A Day in the Life of a Photographer

A career in professional photography comes with many options. You can be a wedding photographer, fashion photographer, wildlife photographer, etc. Although the daily life of every photographer is different from others, there are certain aspects of the work involved which are common to all.

Let’s break down the average day in a photographer’s life:

Client Management

Your day usually starts with a few duties linked to your clients. If you are working as a freelancer, then you would apply for new gigs, send a few emails to the clients you are currently working with including payment reminders, bills, etc. You may also need to spend some time on marketing such as social media marketing, blogging, etc.

Preps for the Shots

Now comes the first step of the actual work, i.e. preparations for the shots.

You can’t expect to capture the perfect shots unless you do your research first. For instance, if you shoot for newspapers or magazines and want to cover a particular event, then you need to learn about it first before you head out. You need to know the key people that will be coming to the event, and what kind of things that will actually take place at the venue.

When you reach the venue, then you have to find the best locations, lighting, and angles for taking the perfect shots. This is especially important if you are a wedding photographer.

Taking the Shots

Once the prep work is taken care of, it’s time for some actual photography. However, bear in mind that it isn’t easy even if you are prepared. You need to select the right lens for every location and event, and also be prepared for unforeseen problems which can hinder your work. For instance, wildlife photographers have to often think on their feet to capture the shot of the animal they are focusing on.

Refining and Editing

Once you have taken enough shots for the day, you can come back to your place and handle the last step of the process which is editing. A lot goes into this phase which includes cropping, sharpening, light adjustment, filtering, etc.

That’s it! This is how the average day of a professional photographer looks like. It’s a lot of work, there is no denying it, but it’s lots of fun too.