You’re a talented photographer and you have a passion for photography, but you’d like to take your skills to the next level and start earning money from your passion? Then look no further! This complete guide to photography jobs should set you up for success. I’ll show you how to turn your hobby into a healthy income step by step. Here’s all you need to know about freelance photography jobs and business, and how to find potential clients and photography jobs online!
Photo / Ailbhe Flynn
The Best Photography Job Niches
So you want to get paid to take pictures, or you want to launch a freelance photography business, but you’re not sure how to make this happen? There’s no reason why you can’t break into the freelance photography world! You’ll quickly discover that there is a wide range of niches for photographers, from sports photography jobs to wildlife photography jobs and more.
1. Food Photography Jobs
Food photographers take shots for restaurants, cafes, publications, and even food bloggers. It might sound straightforward, but food photographers need a sharp eye and a good understanding of different photography techniques to take the best shots. It’s essential to be able to style your images attractively and get the lighting spot on so the dishes look delicious.
Photo / Cecile Par
2. Real Estate Photographers
Real estate photographers are always in demand, with both full time and part-time photography jobs available. It’s your choice whether you work for a real estate company or go it alone as a freelancer. But you can make great money in this niche. Your work will consist of taking photos of different properties to show them off at their best, to encourage people to buy!
Photo / Alberto Castillo Q
Photo / Stephen Leonardi
3. Travel Photography Jobs
If you’re lucky, you might snag a travel photography job that will allow you to travel the world and take shots of the most Instagram-worthy locations. This kind of content is more and more in demand from high-level travel influencers who need a constant flow of beautiful, professional images to share with their followers. How to become a travel photographer depends on various things, the best way to get this kind of job is to follow influencers and reach out to see if they are interested in your services.
Photo / Element5 Digital
4. Wedding Photography
Happy couples are always in need of a photographer to capture their big day for them. You’ll need to be able to compose gorgeous images of the wedding party and be prepared to work long days into the night in this gig. Wedding photography is one of the easiest ways to break into the freelance photography business, and you’re likely to find jobs near you. The best way to find these kinds of gigs is by joining local Facebook groups and looking at sites like Craigslist.
Photo / Oc Gonzalez
5. Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photography is a job that requires a passion for nature and art. It is a type of photography that focuses on taking photographs of wild animals or non-domestic animals. Wildlife photographers take pictures of wild animals in their natural environment. It’s essential to be also very comfortable with being outdoors for long periods.
Photo / Ray Hennessy
Photo / Gaetano Cessati
6. Stock Photography
If you’re looking for a way to earn money online as a photographer, creating stock images is an excellent option. All sorts of online businesses and content creators rely on stock images to make their websites, social media, and ads look eye-catching and stylish.
Photo / Jude Beck
You can style your stock images and sell them individually, as bundles, or even create a monthly subscription service. Try to create a distinctive look for your photos, so that clients will come back again and again!
You’re not limited to just these niches or business opportunities, however. Whatever your interest is, you can find a way to make that work for you. You’ll be surprised to discover that all kinds of photography are in demand!
Photo / Alexander Dummer
7. Education and Training for Photographers
While it is possible to take a degree in photography, it’s not essential. Many photographers learn through short courses, workshops, or studying online. It’s even possible to be completely self-taught and become a successful professional photographer.
Photo / Vera Ja
The most critical factors are creativity, attention to detail, and being willing to learn and try new things. You’ll also need an artistic eye to be able to balance compositions. Plenty of grit and determination will keep you going when you’re just getting started.
8. Photography Resume & Portfolio
Possibly more important than your education history as a photographer going freelance is your resume. You’ll need to update your resume and to demonstrate your competencies, achievements, and professional experience.
Photo / Radek Grzybowski
But a resume isn’t enough if you want to get hired as a photographer! Prospective clients will need to see what kind of work you can produce and what your style of photography is. You must create a portfolio of your best work so that clients can see what you can do and decide whether that meshes with what they need.
9. Places to Find Freelance Photography Jobs Online
Now, you know about almost all the different kinds of freelance and online photography jobs. Hopefully, you’ve created your freelance photographer resume, so it’s time to hunt down those photography gigs!
Photo / Lauren Mancke
It can be as simple as typing ‘photography jobs near me’ or ‘photography assistant jobs’ into your favorite search engine, and you might be surprised at how many options pop up. But remember that with most types of online photography jobs, you’re not limited by your location: You can do them from anywhere in the world. In the remote work culture, you can take beautiful photos for clients who live on the other side of the world to you, without ever having to meet up in person.
However, certain kinds of photographers don’t lend themselves to remote, online work. For example, for product photography jobs, you’ll need the physical items to take shots of them.
Photo / Josh Nuttall
There are lots of places to find jobs as a photographer online. You can often find photography jobs on LinkedIn and Glassdoor. Social media, in general, is a great place to find gigs. If there are companies that you’d love to work with, follow them so you can see when they have photography openings.
Visit photography job boards regularly – our top recommendations are Get Photography Jobs and Photography Jobs Online. You should also keep an eye on global freelance job platforms such as Guru, Freelancer, Upwork, and PeoplePerHour. On these sites, you can enter details about what you do so that you receive alerts for the most suitable jobs. You can even search for precisely what you’re looking for, e.g. ‘nature photography jobs,’ and see what the results bring up.
Don’t forget to stay active and market your work consistently on your social media channels and website. Have a live portfolio that people can check out, and don’t be afraid to be the one to reach out with a proposal to potential clients.
And finally, as a freelance photographer, you’ll need to invest in photography equipment.
The Wrap Up
It may seem daunting to start out as a budding freelance photographer, but it can be an incredibly rewarding career. If you’re passionate about photography, you’ll enjoy spending your days creating and editing breathtaking images.
Working as a freelance photographer takes plenty of hard work to become successful, but if you put your mind to it, you can achieve it. There are many routes into this career, ranging from taking a photography degree to teaching yourself by watching videos and taking courses online.
Now you know all about different photography niches, plus where to look for the best photography jobs. It’s time to get out there and find your first job as a freelance photographer!
