path that is both interesting and rewarding to you.
Photography Courses
As you can tell, photography opens up a world of opportunities and studying this art form offers new skills and invaluable experiences that can be used in everyday life as a hobby or as a career. If this excites you, there are hundreds of photography courses out there at an array of educational providers.
Some popular photography courses you may consider studying include:
Studying the art of photography does not have to turn into a serious career path, learn to use your new skills in your everyday life to capture moments in time, or do take the opportunity to turn your passion into a career. To find out more about photography courses in New Zealand, click here.
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