How to Become A Travel Photographer And Get Paid
Is photography your hobby? Do you travel a lot and have traveled to many countries? Why not combine business with pleasure and start making money from your hobby?
There are many travel photographers who don't earn enough to have a sustainable career. We can't blame them, because maybe they don't know the ins and outs of this field. In today's article, we will give you some practical tips to help you make money from travel photography. Read on and put it into practice!
Whatever it is, you need to take care of your equipment. When to use a lens hood and what is a hand camera strap? You'll find the answers to these and other questions on Skylum's blog! Professional photographers share their knowledge in interesting articles, so you won't regret it!
So now let's get to the main topic of our article!
1. Decide whether you really want to work in this style of photography
Travel photography is not for the faint of heart. Many people see it as an easy way to make money, but they make big mistakes. Such a photographer often has to deal with difficult situations. Bad weather conditions, aggressive locals, or long trips will be your constant companions.
Travel can suck all your energy. You will often feel stressed. Not everyone speaks the language you know. Many people don't like tourists at all, so don't expect much help from them.
If you think you can handle these difficulties, then proceed to the next step.
2. Take care of your gear
To take your photography to the next level, you must get your equipment in order. Think about it, because you can't get good results without it. With a quality camera and lens, you can:
Minimize noise;
Increase performance in low light;
Achieve consistent sharpness;
Create a wide range of image types, and much more.
By using a tripod, flash, and camera cover, the range of creative and adaptable possibilities expands even further. Photography equipment such as a camera harness allows more flexibility in different shooting conditions as you can easily access your camera so you never miss a shot. Be sure to upgrade your gear if you feel something is missing.
3. Learn as much as you can
Knowing how to use your camera and equipment for photography is very important. And understanding how to capture landscapes, take portraits, or shoot a street scene with a long exposure will go a long way. At first glance, these seem like very simple things, but many beginning photographers are unaware of them. This stops them from being a competitor to those with the necessary skills.
The more knowledge and skills you have under your belt, the better. Special courses can help you learn the basics of editing if you're starting from scratch. This will give you the ability to do post-processing, which means your pictures will look much better. This will make your value as a professional higher.
4. Don't forget the portfolio
Have you ever wondered how potential clients can assess your level of professionalism? By portfolio, of course. It can be either online or in a printed version. If you don't have photos from places you've traveled to yet, try taking them in your hometown. If you do a good search, you'll be surprised at how many great places there are to take pictures. Take this chance to make a great portfolio that will help you stand out from the competition.
5. Create a travel website or blog
Creating a website or blog to showcase your work is very important and hard to overestimate. Thanks to them, you can demonstrate to the world that you are a high-level professional. It also makes it easier for potential clients to find and communicate with you.
When creating a website or blog, be guided by your ideas about style. Play with colors and fonts. You can do this with a free online designer, which is easy to find on the Internet, or you can order the project from a professional.
6. Cooperate with travel companies
When you travel, try offering your services to travel businesses. You would be surprised, but very many of them lack professional photographers.
Many companies prefer to work with the same person if they provide good images. They may offer to shoot you certain subjects at a certain time and place. When choosing such a company, pay attention to its picture brochures. If they look clear and high quality, you will be paid more, of course, if you can offer excellent services.
7. Combine the photo and the writing
Strong content is crucial. That's why you should learn how to write at least small articles because this way your value as an expert will be much higher.
You can talk about your experiences or give useful advice to newcomers. Combine this with photography and you will be pleasantly surprised by the result.
Final words
Turning your passion for photography into a profession can be difficult, but with time and a good plan, it is absolutely achievable. Try putting our tips into practice, and you're sure to succeed!
