Photography is a valuable skill to have in today’s modern world. You can use it to produce content for your social media content and expand your reach. You can also use it to develop your own product catalog and start an e-commerce website.
On top of that, there are ways to market your photography skills as a service. There is a huge demand for photography services today, especially with more small and home businesses opening their own online storefronts. You just have to sharpen your skills and develop a strong portfolio, and we have the top 4 tips to get you started.
Practice on Mannequins
One of the challenging parts of sharpening your photography skills and expanding your portfolio is getting models to work with. While you can turn to friends and relatives for help, it is not always possible to get models for a shoot. This is where using photography mannequins can be a solution.
Mannequins from Mannequin Mall are popular among fashion photographers because they are versatile, easy to use, and offer you plenty of opportunities to practice. Photography mannequins are also easier to pose and they will not break your bank.
Since you are practicing on mannequins, you can also practice more, experiment with different lighting setups, and develop your own style of fashion or portrait photography without having to annoy models or go through difficulties in finding the right ones to work with.
Know Your Equipment
Another thing you can do to become better at photography is to understand your equipment better. When was the last time you read the manual book for your camera? Did you do it when you first got it? What about lighting or filters? Do you know how to maximize them to get great results?
The better you know your equipment, the more creative you can be when using it. Rather than being stumped buy technical things, you can experiment more freely, discover new techniques to maximize the tools that you have, and create better photos in general.
Lenses are also among the pieces of equipment you should better understand. For example, you don’t always have to resort to an 85mm lens for portraits. You can use wider angles like 35mm or even 20mm and create unique fashion shots that really show who you are as an artist.
Find a Niche
Speaking of showing who you are as an artist, you also want to be a specialist in a particular genre of photography. Yes, you can be good at a wide range of styles or genres, but having a specialty is still a must. For instance, you can focus on fashion photography more.
Having a niche is a great way to focus your training. The basics are very much the same, but you can develop a unique style and start uncovering better ways to take fashion photos as you explore the genre further. Finding inspiration becomes easier too.
Having a niche also helps with marketing, especially if you want to turn your photography hobby into something you do professionally. It is easier to develop a personal brand as a fashion photographer than to market yourself as someone who does it all.
Take More Shots
Last but certainly not least, there is one tip that you must never forget to be better at photography: shoot more. There is no way around this; you have to shoot more to sharpen your skills. Learn from every project and make sure you pay attention to the things you do differently.
That’s how you really hone your skills as a photographer and an artist. Continue expanding your style, focus on specific genres, and be known for being the best in the business sooner than you anticipate.