If you are reading this article, it is because you are about to make your dream a reality, to becoming a professional photographer. So, how to live from your passion? How to practice the job of photographer? We tell you all about photographer: his role, his  salary, the skills to have and the type of training to exercise this activity!

What is the role of the photographer?

The photographer's goal  is to capture as qualitatively as possible the images of a subject. Whether it's a wedding photo, an event photo, a product photo or a fashion photo, his role is to best understand the final rendering according to the expectations of his client.

But the job of a photographer is not just about taking pictures. He must, upstream, ensure that all the settings  are adapted to the situation, that the equipment necessary for shooting is well arranged and that his model is just as well placed. Then, he will have to use photography techniques to achieve the desired result (rule of thirds, shooting, diving and counter-diving, light, etc.)

Also, note that the bulk of the work arrives in  post-production,where the image is revealed to express the strength of the subject. A photo can be good, but if it is poorly processed, it will not be of quality. For this, the professional photographer will usehis skills inimage  processing thanks to dedicated software.

What are the skills to have to be a good photographer?

Being a good photographer requires having an artistic eye to capture the best possible photos. You will have to be  creative, original and cunning to overcome the constraints of certain situations. Soak up your culture when it comes to photos, painting, sculpture... In a few words,  find inspiration to put your knowledge to good usein the service of your art.

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Finally, you will have to arm yourself with patience,both from a human and contextual point of view. You demonstrate good interpersonal skills and are able to ensure attentive listening to meet the needs of yourcustomers.

What is the average salary of a professional photographer?

In France the average salary of a photographer is  1500 euros gross. For more experienced photographers, it can reach 1900 euros gross. But as in all trades, this can vary depending on the type of activity.

Some factors will play a role in your photographer's fees: your seniority, your sector of activity, your geographical location or your network will directly impute your financial valuation.

The remuneration of a fashion photographer will not be the same as a beginner wedding photographer, especially because of the seasonality of his exercise. Note that a freelance photographer has anaverage daily tarif of € 445.00, while reporters earn an average of € 4300 / month.

 

What is the besttraining to be a professional photographer?

In France, there are many training courses  to become a professional photographer.   Training courses directly related to photography with courses accessible to all levels of education:

Baccalaureate training:

  • Bac pro photography,
  • BTM photographer (Brevet Technique des Métiers),

Bac + 2 training:

  • BTS photography: here you can count on all types of bins. However, you will be asked for your knowledge of optics, physics and chemistry.

Bac+ 3 training:

  • Diploma of specialized school: EfetSchool, Les Gobelins photo school,
  • Master in Photography: THE ENSP (Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie) of Arles,
  • Diploma of the ENS Louis Lumière (Ecole Nationale Supérieure) photography sector,
  • Diplôme of ensad (Ecole Nationals Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs),
  • The DNSEP (Diplôme National Supérieur d'Expression Plastique) communication option.

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There are also private schools such as ESMA or ETPA, but some remain expensive and are not necessarily superior in terms of quality of learning.

What are the professions related to photography?

By choosing to orient your career towards the profession of professional photographer, you open the doors to a very wide world of work.  Indeed, depending on your sensitivity,your  universe and your expectations in terms of salary, you will orient your job on:

  • The profession of wildlife photographer,
  • The profession of wedding photographer,
  • The job of photo laboratory technician,
  • The profession of press photographer,
  • The profession of author photographer,
  • The profession of advertising photographer,
  • The job of technical operator,
  • The profession of set photographer,
  • ...

But you can also turn to portrait photos, culinary shots, site monitoring images... As you will have understood, the profession of photographer encompasses a lot of various activities that you can exploit.

What are the best job sites to practice as a professional photographer?

To practice as a photographer, you will be able to turn to specific job posting sites, such as Indeed. But you can also try your luck on sites with high potential to find new customers!

It's time to embark on this great and beautiful adventure of photography! 

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