Everyone loves taking pictures. But that only remains a hobby. People seldom think of taking it up as a profession.
But nowadays, the scenario is changing. Photography has a part to play in almost everything be it magazines, online marketing, social networking, posters, journalism, street hoardings, et cetera, et cetera. Photography offers a number of opportunities and a large range of fields that you can venture into. Here are some of the different career options possible within the realm of photography.
1. Wedding Photography is an extremely profitable genre of photography. A wedding photographer can easily earn 50 to 60 thousand rupees for a whole wedding. And as you get more experienced, 1 to 1.5 lakh rupees would probably be your normal charge. But as well-paying as it is, getting into the field is no child’s play.
2. Product Photography is taking pictures of items and products produced or sold by a company for the purpose of advertising and selling. It can include food, merchandise, electronics, and automobiles.
3. Portrait Photography is capturing moments with people are the main focus. A good portrait photographer can do very well as a Wedding Photographer as well.
4. Event Photography is covering pictures from social events to celeb parties. Photographers of this genre can freelance with magazines and newspapers.
5. Fashion Photography is indulging in the field where one works with models, fashion houses, designers and magazines as well. This is another profitable field of photography. A respected photographer can charge 40 to 50 thousand rupees for a photo shoot of individual models.
6. Photo Journalist provides the press with pictures that are relevant to daily news and events. This kind of photography is best done instinctively. Hence, you need to be spontaneous and know what kind of a picture would best illustrate your article. If you are adventurous and willing to work under difficult conditions when needed, then this field is probably for you.
7. Fine Art Photography is clicking photographs which are sold as an art form. To be a fine art photographer, you have to be very creative and expressive.
8. Photo Essay is presenting a story with the help of a series of photographs. You can cover a wide variety of topics like social cause, travel, food etc. A photograph speaks for itself and helps people see. Although, there is not scope in this field, few magazines like, Forbes life, Fountain Ink, emahomagazine.com do work on photo essays.
9. Travel Photographers can narrate a story and give an audience a genuine and firsthand experience with the help of photographs. Travel photographers can work with various travel magazines. They can even work in promotion with hotels and government agencies. If you live to travel, this is the field for you.
10. Wildlife Photography is where you cover nature and the animal kingdom in their most habitual conditions. The photographs of sceneries, landscapes, waterfalls and sunsets etc. form a part of wildlife photography.
11. Industrial Photography is to click photographs of machinery, merchandise, industrial layout, workers at work etc. to be used for company publications and for the purposes of advertising and selling.
12. Forensic Photography is taking pictures at crime scenes from all possible angles with great emphasis on details in order to help the police and detective agencies.
13. Scientific Photography is used for scientific publications and research reports. The areas that it covers are biology, medicine, chemistry and engineering. You have to have both interest and knowledge to be a part of this field.
Course:
Most of the photographers are basically self-trained, but in the last decade lots of institutes have come up in India which have started a detailed course on the art of taking pictures and have produced brilliant photographers. They are:
1. Lights and Life Academy, Ooty
2. National Institute of Design
3.BharatiyaVidyaPeeth, Pune
4. Delhi School of Photography
5. AAFT (Asian Academy of Film &Televion), Noida
6. Udaan Photography, Mumbai
7. FX School of Photography, Mumbai
8.Film and Television Institute of India, Law College Road,
9. Fergusson College, Pune (B.A. Degree Course in photography)
Photography as a profession is still developing in India, but it’s only a matter of time before people will start thinking of it as a viable career option. Once you have a good name in the field, like other jobs like doctors and engineers, photography too will pay you handsomely.
Achal mishra
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