Photography as a Career Opportunity for South Africans
As we all know, living in South Africa we are able to celebrate the Month of June as our community is able to focus on the theme of Youth Power, while growing South Africa together in the period of Covid-19. This is through various initiatives such as education and career guidance, favouring lucrative and affordable work opportunities for the people in areas of the arts, sports and culture. This is in partnership with The National Youth Development Agency.
Photography Through the Lens of the Youth
Being in the photography field on both a professional level, as well as providing services through our accredited Photography School in Cape Town, we have over the past 12 years, learnt a great deal on investing in the youth of today.
Investing in the Youth
It’s high time we stopped talking about youth unemployment!
Youth of today are exposed to information on a daily basis, as they are given the opportunities to explore their creative abilities and unshared talents in the likes of photography. It has been interesting to discover how such an art form builds confidence through constructive and creative planning and natural instinct, and at the same time, equips the youth with confidence and direction. This plays a major role in being successful in their career.
I cannot describe the way I feel, as I witness growth, motivation, and the eager to surpass, from all walks of life and backgrounds. This is from the youth that have completed the short photography courses and workshops that we provide. Over the years, I have found that it is how you teach and listen, that will educate the person and drive their passion. We have a method that works, as we provide attention and hands-on detail to all our students in a tailored transparent form. Let me also add that we provide all camera gear for all sessions and courses. Our mission is to treat each individual as an equal, not as a number, hence the deals and package we afford our students.
Getting into the “click’” through Photography
The usual question… can I make a living as a Photographer? The answer is YES. Most photographers either run their own businesses and work for themselves, while others prefer a more regular and salaried agency styled job, the choice is yours, and what best suits your situation and personality drive.
Different Fields of Photography
There are many types of photography to keep you busy in your workflow for you to choose as a photographer, you can choose one, or many, do what makes you happy and release those hidden talents.
Photo Journalism
Photographers that tell stories through images either through news and politics, or through the pages of publications and website content.
Wedding Photography
Should you be a people’s person and able to communicate and enjoy catching those candid moments and celebrations of the bride and groom plus the guests, and are able to thrive on stress, this might be for you. Great money, and lots of opportunities to meet new people ad possibly potential leads for your next wedding of event booking.
Fashion photography
If you enjoy the glamour of style, apparel and beautiful people, this could be your calling. As we stride to an online and e-commerce presence, shop owners are advertising their attire and ranges online through social media marketing and selling platforms. This is the way of the future. No longer is print strong, its what you see on the sites that you spend all your time on, in search of product or content that is taking the lion’s share of the consumers budget. So, this is a great genre to consider getting into photographing.
Real Estate Photography
The world is buzzing with hungry agents, looking to sell their next property, either residential, commercial, or industrial. What sells a property is great visuals. It is the visuals that attract the initial share of attention. A poor visual can cost the agent the sale, therefore agents are beginning to realise that great photography counts. The days of an agent using their mobile or small portable device is archaic, and it they are, they in for a surprise as to why their sales are down.
Food Photography
Food is the trend of todays social platforms. Everyone is reading the “foodie reviews” and deciding where to go and dine or order online for dinner. The competition is high, which is great, as this means there is a great deal of work around. Restaurateurs rely on good content, but what initially makes the audience salivate, are the images of the food that you expect when you scroll through the menu. Now you have my attention…Food photography is also colourful and very creative, working with food stylists, as well as many culinarians. The best part is that “meatballs don’t talk back”, so yes, you are in charge.
Portrait Photography
If you the kind of personality who enjoys working alone, this might be for you. The focus here is on corporate and business profiling for clients, which happens to be on the rise, as more people are working from home and will require a profile image that sets the tone. Secondly there is social or family portraiture or events. Every parent or grandparent wants a legacy, a memory of their child/ren growing up, and lastly, something they are able to share on a social media site with their extended family, or those far away. Events such as graduations or birthday celebration with friends and family are extremely popular.
My suggestion is that once you are confident about the settings of your camera and have had some practise taking pictures of various genres, attend a short workshop to build the skill and knowledge to progress into your field of choice. It is really all about polishing the edges to ensure you are able to capture the image you want first time around.