Henri Cartier Bresson, the master candid photographer, considered photojournalism or press photography to be more than just a privilege; he called it an “enormous responsibility.” After all, these professionals don’t just capture vanishing moments; they bear the duty to tell stories through their images.
One is compelled to wonder that there must never be a dull moment in the life of a press photographer. And as true as that is, arriving at that pinnacle takes some solid work. Here are a few tips to encourage aspiring photojournalists in their journey to success.
Tip#1 Enrolling in a professional program
The key to becoming anything in life, in this case, a press photographer or photojournalist, is to learn the basics and what better way to do so than signing up for a professional course with reputed and established institutions! When students choose the best fashion photography courses, they get the best of knowledge regarding both the hardware and software of photography.
All that needs to be done is to bring creativity to the table, and a professional course will instill all the technicalities such as functions of different types of cameras, lighting, best angles, editing and retouching, and more taught by world-class photographers and industry experts.
Tip#2 Working alongside experts of the field
No amount of bookish or classroom knowledge can compete with hands-on experience. It is true that fashion photography courses will take care of both the theoretical and practical aspect but to get a taste of the life of a press photographer, their work schedule, the job’s demands, and challenging clients, working alongside an experienced photographer becomes the only wise thing to do.
Aspirants can either seek internship opportunities both online and within their offline circle, or they can place self-ads asking to volunteer alongside a professional photojournalist. This way, it will be easier to adjust to a proper work-life later on.
Tip#3 Developing a stellar portfolio
A portfolio, though a mandate, must not be taken so. Meaning, one must not consider it to be one of the items on a checklist to quickly develop and tick off. To stand out from a wide pool of talented competitors, the portfolio must be original, eye-catchy, simplistic, and straightforward.
Starting out, aspiring photojournalists may fall into the trap of copying the style of other artists. This, though not a bad move, can become a bad habit over time. After a certain period of practicing, it is essential to be done with imitating the great masters and start developing one’s unique style. That is key to creating a stellar portfolio.
Tip#4 Building one’s professional network
Oh, where would the world be without the gift of networking! Now that the world is a global village, forming and maintaining relationships has become faster and easier than ever. This calls for aspiring photojournalists to leverage the power at their disposal.
The focus should be on developing solid relationships with people within the industry – this includes fellow press photography aspirants, experienced photojournalists, fashion designers, hair stylists, makeup artists, photo editors, and the likes. Strong relationships are often gateways to better career prospects.
It has been rightfully said that it is the first step in the right direction which counts. In this case, this would translate into choosing the best fashion photography courses from top-grade institutions. The Pearl Academy tops the charts as India’s leading academy in offering professional fashion photography courses. Students will be trained under international award-winning photographers and Canon Photo Mentors on all aspects of editorial and commercial photography.
