Advancement Prospects

The first step that photographers can take towards advancing their careers is by the natural expansion of their libraries that occurs over time. All photographers in any part of the field must create a solid portfolio if they want to advance. A portfolio should contain only their very best work, the images that have real impact on viewers. It should also reflect exactly what particular photographers can actually do in the field: their preferred subjects, favorite styles, and the highest level of quality that they can produce at that point in their careers.

Source: Richard Nicholson

Photographer Mark Hancock began with a stock photography portfolio of his own, and after several years of self discovery, he decided that the field that was best suited for his unique skill set was newspaper photojournalism. He has worked for several newspapers in the South Central Texas area and is currently chiefly employed by the Beaumont Star amongst other small publications. He has collected much of his creative and documentary photographic works in his extensive and informative blog here.

Eventually, they can form partnerships with other photographers who specialize in fields other than their own, for the opportunity to diversify their libraries and attract new clients. When describing the normal expansion process, John Shaw remarks, “I think that the more you diversify in your photography, the more chances you have to market your photographs. And the more you diversify in your markets, the more chance you have of financial success” (Shaw 31). The more time photographers spend in their favorite field, the more knowledgeable they will become, so that within a few years they may be able to profit from writing technical and/or educational articles. Many go on to give lectures and seminars about their business to other up and coming photographers and students. They can also advance in the field by teaching and writing about the ever changing topics of fair industry practices within the photographic field.