Mark Bailey

With cameras on every device and easy access to editing software and online display platforms, it is easy to catch the photography bug these days -but what do you do when you realise you want to take this hobby further?

If you have been snapping away with exciting results and have received positive feedback from others, you may now be considering how to make your photographic pastime your future profession – so what are the routes to take to become a professional photographer?

While there is no set path that all professional photographers follow, there are a number of key elements that can help to prepare an amateur photographer for the world of work – building skills and confidence until you are ready to begin to charge people for your services.

Purchasing equipment and taking a photography course

One of the best ways to progress from amateur photography to a more focused practice of this visual art is by investing in both your photographic equipment and artistic education.

If you are planning on taking a photography class it is a good idea to see what the course equipment requirements are before you make any investment, so take the time to speak to the tutor in charge of the programme and see what they would recommend if you have not already purchased any professional grade equipment.

Photographers looking to grow their skillset can choose from a range of photography courses. With everything from weekend and evening photography classes to degrees in the visual arts on offer at the places like University of Bolton, art schools and many other UK educational establishments. Choose a photography course that suits the level of time and effort you are able to dedicate to this new career goal.

Courses in photography will help you to gain an understanding of a number of elements that are important to professional photographers. Composition and framing, lighting, shutter speeds, exposure and post production work – teaching you tricks of the trade that professional photographers use to achieve the amazing effects and results that we see displayed to us in the media every day.

Gaining experience as a professional photographer

While you are learning about the art and working towards photographic qualifications, you should also consider how you would go about gaining experience in your chosen field. Being able to demonstrate how you have used your talents in a professional setting is likely to give you an edge over competitors when it comes to landing professional gigs in the future.

Offering to work free as an intern or work experience is one good way to gain valuable experience as well as helping to add a range of shots to your portfolio. Contact local newspapers and offer your skills for free, offer up and coming local bands free photography at their gigs or even step up to capture the big day for friends who are getting married on a tight budget – but make it clear they you want to use some of the images as examples of your work in return for your efforts.

Alternatively, you may wish to contact a local photographer and offer to work in their studio in return for tips and advice on how to become a professional photographer – even the famous David Bailey started out as a general dogsbody in another photographer’s studio so, with dedication, who knows where this move could take you?

Recently DC Mag featured the Four Golden Rules to Photographing Real Estate, recommending the best cameras, lenses and kit for the highest standard digital photography of properties for sale or to let – also listing basic lighting and composition tips for first-time success. Our aim is to help both improving and professional digital photographers to become as knowledgeable and versatile across their trade. Whether property and interior image capture is an area of specific interest to you, or an interesting way to find a supplementary income, the ability to offer a wide skill set is an advantage in an ever-competitive world of digital photography and image editing. Practical advice and up to date knowledge in a number of specialist, niche areas of photography should help digital photographers improve the chances of creating an adequate income.

What Aspects of Interior Design are the Most Universally Appealing?

We’ve researched the real-estate experts that have years of property selling experience to bring you the most appealing decor and interior design features that both add value to a home’s sale price, while bearing in mind how, as a photographer, to best capture a home’s best features in listings for a quick sale.

Most potential buyers look for period-appropriate finishes across a potential home, and are overwhelmingly attracted to listings of properties that look like they could be moved in tomorrow with minimal disruption and alteration. This means that across the board, wooden floorboards and complimentary doors, plaster and moldings that fit the style of the property are essential, and as such these features should be captured in property photography using techniques that not only flaunt the natural appeal of these materials, but enhance them using creative lighting and compositions that give an attractive feeling of space.

Why Wood?

Realtor’s real estate expert, Leslie Piper, agrees that wooden floors have universal and timeless appeal, and that properties that feature a polished wooden floor will always gain more interest and sale value. For a photographer, focus on the natural textures of waxed, stained or polished wood is important. The colour and texture of a floor or foreground can be utilised to compositional advantage, and making sure the natural lighting through windows in addition to artificial lighting can capture a polished floor to achieve a beautiful warm and opulent image.

For more info on flooring see GJP Flooring London.

Five More Composition Tricks

If you have invested in the installation or restoration and refinishing of wooden floors, flaunt each room in your property feature. Wooden floors are a relatively inexpensive way to create the idea of more versatility, luxury and value to your property.

Take images from the corner of a room to create as much negative space as possible.

Remove rugs to expose the density and colour of any high quality wooden flooring – this again creates more sense of space.

Natural lighting should be used wherever possible, however, to capture a texture contrast or a little reflection or shine, use additional light for a subtle and glamourous sheen to your images.

Successful photography of interiors should be light and bright. To avoid over-exposure in a lighter shaded room, use a long exposure with small aperture. This will also avoid deep shadows in your images. The use of a tripod to prevent blurry images when using this technique is absolutely essential.