How do you get a job in a competitive work field?

Hey Zarah,

Well, the easy answer is you're going to work your butt off. Keep in mind; 20% of your time is spent as a photographer and 80% of your time is devoted to marketing you as a photographer. Obviously you have to be completely knowledgeable with cameras and you will need a portfolio of only your very best work. You don't say what area of photography you are interested in, so my answer will be rather generic in nature. You need to identify your potential market; who will use your services, buy your images, etc. Then start contacting those people and ask for work.

Hi Zarah

Excellent question!I think it is great you are investigating this issue rather than being just scared off because of what you have heard about getting a job in a competitive field.

My experience comes from the art graphic design and illustration field a long time ago, but I think it still holds true. I ended up leaving the field and going into art education, which worked better for me, but here is what I learned in hindsight.

You have to really believe in your photography, and you really have to want to pursue that track. You have to be willing to work really hard to perfect your skills and knowledge, and be able to take suggestions with a positive outlook. You need a really good portfolio that shows the range of what you are capable of. You need to be pleasant and to be easy to work with; humility goes a long way. You have to be aware that you will probably start out on the low end, maybe as a photographers assistant, with a small paycheck. So don't go into it for the money.

From my experience, I really just saw graphic design as a way to make some money while I was doing my fine art. I was not really invested in it for a life-long career, and it was difficult getting jobs. I had a reasonably strong portfolio, but I really think potential employers sensed my lack of commitment. There were few internships available when I was in school, and I didn't think I needed one, but in retrospect, that might have helped my job prospects. So when another career idea (art education) was dangled in front of me, I was happy to go with it. Teaching art was a lot of work in the beginning, and the pay was very low, but I loved what I was doing and stuck with it.

In my opinion, the most important way for you to stand out to land a job in photography is getting to know people in the field. You've heard the saying, "It's not what you know, but who you know", well that is sort of true, but you still have to know your field and be good at it. You need experienced photographers in your life who can help you with your photography, help you set up your portfolio, and who can give you referrals and references. In other words,.....Networking!

Photography is a huge field, so you might want to narrow down your interests--portrait photography, ad photography, journalism photography and so on. Talk to your art teachers, see if they can recommend a photographer for you to do an "informational" interview with, or shadow for a day, or who might be even looking for an assistant. If they don't know anyone, then you might look into local art clubs or art community centers, or even talk to photographers at craft fairs; someone, somewhere along these lines will know a photographer for you to connect with. (If all else fails, talk to the yearbook staff at your school, they definitely know a photographer). Ask your original question...remember, they all have been in your shoes at one point.

Internships are important for so many fields today. If there are any internship programs available at your school, see if you can get one with a photographer who works on his or her own ( a freelancer), or with a company. Even an internship in a place that hires photographers, like a design studio might be worth it.

So, in my opinion, it may be a matter of determination, skills, and networking. Best wishes!

Zarah,

As a semi-pro photographer, the field can be very competitive and definitely takes some hard work. You are in competition with everyone from a camera phone to others with many years of experience. Moving forward you can decide to develop your own voice. What makes you unique as a person, what do your friends and family like most about you? What do you like most about yourself? In addition to this, study from other well known photographers who are willing to share their tips to moving forward. Some may be local to you, or some may be national. Some good examples come from the CreativeLive streaming education network (CreativeLive.com). Two artists who seem very willing to share that I have learned much from include Lindsay Adler and Brooke Shaden (both are featured on CL).