Most Valuable Investment for Photographers

When considering a career in photography, most people want to purchase the nicest, most expensive camera they can afford. The truth is there are several other important investments a photographer can make. And if you’re not careful, you can end up spending more than you are making! So which one is the most important? The most valuable investment for photographers is education. Your future self will thank you for putting in the time and effort to learn more about light, composition, posing and so on. And so will your clients! But when it comes to education, there are several options out there. How do you know which one to choose?

 

The Different Types of Education for Photographers:

YouTube

This is probably the most well-known tool on the Internet today. There are an infinite amount of photography videos available and for every experience level. There are big name companies out there that I like to follow like Adorama, B&H, and Nikon, but there are also several individuals that are great too. Many of them have their own courses you can invest in (we will get to that shortly), where they share more detailed information about specific photography methods. Some of the photographers that I like to follow are Katelyn James (my favorite!) and Taylor Jackson. These channels offer help with camera settings, learning the light, product reviews and more. I would highly recommend starting out here.

Conferences

One of my favorite conferences to attend is WPPI in Las Vegas. There are classes, photo-walks and live photo judging available. There’s also a show floor where major companies showcase their gear and services. Many offer live demos with their products. In fact, all the photos I have included with this post were taken on the show floor. In addition to the demos, you can score on some exclusive show sales. This is great for anyone that is new to photography as it is very affordable and offers such a range of education. 

There are many other conferences available like Wedding MBA and Showit’s United. I personally have not attended either of these conferences, but they are definitely on my list! If you have visited either of these, make sure to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Photographer Mentorship/ Course

This is the best of the three, in my opinion. Katelyn James, as I listed above, is my absolute favorite educator. She offers many different courses as well as a monthly subscription option. The monthly subscription grants you access to behind the scenes footage where she photographs weddings and engagement sessions. This option is the most affordable, although she does offer several sales per year on her full courses, as well as payment plans. She also sells templates for a variety of written products such as contracts and email templates.

In addition to Katelyn, there are other educators that have great courses available. Amy & Jordan, Taylor Jackson, and Justin & Mary are a few that I have been following for years and would trust. A word of advice: Keep it simple. If you can, choose only one educator. You wont want to pay twice for the same information or get overwhelmed with different advice.

In Conclusion: 

It is a common misconception that you need an expensive camera to produce nice images when, in fact, by having a solid understanding of your camera, how to use light and composition, you could produce fantastic images from any ordinary camera. This is why education trumps all. Obviously you will need a camera, but resist the urge to go big in the beginning. Practice with your camera by taking it everywhere with you and when you have the means to, invest in your education. It is the most valuable investment for photographers. 

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Thanks for reading!

Jessica