Here, we give you some offbeat photography career ideas, from forensic to fine art and fashion.
1. Scientific Photography
If you had trotted with a magnifying glass or loved observing things with a microscope as a child, this is for you. As a scientific photographer, you get to document all things intriguing, from mighty fossils to invisible amoebae, with the help of technology like photomicrography, thermal imaging, infrared, and ultraviolet photography.
Your job location can be a medical facility, research lab, or military unit. To get into this exciting job, you can start with a bachelor’s degree in science or arts.
2. Forensic Photography
A diehard fan of Sherlock Holmes? Look no further than forensic photography to satisfy your curiosity about solving crimes. Although you won’t be actively sleuthing, this is as close as you can get as a photographer.
A forensic photographer carefully records the crime scene and all the relevant evidence. So, your forensic photos must be well-lit, clear, and bang on focus to be presented as evidence during the trial.
To succeed as a forensic photographer, you need the utmost attention to detail. You cannot afford to make mistakes as the quality of your photographs can make or break a case.
3. Fine Art Photography
Not into all that gore and grimness? Fine art photography is at the other end of the spectrum. You can shoot all things beautiful and make the world a better place.
Fine art photographers use their imagination, innovative techniques, and editing software to create artistic images. It is different from other types of photography, where the primary objective is to tell a story or document an event.
It may feel like a dream job, but it is tricky to make a full-time career in it. You must be willing to work hard and develop a unique artistic vision to succeed as a fine art photographer.
4. Photojournalism
Remember Steven McCurry’s Afghan Girl photograph? This is one of the finest examples of a photojournalistic image that told a powerful story that changed the world. As a photojournalist, you can tell impactful stories about social problems like war, poverty, human rights, and environmental issues.
To ace a photojournalist role, you must care deeply about social issues and respect different cultures. It is also crucial that you learn to keep your cool under stressful situations.
5. Astrophotography
Astrophotography involves taking pictures of the night sky and deep-sky objects, often with the help of a telescope and other gear. With astrophotography, you have to learn the tricks of the trade with rigorous practice. You can watch YouTube videos and take online courses to learn more.
Astrophotographers generally work freelance, selling their pictures to magazines and agencies. Also, astrophotography is a subset of scientific photography, so there is the option to get full-time employment in government and space agencies if you are highly skilled.
6. Fashion Photography
Fashion photography is one of the high-paying photography jobs, and it is relatively easy to get into. In this role, you will take pictures of clothing, shoes, and other accessories with or without a model. With experience, you can transition to an art director role and earn more.
A solid foundation in photographic and lighting concepts—along with an eye for style, creativity, and interpersonal skills—can make you a top fashion photographer.
7. Real Estate Photography
There is a massive demand for this type of photography due to the real estate bubble in many cities. Real estate photographers take pictures of houses, apartments, and other buildings to list them for sale on the housing websites. You may need special equipment like drones for capturing the surroundings and know about features like Matterport to create virtual reality tours.
If you want to be a real estate photographer, learn about different equipment by renting them. In addition, knowledge about interior design and aesthetics can come in handy for this role.
8. Conservation Photography
Do you love the great outdoors and don’t mind getting your hands or feet dirty to showcase the diverse flora and fauna? Then, conservation photography can be a rewarding career for you. Conservation photography is a type of photojournalism, and you tell stories about the environment, animals, and plants.
To start with, gain knowledge about your subjects from nature, like fungi, insects, and wildlife. You should learn different techniques to capture each subject. If you practice and hone your skills enough, you may end up working for big players like National Geographic and BBC one day.
9. Event Photography
An event photographer captures special events and functions like music festivals, charity events, office parties, and so on. Photographing weddings and birthday parties are also considered event photography. The advantage of this career path is that you can make a steady income from it, but you need to plan and prepare ahead to be successful.
You will be a fit for this role if you are a social butterfly who likes to meet new people. Also, it will help if you are quick on your feet.
10. Travel Photography
Want to go on a long drive with the wind on your face or climb a tall mountain and enjoy the solitude? Sadly, travel photography is not your ticket to do that.
As a travel photographer, your days may start at the crack of dawn and go on until late at night. And, carrying all that photography gear can be physically taxing. Moreover, the travel photography market is highly saturated, and unless you are the crème de la crème, it’s a challenge to make a living by taking travel pictures.
The good news is that you can go on photo tours or present workshops to help other people take magnificent photos. To have successful photo tours, you must know a thing or two about photographing in different weather conditions. Emergency care and first aid skills are also non-negotiable for this job.
11. Stock Photography
You can start taking and uploading stock photos without any experience, but you can only succeed if you know the ground rules. You can start with stock photography to test the waters and then decide if photography can be a career option for you. Selling stock photos is also ideal as your side job—you can sell pictures of your vacation, cooking experiments, hobbies, pets, and so on.
As a stock photographer, you’re your own boss. You can take your time in choosing your subject and shooting style. The best thing about being a stock photographer is that you can be a lifelong learner.
Your Photography Skills Can Land You an Interesting Job
Photography is a dream field to work in—it sits at the sweet spot between art and technology and exercises both sides of your brain. Although the threat of ending up as a starving artist is real, the opportunities for photographers are boundless in today’s YouTubing and Instagramming era. You can make a career if you work towards it.
