Some people adore taking photographs, but fear they don’t have the skills to be able to turn it into a profitable career. The fact is that you can do just that, you just need to know how before you begin.
The tips below will teach you all you need to know about profiting off your skills as a landscape photographer.
Build A Portfolio
The first step is to build your portfolio. Go on walks around your neighborhood and city and capture the beauty of your urban environment. If you live in the country, take shots of old farm buildings or forests. Try to get a diverse collection of photographs including all sorts of landscapes so that you can show that you are flexible in shooting anything and everything.
Widen Your Horizons
When you are done nearby, visit new areas and photograph there. If you can go into the mountains and shoot downwards, do so in contrast to your shots of the mountains themselves. Shoot the forest and then go inside and shoot the trees. Shoot up, shoot down, shoot left and right. Float on a boat, drive in a car, ride your bike and take shots from every angle. The more diverse your portfolio, the better.
Vary the Time
Take photographs at all times of day. In fact, take photographs of the same landscape at different times of day and different seasons. You will be amazed to see how the look of the photo transforms with different weather, sunlight or seasonal changes. You can turn it into a set and sell it as a group, if you wish.
Get Organized
Organization is key if you wish to sell your photographs. You need to name each file with the date and a description. For example, 130412.Docs.Hollow.1001am.jpg. This allows you to quickly find the photos when you need them. You can also create a spreadsheet with the image’s name, date, time taken, and a description of its content. If you already have this set up, when the time comes to create a website, you will have your content ready so people can find what they’re looking for.
Feature Your Best Work
As you go through your photos to label them, pick out the ones which stand out and make note of them. These are the photographs you should place front and center in your advertising. Whether it is a banner ad, a gallery on Flickr or on your own website’s front page, the best photographs have to be used to show your talent. Change your photographic displays frequently to show that you are always taking new photos, meaning checking back often is a necessity.
Ask for Feedback
A great way to better your work is to get feedback from other professionals. Post to forums or ask people in photography groups local to you. Ask non-photographers for their opinion as well to get a broad range of advice.
It is truly as simple as that to become a professional photographer. You can do it on the side of your regular job, or make it a full-time career. Regardless of how much time you dedicate to it, the tips you’ve read here will help get you starteed in turning it into success.
