What steps would I have to take in order to be a professional photographer?

Hi Gabriel,

I have been doing photography for the past 13 years, it began as a hobby and has turned into a part time job for the past 5 years. I worked as a professional photographer throughout college and still shoot events on the weekends.

The field of photography is so broad, I would recommend experimenting with different subject manner and styles to find your niche. Do you like shooting events or animals or products? Find what you really like to work with.

Then I would recommend getting into editing. Some very famous photographers only shoot and do not edit, but I think editing is such an important skill you really need to learn how to manipulate photos. This is a great way to further develop your taste and refine what makes your images unique.

While you are practicing these things, I would highly suggest applying for photography internships. Working under someone's wing will give you a first person perspective of the career so you can decide if you enjoy this subject manner on a daily basis. It will also give you insights into the cameras and technologies the photographer uses.

I had several photography internships and through this experience I was able to play around with particular lenses and lights that I would have not had access to otherwise. This allowed me to learn about how to set up and properly use this equipment but also I could decide which ones I wanted to purchase for myself.

The biggest piece of advise I can give is practice, practice, practice. Always strive to learn more and experiment. You never know what could happen if you don't try, so play with lighting, aperture settings and ISO. The more you experiment, the better.

Once you have a set of images you are proud of create an online portfolio. Showcase your work and place it on your LinkedIn and Facebook. Word of mouth is a great way to start building a client base. Just keep putting your work out there.

Best of Luck!