Making the transition from hobbyist to professional takes a lot more than simply being good with a camera, and it is important to enter it with the right idea of what to prioritize. This great video essay features an experienced commercial photographer discussing some important topic, particularly the balance of technical and creative as a professional, and how to thread the needle to maximize your chances of finding success.
Coming to you from Scott Choucino of Tin House Studio, this insightful video essay discusses some important aspects of being a professional. I think Choucino's points about balancing creativity and technical aptitude are particularly worth listening to. No doubt, you need to have a certain level of aptitude with your camera, lighting, and post-processing, but many photographers invest so much into perfecting the technical side of their craft that their creative voice remains underdeveloped, and they have a hard time establishing an identifiable style and the sort of vision that clients look for and that helps them stand out in a very crowded and competitive marketplace. We like to focus on the technical because it's more easily codified, but make sure you aren't neglecting the creative aspect. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Choucino.
During my 9-month enrollment in the Certificate Program in Photography at the International Center of Photography in New York, way back in 2000-2001, I sometimes wished we'd spend more time on practical, technical stuff like lighting. I was going to be looking for work after graduation, and I wanted to be ready. In retrospect, I'm so glad we didn't. The major emphasis was on the creation of mood, perspective, narrative, and presenting a point of view, all supported by basic darkroom skills (this was still the era of film). We spent a lot of time discussing each others' work, seeing radically different subject matter, aesthetic sensibilities, and approaches. This interactive exposure to the work and perspectives of others was hugely helpful. Knowing how to light something without first having a fundamental understanding of WHY I wanted something to look a certain way, would have availed me little. What I came away with was a sense of what's important and interesting to me, what I might want to say through my photography, and how to make images that would support my message.
In assisting scores of photographers over 2-3 years after graduation, I acquired a far greater range of technical skills that I could possibly have done in even a 2-year technical program. I learned on the job and through self-directed study, and eventually I had both the tools and the understanding to make the kinds of image I and my clients wanted.
For anyone pursuing education in photography, I highly recommend a mix of short technical workshops (if one so desires) with other courses broadly aimed at exploring themes and ideas and how images convey them. The field of photography is vastly greater than just cheesecake and postcards.
Oh, and an excellent free education can be had by perusing museums, galleries and books of historically significant photography at libraries and bookstores.