Photographer (Fotograaf (algemeen))
Information on this skill...
A photographer is someone who professionally takes photos on behalf of clients, or who takes photos at his own discretion. As a photographer you do not have to work professionally, because nowadays everyone can take photos themselves. Yet there is a big difference between professional photographers and hobby photographers, because making beautiful photos is not so easy. Nowadays, photographers almost all work with digital photo cameras and no longer with analog cameras, as was the case in the past. One of the great advantages of digital still cameras is that photos can be seen immediately on the camera. There are also photographers who still prefer to work in the analogue way. To take beautiful catchy photos, more is needed than just a push of a button. A photographer often knows exactly in which circumstances the photo must be taken to achieve the best result. Within the Netherlands there are many independently working photographers who work full-time or part-time as photographers. The vast majority of professional photographers work as independent entrepreneurs and no longer in paid employment, which was often the case in the past. As a photographer, you usually not only take photos but also perform other activities, such as editing the photos with computer programs. By editing photos, for example, imperfections or backgrounds can be changed. Editing photos has also become much easier nowadays. The profession of photographer should also be seen as fairly general, because photographers can be specialized in different ways. For example, taking portrait photos cannot simply be compared to taking special nature photos. Most photographers specialize in some form of photography. Not all photographers can be considered full-time photographers.
Within the field of photography there are different disciplines, and not all photographers photograph just everything. For example, it may be that a photographer prefers not to photograph weddings or does. The field of a photographer can therefore be called versatile and rarely boring. That one photo at the right time can make up for a photographer all day long. Think, for example, of photographing celebrities, or animals in nature. A celebrity or animal will not wait or stand still for the photographer. Sometimes it happens that a photographer is waiting all day for the right photo and there is no good photo opportunity. In that case, the photographer will have to try again the next time. What kind of photos a photographer makes can differ per photographer, because there are many different photographers. Think, for example, of product photographers, industrial photographers and paparazzi, who hunt for exciting photos. If these different types of photographers have specific skills and knowledge. As described earlier, it is not the case that all photographers work professionally. For example, a blogger can also take special travel photos for a personal blog. Taking pictures has become quite easy nowadays, because anyone can take pictures. It is true that most professional photographers take more beautiful and better photos.
WORKING AS A PHOTOGRAPHER
Most photographers nowadays work as independent entrepreneurs and work on behalf of image editors or take photos at their own discretion, which may then be interesting for certain target groups. As a photographer you can be engaged by many different companies and individuals for different assignments. For example, it may happen that a photographer has to take photos of an office to place in a folder, or has to take press photos on behalf of a journalist or editor. A photographer can therefore earn his income in various ways, such as by working on commission, or by selling photos per piece. Nowadays, photographers are also increasingly asked to take photos that are used on the internet, such as for product photography or for photos with news articles. Working as a professional photographer is not very easy nowadays, because there is great competition among professional photographers. For a professional photographer, it is therefore important to distinguish yourself from other photographers, such as by specializing in certain fields. A professional photographer has a lot of knowledge about taking photos, and knows the different possibilities that exist to come to a beautiful or special photo. Using this specific knowledge as a photographer is important. Most photographers can also edit photos if necessary.
BECOME A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
The profession of photographer has no further professional protection, so everyone can work as a professional photographer. This does not alter the fact that becoming a professional photographer is no longer easy nowadays. In order to survive as a professional photographer, it is important to distinguish yourself from the rest in a special way. Think, for example, of a photographer who takes the most beautiful underwater photos as a diver, or of a photographer who can also be classified as a mountaineer to be able to take special nature photos. Working in the classic way as a photographer is no longer easy nowadays. Most newsrooms and webmasters also make less and less use of the classic photographer. As a photographer, it is simply important to stand out from the crowd. The profession of photographer is still common nowadays, but the work is changing. A professional photographer must therefore specialize in a broad way in order to survive as a photographer. In many cases, this will now also involve online uigevers to increase the chances of survival. A professional photographer can also work part-time as a photographer.
WHAT DOES A PHOTOGRAPHER DO:
TRAINING TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER (GENERAL)
There are various training opportunities to work as a professional photographer, both at MBO level and at HBO level. At Mbo you can start with the photography employee training at level two and then follow the MBO photography course at level four. The training to become a photographer through the Mbo school will usually take four years and prepares you as a photographer. If you want to learn even more afterwards, it is best to follow the private hbo education at the photo school. The direction of photographic design can be followed both in a two-year study and in a four-year study. During the programme you will also work and, depending on the chosen study, go to school one or two days a week for the theory. During the photographer training, attention is paid to the following subjects: portrait photography, lighting, editing, analog techniques, digital techniques, camera technique and creativity. But of course you also learn to work with the most famous photo programs to be able to edit your photos. As a photographer, the computer nowadays plays an important role within the profession. After your education, there are various specializations possible as a photographer that you can focus on, depending on your own wishes as a photographer. There are also plenty of training opportunities at private institutions for the profession of photographer. Accounting is also important as an entrepreneur.
COMPANIES WHERE A PHOTOGRAPHER CAN BE (GENERALLY) EMPLOYED
In most cases, a photographer will have to be regarded as an entrepreneur, who carries out freelance assignments for various clients. In addition, a photographer can take photos of different subjects at his own discretion. A photographer can also simply be active as a hobby. It is not the case that the profession of photographer no longer occurs in paid employment. A photographer can also be employed by various publishers. Think, for example, of sports magazine publishers, magazine publishers and the fashion industry. Hospitals and the police also use photographers. This usually concerns internal employees. In most cases, a photographer will have to be regarded as an entrepreneur.
COMPETENCES PHOTOGRAPHER (GENERAL)
The most important competence of a photographer is the general knowledge of photography. In addition, a photographer must have the necessary computer knowledge to be able to edit photos in the right way. Another important competence is communication, because as a photographer you are in most cases dealing with different clients. A commercial institution should not be missing as a professional photographer. If you work as an entrepreneur, networking can also be regarded as an important competence. Networking is important in order to be able to get enough assignments. Generally important words are creativity, inspiration, perseverance, planning, consultation, artistic, stress resistance and performance. Most educators nowadays also pay a lot of attention to general entrepreneurial skills when we speak of professional photographers.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A PHOTOGRAPHER (GENERAL)
The labour market perspective of a photographer is no longer good nowadays. The well-known employers, such as newspaper publishers and other companies in the media industry, are now increasingly working with freelancers and are not hiring new photographers any time soon. In fact, quick news photos can be taken by anyone, and are usually picked up via social media if a photo has news value. In a general sense, there is still plenty of work for photographers, because there are many companies that hire professional photographers for certain assignments. Growing as a photographer should be seen in breaking through as a photographer, so that you get more assignments. There are no further career opportunities for a photographer. However, you can further specialize in certain parts by following extra courses. Think, for example, of a photographer who will also teach as a photography teacher.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY PHOTOGRAPHER (GENERAL)
There are no specific examples of the terms of employment, because a photographer can work for different companies. For example, a portrait photographer in a shop will have different employment conditions than a photographer for a newspaper. As an independent photographer, you determine your own terms of employment. A photographer in paid employment will generally earn a salary between 2000 and 2600 euros gross per month depending on age, education and other responsibilities. An independently working photographer usually works on commission for a fixed fee. A freelance photographer, who takes photos independently, will in most cases sell his photos individually to interested parties.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
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