Not that long ago, the only way to make a living as a photographer was to open a studio or work for a news outlet. These days, the ability to have a professional photography website and engaging social media channels make it much easier to reach clients; but the essence of the craft still relies on photoshoots and on-location gigs. So, what happens when the possibility of getting booked all but disappears?

During times of uncertainty, finding the right photography side hustle to monetize your work can be the lifeline keeping your career afloat. With this in mind, we’ve put together a carefully selected list of ideas to monetize your online presence. Rather than a temporary fix, consider these photography side hustle ideas an investment in your long-term success, as most of them can become a steady source of income.

Tip: Just starting your photography side hustle? Use a photography name generator for inspiration and ideas on what to name your business.

Photography side hustle ideas to make money online

1. Sell prints and digital copies
2. Develop photo editing presets
3. Offer personalized merch
4. Join a stock agency
5. Collaborate with brands
6. Find freelance jobs
7. Participate in photo contests
8. Write a photography blog
9. Create an online course
10. Start a photography podcast

01. Sell prints and digital copies

Selling prints and digital copies of their work is, undoubtedly, the most popular photography side hustle among professionals and amateurs alike. After all, is there a higher form of flattery than someone loving your work so much that they pay to have it in their home?

When it comes to selling photos online, the options are nearly endless. Renowned photographers often offer a limited number of high quality from a small selection of their portfolio, that they sign and ship themselves. On the other side of the spectrum, hobbyists tend to use third-party platforms on which they have no control of the way their images are displayed and marketed.

As it often happens, you should be looking for a middle ground between these two polar opposites. The best way to do so is by creating a photography website that offers you full control over how your work is displayed and then pairs it with the right web app to sell your work. For example, using the Wix Art Store, you’ll be able to sell prints and digital copies of your images, deciding on the format and licenses you want to offer. Once you have everything set up, the platform will take care of everything for you, including packaging, shipping and payment processing.

02. Develop photo editing presets

Digital photography opened the darkroom doors to the masses, allowing photographers of all levels to be part of the technical process that brings their shots to life. Instead of developing their images in a red-lit room using sensitive chemicals, however, today photographers can do so with free photo editing software that allows for unlimited development on each image. Yet, just like in the darkroom, the talent and knowledge it takes to make each frame perfectly match the captured scene is still rare and highly valued.

This created a great popular demand for presets: a configuration of settings designed to achieve a certain look that users can download on their personal computers, and use in their pictures. As a result, creatives across all genres started to market their unique photography style as a series of preset packs designed to help others follow their steps.

One of the biggest benefits of selling presets is that, unlike with other products, you don’t need to worry about tracking shipments, updating the content, or displaying seasonal goods. Once they’re available on your online store, all you need to do is make sure people know about them.

03. Offer personalized merch

In addition to prints and digital copies of your best images, you could also offer products that feature your work such as mugs, pillows, tote bags and phone cases. While this type of offering is not considered a self-sufficient photography side hustle, it can prove highly profitable when used in combination with prints and digital artwork, particularly on holidays and special occasions.

You can sell products featuring your photos from your own site with Wix Art Store, where you’ll have full control over how they’re displayed and handled, or by joining third-party platforms such as Society6.

04. Join a stock agency

Macrostock and microstock photo sites allow you to upload pictures for businesses, blogs, and online publications to license and use across their channels and marketing materials. Unlike the work you might want to sell on your photography website, stock images are usually much more generic in their appearance and subject matter, as they’re aimed to be licensed to numerous buyers with different goals.

If you’d like to know more about the different types of stock agencies and how to choose which pictures to submit, take a look at our guide on how to sell stock photos.

05. Collaborate with brands

Love it or hate it, social media has redefined the way brands find and work with photographers. The kind of collaborations once limited to a few select names in the industry are now open to anyone with the right vision and drive. Needless to say, this type of photography side hustle doubles as a powerful tool to build up your reputation in the field.

There are many ways to reach out to brands as a photographer, from tagging them in social media to writing an email pitch. The easiest way to make your way in, however, is to take advantage of the opportunities brands are openly offering. Look out for initiatives such as Wix Contributors, which encourages photographers to regularly submit their work for specific briefs and get paid for it.

06. Find freelance photography jobs

This one is probably quite obvious, but freelance gigs are among the best photography side jobs you can find. For once, you will be able to work from a brief and know beforehand how much you’ll get paid for your work. On the downside, freelance photography gigs that don’t require on-location shooting are rare and hard to come by.

Take a look at this curated list of sites to find online freelance photography jobs to get you started.

07. Participate in photo contests

While it cannot really be considered a steady photography side job, participating in photography contests is something you should be doing regularly. Even though you most likely won’t make much money from it, it only takes one win to take home a few grand in cash or valuable equipment. Furthermore, this success goes hand in hand with recognition from your peers and the industry, which will certainly lead to more clients and thus a higher, more regular income.

08. Write a photography blog

As a photographer, you wholeheartedly believe that an image is worth a thousand words. However, complementing your visual work with actual words has proven to be a great photography side hustle. While there are numerous photography blogs out there catering to a similar audience, the number of people looking to learn more about the art keeps on growing every day.

In order to create a blog that is successful in the long run, focus on a specific niche that you’re particularly knowledgeable about. This will help you find a dedicated audience more easily, as well as position yourself as an expert of reference in that field. This could be anything from a specific type of photography or reviews of professional gear, to post-processing advice and business tips.

Learn more about the wonders of blogging on our complete guide to how to write a photography blog.

09. Create an online course

The globalization of photography has led to a huge increase in the number of new shutterbugs eager to learn how to become a professional photographer. Whereas back in the day most professionals had little to no formal education in photography (having learnt through practice and mentorship), there are now hundreds of thousands of people all over the world willing to pay for access to online courses.

This is arguably the most challenging photography side hustle idea on this list, as becoming a teacher for future generations requires more than the right photo skills. You’ll need to be able to structure your knowledge so that it’s easy for beginners to understand, and communicate it in a way that is not only educational but also engaging.

Most photography courses focus on specific genres or styles, covering the topic with a series of digestible videos that can be consumed at the student’s own pace. You can sell your online courses on global platforms such as Udemy or from within your own website with Wix Video.

10. Start a podcast

Video might have killed the radio star, but podcasts are here to take revenge. In recent years the medium has seen a fast rise in popularity, with 41% of people in the US listening to podcasts on a monthly basis. While photography is certainly a very visual subject, there are numerous photography podcasts out there proving that there is a high demand for theoretical photography content.

The most common ways to monetize a podcast include affiliate marketing and sponsored content. As a photographer, you could do so by reviewing photography gear or partnering with local businesses. Once you have made a name for yourself in the industry, you can take this venture one step further and turn it into a more steady source of income with premium content or coaching sessions.

This post was last updated on January 28, 2021.

Looking for a way to showcase your work online without limitations? These ten easy steps will allow you to create a photography website in no time.

Despite their popularity, social media platforms are far from the best way to showcase your work online. Creating a photography website will enable you to display your pictures exactly the way you want, with no limits when it comes to size, quality or design. Plus, it will help you reach a wider audience and draw the attention of new clients.

With your photographer’s eye for composition and aesthetics, you can build a beautiful online portfolio of your own using a professional website builder. From the inspirational stages to developing and publishing your photography website, this guide will take you through the entire process step-by-step.

How to create a photography website

Here are the steps you need to create a photography website that represents your own unique style and impresses your visitors:

1. Set clear goals
2. Include your best photographs
3. Create your layout
4. Choose the perfect template
5. Add the right pages
6. Connect to your social channels
7. Improve your photography website’s SEO
8. Optimize for mobile viewing
9. Ask for feedback
10. Keep your site updated

01. Set clear goals

Like any good photographer, make sure to set your focus on clear goals before creating this online masterpiece. When opening your website builder, ask yourself what you want to achieve by creating a photography website. Are you aiming to attract more clients? Display your latest photography projects? A bit of both? Have this in mind before you start, since it’ll help you choose the right images and organize them better for your site.

Typically, photographers will use the same website to display the different types of photography they work with. That’s perfectly fine, and even encouraged, as long as you draw a clear distinction between the different themes. Be sure to create multiple galleries, one for each category displayed: weddings, portrait photography, street captures, etc.

02. Include your best photographs

Hit us with your best shots. Now that you’ve decided which collections of works you want to display in your photography website, it’s time to choose the images.

It’s important to keep in mind that your website doesn’t have the same function as your Instagram account. You don’t want to publish every single picture that you take in order to raise engagement. On the contrary: your professional photographer website is meant to display only your best, most representative pieces from each category.

In a nutshell, always pick quality over quantity. Our recommendation: go for a maximum of 20 to 30 pictures per gallery. It’s preferable to leave your visitors curious to see more, rather than “overfeeding” them.

03. Create your layout

The layout is the visual structure of your site. With your photography website, you’ll want your best images to beat the center so that they get the attention they deserve.

The first way to do this is by going for a refined color scheme, with a minimal amount of hues. Use a black (“dark”, in web design jargon) or white (“clean”) background, since they make your photos stand out.

Second, consider the type of display you want to use. It should fit the dominant format of your pictures: long scrolling if you take a lot of vertical photos (like portraits), and grids for horizontal ones. To help you out, take a look at this guide on choosing the right layout for your photography portfolio.

04. Choose the perfect template

Professionally-designed photography website templates give you the chance to have a beautiful portfolio ready in no time. Since they’re created with the specific needs of each photography genre in mind, you’ll find that they already include most of the sections and tools you need. These templates are free and are entirely customizable – from the header to the footer – so that your website will tell your story from your own unique perspective.

Even if you plan to create a photography website from scratch, browsing through the best photography website templates for inspiration is a good idea. Looking at the online presentation other photographers use is a great way to find new ideas for displaying your work.

05. Add the right pages

It’s time to create the architecture of your photography website - that is, the pages you want to include and where they will be placed. Of course, you can adjust your plan at any moment with the Wix Editor, but try to be as detailed as possible from the start to give your website a strong foundation.

As a photographer, you don’t need too many pages. Instead, focus on these must-haves:

Homepage This is where you present yourself and what you do. The most common mistake photographers make here is to not include written content. Your visuals are the main feature, but it’s also important to provide your visitors with a narrative. For example, if you display a beautiful landscape image on your homepage, use words to make it clear that this is a website for a photography, and not that of a travel agency or blogger.

Therefore, make sure that your photography logo, name and expertise are large and legible on your homepage so visitors know exactly who you are, what you do and where you’re located. If you haven't come up with a unique brand for your work, use a photography name generator to come up with creative ideas.

In addition, you’ll want to include a navigation menu on your website so visitors can easily transition from one page to the next and find the content they want. Depending on your website’s style, you might choose to put a navigation bar at the header of your site, or use a collapsed hamburger menu to allow more room for visual content.

For more tips, here is how to nail the homepage of your photography website.

Gallery This is the core of your website, where visitors will discover your images. Since it’s the place where the magic happens, you need to carefully choose which online tool to build it with. We recommend the Wix Pro Gallery because it gives you full control over your pictures and the way you want to showcase them..

Basically, you’re able to set the quality and sharpness for every image so that your visitors will see them exactly as you planned. Plus, you can choose from a collection of stunning layouts (Instagram-like grid, panorama, etc.), which are fully customizable.

In addition, the Pro Gallery comes with several options to enhance and promote your photos. You can protect them from being downloaded (right-click protection) or add a sharing button to spread your talent across social channels. The Gallery also gives you the possibility to upload videos and text, adding greater variety to your final result.

About Me Page The About Me page is where people discover who you are. Granted, it doesn’t mean that you need to write about the day your great-uncle from Alabama offered you your first disposable camera. Your visitors will be much more interested in your philosophy of art and life, your technique, and where you draw inspiration from.

Favor the first-person over the third – it makes things more intimate, and readers will be more inclined to contact you. Of course, don’t forget to include a picture of yourself and a CV if relevant. Showing who you are and amplifying your personal brand is an absolute must when you create a photography website.

For more information, browse these 10 tips for writing a photographer “About Me” page.

Client showcase Like most photographers, you probably do a lot of commission work. People tend to feel more confident when they see the work you’ve done for previous clients. So, don’t forget to add and display these projects on your photography website (with your clients’ authorization, of course).

Wix Photo Albums is the best and easiest tool for that. This free app enables you to create stand-alone album sites for each of your customers. There, they’ll find the photos you captured displayed in a stunning layout and branded with your information.

Contact information Make sure potential clients can get in touch with you by providing your basic contact information. Details like your name, email address, and phone number can (and should) be added to the footer of your website – but you can also create a dedicated contact page so that visitors can’t miss this important info. A contact form is a great addition that you might consider, since it will allow visitors to send you a message directly through your website.

Another brilliant idea is to add Wix Bookings. This helpful app has already made the life of thousands of small business owners much easier. It enables you to display your updated calendar, so that your potential clients know when you’re available for a shooting. As a bonus, you can also let them book and pay online. No more phone calls or emails to answer – your hands are free to do what you do best: take beautiful pictures.

Extras (but highly recommended)

Although optional, these pages can serve your photography website well:

• Blog: Tell visitors more about your projects, techniques and news. It’ll help you build a loyal community and give a nice boost to your site’s SEO. You don’t need to be Saul Bellow to write a photography blog. Instead, put an image at the center and write a few lines about what we’re looking at. What gear did you use? How were you feeling when you took the shot? Where was the picture taken?
• Online store: Go a step further and make money from your photographs with an online store. Sell photos online straight from your own photography website with the Wix Art Store, which allows you to manage your orders in one place.
• Testimonials: Display the positive comments left by your happy clients. Let testimonials do the talking for you.

06. Connect to your social channels

Show visitors to your site just how social you can be by enabling them to share your content on Instagram and other social media channels.. With more than 500 million daily users on Instagram alone, social media is the easiest and cheapest way to get your name out there and to attract new clients.

First, make sure a social bar is clearly visible on your site, with a link to all of your profiles. It shouldn’t take more than a couple seconds for your visitors to locate it on any page. We recommend displaying the bar either in your website’s header, menu, footer or as an anchor on the side.

Next, enable the sharing option in the Pro Gallery. There is nothing like a powerful image shared and enjoyed on social networks to build up one’s reputation. Last but not least, don’t forget to put your website’s domain name at the top of each of your social profiles to bring your social fans back to your professional site.

07. Improve your photography website's SEO

It’s a fact: photographers are much more visual than textual. That’s great when it comes to seizing the moment for a photo, but can be a challenge when you have to work on your photography website’s SEO (search engine optimization). Whether we like it or not, search engines cannot “see” images; they can only read words. So if you want your website to be visible on the internet and ultimately bring more traffic, you’ll have to make use of your keyboard.

Begin your SEO strategy by describing each image in the Title and the Description fields of your Wix Pro Gallery. Known as alt text, this describes what’s shown in the picture with basic wording. Be as sincere as you can, and avoid artificial information and keywords.

Alt text descriptions will help your pictures to be found more easily in Google Images, where the competition is less harsh than on the main search results page.

Are your images descriptions all set? Find out the next steps you can take with our complete SEO guide for photographers.

08. Optimize for mobile viewing

Smartphones and tablets are taking over. In 2020, over half of all online traffic came from mobile devices. Thus, one of the major challenges photographers face when it comes to their online portfolio is ensuring that it will be easily seen on small screens. Don’t forget to optimize your design accordingly.

The Wix Pro Gallery will instantly adapt images to any screen. As for the other elements of your website, the Wix Editor lets you make your photography website mobile friendly in a few minutes by simply dragging and dropping your elements. Just don’t forget to do so before you hit publish.

09. Ask for feedback

Before you publish, call your best friend. Not to discuss your feelings on the latest Star Wars movie, but to ask for an outside opinion on your freshly designed photography website.

It’s hard to be impartial when it comes to anything you created yourself, especially when it’s for the first time. Hearing someone else’s feedback – whether they be friends, family or colleagues – will help you optimize the navigation, fix any design issues and eliminate the stray typos

10. Keep it your site updated

Be sure to update your website regularly to keep your content fresh. In order to keep your fans engaged, be sure that they regularly see new images on your site. First, this lets them know that you’re still producing great work. Second, in today’s world, up-to-date has become synonymous with reliable.

Luckily, Wix makes it super intuitive for you to upload your pictures from your desktop. You can also use the Instagram Feed app, which will automatically update your Instagram pictures straight on your website.

This post was last updated on January 14, 2021.

Back when I played tennis, the coach used to tell us that a game is not finished until you shake hands with the opponent. Meaning, every point is just as important as the one before and after, no matter the timing or score. This same concept is highly relevant when it comes to pictures. Whether they're meant to be showcased on a photography website or used as part of a PR campaign, you should not present images as complete before the process has truly been finished. Here is where this list of the best free photo editing software comes to play.

One of the most common mistakes people tend to make with photos is ignoring just how important post-processing is. In most cases, this last step is skipped due to the high entry bar of the most popular photo editor software. For beginners and non-photographers, tools like Photoshop and Lightroom can feel quite daunting - and that's not even considering their cost.

But what many ignore is the long list of free photo editing software available online and for desktop use. Regardless of your skills, needs, and goals - these tools will allow you to take your images to the next level and achieve a professional look with minimal effort. Especially due to their cost (or lack thereof), these free alternatives to Photoshop and Lightroom definitely give Adobe a run for its money.

Ready to start editing your images like a pro? Here are the best free photo editing software you can use in 2021:

1. Adobe Photoshop Express
2. GIMP
3. Paint .NET
4. Pixlr E
5. Pixlr X
6. PhotoScape X
7. Fotor
8. Photos Pos Pro
9. InPixio
10. BeFunky
11. Bonus: Wix Photo Studio

01. Adobe Photoshop Express

Best for: Mobile photo editing

For the longest time, people tried to find a free version of Photoshop, preferably online. Until one day, Adobe finally heard their prayers and launched Adobe Photoshop Express, a trimmed-down online and mobile version of the industry’s leading software.

Unlike its paid counterpart, Adobe Photoshop Express is not aimed at professional photographers and media creators, but to beginners or those looking for high-quality software for quick edits. This can be easily noted on the features offered and their accessibility.

With Adobe Photoshop Express you’ll be able to access basic image editing actions, such as contrast, perspective, saturation, exposure, and spot removal, as well as selecting preset dynamic effects. While there are not nearly as many tools as in the professional version, they are polished to perfection and offer a great user experience. The Express version of Adobe’s photo editing software also includes a “decorate” category, which allows users to add text and easily create fully customizable collages.

You can edit images that are saved on your device or share them directly from Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, Facebook, or Google Photos. All edits made on Adobe Photoshop Express are non-destructive, meaning you can go back to the original photo at any time.

The + : Advanced filters, minimalist interface, professional results

The - : Only output format available is JPG, runs on Flash, limited tools

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android, Windows)

Paid version: Adobe Photography, which includes Photoshop and Lightroom, starts at $9.99/month

02. GIMP

Best for: Advanced users

GIMP is widely considered the best free photo editor available on the market. The software includes a wide range of tools, ranging from basic actions to professional-quality features. Beginners will highly benefit from its selection and montage tools, cropping, color adjustment, and automatic image enhancement tools. On the other hand, advanced users will find a number of tools catered to them, such as content-aware resizing, face swap, animated GIFss, layer masks, curves, and personalizable brushes.

All of these features make GIMP an amazing free Photoshop alternative for those who already know Adobe’s flagship software. On top of that, its interface is fully customizable and there are numerous plugins that can be added for free.

GIMP is an open source software with a large active community behind it. This means the platform is constantly updated and improved, all while users can continue to use it for free.

This photo editing software can be installed on desktop devices running on any operating system, or downloaded as a portable version that can be added into a USB key for usage flexibility.

If you want to give this advanced photo editor a try, but are not familiar with the discipline's jargon, you might want to start by taking a look at this glossary of photography terms.

The + : Professional tools and features, open source program, developer support

The - : Steep learning curve, no mobile version, cluttered interface

Platforms: Desktop only (Linux, OS X, Windows)

Paid version: No

03. Paint.NET

Best for: Beginners and limited devices

Paint.NET was initially created by a Washington State University student as a replacement for Microsoft Paint. But the original drawing program has developed into an intuitive free photo editing software aimed at those looking for an easy-to-use free image editing software that offers high-quality results.

The software has a clear and straightforward interface that supports hotkeys functions, making it a great option for inexperienced users who don’t want to spend a lot of time trying to figure out how the program works. Plus, this simplicity makes it possible to smoothly run Paint.NET on less powerful devices, such as notebooks.

Despite being targeted to novice users, Paint.NET offers a wide array of photo editing tools including brightness, contrast, hue, curves, levels, layers, gradients, and unlimited undos. On top of that, the software supports plugins created by the ever growing community of developers on the software’s forum. These plugins can be used to access more advanced features, such as the popular 3D rotate/zoom tool for image recomposition.

The + : Intuitive interface, great for slow devices, full history access

The - : Limited tools, not as powerful as other alternatives, no advanced features

Platforms: Desktop only (Windows)

Paid version: No, but you can support the project by purchasing Paint.NET for $6.99

04. Pixlr E

Best for: Professional-level online editing

Many see Pixlr E as the best free online photo editor, and consider it to be almost as powerful as the top desktop editing software. Its proficient capabilities start the very moment you open an image, as Pixlr E allows you to do so from your device, a URL, or even straight from Facebook. This is especially valuable for non-photographers who want to edit existing images for new purposes.

The program’s interface is notably similar to Adobe’s editor, which has led people to consider Pixlr E the best online version of Photoshop - yes, even better than Photoshop Express itself. The long list of professional features included in the program are unmatched by most of the other free photo editors in the market. Among these, we find exposure, levels, automatic enhancement tools, sophisticated color pickers, customizable brushes, layers, and masks. Additionally, Pixlr E allows users to browse and edit hundreds of royalty free stock images.

Pixlr E can also be used on mobile with its native apps for Android and iOS. Additionally, a more simple version of this free photo editor is also available online under the name Pixlr X, which we describe in detail below.

The + : Powerful features, doesn’t require any downloads, numerous uploading options

The - : No batch editing capabilities, displays ads, paid premium features

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android)

Paid version: Premium version of Pixlr E is available starting at $7.99/month

05. Pixlr X

Best for: Quick online edits.

While Pixlr E is seen as the best online photo editor like Photoshop, Pixlr X is considered the best photo editor for beginners. This software was initially developed as the HTML successor of Pixlr Express in hopes to avoid obsolescence of Flash (1996-2020). Unfortunately, moving from a Flash platform to an HTML one required a lot of trimming down on the original editor’s features.

Notwithstanding this feature minimization, Pixlr X has established itself among the best free photo editing software in the market. The program maintains the slick design of its predecessor while focusing on one-click tools that will cover all your basic editing needs, plus some. You’ll be able to edit your images’ colors and saturation, crop and resize, get rid of unwanted elements with the touchup tool, and adjust the white balance. Other more niche tools, such as red-eye removal and fill light will allow you to take your portrait photography to the next level.

Overall, Pixlr X is an outstanding online photo editor for beginners and non-professional photographers, who will see all their media needs covered. Those looking for more advanced tools, such as brushes or layers, can simply continue their editing process with Pixlr E.

The + : One-click edits, straightforward interface, doesn’t require any downloads

The - : Limited tools, no advanced features, less powerful than Pixlr E

Platforms: Web on desktop

Paid version: Premium version of Pixlr X is available starting at $7.99/month

06. PhotoScape X

Best for: Novice users looking for impressive features

PhotoScape X’s list of tools seems to be nearly infinite. The software, which is described as an “all-in-one photo editing software” is heavily focused on one-click enhancement features that allow beginners to easily bring their ideas to life.

The program includes thousands of filters, frames, brushes, shape crops, smart cut out tools, a color picker, and clone stamps. Photographers will be able to take full advantage of the RAW conversion feature, while those with a large collection of images to process will be happy to hear about the several batch editing tools the software includes, such as format change, resize, and rename.

PhotoScape X’s capabilities also include much more creative options, such as collage, merging, stickers, effects, text, and brushes. These tools are especially catered to users who want to create original content for their social media profiles or email marketing campaigns.

In order to make sure users make the most of the tens of thousands of creative options in PhotoScape X, the photo editor’s website includes a long list of video tutorials that show how to use each tool to achieve the desired effect. If you are interested in more advanced tools, check out the software’s paid version, which includes a wide selection of manual editing tools.

The + : Thousands of one-click filters and effects, supports many file formats, creative templates

The - : Interface might be confusing, lag problems, no advanced tools

Platforms: Desktop only (OS X, Windows)

Paid version: PhotoScape X Pro (only Windows) for $39.99

07. Fotor

Best for: Straightforward image enhancement

Fotor offers a long list of basic tools and features, ranging from simple edits like brightness and saturation to more complex concepts such as wrinkle remover and teeth whitening. Fotor also boasts a large selection of effects, frames, stickers, and text options primarily aimed at social media sharing.

In addition to its photo editor, Fotor also includes collage and design sections. In these segments, users can choose from diverse premade templates to build their creations with. These templates are categorized by use, such as general collages, social media posts, marketing resources, documentation, and ads. This enables novice users to easily create high-quality content for all their needs, without having to worry about anything other than the visual appearance. Some of the templates and more high-end tools are only available on the paid version of the software.

Overall, Fotor might be best defined as an image enhancer rather than a photo editing software. Photographers and other media creators will most likely require more sophisticated capabilities than the ones available through Fotor. Yet, the program’s offerings comprise all a small business needs to make the most of their online presence.

The + : Creative composition tools, batch image processing, user-friendly creative templates

The - : No manual edition capabilities, no plugin support, displays ads

Platforms: Web, desktop (iOS, Windows) and mobile (iOS, Android)

Paid version: Fotor Pro starts at $8.99 per month

08. Photos Pos Pro

Best for: Beginners aiming to expand their post-processing skills

Photos Pos Pro was developed with an ambitious goal in mind: creating the perfect photo editing software for beginners and experts alike. In order to do so, the program actually offers two different interfaces for users to pick from.

The advanced layout includes a broader range of tools for more sophisticated manual edits, including layers, brushes, masks, gradients, actions, textures, and RAW conversion. All edits can be made in image batches, potentially saving a lot of post-processing time.

On the novice interface, Photos Pos Pro’s layout is significantly decluttered and heavily focused on automatic edits that can rapidly provide beautiful results. These image enhancements are mainly distributed through filters and creative effects that users can pick and choose from.

Users can access Photos Pos Pro Premium’s more advanced features for free during a 21-day period, allowing them to get a full taste of the program before deciding which option best suits their needs.

The + : Novice and advanced interfaces, numerous filters, batch image processing

The - : Export resolution limited to 1,024 x 2,014 pixels, no advanced tools, steep learning curve

Platforms: Desktop only (Windows)

Paid version: Lifetime Photos Pos Pro premium license for $49.90

09. InPixio

Best for: Quick, creative edits for online sharing

Essentially, InPixio offers a user-friendly program which allows those with minimal photo editing skills to create beautiful images to share on social media or with their close ones. The software’s most notable features include hundreds of filters, blur effects, creative frames, textures, tone sliders, preset creation, and automatic online sharing capabilities.

InPixio’s free photo editing software is only available for Windows and iOS mobile devices, however, the premium version of the software is also available for Mac computers. This pro version, known as inPixio Photo Studio 10, offers a wider range of manual editing features, as well as professional-level photo restoring tools and advanced photomontage capabilities.

The + : One-click social media sharing, easy to use, supports all image formats

The - : Limited manual editing, free version includes watermarks, not completely available on OS X

Platforms: Desktop (Windows) and mobile (iOS)

Paid version: InPixio Photo Editor PRO for $19.99

10. BeFunky

Best for: Creative image enhancement online

BeFunky offers easy-to-use photo editing tools that enable users of all levels to achieve professional results. Its interface is uncluttered and user-friendly, making it easy to find the right tools and see the effects on the image in real-time. All edits can be seen in the image’s history, and users can undo or redo the changes if necessary.

Much like Fotor, BeFunky’s program is also divided into three sections: photo editor, collage maker, and graphic designer. In fact, looking at them side by side, it's easy to see just how similar the two programs are. BeFunky seems to be the clear winner in terms of both number of photo editing features and design composition templates, yet most of them are only available for premium users.

The photo editor’s capabilities include a significantly wide range of tools, from basic editing like exposure and contrast, to portrait touch up capabilities, artsy effects, creative overlays, and textures. Each of these sections offers both free and premium features which users can test beforehand.

As for the collage and design sections, both display a long list of fully customizable templates for users to choose from. All three products are offered on BeFunky mobile, which is also available for free or with a premium subscription.

The + : Drag and drop composition features, stock image access, numerous creative templates

The - : Limited free editing tools, displays ads, most templates require premium subscription

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android)

Paid version: BeFunky Plus starts at $4.99 per month

11. Bonus: Wix Photo Studio

Best for: Basic edits with professional results

Wix’s media editor provides an in-house developed solution that redefines how users showcase their content. Wix Photo Studio allows you to perform small adjustments to your images straight on your website. This saves you the time it takes to select a free photo editor, upload the image, make the edits, export the image, upload it to your site, and do it all over again for every image you want to share. In short, that’s quite a lot of time.

The minimalist approach of Wix Photo Studio makes it incredibly useful for users of all levels, from those with zero photo editing skills looking to improve their images, to professional photographers in need of a last-minute fix. On top of basic tools such as cropping, mirroring, brightness, saturation, and sharpness, this free online photo editor offers a long list of filters that will enhance any picture with a single click. And, best of all - any edits you make will be saved as a new image, making sure your originals are always safe.

Furthermore, Wix Photo Studio uses face detection to power a cutout feature that will enable you to easily change the background of any portrait. You can use it on team pages, to enhance your about page picture, to touch up the product photography that will be displayed on your eCommerce site, or even as a nice addition to your list of family portrait ideas.

If you're not in need of thorough photo editing but simply looking to get your images ready for social media or other formats, you can use Wix's free image resizer to easily resize and crop your images without any quality loss.

The + : Professionally-curated filters, no downloads required, straightforward interface

The - : Only for Wix users - but then again, why wouldn’t you be?

Platforms: Web

Paid version: No

This post was last updated on December 29, 2020.

Photography contests offer unparalleled opportunities for professionals and amateurs alike. In addition to giving you the chance to monetize your existing portfolio, they're also a wonderful platform to grow your exposure beyond the limits of your photography website and social media profiles. Furthermore, participating in online photo contests can be a great way to fuel your photography inspiration through new themes or genres.

In recent years, the popularization of online photography contests has led to the creation of numerous little-known competitions demanding large participation fees. As a result, it has become significantly harder for photographers to identify which contests are worth their time. In order to ensure you don’t waste your energy on untrustworthy events, we’ve put together a selection of the main photography contests you should keep in mind.

Up for a challenge? Here are the best international photography contests you can enter in 2021:

1. International Photography Awards
2. Nikon Small World
3. iPhone Photography Awards
4. ND Awards
5. Sony World Photography Award
6. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
7. Monochrome Photography Award
8. Istanbul Photo Awards
9. All About Photo Awards
10. BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition
11. MonoVisions Photography Awards
12. Fine Art Photography Awards
13. Wix Photography Contests

01. International Photography Awards

Entry deadline: Early deadline is March 14, 2021

Categories: Divided between professional and amateur, with 13 categories for each

Entry fee: Single Image: $35 in Professional Categories, $25 in Non-Professional Categories. Series (2-9 images): $60 in Professional Categories, $50 in Non-Professional Categories. Discounts are available for additional categories and selected countries.

Prizes: $10,000 cash prize for the International Photographer of the Year Award and $5,000 cash prize for the Discovery of the Year Award (top award in the Non-Professional Categories). Category winners receive $1,000 in professional categories and $500 in non-professional categories. All awards include exhibition and publication.

Commonly referred to as IPA, the International Photography Awards are probably the most well-known competition in the industry. While offering the largest cash prize certainly plays a role in their popularity, it’s actually their participation in the Lucie Awards gala which has gained them the nickname of “the Oscars of photography.”

IPA winners also see their works exhibited at the curated Best of Show selection in venues all around the globe, as well as published in the contest’s annual publication, one of the highest-valued photography books.

02. Nikon Small World

Entry deadline: April 30, 2021

Categories: Single category

Entry fee: Free

Prizes: $3,000 First Prize, $2,000 Second Prize, $1,000 Third Prize, $800 - $200 Fourth to Twentieth prize

Nikon Small World is one of the most well known photography contests, and funny enough, it might just be the most niche one. The competition first began in 1975 as a means to recognize media creatives in the world of science, one of the most often overlooked photography careers.

Nikon Small World has since established itself as the leading competition for photos taken through a microscope, commonly known as photomicrographs. But it’s popularity surpasses this niche, as the images submitted have captivated the general public with the unique, beautiful look they offer into microworlds beyond our wildest imagination.

While it’s not a must to capture your submissions with a Nikon camera, only photos taken with a light microscope are valid. That is, you cannot submit macro photos or images captured with an electron microscope.

03. iPhone Photography Awards

Entry deadline: March 31, 2021

Categories: 18 categories

Entry fee: 1 image: $3.50, 3 images: $9.50, 5 images: $15.50, 10 images: $29.50, 15 images: $45.50, 20 images: $57.00, 25 images: $65.50. No limit on submissions.

Prizes: IPPA Photographer of the Year Award title for the overall winner, and unannounced prizes for the top 3 winners. The top winners of each category will also receive a gold or platinum bar.

As more and more people gravitate towards the world of smartphone photography, it should not come as a surprise that one of the best photography contests of the year is dedicated to images captured with a mobile device.

iPhone or iPad users all over the world have the chance to launch their career by submitting their work to one of the following categories: Abstract, Animals, Architecture, Children, Floral, Landscape, Lifestyle, Nature, News and Events, Panorama, People, Portrait, Series (3 images), Still Life, Sunset, Travel, Trees, Other.

In addition to being shot using an iPhone or iPad, submitted works can only be edited using photography apps.

04. ND Awards

Entry deadline: Early deadline is April 25, 2021, final deadline is September 19, 2021

Categories: Divided between professional and amateur, with 6 and 5 categories respectively.

Entry fee: Single image: $20 Non-Professional, $25 Professional. Series: $25 Non-Professional, $30 Professional. Cheaper fees for the early deadline apply.

Prizes: $2,500 Professional Grand Prize, $1,300 Non-Professional Grand Prize, $500 professional category winners, $300 non-professional category winners. All winners are featured in ND Magazine.

Contrary to what its name might lead you to think, you don’t have to expand your camera accessories’ collection with a neutral density filter, even though it would be a great addition. Presented by ND Magazine, the highly acclaimed ND Awards offer professional and amateur photographers all over the world a chance to win monetary prizes and have their work published in the magazine.

In order to even out the contestants’ chances, professional and amateur photographers compete separately. Both sections include categories focused on architecture, nature, fine art, and portrait photography, as well as a special award englobing a wide range of themes. Furthermore, professional photographers can also submit editorial work as a sixth category not available for amateurs.

05. Sony World Photography Awards

Entry deadline: January 14, 2021

Categories: Divided between Professional (for a body of work), Open (for a single image), Student (for academic institutions) and Youth (for 12-19 year-olds)

Entry fee: Free

Prizes: $25,000 worth of Sony equipment Professional Photographer of the Year and $5,000 worth of Sony equipment for the Open Photographer of the Year Prize.

The Sony World Photography Awards is split into four different paths, based on the photographers’ level and age. They are as follows: Professional (for a body of work), Open (for a single image), Student (for academic institutions) and Youth (for 12-19 year-olds). The Professional and Open categories have ten different themes to enter, the student category revolves around a set brief and Youth operates on a monthly basis.

While most photography contests offer monetary prizes, the winners of the Sony World Photography Awards receive a selection of Sony camera equipment valued at thousands of dollars. Furthermore, a selection of images are displayed on the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, which debuts in London and later tours through Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

06. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Entry deadline: Open date is March 1, 2021

Categories: Single category

Entry fee: Free

Prizes: TBA - Usually includes safari experience, gear, and more

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are widely considered the funniest photography contest there is. In a world where every breaking news announced seems to be more heart wrenching than the one before, the type of images celebrated by this contest is more important than ever. From dancing kangaroos and surprised seals to laughing owls and smiling frogs, The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are an ode to the hilariously magical moments wildlife photography offers to those who wait hours on end in search of the perfect shot.

But as important as having a good laugh is, the goal of this competition is much more crucial. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is also using photography to raise awareness about conservation through its support to Born Free Foundation, a UK-based charity advocating on behalf of wildlife.

07. Monochrome Photography Award

Entry deadline: Open date to be announced

Categories: Divided between professional and amateur, with 13 categories each

Entry fee: $25 for professionals, $20 for amateurs. Cheaper fee until early deadline.

Prizes: $2,000 cash prize for the overall professional winner and $1,000 cash prize for overall amateur winner. Category winners will be included in the Monochrome Photography Awards Annual Book with the overall winners.

The Monochrome Photography Award is one of the largest photography contests revolving around black and white imagery. With 13 themed categories and two main sections dedicated to professional and amateur photographers, the opportunities offered to monochrome creatives are unparalleled. The competition allows for both digital and film photography submissions, including toned images such as selenium or sepia.

By including non-traditional categories such photomanipulation, the contest aims to break with misconceptions about the purity of black and white photography and encourage the exploration of photo editing software capabilities.

In addition to the cash prizes, the three main winners also have the chance to be published in the Monochrome Photography Awards annual book, together with additional entries that the judges feel worthy of Honorable Mentions.

08. Istanbul Photo Awards

Entry deadline: March 18, 2021

Categories: 4 categories

Entry fee: Free

Prizes: $8,000 for Photo of the Year, $5,000 for category winners, $3,000 for second place, $1,500 for third place

First celebrated in 2015, the Istanbul Photo Awards are relatively young in comparison to other renowned photography contests. However, the quality and visual impact of their winning images have rapidly put their name among the most respected competitions in the industry.

The contest is organized by the Anadolu Agency, a news organization based in Turkey, and was created in hopes to strengthen the news photography area in four main categories: single news, story news (photo series), single sports, and story sports (photo series). The winning image from the single news category is named Photo of the Year.

09. All About Photo Awards

Entry deadline: January 31, 2021

Categories: Open theme

Entry fee: $30 for three photos; $5 for each additional submission

Prizes: $5,000 for grand-prize winner, $2,000 for second place, $1,500 for third place, $1,000 for fourth place, and $500 for fifth place. All winners will have their work published and showcased in diverse magazines and exhibitions.

Unlike most photography contests, All About Photo Awards does not offer diverse categories or themes for submission. Instead, the topic of competition is drawn from one of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s most famous photography quotes: "To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis."

All About Photo Awards offers a series of cash prizes as well as a chance for photographers all over the world to have their images published and showcased on both printed and digital outlets, as well as a Daylighted's traveling exhibition.

10. BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition

Entry deadline: March 1, 2021

Categories: 7 categories

Entry fee: $25 for up to 10 single photos, $10 for each photo series

Prizes: $5,000 cash prize for grand-prize winner, $1,000 cash prize for category winners

The BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition, most commonly known as Big Picture, aims to celebrate the rich diversity of the sauna and flora of our planet. The beautiful nature photos submitted to the contest also serve as powerful calls to action to protect and preserve life on Earth as we know it.

In order to offer the big picture of natural life, BigPicture has seven categories revolving around different habitats and species: art of nature, aquatic life, winged life, terrestrial wildlife, human/nature, coexistence (photo story) and landscapes, waterscapes, and flora. Winners receive a cash prize, as well as the opportunity to have their work displayed at the California Academy of Sciences.

11. MonoVisions Photography Awards

Entry deadline: Early deadline is January 17, 2021

Categories: Divided between Single Photo and Photo Series, each with 12 categories

Entry fee: $25 for single photo, $30 for each photo series

Prizes: $3,000 for ‘Black and White Series of the Year’ winner and $2,000 for ‘Black and White Photo of the Year’ winner

As the leading black and white photography magazine, MonoVision celebrates the best monochrome works of the year with two major prizes: the Back and White Series of the Year (up to 8 images) and Black and White Photo of the Year. Each of these sections has 12 different themed categories, for which an overall winner is chosen.

In addition to the cash prize offered to the two overall winners, all category winners and honorable mentions are awarded digital, downloadable badges and certificates of achievement. Moreover, all winning submissions are published on the contest’s website.

12. Fine Art Photography Awards

Entry deadline: February 7, 2021

Categories: Divided between professional and amateur, with 20 categories each

Entry fee: $25 single entry professional, $20 single entry amateur, $30 series professional, $25 series amateur - plus $10 for additional category

Prizes: $3,000 for Professional Fine Art Photographer of the Year and $2,000 for Amateur Fine Art Photographer of the Year.

With over 20 different categories, the Fine Art Photography Awards celebrate the full spectrum of artistic freedom in one of the most misunderstood types of photography. With themes ranging from abstract to wildlife photography, this photography contest allows visual creators to reinvent the meaning of fine art photography and how its values are applied to the different genres.

Two grand-prize winners are selected among all categories to be recognized as Professional Fine Art Photographer of the Year and Amateur Fine Art Photographer of the Year. Additionally, professional and amateur category winners receive downloadable badges and certificates.

13. Wix Photography contests

Entry deadline: TBA

Categories: TBA

Entry fee: Free

Prizes: TBA - Usually sponsored photography projects

Wix's commitment to empowering visual creators goes beyond providing them with all of the tools they need to create their own professional photographer website. Every so often, Wix announces photography contests aimed at users of the platform. Rather than focusing on specific themes or categories, Wix values the overall look and feel of photographer’s existing portfolios, as well as their future project ideas. Furthermore, instead of offering monetary compensation, Wix provides real-life photography experiences to enable photographers to further grow their skills and knowledge.

The two most notable Wix photography contests to date are Your Dream Shot, where a talented photographer saw her zero-gravity photoshoot idea come to life, and the Ultimate Photography Adventure, where three skilled media creators received a week-long masterclass on wildlife, urban, and travel photography.

Make sure you don’t miss the next content by subscribing to the Wix Photography Blog.

This post was last updated on December 16, 2021.

You see, in this world there are two kinds of people, my friend: those with boring jobs, and those who dig. You dig.

The main reason why you became a photographer is because you love it. You enjoy every single day at work, polishing your skills and learning about human nature, while your distant cousin homo officinus spends their days filling in Excel sheets. Yet your landlord doesn’t think that you working for the sake of art is good enough. They want you to pay the bills that have been sleeping in your mailbox for the past couple of months. This is where the million dollar question comes in: how do you transform your passion into a profitable profession?

Photography is a very crowded space, with tons of shutterbugs offering their services for every single genre and price range. However, with the right amount of dedication and creativity, there’s no doubt that you’ll secure enough commissions to make a living – at least a modest one, at the start. You also have the Internet on your side. Today, it’s easier than ever to create a stunning photography portfolio and promote it online to attract more clients. So what’s the missing ingredient here? You need some actionable ideas to start turning shots into cash. You don’t need to look any further because we have precisely what you need.

Here are 15 proven ways to make money as a photographer – and step up your business’ game.

1. Photograph small businesses
2. Teach photography
3. Sell digital or printed copies of your work
4. Sell your photos on stock websites
5. Write a photography blog
6. Invest in your art
7. Conduct photography tours and workshops
8. Become a social guru
9. Shoot portraits
10. Sell photos to magazines
11. Shoot events
12. Enter photo contests
13. Get gigs as an assistant photographer
14. Edit and retouch
15. Create websites

01. Photograph small businesses

Nowadays, a business without a website is pretty much like a weekend without a lie-in. Restaurants, hotels, yoga instructors: they all have an online platform that they need to fill with beautiful images. This is where you come in and offer to photograph their stores, offices or teams. How do you find them? First and foremost, in real life.

Take a walk around your neighborhood and speak to business owners in an informal way about what you do, and how you can help them attract more clients with stunning photos. Bring a tablet or a computer to show your online portfolio, as some people want to see visuals rather than explanations. Don’t neglect the online realm. Many businesses in your area are likely to look for a photographer on Google, and you want to be among the first results that appear – so make sure you’ve worked on the local SEO of your photography website. Money, money, money: Did someone just say AirBnb? More and more individuals rent their apartments for short periods. They desperately need beautiful shots of their interiors. And it’s only one example of an unexpected audience you can reach out to. Think out of the box: you’d be surprised to see how many people actually need the help of a good photographer like you.

Tip: Need help finding a business name that will stand out? Use a photography name generator for inspiration and ideas.

02. Teach photography

Relax, the only math you’ll need here is the rule of thirds, and it’s far less intimidating than the rule of three you learned at school. With time, you acquired tons of valuable tips and techniques that other photographers would love to hear about. You can also give beginner classes for people living in your city, explaining the basics while transmitting your passion for photography.

Teaching is known to be the best way of learning new stuff, and will also get you to meet new interesting people. Don’t forget to add the Wix Bookings app on your website, so you won’t have to deal with the reservations and payments. This great app enables you to take individual and group classes, automatically syncs all your calendars, and sends notifications and reminders to your pupils. Cherry on top: it’s 100M commission free! Money, money, money: Once again, the Internet completely reshuffled the rules of the game (In a good way). Millions of people are now taking photography classes online, for every level. It’s a convenient solution you should really consider. Once your video is shot, you simply have to publish it on your site with Wix Video for (virtually) everyone to enjoy it, for a fee that you decide on.

03. Sell digital or printed copies of your work

Everybody loves beautiful photography. For a long time, the possibility to acquire a piece of art was limited to a small circle of well-off individuals or companies. In the 21st century, more and more companies are offering high-quality shots at a very reasonable price, from just a dozen to a few hundreds dollars. But why should you to go through a reseller when you can market your pieces yourself? Wix Art Store is the tool that you’ve been longing for.

This genius app transforms your photography website into a powerful selling machine. Your visitors can browse your photos in the highest quality possible, and simply choose the one(s) they like. You can offer them a digital license (100% commission free), or a printed version – on a canvas or any other objects. When it comes to receiving the payment, packaging and shipping, you won’t have to lift a finger: everything is taken care of. Money, money, money: Just like any business, the more exposure you get, the more orders you’ll receive. Make sure you learn about these 10 free tools to promote your photography business, before launching your virtual art store.

04. Sell your photos on stock websites

If you have a sizeable portfolio of images, you should consider selling them on stock sites. These platforms gather millions of pictures and videos, and sell them to businesses, marketing agencies and media. In return, the photographers receive a commission every time their work is downloaded. The amount per download depends on the platform, the type of license and many other factors. In all cases, the price is still low, so if you want to make money, you should bet on quantity and regularly upload fresh content.

Stock sites require you to sign up first. Make sure you carefully read the guidelines, as some platforms forbid you to submit the same images to competitors. Once you’re registered, you can start feeding your account. Every image that you submit will be evaluated before publication – but after a few days, you’ll master the whole process very easily. iStock, ShutterStock and BigStock are the most famous stock names. Don’t neglect the image hosting sites: on top of letting you save your photos for free, some of them let you market them, like 500px. Money, money, money: What makes a winning stock photo? The quality of the shot, a file uploaded in extra high resolution (since it can be used in a lot of different formats) and a subject everyone can relate to. The world of stock images is getting more and more standardized, as the rather unflattering adjective ‘stocky’ tells. Browse the best sellers on various sites in order to see what’s currently working. But what might be even more important than the picture itself, is the way you ‘sell’ it.

This market is saturated – around 150,000 new pieces are added every day onto Shutterstock only! Even if you manage to shoot the perfect picture of ‘young and handsome employees mawkishly smiling to a computer screen’, it might never get noticed. To optimize your chances, make sure to add as many relevant keywords in your description. The best tip here is to think of the possible queries someone would be looking for a photo like yours would type in the search bar.

05. Write a photography blog

Itching to reveal the Shakespeare in you? Start a blog! It will boost the SEO of your photography website, contribute to establishing you as an expert in your field, and last but not least: get you some cash. You have a few ways to make money with a photography blog.

The first one consists of putting ads, and getting paid every time a visitor clicks on them. The second is by doing referrals – basically, it means that you agree upon showing a specific link in one of your articles. Just like with ads, whenever readers click this link, you’ll receive a commission. The last is by writing reviews about companies’ products or services.

Whichever option you decide to go with, you’ll need to prove strong traffic numbers, if you want to make substantial money out of your writing. This means you’ll need to publish quality content. And you’re in luck, since we happen to have the complete guide to writing a blog for your photography website.

06. Invest in your art

“For many are called, but few are chosen”. Making money out of a personal project is the Holy Grail of many photographers – if not all. In fact, it's considered a major factor on your likelihood to become a professional photographer. The road is long, and the results are highly unpredictable, since you never know how gallerists, curators and magazines will accept your work. But when fame knocks on the door, you’d better be there to open it, because it comes with many opportunities to make money as a photographer.

Exhibitions, lectures and books are just a few of them. Want to try your luck? First, read this inspiring guide with the 9 steps to bring your photography project to life. When the photos are ready, publish them on your photography website. Finally, use the tremendous power of social media platforms as much you can. Thanks to a smart post on Instagram or Facebook, some photographers have become phenomenons in just a couple of weeks – like Wix photographer Camila Fontenele, who transformed 6,000 people into Frida Kahlo for her sublime photography project.

07. Conduct photography tours and workshops

You know your hometown like the back of your hand? You might want to think of becoming a tour guide. But not any tour guide: a photography tour guide. Mass tourism has turned off a lot of people those days, and vacationers are always on the look for more authentic experiences. You can offer to lead them through the maze of your city (or area, or any other specific location) and teach them how to photograph it best.

Pair up with travel agencies, join travel photographers and tourist groups on Facebook, and make sure your website is completely up to date. Like the social media superstar (and proud Wix user) Albert Dros, entice your readers with a complete description of the package offered in a professional yet casual way, and add a few images to show what they can expect to see. Money, money, money: Time is money. By doing everything for you, Wix Bookings will save you precious hours, for you to do even more workshops. Your clients will be happy to be able to book your services 24/7, pay online, and automatically receive notifications and reminders. Welcome to your new favorite personal assistant!

08. Become a social guru

Is your Instagram hotter than Kim’s? Like all of us, you started small with a few likes from your friends and your mom’s comments under every post (“That’s my girl!”). Since then, you learned how to use Facebook like a professional photographer and you’re now leading a nice empire of followers. It might not sound obvious, but it’s something that you can leverage.

Collaborating with online influencers is a popular practice in the marketing universe. Whether we’re talking about new gear, an invitation to a photo conference, or exclusive access to an app, you’ll be receiving a lot of stuff from brands to write and post about. In exchange, you get to keep the gift and maybe even receive a payment for your time and efforts. Warning! Since you don’t want your social profiles to look like a Christmas catalogue, don’t jump on every single offer. Make sure your posts benefit the company you work with, but also genuinely interest your community.

09. Shoot portraits

In an ideal world, you would have your own studio to shoot portraits. Fortunately, you can survive just fine without one. Many clients like outdoor or locations shoots, so you’ll find many opportunities even if you’re as free(lancer) as a bird. Try to be creative and don’t only offer the classic ‘passport’ pictures. People want beautiful images of themselves to put on their websites, their LinkedIn and – why not – even their Tinder profile.

Should you limit yourself to bipeds? Of course not. Pet owners want to immortalize their best friends and are willing to pay substantial sums of money to get the assistance of a professional. The only thing you’re missing now is a strong photography portfolio, that will demonstrate the scope of your talent to potential clients.

10. Sell photos to magazines

Did you know? More than 7,000 printed magazines are currently in circulation in the U.S. only. And we’re not even talking of the countless online publications. The same goes in most countries: you have outlets for every hobby or profession, from boar-hunting to WC manufacturers. And since a magazine never goes without images, you have a huge reservoir of commissioned works waiting for you.

For photographers, the work goes from covering an event to shooting portraits for an interview, or using your existing content as illustrations. Working for magazines requires you to build a network and make yourself a name in the industry. So it’s highly recommended to start small, and target local and regional publications first, before reaching out to the big brands.

11. Shoot events

It’s one of the most classic ways to make money as a photographer. Weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, company events… You have plenty of opportunities. It’s physical and can be exhausting, but there’s good money to be made. The amount you can charge mostly depends on your reputation, the moment of the year, and the location.

When quoting your clients, don’t forget to take into account the hours of pre and post-production – not only the action time. And for finding contracts, the Internet (again!) has made it easier than ever. For this job, more than any other, you’ll need a complete online portfolio at your disposal. And it needs to be fully SEO optimized. It’s crucial because people looking for an event photographer are most likely to find them after a search on Google.

Because we love you, and would never leave you stranded, here is a step-by-step guide to creating an impressive photography website.

12. Enter photo contests

Some competitions grant you cash, some equipment, some others give you the chance to realize your dream photography project – like Reiko Wakai, winner of the latest Wix Photography contest, who won a high-fashion shoot in zero gravity (you have to watch the video below!). Of course, unless you decide to bribe the jury (and we strongly recommend you NOT to do that), the result of any contest is very uncertain.

This is why you shouldn’t rely on this option only, if you want to make a living as a photographer. Even if you don’t win, participating in a contest is always a great way to make more connections, and to have your work and website’s link featured on external websites. It’s good for your exposure, your SEO, and ultimately should help bring you more clients. Here is a list of the most prestigious photo contests – but there are dozens more for every genre, simply be curious and have a quick look on Google.

13. Get gigs as an assistant photographer

Not booked on a specific date? Other photographers are, and they certainly will need the help of an assistant photographer. Just like actors, having a supporting role can be a very rewarding option. First, you’ll make some good money – without having to deal with all the negotiation and all the other hassles of being the main contractor. Plus, it’s an excellent way to minimize the down-times. Finally, it’s a great way to gain more experience.

To get more of these types of offers, you’ll need to do some networking. Join clubs of photographers in your area, register to professional associations, and don’t neglect photo groups on Facebook and other social media outlets. Thousands of active photographers populate them with offers to collaborate, often in a last-minute mode. Which means that you should put the notification mode ‘On’, and prepare a bag of gear that’s always waiting for you somewhere in your apartment. Money, money, money: Efficiency should be the second name of an assistant photographer. Partners will hire you for your ability to work fast and intuitively, in some sort of symbiosis. So before starting, make sure you master the checklist of the 10 shots you must capture at a wedding.

14. Edit and retouch

From a model who wants to remove those slight imperfections, to a hotel owner who needs their resort to look a little more sunny, many people would pay to get their photos retouched. If you’re gifted with a brush and a lasso (or if you’ve just finished one of these amazing Photoshop online courses), it’s an open door for you to make some extra bucks.

You can easily work from home, at any moment of the day (or night), making it a perfect side-activity for a photographer. Before starting, just create a new section on your photography website, where you’ll publish some videos showing how you can transform a very conventional shot into a jaw-dropping image. Or like Wix photographer Matteo Andrei, you can use the Before & After app to highlight the work done on a specific pic.

15. Create websites

On the one hand, as a photographer you’re blessed with a natural sense for aesthetics. On the other hand, you have Wix on your site (sorry, your side) that enables you to easily create sophisticated outlets – even if you don’t hold a Master’s in coding or web design.

Do you see where we’re going? Good, because a lot of small businesses desperately need a website and don’t feel confident enough to make it themselves. This is where you can give a hand, and have it filled with a few banknotes in return. Not a photographers job per say, but still a nice way to add some extra to the kitty – especially during the photography off-season.

You know what’s better than a stunning photography website? A stunning photography website paired up with a killer Instagram account. The way we consume media and information makes it nearly impossible to have a powerful online presence without these two elements. And, unless you’ve been living in a WiFi-less cave, you certainly know how important an online presence is for any creative or business. But why is Instagram for photographers so important?

Instagram has become the social network of choice for both media creators and consumers. As such, it’s the best place to build a solid community and position yourself as a reference in your field. But to do so you’ll need more than talent and creativity.

Want to learn how to grow your Instagram account in 2020? Here are the ten main things you should keep an eye on:

• Be authentic and true to yourself
• Find an audience you can maintain
• Show the whole picture with carousel posts
• Understand the power of video content
• Make the most out of Instagram Stories
• Say goodbye to geotagged locations
• Share your knowledge with others
• Partner with brands you can benefit from
• Curate your social skills as much as your media
• Create meaningful personal connections

Be authentic and true to yourself

For a long time, Instagram for photographers was considered a double-edged sword due to the belief that social media limits creativity and has a negative impact on mental health. Behind these strong accusations there’s a clear culprit: images depicting over staged scenes and seemingly flawless lives. And it’s not just users who think so. In fact, this is actually the main reason why Instagram decided to hide likes in posts.

It’s a brand new decade and social media users are done with these fake realities. This doesn’t mean you should start aiming for less than breathtakingly beautiful nature photos or portraits, but rather that you should complement this with more personal content.

For example, you can start writing longer captions talking about the image’s backstory, share behind the scenes footage, or hold Q&A sessions. Simply follow Nirvana’s advice and show yourself as you are, as you were, and (as your followers want you to be) as a friend.

Find an audience you can maintain

As the popularity of Instagram for photographers keeps growing, users are becoming more selective when it comes to choosing what are the best photography Instagram accounts to follow. Finding your niche will allow you to build an audience who is truly invested in your work. This will likely transcend the social media sphere and have a direct impact on your business, as these people will be the first ones in line when you decide to offer your services or sell your photos online.

In order to put together such a strong community, you’ll need to offer them something that no other Instagram photographer can give them. Developing your photography style is a must if you want to stand out from the crowd. Whether it is by focusing on a specific genre or subject, or giving your images a unique look, people should be able to easily tell you’re the author.

Furthermore, you should only publish images you’re proud of and follow a consistent publication schedule. The average posting pace on Instagram for photographers is at least once a day, not including temporary content.

Show the whole picture with carousel posts

For photographers, Instagram’s original layout had one main inconvenience: the square cropping. After some time, vertical and horizontal formats were added. This feature allowed photographers on Instagram to showcase their pictures with a minimal format edition, specially when it came to landscape photography. But, alas, a new issue arose: Vertical images are much larger than their horizontal counterparts.

In a space where you have only a fraction of a second to catch your audience’s attention, this size difference can be crucial. As a result, photographers on Instagram started publishing vertical crops of their photos and sharing the full version on their stories. Eventually, the carousel post feature became the preferred alternative to display horizontal photos in full size within the Instagram feed.

Photographers are now dividing their images in diverse cuts and then using carousel posts to put them together, a simple edit you can do with any free photo editing software. Because Instagram does not add spaces between images in these types of publications, the result is a complete panorama that users can scroll through. Some photographers choose to add a cropped version as the first slide, while others put the complete image as the last.

Understand the power of video content

Video will be one of the most powerful trends of the year across many disciplines. Funny enough, Instagram plays a major role in the latest video trends. IGTV changed the game with vertical videos, and the platform is considered the ‘next big thing’ in online video. Essentially, this all means you cannot ignore how much this type of content can help you grow your Instagram account.

Instagram for photographers is evolving beyond static images, and by extension, so is the photography industry. The line between photography and videography is less clear every day as creators broaden their skills and areas of expertise. As a result, they are able to offer a wider range of services and reach a larger audience.

So, should you start shooting videos just because everyone else is doing so? Of course not. However, if you want to stay ahead of the game and take your skills to the next level you should definitely read some video tips and give it a try. Don’t worry about buying a lot of equipment up front. All you need to start creating great content is your camera and a free video editing software.

Share your knowledge with others

There are two main reasons why people follow your account: either they’re part of your family or they admire your work. While the first type of followers will stay with you no matter what, you’ll have to make a bit more of an effort to keep the second one around. You’ll need to offer them an added value that they can’t get elsewhere.

The best way to do so is to share your expertise. This can be anything from your personal preference on Lightroom vs. Photoshop, your take on artificial lighting, your favorite camera accessories, what motivates you to continue developing your skills, or the types of camera lenses you always have in your bag. Think of it as a trimmed down, visual version of writing a photography blog.

It doesn’t necessarily need to be technical knowledge either. Recently, Instagram for photographers has become an incredibly popular and powerful platform for those using photography to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues. Professionals in genres like documentary, travel, and wildlife photography are sharing their knowledge about their fields to bring consciousness to the challenges certain areas and animals are fighting against.

Make the most out of Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories have become as popular as the main feed, if not more. Because of this, they will play a significant role in the success of your account. You should see Stories and feed as two separate photography apps within Instagram, each of them with their own strengths and purpose. Your feed is the place to post your best images, the ones that will convince people to follow you. From your Stories, you get the chance to connect with your audience on a more personal level.

Instagram Stories allow you to share content that doesn’t truly belong in your portfolio, such as less-than-perfect photos or behind the scenes footage. The highlights feature actually allows you to keep these pictures in your account without affecting your feed. Another way to take full advantage of Stories is to use them as a way to promote your other channels, such as your professional photographer website, or just to make sure everyone sees your latest feed post.

Say goodbye to geotagged locations

The feature itself is not disappearing, but more and more photographers are refraining from using it in hopes of saving the world. As dramatic as that might sound, geotagging has had an incredible impact in numerous locations all over the globe. Places that were once only known by a handful of locals are now visited by millions of people every year.

The popularity of outdoor photographers encouraged others to roam off the marked path and explore new locations. What started as a dream to capture the untold beauty of the world has evolved into a careless race to get the most epic selfie. Some of these sites have suffered irreparable damage, and others are trying to fight back tourism in hopes of recovering their environment. As for photographers on Instagram, they believe that making it harder for people to find these locations will act as a deterrent from them visiting.

Curate your social skills as much as your media

Instagram was originally born as a platform for photographers to share their work and connect with each other. Over time, the platform’s audience expanded to include a broader variety of content and users. At this point, many see Instagram as a new version of Facebook that parents have not yet taken over. As a result, the platform has moved its focus from highlighting beautiful photos to encouraging engagement.

In fact, engagement is one of the most important factors to take into account if you want to beat the Instagram algorithm. Posting your very best images is still a must, but you’ll need to pair them with a strong social effort. Browsing other users’ work and interacting with them will get you on Instagram’s good books and improve your exposure levels on the site. On a personal level, this exercise will allow you to fuel your photography inspiration and help you expand your creative vision.

Create meaningful connections

On your quest to become a professional photographer, you’ll soon realize that the more people you know in the industry the merrier. And few platforms offers as many opportunities as Instagram for photographers to connect with like minded individuals across the world.

The more active you are on Instagram, by both sharing content and engaging with other users, the higher your chances are to meet new people. Explore the work of others in the types of photography you’re interested in, and leave some comments on their posts. With time, some of these casual messages will evolve into private conversations, and before you know it you might be planning a travel photography expedition together.

Partner with brands you can benefit from

Regardless of the kind of photographers you follow on Instagram, you have likely come across a fair share of posts sponsored by brands. In fact, you could probably recall at least three brands who have partnered with photographers to include their products or names in their photos.

Companies are moving away from paid content to use Instagram’s own users as a means for advertising their products and services, boosting the chances that amateurs will be able to build successful photography careers. The reason why is pretty clear when you think of this question: How many actual paid ads can you remember seeing among your feed?

If you aren’t doing it yet, 2020 will be the perfect time to reach out to brands as a photographer. When you do so, make sure you aim for companies you can benefit from beyond monetary compensation. This can be anything from transportation to photography gear, or maybe even snacks. Make sure that their product or service is something which can be seamlessly included in your work, otherwise it could potentially jeopardize your portfolio and reputation.

Last Updated on November 25, 2019.

The entry barrier for photography is at an all-time low. Technological advances have turned it into one of the most accessible hobbies in the world. So much so that it’s uncommon for anyone between the age of 8-99 to walk around without a camera in their pocket at all times. Many of them even have their own photography website where they share their creations with the entire world.

In a way, being a photographer has never been easier, but at the same time it’s an incredibly hard endeavour. You can start taking pictures at any moment, and even get quite good at it after practicing enough. But learning how to become a professional photographer actually requires much more than being good at shooting images.

You’ll need to learn the technique behind every shot, develop a unique perspective of the world, fight your way up an incredibly competitive space, and constantly develop yourself personally and professionally. Overall, this means you’re in for many years of dedication, hard work, and practice.

Learn how to become a professional photographer with this step-by-step guide:

1. Define your purpose
2. Master your skills
3. Take some classes
4. Practice non-stop
5. Explore all possibilities
6. Find your niche
7. Get the right gear
8. Dedicate time to editing
9. Develop a personal style
10. Build a solid portfolio
11. Create a professional photography website
12. Brush up on your networking skills
13. Nail your marketing strategy
14. Put together a business plan
15. Invest in your growth

01. Define your purpose

There are many things to consider before starting your journey towards becoming a professional photographer. Start by putting together a list of questions you’ll need to answer before embarking on this new adventure.

• Some of the points that should definitely be part of this list include:
• Why do I want to be a professional photographer?
• What will motivate me when my passion falters?
• Am I ready to put in the time and effort that this requires?
• What can I offer to my local industry?
• Can I become as good as I need to be?
• How can I actually make money as a photographer?
• How much am I willing to dedicate to this goal?

The answer to some of these questions will require hours of self-reflection, while for others it will require you to do some research both online and offline. It’s even possible that you won’t be able to find all the answers at this point, as some solutions go hand-in-hand with time and experience.

One of the best ways to start your adventure towards becoming a professional photographer is by talking to actual professional photographers. They’ll be able to tell you about their journeys, as well as offer some tips and guidance to set off on your own.

02. Master your skills

This probably won’t come as a surprise, but the most important investment on your quest to becoming a professional is the development of your photography skills. To quote Ansel Adams: “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”

Whether you’ve been shooting pictures for half a decade or have never held a camera other than that disposable Fujifilm you took on a field trip in 3rd grade, keep in mind that you have a long learning process ahead.

While the pace and steps of this process will completely depend on your current knowledge and preferences, it’s recommended to start by brushing up on your knowledge of the most common photography terms. Talk the talk to walk the walk. Being able to understand the discipline’s jargon will help you navigate better through professional and educational opportunities alike.

Once you feel comfortable with the theory, put every single concept to practice. Start with basic techniques and tackle more complex ones only after you feel completely comfortable with them. There are two main goals you should work towards: Being able to identify the technical needs of every scene, and knowing how to meet them with your camera.

03. Take some classes

Formal learning is not a requisite for becoming a professional photographer. As you might know, there are numerous experts in the industry who are completely self-taught. However, working with a mentor can add a lot of value to your career and significantly speed-up your learning process.

Based on your preferences and availability, you can choose to enroll in university courses, attend local programs, sign up for workshops, or take online photography classes. While the level of difficulty and in-depth of these studies can vary significantly, they will give you a solid foundation upon which you can keep building your professional photography career.

More importantly, you’ll be able to learn from people who have already experienced the path you’re just setting out on. You’ll not only hear about what they did to succeed, but also what obstacles they faced and how they overcame them. These insights are an incredibly valuable tool that you will likely miss if you choose to take the self-learning route.

04. Practice non-stop

It’s said that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. That is roughly 417 days, so get ready to spend most of your time with a camera in your hands. Before you book your first paid gig as a professional photographer, your should be able to effortlessly determine which gear and camera settings each scene requires and switch between them with your eyes closed.

Pair practice with a solid foundation in theory. Start by learning about a specific technique or setting, and putting it into practice right away. Once you feel comfortable enough, move on to tackle the next one on your list. As your knowledge grows, so will your confidence and the quality of the images you capture.

Carry your camera with you everywhere, as if it were your phone or your wallet, and put your skills to test with different subjects and under different environmental conditions. Constant practice is the best way to get comfortable behind the camera and to truly take your skills to where they need to be. Plus, you’ll be producing a generous amount of content to share on social media and in your portfolio.

05. Explore all possibilities

A very common mistake among beginners is to focus all their energy on a specific photography genre right away. Even if you start your journey to becoming a professional photographer with a very clear idea of what you want to do for a living, it’s important that you start your career by trying out multiple types of photography.

Keep in mind that each type of photography has different requirements, and therefore giving each of them a shot will allow you to further extend your knowledge and skills. For example, if you only photograph landscapes you won’t learn a thing about studio photography, and little to nothing about artificial lighting.

Furthermore, being able to capture outstanding images across different genres will open a lot of doors for you early on. Take a look at the available freelance photography jobs online and see which ones you would feel comfortable enough to apply for. Afterwards, look at the gigs that didn’t make it on your list and dedicate time to master the abilities required. In the long run, a well-rounded set of skills will take you much further than quick growth in a very specific discipline.

06. Find your niche

Establishing your niche is the first step towards building a personal style and brand that will allow you to stand out from the crowd. It will also help you avoid oversaturated markets and further define the kind of professional photographer you want to become.

After spending enough time in the field shooting different areas of photography, you’ll find the type that truly speaks to you and the purpose you set all the way back in step one. This step is crucial for your career as a professional photographer, so don’t try to rush it and settle for something other than ‘The One.’

Keep in mind that you should find a balance between what you love to do and what the market needs. Spend some time doing research, paying special attention to the latest photography trends and the trajectory of different genres across recent years. In order to become a professional photographer with a focus, you’ll need to make sure you can actually sustain a career in that field.

Now, finding the genre you want your career to focus on doesn’t mean you’re legally not allowed to shoot any other type of photography ever again. In fact, you’ll most likely end up doing so every so often. This specialization will simply be the type of work you’re known for, which in return will help potential clients find you much more easily.

07. Get the right gear

One of the most widespread photography myths claims that you need expensive gear to take great photos. While that is simply not true, there is no denying that gear is a very important element to take into account as you learn how to become a professional photographer. You might be able to take outstanding photos with your smartphone, but in most cases clients won’t feel too confident about paying someone to take their pictures with the same phone they have in their pocket.

Start your career with the gear you already own, or buy what you can afford at the time if you’re starting from scratch. The equipment you’ll need for your work depends on the niche you choose to focus on, and therefore you should refrain from spending money on camera accessories you might not need for another few months.

As with many things, gear quality is much more important than quantity. You’ll be better off investing in an excellent glass rather than buying a handful of different types of camera lenses that are just mediocre. This, of course, means that the price you pay for each new addition to your collection might be remarkably high.

The best option when it comes to working with high-end gear is renting it. This allows you to see how comfortable you feel with it, and the results you can get, before investing fully. Renting is also a great option if your gig requires more equipment that what you own, especially if they’re not tools you’ll constantly need.

08. Dedicate time to editing

Don’t let the bad reputation of the word ‘photoshopped’ and the popularity of the photography hashtag # nofilter fool you. Even the most outstanding photos require minimal editing. Your camera sensor simply cannot see and interpret the scene the exact same way you do, no matter how spot-on your settings are.

Post-processing takes your photos from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ and allows your personality and style to shine. Because of this, you should dedicate just as much energy to it as to the development of your camera skills. You should start working with basic tools and moving forward to advanced tutorials as your editing abilities improve.

The two most popular choices in the industry are Photoshop and Lightroom, both developed by Adobe. But there is a long list of free photo editing software available online that you can try before signing up for a subscription.

09. Develop a personal style

Ideally, anyone who sees your work should be able to identify that you’re the person behind it right away. This is the ultimate goal for any artist, as it means that their vision of the world is unlike any other. In order to try to achieve this honor, you’ll need to find your photography style.

Start by putting together a selection of your absolute best images, the ones you’re most proud of. See what they have in common and sum it up in no more than three words. These can cover anything from composition to emotions.

Afterwards, set some basic guidelines that allow you to implement these concepts on any subject and scene. Make sure you feel comfortable maintaining them across several setups, as you don’t want it to limit your creativity in future endeavors.

10. Build a solid portfolio

The vast majority of people who hire your services will do so because they like your work. The rest will be comprised of family members, friends, and friends of family members. The collection of images you show to potential clients is known as a portfolio.

This might just be the most powerful tool in your quest to becoming a professional photographer, as it’s essentially the key to a successful career. It should be focused on your niche, and include only the type of work you would like to be hired for. Make sure to include only your most outstanding photos, and update it regularly.

You can gather inspiration by browsing professional photography portfolios from other creators in the field, both online and offline. Doing so will allow you to see how they choose to display their work, as well as the average number of photos included.

11. Create a professional photography website

A photographer without a website is like a ship without an engine. Sure, you’ll be able to get by without it, but won’t ever be able to reach your full potential. The list of reasons why you need a photography website is nearly endless, the main one being that it’s the 21st century and if you’re not online you simply don’t exist.

Having a professional photographer website is mandatory. Not only for sharing your work easily with anyone in the world, but also to be found by potential clients looking for the services you offer. While sharing can be done through other platforms such as social media, being found online requires SEO tools for photographers only available on a website.

A website will also allow you to advertise your services, get booked for gigs, share digital albums with clients, tell your story, and even sell your photos online.

Because we know this might sound like way too much to take care of, we have put together a detailed guide on how to create a complete photography website. We even have a long list of professionally designed portfolio templates to help you look your best in no time.

12. Strengthen your networking skills

Much of building a professional photography career is working with people. Not only with clients, but also with other photographers and businesses in your area of expertise. This means your networking skills as a photographer are pretty much as important as your abilities behind the camera or the computer.

You’ll need to learn how to connect with pretty much anyone who you come across. This includes everything from casually bringing up your services when chatting with friends to attending local events with other professionals in the industry.

Another option is to actively seek business opportunities through collaboration. For example, you can partner up with businesses related to your line of work or reach out to brands as a photographer for partnership purposes.

At the end of the day, chances are most of your clients will find you through referrals rather than online searches or advertising. Therefore, you should try to make a positive impact on people and ensure they remember you.

13. Nail your marketing strategy

Once you have a solid portfolio to show and a clear career path to follow, it’s time to start marketing yourself. Nowadays, the most popular way for photographers to bring attention to their work is using social media platforms. See which networks are more popular for your specialty, and start building a strong presence on them.

On top of expanding the reach of your images, social media also allows you to connect with people all over the world. Given the importance that networking will have on your professional career, this is something you simply can’t ignore.

But your efforts should not be limited to the social media world. There are numerous photography marketing ideas that will help put your name in the spotlight, such as writing a blog, entering photography contests, and printing business cards.

See what other professionals in your field are doing, and how the available options align with your goals and needs. You probably won’t nail your whole marketing strategy on the first try, so don’t be afraid to try different things.

14. Put together a business plan

Most professional photographers end up becoming business owners. This is a result of both a will to have full control over their projects, and a lack of full-time positions in the photography industry. In order to arrive at this stage as prepared as possible, you’ll want to start curating your business skills way before you start thinking about opening an actual business.

Even as a freelance professional, you should have a photography business plan upon which you can designate which services you want to offer and how much you want to charge for them. And don’t worry, when the time to start a photography business comes, we’ll be waiting for you with a full beginner’s guide.

15. Invest in your growth

The most interesting part of learning how to become a professional photographer is that you never really stop learning. Even if you have been in the industry for three decades, you should still be looking for ways to expand your knowledge and improve the services you offer to clients. Invest as much time, energy, and money as you can into funding your personal and professional growth.

Subscribe to photography blogs and magazines to make sure you’re always up to date on the latest news and developments in the industry. Join workshops and watch online tutorials. Start a personal project that makes you pick up a camera even when you aren’t scheduled for a gig. Photograph genres that have nothing to do with your niche. Come up with creative photography ideas that challenge your skills. And, most importantly, keep your passion for photography alive.

Last updated January 8, 2020.

This post was last updated on October 20, 2020.

Few things are as terrifying as the thought of losing endless hours of work. A lost backpack or a broken laptop can take with them so much of your hard work and memories. Luckily, free hosting sites offer a secure way to save your photos at no cost. By saving your content on external servers, aka the cloud, you have reliable backup.

Moreover, uploading your work to these free image hosting sites means that you can save space on your phone and computer, allowing them to work faster, and your images will be available anytime, from anywhere and any device – so that you can share them more easily with clients or friends. And while nothing will ever replace your own online portfolio, these platforms can complement your website with interesting add-ons such as integrated editing tools, online stores or access to a community of shutterbugs.

10 Best free image hosting sites:

1. Wix
2. Google Photos
3. Imgur
4. Flickr
5. 500px
6. ImgBox
7. Dropbox
8. Free Image Sharing
9. PostImage
10. ImageShack

01. Wix: Showcase your work online

You can compromise on many things in life, but not on your morning coffee and certainly not on having your own photography website. Think about it, what’s the first thing you do when you hear about someone? That’s right, you ‘google’ them. The same goes for potential clients who want to know more about you, or look for a photographer like you.

When they enter your name or practice on the Internet, they expect to find your own branded outlet. Today, it’s considered a paramount indicator of credibility and professionalism. And unlike all other free image hosting options, you have full authority over every element of your portfolio, from the design to the content. This way, you’re sure to get a result that is truly unique.

Wix gives you the ability to easily create a complete website. Moreover, the Wix Pro Gallery preserves the quality of every picture you upload so your visitors can enjoy your images, whether its JPEG or PNG, in a fast and optimal way on desktop and mobile. Last but not least, you enjoy free web hosting, which means that you can store, share and sell as many images as you’d like – at no cost! So, ready to start? This step-by-step guide will show you how to create the photography website of your dreams.

The +:

• Get found on Google and other search engines.
• Fully and easily customizable.
• The best quality for your photos, both on desktop and mobile.
• Sell photos online, both in print and digital form (100% commission free).
• Create and share private photo albums.

Max free image storage: Unlimited.

02. Google Photos: Automatically categorized albums

With 15 GB of free storage to share with Gmail and Drive, Google Photos isn’t the most generous hosting site. That said, it shouldn’t be discarded just yet. First, it automatically syncs with your other Google accounts, saving you a lot of time (and clicks) when accessing or sharing your images.

Second, the platform comes with a very cute tool to create your own collages and animations, based on the photos that you’ve uploaded. Lastly, Google Photos might be the smartest solution when it comes to organizing your pics – by location, date or even people appearing.

Even more stunning: the more you upload, the more the algorithms will learn about your habits, and end up sorting your content automatically for you!

The +:

• An intelligent tool that organizes your images for you.
• Synced with your other Google accounts.
• Integrated free photo editing software features.

Max free image storage: 15 GB to use across Google Photos, Gmail and Google Drive.

03. Imgur: Share gif files

Feel like you have a picture that could take the Internet by a storm? Share it on Imgur, where every day thousands of web addicts post their most hilarious, cutest or silliest images, hoping to win the votes of the assembly. All shots are allowed, including memes, baby kittens, and memes of baby kittens. Not surprisingly, it’s the favorite free image hosting site for Redditors.

If you don’t want to participate in this competition of best (or worst) of the Internet, simply upload your content without clicking the “Share to Community” button. Your photos will be stored for as long as you wish, and you can always share them privately using their URL.

The +:

• Your photos are uploaded in a click.
• Possibility to share with the community.
• GIFs. Puppies!

Max free image storage: Unlimited.

04. Flickr: Engage with like-minded photographers

Flickr is one of the oldest and most appreciated free image hosting sites, with billions of photos shared on millions of groups. The exposure for photographers is huge. If you share the right picture in the right group, you really might get your 15 minutes of online fame. Want to keep your work more intimate? You can publish it for your eyes only and use the platform purely as an image hosting site, or for a limited pool of friends. More interested in getting the most exposure possible? Make your account accessible to the world for virtually everyone to see it.

While you’re busy showing off your stunning work, don’t forget to take advantage and browse other’s works, photographers and using Flickr as a true source of photography inspiration. We’ve spent endless hours admiring the images posted by our favorite photographers, and discovering the profiles of talents we’d never heard of. For convenience you can download the Flickr application, one of the best photo apps to have on your smartphone.

The +:

• Millions of professional and inspiring users.
• Editing tools to enhance your images before posting.
• Share photos through RSS feeds, emails and more.

Max free image storage: 1,000 photos.

05. 500px: Pro photographer community

Photography can be a very solitary activity. Sometimes, you could use a fellow shutterbug to talk about your last shoot, share tips, or simply cheer you up. 500px might well be the solution. It hosts a community of 12 million photographers, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, connected to one another via this niche social media site. You can follow your favorite members, like or share their pictures, or leave a comment.

Joining this platform is a great way to build a photography network of friends, colleagues and mentors – and learn valuable new skills from the community. Moreover, 500px is browsed by tons of magazines editors, art curators and companies eager to find beautiful images. If you go for the paid monthly package, you’ll be able to sell your pictures, and make some extra money to invest in your photography career.

The +:

• Functions as a social media channel, with shares, likes and followers.
• Great source of inspiration.
• Find new clients to sell photos online.

Max free image storage: 7 photos per week, 2,000 photos in total.

06. Imgbox: Simple image sharing

This is by far the simplest free image hosting site we’ve found. Want to upload an image that will be available online forever? You don’t even have to create an account. Just click ‘upload’, choose the file resolution, and that’s it! For every image uploaded, you get a shareable link, along with HTML and BB codes to embed on any website.

The +:

• Your photos are uploaded in a click. Literally.
• Extremely fast interface.
• Shareable link and embeddable codes for every image.

Max free image storage: Unlimited number of images. 10 MB per image.

07. Dropbox: Share photos and image folders

The name says it all. The best way to understand this platform is imagining a virtual “box” (one per account) where you can “drop” your photos. They are kept safe on the Cloud, waiting for you to access anytime, from any possible device. The nice thing about Dropbox is that you can easily share the link to your folder, for friends or clients to view or add their own files.

For the smartphones addicts, Dropbox’s mobile app is a little gem. It lets you manage your content straight from your phone, and also comes with the option to sync your camera roll with your Dropbox account – so that your latest photos are automatically saved!

The +:

• Easy sharing with clients, colleagues and friends.
• Stores all types of files (images, texts, videos, etc.).
• Synchronization with the camera roll of your smartphone.

Max free image storage: 2 GB.

08. Free Image Hosting: Sharing low-resolution images

The process of uploading photos to Free Image Hosting is as straightforward as the platform’s name. All you need to do is upload an image and share its link anywhere. You don’t need to create an account in order to do so, and your photos will be permanently stored on the site.

US-based photographers can also use this platform to strengthen their photography marketing efforts by listing their business on the site’s Commercial Photographers directory. Users can browse this list by state and city, increasing your chances of being found by local clients.

The +:

• US-based photography business directory.
• No need to create an account.
• Photos are saved permanently.

Max free image storage: 3MB per image.

09. PostImage: Hosting images for forums

PostImage’s user-friendly tools make it an incredibly popular free image hosting site among photography forum users. This easy-to-use platform allows you to upload multiple images at once, and set a size and expiration date for your files.

With just the click of a button (literally,) you’ll be able to resize your images into a series of predetermined dimensions including popular uses such as avatar (100x75), message boards (648x480), 15-inch monitor (800x600) and 21-inch monitor (1600x1200). Furthermore, you can also choose to limit the period of time your images will be available online to anywhere from a day, a week, or a month.

The +:

• Resizing tools.
• Image expiration date.
• Upload images in bulk.

Max free image storage: Unspecified.

10. ImageShack: Photography businesses

Once considered the top free image hosting site, ImageShack discontinued their free services in 2015. “So why are they on a list of the best free image hosting sites, then?,” you may ask. Well, the platform offers a free 30-day trial that will allow you to check all premium features without paying a cent.

The site’s features include image links, image stats, mobile app, sharing tools, private albums, bulk image management and more. And with paid plans starting at just $4 a month for limitless space, photography business owners might very gladly skip a couple of coffees in favor of keeping their work secure.

The +:

• Upload large amounts of photos.
• Create and share private photo albums.
• Offers diverse mobile and web applications.

Max free image storage: One month trial.

Reading can take you places you have never been before, and help you become a better photographer than you ever dreamed you’d be. Plus, reading can be the perfect reason to take a much deserved break from screen time after a long day answering emails and editing the latest images for your photography website.

From beginner guides and detailed technique handbooks to business manuals and inspirational photo collections, this curated selection of photography books will help you develop all the skills you need to become a successful photographer.

Tip: Starting a photography business of your own? Use a photography name generator to get inspiration and ideas on what to name your brand.

Photography books for beginners

Understanding Exposure - Bryan Peterson

Being able to comprehend how light behaves and affects your images is the most crucial, yet challenging, skill for beginners to master. This popular photography book offers a detailed explanation on how to use your camera settings to properly capture each scene. In addition to in-depth technicalities, you’ll be exposed to over a hundred photo examples that will help you understand the role each setting plays on an image exposure and the final result.

The Photographer’s Eye – Michael Freeman

As important as camera technique is, many see composition as the single most valuable element in capturing appealing pictures. That’s why a photographer with a “good eye” can shoot outstanding images with a decades-old automatic camera and an expired roll of film. This book explores the intricacies of visual language far beyond the basic photography composition rules, while illustrating each concept with incredible images.

The Art of Photography - Bruce Barnbaum

As a photographer, you should be paying as much attention to “how” you capture things as you do to “why” you want to photograph them in the first place. Through this photography book, the author describes the emotional and philosophical reasoning behind over 100 images as well as the techniques used to capture the exact sentiment he wanted to transmit to viewers.

How to Create Stunning Digital Photography - Anthony Justin Northrup

This comprehensive how-to guide takes a page out of the online photography classes’ book by integrating several hours of video and an online forum into its content. Furthermore, each chapter ends with diverse exercises for readers to put theory into practice and develop their skills as they advance through the sections. The book touches on a long-list of topics with a broad range of skills, from composition and exposure to location scouting and posting.

The Hot Shoe Diaries – Joe McNally

One of the most common mistakes across all types of photography is to ignore the value of artificial lighting. In this book, internationally acclaimed photographer Joe McNally talks about the incredible value of being able to create light and how you can use hot shoe flashes (yes, the small ones that go on top of your camera) to capture jaw-dropping pictures.

Mastering Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO & Exposure - Al Judge

The exposure triangle is the core of photography, and it plays a decisive role in how your images end up looking. Knowing how to take full control over the settings involved in the process of shooting a photo will allow you to capture your creative vision. This book’s detailed breakdown of each of these components will help you master your exposure skills and ensure that every image comes out as you intended.

The Digital Photography Book - Scott Kelby

With five published parts, this might just be the longest, most well-known, and detailed “book” in the list. Each part acts as a stand-alone book by offering practical advice to improve your photography skills. Rather than focusing on the technical side of photography, the author uses his personal experience as a tool to provide real-life examples and actionable tips.

BetterPhoto Basics - Jim Miotke

If you came into this article looking for photography tips for beginners, look no further. This book is full of simple, quick tricks that will rapidly improve your images. Additionally, you’ll find several step-by-step guides to get started in different genres, such as portraits and wildlife.

The Headshot - Peter Hurley

Just a few years ago, the only people who needed to have professional headshots taken were models and actors. However, the rise of social media (both personal and professional) has significantly broadened the demand for this type of imagery. This instructional guide will teach you how to develop a unique style and capture portrait photography images that stand out from the rest.

Light, Science & Magic - Fil Hunter, Paul Fuqua, and Steven Biver

Photography is light, and the best you understand light the more likely you’ll be to become a professional photographer. Go beyond the surface and dive into a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light. The numerous examples, instructions, and diagrams will help you apply this knowledge to the most challenging scenes and subjects.

Studio Anywhere - Nick Fancher

The first thing that comes to mind when you imagine certain photography careers is a huge, equipment-packed studio space. Turns out, you can get outstanding shots anywhere as long as you know how to. This book will give you all the tools you need to make the most out of every scenario in order to shoot stunning photos.

Read This If You Want to Take Great Photographs - Henry Carroll

If your goal is to improve the quality of your images without diving deep into the technical side of photography, you should read this. From basic settings to the different types of camera lenses, this book focuses on hands-on tips illustrated by the work of some of the most famous photographers of all time.

Langford’s Basic Photography - Michael Langford

First published half a century ago, the content has been examined and expanded in nine occasions. This comprehensive guide aims to provide a solid grasp of photography techniques, as well as a clear understanding of the fundamentals of the discipline. Touching up both digital and film photography, the book mixes scholarly and practical information with diagrams, charts and image examples.

Speedliter’s Handbook - Syl Arena

On-camera flash are much more than handy camera accessories. Knowing how to maximize their potential will allow you to capture scenes that you’ve never even dreamed of. This useful handbook provides a clear understanding of the properties of light and how your camera interprets them. Furthermore, you’ll be exposed to stunning images taken using flashed, and learn all about the different accessories you can use for these type of shots. While the book revolves about Canon speedlites, all knowledge is applicable to any brand’s on-camera flash.

Books about photography businesses

Best Business Practices for Photographers - John Harrington

Talent and technical skills are not enough to make money as a photographer. You’ll also need to learn how to think like a business person. This extensive guide serves as a compass that will help you navigate this uncharted territory and teach you about the challenges you might encounter along the way, from dealing with clients to learning about how to sell stock photos.

The Photographer’s MBA - Sal Cincotta

Starting a photography business is far from an easy task, but this book will make it much more manageable. It will walk you through the different steps you’ll need to follow in order to build a successful company, such as choosing the right kind of business entity best suited for you and coming up with photography marketing ideas. Furthermore, it will offer insights about your brand and online presence, and teach you all you need to know about SEO for photographers.

What They Didn’t Teach You in Photo School - Demetrius Fordham

No matter what you studied, chances are you graduated feeling like there was much more left for you to learn. This book focuses on the business-side of photography, which is rarely fully disclosed in schools. Based on the experiences of a veteran professional photographer, this guide shares valuable networking tips that will help you build a strong network, impress potential clients, and successfully reach out to brands for partnerships.

Inspirational photography books

Annie Leibovitz at Work - Annie Leibovitz

If you ever wonder about the importance of finding your photography style, think about Annie Leibovitz work. The unique look and feel of her photos have made her a living legend in the history of photography. In this book, she shares her professional journey and offers a peek into how some of her most memorable pictures were made.

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment - Henri Cartier-Bresson

First published in the early 1950s, many believe that this book changed photography forever. The impact of Henri Cartier-Bresson went beyond street photography, as his search for the decisive moment influenced generations of photographers. The book is a collection of the best images captured by Cartier-Bresson on his early years, handpicked by the photographer himself.

Humans of New York - Brandon Stanton

In 2010, Brandon Stanton took on the streets of New York City to photograph its pedestrians and share their stories on social media. In the years following, he built an audience of 9.5M followers and traveled to more than 20 countries to photograph their people. This book collects some of his favorite portraits, accompanied by short quotes describing each moment.

The Americans - Robert Frank

This photography book offers a look into the harsh life of post-war America, plagued by racism and consumerism but also full of overlooked beauty. The Americans, which posed a huge shock in society when it was published, served as an inspiration for Don't Blink, one of the most renowned photography documentaries of all times.

Magnum Contact Sheets - Kristen Lubben

Featuring 139 contact sheets by 69 members of Magnum Photos, this book offers a unique look into some of the most well-known images of all times. The book features zoom-in details, cards, and notes written by the photographers themselves or experts in the field that are sure to fuel your photography inspiration.

Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams might just be the most recognized photographer both by people inside and outside of the discipline. His landscape photography work has made its way into the walls of million of houses around the world, while his photography quotes have inspired many to follow his steps. This photographic book offers the largest available compilation from his work capturing the American landscapes, as well as brief essays of selected images that provide insight into his technique and creative vision.

100 Photographs: The Most Influential Images of All Time - TIME

In a world where we're exposed to millions of images every day, there are some photographs that leave a mark in the imaginary collective for generations to come. The vast majority of them come from photojournalism, a forever still reminder of instants that changed the world. To mark its 175th anniversary, TIME magazine published a collection of its most influential photos of all time, complete with a background story of each image. A must-see for every person, regardless of their photography knowledge.

National Geographic Image Collection - National Geographic

It’s hard to imagine talking about any kind of printed photography outlet without mentioning National Geographic. Primarily focused around wildlife and travel photography, this magazine is famously considered a powerhouse of photography. This photographic book will allow you to look at the long history of the publication, from the earliest images captured in the late 19th century to the diverse special collections shot throughout the years.

In the age of technology and short attention spans, podcasts are rising as a huge source of knowledge and entertainment. Unlike books and films, this type of media requires a much lower commitment as it can be enjoyed while doing other activities like driving or running. This makes podcasts much more accessible, even if they don’t offer as much content as other mediums. It’s a bit like having a beautiful professional photography website for showcasing your work, but using social media for everyday networking.

There are now well over 800,000 active podcasts available worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of new ones being launched every year. In the United States alone, 62 million people listen to podcasts every week. With such tremendous numbers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to find the best photography podcast to listen to. This is why we’ve put together a handpicked selection of the greatest podcasts in the industry.

The 15 best photography podcasts to listen to in 2021:

1. This Week In Photo
2. The Candid Frame
3. PetaPixel Photography Podcast
4. The Business of Photography
5. The Digital Story
6. Six Figure Photography
7. FroKnowsPhoto
8. The Martin Bailey Photography Podcast
9. The Art of Photography
10. Photobomb
11. On Taking Pictures
12. Tips from the Top Floor
13. The Beginner Photography Podcast
14. Photobiz Xposed
15. Hit The Streets with Valerie Jardin

01. This Week In Photo

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Commonly known as TWiP, This Week in Photo is a weekly roundtable discussion of the biggest events and developments in the photography industry. Despite what its name may suggest, this photography podcast does not focus simply on the latest news, but also offers interviews with renowned photographers and companies, as well as general discussions on photography matters.

TWiP was first launched in 2008, making it one of the longest-running and most well-known photography podcasts available. Among its most recent episodes, you’ll find anything from reviews on gear and photography books to talks about climate change and storytelling in photography.

02. The Candid Frame

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Unlike most other photography podcasts, The Candid Frame revolves primarily around interviews with photographers. Ibarionex Perello, the host, invites renowned figures in the industry as well as emerging talent to discuss their work and deep dive into their photography inspiration and thought process.

As a result, this photography podcast has little to do with sharing tips on how to shoot wedding or portrait photography, but instead offers a philosophical and intimate perspective of the photography world as a whole.

03. PetaPixel Photography Podcast

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

You are probably familiar with PetaPixel’s blog, but did you know that they also host a photography podcast twice a week? Much like their written content platform, the PetaPixel Photography Podcast offers a mix of industry news, humor, opinions, photography tips and gear reviews.

The show is hosted by Mike James, a passionate retired newspaper photographer and magazine editor whose work has been featured on TIME magazine and Reader’s Digest. You can even submit questions and have James answer them in future episodes.

04. Business of Photography

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

Business of Photography is the perfect podcast for those who started in this discipline as a hobby and later realized that they would have to become business owners in order to develop a successful photography career. Through a combination of interviews and roundtable talks, this photography podcast is a perfect source of information for everything business.

Niagara-based wedding photographer Bryan Caporicci uses his own professional experience to share valuable business-focused tips and ideas. These include anything from writing a business plan to marketing strategies, doing taxes and managing client relationships.

05. The Digital Story

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As its podcast name suggests, The Digital Story’s narrative style may have more in common with photography movies than with the average podcast. Host Derrick Story takes a personal approach by narrating his own research, rather than interviewing guests on a regular basis.

This photography podcast is a great source of travel photography tips and inspiration, as Derrick himself specializes in low-footprint travel projects. The show also offers practical tips on other types of photography, and discusses current industry events every now and then. The episodes are around 30 minutes on average, and normally touch upon diverse subjects, as opposed to focusing on a single story.

06. Six Figure Photography

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Award-winning wedding photographer and educator Ben Hartley shares his photography business expertise on Six Figure Photography. This photography podcast touches upon all the factors that go into building a successful business, from coming up with photography marketing ideas to promoting your services on social media platforms.

The name of the podcast refers to Hartley’s own professional experience, as he grew his self-taught photography services into a six-figure business in just two years. In addition to sharing his own thoughts and advice, he also regularly invites other photographers to the show, in order to interview them and get different points of view on the industry.

07. FroKnowsPhoto

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Jared Polin, who you may know as FroKnowsPhoto, has been sharing his photography expertise on the internet for nearly a decade. He is well-known as one of the best sources of educational content in the industry, as well as for the rash, straight-forward way in which he shares his views.

Whether you’re trying to start a photography business or are wondering what type of camera is best for you, this photography podcast will probably have an episode about just that. With each episode being around 20 minutes long, these bite-sized clips might just be the perfect companion for your commute.

08. The Martin Bailey Photography Podcast

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Another of the longest-running photography podcasts in this list is brought to us by Tokyo-based photographer Martin Bailey. Having started in 2005, there are few topics that The Martin Bailey Photography Podcast has not covered to date. Here, you’ll be able to find anything from creative photography ideas to gear reviews and actionable photography tips.

Martin specializes in nature and wildlife photography, but his photography podcast touches upon many other topics and genres, both from a technical and an inspirational point of view. He also conducts guest interviews for listeners to learn from experts in different fields.

09. The Art of Photography

Web | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

With just under two years on air, The Art of Photography’s show has rapidly gained a spot among the best photography podcasts available today. Under the name Off Camera, Ted Forbes and Jaron Schneider talk about the latest gear in the market and industry events in a fun, approachable way.

The podcast does not have a defined posting schedule, with the time between episodes ranging anywhere from a week to a month. However, with each episode being a little over an hour long, you’ll easily keep busy while waiting for a new edition.

10. Photobomb

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

As the name Photobomb may have given away, this photography podcast hosted by Booray Perry and Garu Hughes offers a fun, humorous look into all things photography. Those who enjoy radio talk will certainly appreciate the way in which the show approaches topics such as gear reviews and photography trends.

Drawing from their professional experiences and conducting interviews with other professional photographers, the hosts are able to get a lot of valuable information and actionable tips across, while keeping an upbeat, bantering pace throughout the hour-long episodes.

11. On Taking Pictures

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Deep dive into the world of photography by learning about it from a science, philosophy, and art perspective. Instead of focusing on current events and equipment launches, On Taking Pictures is about everything that goes behind a photograph. They offer invaluable information for photographers of all levels, from a unique angle.

While the show stopped sharing new content in mid-2018, they’re still widely considered one of the best photography podcasts to date, and an absolute must-listen. Plus, with 325 episodes ranging between one to two hours in length, On Taking Pictures will keep you busy for quite some time.

12. Photography Tips from the Top Floor

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Introducing one of the very first photography podcasts to ever hit the air: Photography Tips from the Top Floor. The show, which is about to air its 900th episode, has evolved beyond the limits of podcasts to become a strong photography-centric community.

The podcast’s host, Chris Marquardt, does not limit his interactions with the audience to sharing tips on subjects such as astrophotography or portraits. Instead, Tips from the Top Floor encourages listeners to participate in regular photography contests and share their questions for upcoming episodes.

13. The Beginner Photography Podcast

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

As you might have guessed, The Beginner Photography Podcast is primarily for newcomers in the field looking to improve their photography skills. Each episode on the show revolves around a certain photography genre or topic, as a professional in the field is interviewed and shares what they wish they had known when they first started their career.

The subjects discussed on this photography podcast vary from somewhat general themes such as underwater photography and tips to developing your photography skills, to niches such as photographing senior headshots and the Indianapolis 500.

14. Photobiz Xposed

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

On Photobiz Xposed, host Andrew Hellmich interviews professional photographers across many genres to reveal the secrets behind their success. Hellmich himself is the most-awarded wedding photographer in Central Coast Australia, so you can rest assured he walked the walk before talking the talk.

This photography podcast leaves no business-stone unturned. Each guest shares the tips, techniques, marketing secrets, and general advice they wish they had known as they strove to become a professional photographer. While full-version episodes of the podcast are only available with a monthly subscription fee, the free, shortened version will still give you a lot of valuable insights on how to manage your services and make money as a photographer.

15. Hit The Streets with Valerie Jardin

Web | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Valerié Jardin started her photography podcast adventure as a collaborator on This Week in Photo, hosting a spinoff of the show known as “Street Focus.” After that podcast stopped airing, she started her own show under the name Hit The Streets with Valerie Jardin.

Despite what its name might suggest, this photography podcast does not entirely revolve around street photography. You’ll actually be able to learn a lot about photography in general, as the show discusses aspects such as ethic codes, creativity sources, and storytelling practices.

This post was last updated on August 26, 2020.

Who knows you like nobody else does? Who plays a discreet, yet decisive role in your photography career? No, we’re not talking about your beloved mother. But rather, your 'About Me' page, a widespread but often neglected part of a photography website, or any website for that matter. With the frenzy of selfies on Instagram, any attempt to talk about yourself has become somehow suspicious. It shouldn’t. Actually, when you’re running a business, it’s considered good practice to show your clients who you are, how you work and what your values are. This is especially true when you’re offering a service and don’t necessarily have something tangible, like a product, to show in order to convince potential customers.

When well-conceived and well-written, a bio expresses your personality in such a way that a potential customer will want to choose you – you, and not the next result on Google. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words when you actually need to say something smart and inspiring about yourself. And if you do, you don’t always know how to shape it in a professional way that will get your potential clients excited. This is why we’ve collected the most important guidelines for optimizing your 'About Me' page - both in terms of content and design. Additionally, you’ll be able to get inspired by amazing photographer bios created by Wix users.

10 tips for a great photographer 'About Me' page:

1. Remember that less is more
2. Look your best
3. Get in front of the lens
4. Become a movie star
5. Storify your narrative
6. Share your passion
7. Let your actions speak
8. Mind the language
9. Tell Google who you are
10. Encourage immediate action

01. Remember that less is more

As one of the most important parts of your portfolio, it is imperative that your photographer 'About Me' page appears on your website menu. This practice is a must regardless of whether your bio has a dedicated page or appears as a strip on your one-page website. In any case, your visitors shouldn’t have to click more than once before finding it.

Simplicity is the key word here, also when it comes to naming your page. The best practice is to go for 'About' or ‘Bio,’ which are the most widespread, and thus the most identifiable. Names like ‘Skills’ or ‘Info’ could be confused with your ‘Services’ page or your ‘Contact’ form, so it’s best to avoid them.

When arriving on your page, visitors should face a clear and informative headline. A single-line phrase like “Meet Henri Quart-Tiers” is perfect for telling your visitors what they should expect to find on the page. You can also go for something along the lines of “Zoom in on Henri Quart-Tiers,” if you want to take the photo metaphor to the next level. In any case, make sure that the tone of this headline and of the first sentences is welcoming and conversational, since you want to intrigue your readers and make them eager to get to know you better.

Pro photographer bio example: Take a look at the quote below to see how Robert Stephens managed to summarize the essence of his work in just a few words.

“Photography is my passion - nature is my refuge. Combine the two, and that is where I am most at peace.”

Pro 'About Me' photographer example: You can also follow Martin Olson’s steps and take a minimalist approach on your entire bio page.

02. Look your best

The fact that an 'About Me' page is mostly made up of text doesn’t mean that you should neglect its design. Just like any other part of your photography website, this section needs to look impeccable and professional. First, make sure all the visual elements are aligned with the atmosphere of the rest of your site, from the header to the footer, colors and fonts.

Speaking of fonts, it’s highly recommended to opt for a basic one in order to keep your typography as clear and legible as possible. Most exotic fonts are hard to read, for your viewers and their browsers alike. For the same reason, avoid exclamation marks and all-caps writing.

Finally, when the design and text are ready, make sure to review the final result on several devices before publishing. Notably, you’ll want your ‘About’ page to be like the rest of your site: fully mobile-friendly. We can’t stress this point enough, since nowadays more than 50% of Internet traffic comes from smartphones and tablets. These users may have small screens, but they have big expectations that you need to meet.

Pro photographer bio example: Most photography website templates include a mobile-friendly, professionally designed 'About Me' page that you can easily customize.

03. Get in front of the lens

You know what they say: the shoemaker’s children always go barefoot. While you can easily capture an alluring silhouette in the street or take a glorifying portrait of any client, you might have a hard time taking self portraits. Sound familiar? Like it or not, you’ll have to conquer your shyness, as people find it easier to trust a service provider after seeing their face.

This is especially true when that person is about to enter an intimate life event like their wedding, the birth of their child or a birthday. So make sure you put an engaging and flattering picture of yourself on the 'About Me' page of your photography website. Black and white or color, in a studio or in front of a landscape… All variations are equally good, as long as the picture conveys your photography style and clearly shows your face – and no, a snapshot of you hiding behind a camera is not an option!

Pro 'About Me' photographer example: The portrait displayed on Edwin A. Edou’s bio page allows visitors to put a face on the person behind the camera as they read his story.

04. Become a movie star

Video has been one of the largest photography trends in recent years, and can also be found on ‘About’ pages. Because it’s animated, a video is naturally more engaging than any other kind of content. Furthermore, if you’re not a natural born writer, telling your story in front of a camera might flow more naturally than typing on a keyboard. The same goes for your visitors, who may prefer watching a video rather than reading a chunk of text. Finally, as a professional photographer you know all about the right angles and lighting to make any subject shine.

There are many different types of content you can include in your ‘About’ page video. One option is to tell your story in an interview format. You can also insert samples of your most remarkable images to get your viewers eager to see more of your portfolio. Another nice addition is to share behind-the-scenes footage of your photoshoots, such as directing a bride as she poses for the camera (if you’re a wedding photographer), climbing a cliff (if you’re a travel photographer), or setting up the lighting in your studio (portrait photographer).

The more you show how you actually operate, the easier it will be for potential customers to imagine themselves working with you. Once you have your script ready, simply switch your camera from the “Photo” to the “Record” mode, and add Wix Video to your portfolio.

Pro photographer bio example: In this beautiful video, Tony Salvagio shares his inspiring story, examples of his work and footage of his shooting sessions - all in just over two minutes.

05. Storify your narrative

There are many different formats you can go for when writing your bio. However, the most recommended, based on today’s internet standards, is the story told in the “I” form. You’ve probably heard about the marketing trend of storytelling, which consists of brands switching from the traditional advertising pattern (“Buy our drinks because they taste better!”) to a more elaborate narrative (“Our unique drinks were created in 1886, in the charming city of Atlanta…”). Why? One theory is that it echoes those warm memories of when, as a kid, your parents used to tell you stories in bed, just before falling into the arms of slumber.

To set you on the right path, make sure your text answers all the following questions: who you are (name, hobbies, etc.), your professional background, where you’re located, what you’ve achieved (prizes, clients, etc.), why you enjoy what you do, and how you can help potential clients. An important tip for this last part: make sure you don’t repeat the same offers as your photography services page, but rather explain what makes you truly unique within a huge market of photographers.

As for the tone you should adopt, try not to sound too rigid. While you shouldn’t write like a teenager on TikTok, your readers must get a sense of your personality. Secondly, don’t brag. Even if you’re a super sought-after photographer, visitors want to read about your current challenges, because they’d like to know that you’re the kind of person who’s always eager to excel in order to satisfy their needs. Finally, don’t write a short novel. Good 'About Me' text should be 150 to 200 words long, broken into a few paragraphs in order to lighten up the page.

Pro photographer bio example: If you don’t feel comfortable crafting a structured narrative, take a look at this original example by KARY Photography, who included a series of random facts on the 'About Me' page of her photography website.

06. Share your passion

There’s no need to sound like a presidential candidate, but presenting your work ethics in the 'About Me' page is always a bonus. This practice shows that you’re not a “mercenary” photographer, executing dirty works for pieces of green paper, but a committed and passionate professional. You’re good at what you do because you love it. And if you love it, it’s because you believe in it.

Don’t resort to super fancy words or jargon that most visitors won’t understand. You can simply share your personal motto, a quote that drives your inspiration, a short paragraph about your life philosophy or a list of your favorite books, countries or meals. In other words: show more of the brilliant and creative person behind the stunning photos on your site.

07. Let your actions speak

“We are what we repeatedly do.” If Aristotle said so, then it must be true. Your achievements should occupy a major part of your 'About Me' page. In which prestigious magazines has your work been featured? Which photography contests have you won? Have you worked for well-known companies? If so, don’t forget to mention it.

You can also put a badge of the recognized professional associations that you belong to. For the same reason, insert a few testimonials from satisfied clients. It’s a great SEO boost and it tells a lot about your credibility, reassuring potential clients that if people have trusted you in the past, they can too.

Pro 'About Me' photographer example: In addition to writing a short paragraph about his vision and professional career, Demas has included a selection of top brands he’s worked with and a list of press coverages on his bio page.

08. Mind the language

Needless to say, spelling and grammar mistakes are an absolute no-no. People are very good at noticing typos, and once they spot one they may quickly lose trust in you as a professional. This is why it is so crucial to double, triple-check every single sentence. To be on the safe side, ask a few friends to go over your copy before hitting the Publish button of your favorite website builder.

While you might be based in a non-English speaking country, the power of Google’s algorithm might bring you visitors from anywhere in the world. With this in mind, it’s recommended to have an English translation of your photographer ‘About Me’ page, especially if you operate in a location that attracts a lot of tourists. Ideally, you should have this copy reviewed by a native English speaker to ensure that there are no mistakes that might harm your brand.

Pro 'About Me' photographer example: Brazillian photographer Marcos Amend has created a multilingual website that allows both his local and global audiences to learn about his story and work.

09. Tell Google who you are

The more (relevant) textual content you put on your photography website, the higher your website is likely to rank in search engines’ results. And your ‘About’ page is no exception. Granted, it rarely appears in search results unless it’s voluntarily searched for. Yet, it still serves your website’s overall SEO. Because of this, you’ll need to add your most notable keyword at least once or twice in your photographer bio, and remember to fill the page’s title and meta description.

• For the page title, simply follow the regular pattern, which is:

About [Your Name] | Location (optional) | Website or business name

or

[Your Name] Bio | Location (optional) | Website or business name

• As for the description, you only have 150-160 characters, so you’ll have to be succinct. Write a brief summary of who you are as a photographer, including your specialties and location.

Need more guidelines? Take a look at this complete SEO guide for photographers.

10. Encourage immediate action

Last, but not least, a professional photographer ‘About Me’ page is not complete without a button that converts your visitors into clients. So don’t forget to add an explicit call-to-action at the end of your section, with a link to the most relevant page on your site. For example, if you mostly work with companies or creative agencies, add a link to your contact form to start talking business. On the other hand, if you’re an event or a wedding photographer, a link to your bookings page is an absolute must.

Pro 'About Me' photographer example: This beautiful online photography portfolio template includes a CTA leading visitors to book a session immediately after reading your bio.

This post was last updated on August 12, 2020.

As a photographer, few things are dearer to your heart than your images. This is why you spend endless hours chasing after the perfect compositions and finding the best way to display them on your photography website and social media channels.

Oftentimes, however, you may find that the way your photos are displayed on the screen leaves much to be desired. Perhaps it appears as if numerous poor, innocent pixels were sacrificed along the way. Or maybe the images themselves look fine, but take what feels like a century to load. These issues are the basis of the image optimization dilemma in the internet era: how do you find the right balance that will preserve your image quality, without harming the speed or performance of your website?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the fundamentals of image optimization for websites, address common mistakes made by photographers and share a series of good practices that you should start using today.

Why is image optimization such a big issue?

Nowadays, your online presence plays a huge role in whether you’ll successfully become a professional photographer. And while social media networks can help you expand your brand and connect with others, you’ll need to learn how to create a photography website if you want to have more control over the way your work is presented, enable people to hire your services and sell photos online.

In order to build a professional site, there are some things you’ll need to take into account, one of the most important ones being image optimization. In essence, your visitors’ browsers need to download every single file of your website in order to render it onto their screen, which means that the bigger the files you upload, the lower your site speed.

A slow performing website can have devastating consequences, both for your SEO and for the user experience of your visitors. It’s always good to keep in mind that the average internet user has no patience for a page that takes too long to display. As a matter of fact, 40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load.

How low can you go?

One of the main techniques used to optimize website images is called compression. The principle is simple (although extremely complex mathematically): the photo editing software’s algorithms will spot the redundant information on your images, and remove it from the files.

This is how most compression formats work – the most popular of them being JPEG. As a result of this pixel diet, the size of your files will be dramatically reduced. As a result, your site will load much faster, especially if you adopt this compression for every single image and if you apply a strong compression ratio.

But the con – and it’s a significant one – is that with compression comes the loss of valuable data. This can result in pixelation or the loss of small details. While the average internet user may be able to tolerate this just fine, you most likely will not. As a photographer, you have an extremely low tolerance to whatever can alter, even slightly, the quality of your work.

After all, why spend so much time and effort on getting the perfect photo, if the compression algorithm ruins it in a microsecond? While this method is convenient for many types of websites, photographers tend not to use it for their online portfolios.

Does size really matter?

Most types of cameras today allow you to take pictures with a very high resolution. This is a tremendous asset for your art but also poses a problem for your web design, as images with a higher resolution result in bigger files to upload.

This is where resizing, another common image optimization method, steps in. By using an image resizer, you'll be able to reduce the size of your photos, without altering their quality. Since your online photography portfolio will likely not display pictures in full resolution, visitors will see your work in its full glory.

However, there are still some downsides to consider when using this method. After all, each browser on each desktop or mobile device displays the same images in a different size, and you might want to display certain pieces in a larger format than others. This means that you’d need to save the same image in different sizes based on each platform you want to share it on.

To sum things up, resizing your images can be a good option if you need them for a very specific purpose, and you’re sure you won’t have to display them on larger screens. Other than that, this method won’t solve your number one problem: how to balance quality and performance.

What is the best practice?

As we’ve seen, the most popular image optimization methods, compression and reduction, often fail to respect the desired balance between quality and performance, and are likely to harm the visual rendering of your work for the sake of website speed optimization.

Here is where building your online portfolio with Wix will come in handy, as the platform uses advanced algorithms to achieve the best equilibrium between image quality and the display performance. All you need to do is upload the photos to your website through the Wix Pro Gallery and then let the computer do all the math for you. There is absolutely no need to compress or resize your image. Simply upload your photos.

When displaying the picture on your visitors’ browsers, this photography website feature will automatically determine the best resolution and apply it. The resized file will then be served from the closest server to the browser using a CDN (content delivery network) with worldwide coverage, ensuring the highest possible performance and speed.

Here is the complete procedure to optimize images for your website:

1. Edit your image on Photoshop, Lightroom or any other photo editor
2. Export the image as a JPEG file with: - A quality of 11 or more (or equivalent) - A resolution of at least 3,000px on the shortest side of your picture - A maximum size of 15MB
3. Let Wix work its magic for you to get an optimized photo that truly respects your art and meets the requirements

For more advanced users

On the Wix Pro Gallery control panel, you can intuitively override the settings with specific values for each image and provide the best quality and performance for both mobile and desktop:

• Quality: Apart from when you are dealing with exceptionally rich pictures, putting this setting above 90 is considered bad practice for your website, as it will increase the file size with only a marginal effect on the rendering of the picture.
• Sharpening: This tool analyzes and maximizes the crispness of the elements’ edges within your images. You have total control over the amount of sharpening applied to the image, the radius (number of pixels from the edge that the sharpening effects), and the threshold (which pixels to be considered as edge pixels – the lower it is, the more intense the sharpening effect).

Moral of the story? Life is a balancing act, and your photography website is no exception.

They say that one never stops learning. Even if you’ve been capturing scenes for decades, the development of your portfolio does not simply end once you publish your photography website. In fact, this step usually makes it even clearer how important it is to turn to photography magazines, blogs, and books to continue to evolve your skills.

Many amateur and professional shutterbugs alike find photography magazines the most compelling source of knowledge and inspiration, as they bring together the best parts of blogging and literature. With a wide variety of periodicals focused on different topics and styles, it’s easy to find the best fit for each creative mind. To help you find the publications that best suit your needs, we have put together a curated list of the best print, digital, and online photography magazines you can read in 2021.

Tip: Thinking of starting a photography magazine of your own? Use a photography name generator to get inspiration and ideas for your title.

Best photography magazines

1. Aperture
2. Outdoor Photography
3. Shutter
4. Black+White Photography
5. Nature Photographer
6. PhotoLife
7. Click
8. Digital Photo Pro
9. Practical Photography
10. Outdoor Photographer
11. B&W
12. Amateur Photographer
13. Digital SLR Photography
14. Shilvershotz
15. Digital Photographer
16. Better Photography
17. Digital Camera
18. Foam
19. Black and White Minimalism
20. Digital Photo

01. Aperture

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Seasonal

Aperture magazine is a photography journal published by Aperture Foundation. This nonprofit arts institution was founded in 1952 by renowned photographers such as Ansel Adams, Minor White, Barbara Morgan, Dorothea Lange, Nancy Newhall, Beaumont Newhall, Ernest Louie, Melton Ferris, and Dody Warren.

The publication focuses on sharing inspiring works and ideas, rather than tips and tutorials, often reading more like a photography book than a traditional magazine. While the initial purpose of Aperture was to build a community with a shared passion about fine art photography, nowadays the magazine covers a broad range of topics and types of photography.

02. Outdoor Photography

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Monthly

As you might have guessed by its name, Outdoor Photography focuses on nature, wildlife, adventure, and landscape photography. The publication offers tips for semi-professional photographers in these fields, as well as inspiring contributions from photographers all over the world.

This photography magazine is well-known for providing detailed explanations and tests of different techniques and types of camera lenses. However, readers also highlight Outdoor Photography’s in-depth articles on trending topics such as using photography to raise awareness for pressing environmental issues.

03. Shutter

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Monthly

Staying true to its tagline “by photographers, for photographers,” Shutter magazine focuses on the business side of the photography industry. Each edition revolves around a specific theme, providing a variety of articles related to how to start a photography business and run it successfully.

While business-oriented content forms the core of Shutter, the publication also includes inspirational articles, techniques, and a spotlight section. You can read this photography magazine online for free, or subscribe to its printed version and get access to exclusive partner discounts.

04. Black+White Photography

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Monthly

Commonly known as simply B+W, Black+White Photography is one of the leading magazines for monochrome imagery. Aiming to inspire and stimulate creatives in different fields, this publication covers a wide range of genres including portraiture, landscape, street, documentary, and still life photography.

In addition to showcasing beautiful monochrome photos and sharing helpful tips, this photography magazine regularly features interviews with renowned professionals in the industry. B+W also has active profiles on all major social media platforms, allowing them to build an engaged community of black and white photography enthusiasts.

05. Nature Photographer

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Trimestral

Nature Photographer describes itself as a “how-to photography magazine.” Published three times a year, the publication offers amateur and professionals alike all they need to take beautiful nature photos. This includes everything from techniques and gear reviews to natural history information and tips for choosing locations.

Each edition focuses on a specific time of the year, covering all four seasons in the following way: Spring, Summer, and Fall-Winter. In addition to paid subscriptions, Nature Photographer offers a selection of free articles on their website that primarily focuses on sharing beautiful locations and wildlife photography.

06. PhotoLife

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Bimonthly

With more than 50 years of history, PhotoLife is one of Canada’s most renowned photography magazines. Aimed at beginner and intermediate photographers, this publication offers tips and techniques to help them develop their skills and build successful photography careers.

Photolife’s website features over a hundred photography articles readers can enjoy for free, covering topics such as international conferences, photography exhibitions, and new equipment announcements. You can get all of them delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to PhotoLife’s newsletter.

07. Click

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Bimonthly

One quick look at Click makes it quite clear that this photography magazine is unlike any other. This publication considers photography a lifestyle one must cultivate, rather than a hobby or professional career. As a result, the overall tone takes a much more friendly and motivational approach than that of traditional magazines.

Printed in large format, the images featured on Click are impressively high-quality. In addition to advice on topics like productivity and tips on how to edit photos, the magazine includes a unique critique section in which the head of the publication offers feedback on reader’s photography portfolios.

08. Digital Photo Pro

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: 7 issues per year

Geared toward professional photographers, Digital Photo Pro contains advanced tutorials and techniques as well as advice on how to run a successful photography business. It tackles topics not commonly covered in mass-market magazines, such as how to organize a photo library, and offers a great deal of videography content.

Digital Photo Pro also publishes an online blog where readers can get access to more casual content such as book recommendations and smartphone photography tips.

09. Practical Photography

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Monthly

Practical Photography provides hands-on tips and advice for photographers of all levels who want to step up their post-processing and technical photography skills. With a section dedicated to publishing the best work submitted by readers, this photography magazine gives creatives a platform to expand their reach and audience.

The publication also offers a significant amount of free content online through an active blog primarily dedicated to gear reviews and step-by-step guides on how to make the most of popular camera accessories such as ND filters.

10. Outdoor Photographer

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: 11 issues per year

With the great outdoors playing such a huge role in photography trends over the last years, it’s no wonder that there are several photography magazines dedicated to this topic. Outdoor Photographer encourages media creators to get out into the wild and capture the true nature of our planet. It includes technical advice, gear reviews, travel guides, and professional advice from seasoned photographers in the field.

Outdoor Photographer offers several membership tiers ranging from free online articles available on their site to VIP access to all of their photography contests and exclusive sessions with editors and columnists.

11. B&W

Format: Print

Frequency: Bimonthly

B&W is not a mass-market photography magazine for the general public, but a fine art photography publication for collectors. This distinction affects both the type of content offered and the means by which it’s provided. Rather than tips and how-tos, B&W covers topics such as what it’s like to be a documentary photographer and ways to fuel your photography inspiration.

Unlike most photography magazines, B&W is only available in print. However, you can request a free trial and get a copy of the publication at no cost in order to decide whether or not you are interested in a subscription.

12. Amateur Photographer

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Weekly

First published in 1884, Amateur Photographer is one of the longest running photography magazines in the market. Despite its name, the publication includes much more than photography tips for beginners. Its weekly issues are aimed to educate novice photographers in a wide selection of topics ranging from news and gear reviews to opinions and how-to’s.

Amateur Photographer has a large number of articles available for free on their site, as well as a photography forum you can use to connect with like-minded creatives and put your photography networking skills to work.

13. Digital SLR Photography

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Monthly

Before you ask, yes, you can highly benefit from reading Digital SLR Photography even if you use other types of cameras. This photography magazine caters to amateurs and beginners, sharing tips on how to make the most of kit gear as well as budget-friendly equipment reviews. Furthermore, readers can submit their best photos for a chance to be featured in the magazine and potentially receive a professional portfolio critique.

While the Digital SLR Photography magazine is available in both print and digital form, they’re both accessible through the same subscription. However, its website offers numerous articles with a broad selection of topics you can read for free.

14. Silvershotz

Format: Digital

Frequency: Monthly

Shilvershotz is an online interactive photography magazine featuring curated showcases, themed and technical articles, interviews, and photography book reviews. The publication is connected with Facebook, encouraging readers to share their favorite works and vote for the best portfolios of the year.

The publication was established in 1998, but until 2004 it was a film photography journal called Black & White Enthusiast. Shilvershotz was available in print for a decade, but moved to a digital-only version in 2014. Once a year, they publish a physical book featuring a curated selection of the best portfolios showcased in the magazine.

15. Digital Photographer

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Monthly

Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional photographer, you’re bound to enjoy the content Digital Photographer provides. Written by industry experts, this photography magazine offers tips and in-depth guides covering several genres such as astrophotography, landscapes, black and white images, and wildlife photography.

Digital Photographer’s “Behind the scenes” section allows readers to immerse themselves in professional photoshoots and receive actionable tips and advice from seasoned experts in their fields.

16. Better Photography

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Seasonal

Aimed at both beginners and professionals alike, Better Photography is a high-quality 100-page magazine published four times a year. Covering both digital and film techniques, the magazine touches upon topics such as portfolio reviews, interviews, techniques, equipment, and photo editing programs like Lightroom and Photoshop.

Better Photography offers a free digital issue for readers to browse before deciding whether they want to subscribe to the publication. Furthermore, by subscribing to the digital version of this photography magazine, you’ll be granted access to every issue published over the last decade (since Autumn 2009).

17. Digital Camera

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: 13 issues per year

Also known as Digital Camera World, this photography magazine’s content primarily revolves around how-to’s and gear reviews. This makes it a great choice for amateurs as well as professionals interested in learning more about the latest equipment.

On their website, Digital Camera shares daily articles mostly focused on news and gear. This free content also includes lighter topics such as downloadable presets and recommendations of photography movies.

18. Foam

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Quarterly

Published by Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam, Foam magazine covers several genres and photography styles through interviews, portfolio reviews, articles, and reader showcases. Once a year, Foam holds a photography contest for young photographers all over the world.

Foam has received numerous awards for the quality of both its content and its graphic design. Much like the prestigious Met Gala, this high-end photography magazine builds each issue around a specific theme. Examples of previous copies of the publication include Play!, Stories, Peeping, Water, Self, Adorned, and Talent.

19. Black and White Minimalism

Format: Print and digital

Frequency: Bimonthly

Black and White Minimalism celebrates the work of minimalist artists who use as few elements as possible to convey their concepts. This includes creatives in the fields of fine art, documentary, landscape, portrait photography, and more.

In addition to beautiful imagery, this publication also includes in-depth interviews and advice from professional photographers in the field. The digital version of this photography magazine can be read online for free starting two months after its original publication. Printed issues can be ordered individually on Black and White Minimalism’s website.

20. Digital Photo

Format: Online

Frequency: Weekly

Made especially for beginners looking to improve their technical skills and learn more about gear and camera settings, Digital Photo focuses on tutorials and equipment reviews. The publication also holds periodical contests and has a series of themed columns.

Digital Photo is owned by the same publishing house as Digital Photo Pro and Outdoor Photographer. Once available in digital and print form, this photography magazine was recently turned into a weekly newsletter.

Digital photography, in all its forms, shapes and sizes, has completely reinvented the way we shoot and share pictures. We’re no longer limited to a maximum of 36 exposures per film roll, nor do we have to wait for our images to be developed to assess the results. In turn, however, we’re left to deal with hundreds of files for each photoshoot. Thankfully, the rest of technology has evolved just as fast as cameras, and there are numerous free hosting sites you can use to keep your photos safe and within reach.

Whether you’re tired of having your memories spread throughout dozens of cards or are looking to develop a structure you can translate to your online portfolio, these 7 steps will teach you how to organize photos in a clear and sustainable manner.

The best way to organize photos

1. Decide on a storing solution
2. Locate all pictures
3. Trim down your digital library
4. Come up with a folder structure
5. Rename your files
6. Use strategic keywords
7. Schedule regular backups

01. Decide on a storing solution

Once upon a time, photos lived in albums and film boxes. Nowadays their homes are primarily virtual, taking the shape of hard drives and online clouds. When searching for the best way to organize photos, it’s important to start by deciding which platforms and tools you’ll be using, as the rest of the process will be determined by these.

Most photographers choose to use both physical and virtual storage solutions in order to ensure their work is not lost if one of the platforms were to fail. While there are many free image hosting sites out there, the most convenient of them all is your own photography website. Since having an online portfolio is an absolute must, using it as a storage solution will save you the hassle of managing yet another platform. With Wix, you’ll be able to showcase your photos in the best quality, both on desktop and mobile, and have unlimited free photo storage.

Once you’ve determined which storage services you’ll use, it’s time to see which tools best suit your workflow. Start by taking a look at your OS file system. While limited, these programs usually offer enough tools to make sure you can easily find any image.

If you’re looking for more complex categorization capabilities, such as searching by metadata, you might want to look into more advanced solutions. Lightroom and Bridge, both part of Adobe Creative Suite, are two of the most popular programs among photographers when it comes to organizing their photo libraries.

02. Locate all pictures

One of the most time-consuming parts of figuring out how to organize photos is remembering where all your images are currently stored. Depending on how long you’ve been in the game and how varied your formats are, it can be anything from a couple memory cards to three hard drives and nine boxes of printed pictures.

If you shoot film photography, this process will include not only finding the pictures but also digitizing them to make sure you can safely store them with the rest of your digital library. There are several ways in which you can do this, including flatbed and slide scanners, projectors or dedicated businesses.

03. Trim down your digital library

Regardless of the types of photography you shoot, it’s more than likely that only a percentage of the pictures you take are keepers. In order to keep your digital library as organized as possible, you’ll need to delete all the images that are simply not up to standard. This includes duplicates, poor focus, unsalvageable exposures, corrupted files and the likes.

Channel your inner Marie Kondo and ask yourself the following: Does this photo spark joy? If it doesn’t, delete it right away before doubts and what ifs set in. Trust us, you will not miss any of the 200 slightly-out-of-focus pictures you took on that trip to Argentina back in 2003.

04. Come up with a folder structure

To establish the best folder structure for photos, you’ll first need to determine your digital library’s needs and goals, as the categories into which you choose to break down your photo library will depend on the type of work you shoot. From chronological dates to geographical locations, the possibilities are nearly endless.

For example, if your work spans across several genres you might want to file each of them separately, whereas, portrait, wedding and event event photographers might prefer to categorize by date and client name. Others, such as those focusing on travel photography, might find it more useful to separate according to location. Plus, you’ll also want to decide whether you want to have your photo editing results in a standalone folder or as individual subfolders within each category.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to your specific needs and preferences. Because of this, two photographers with seemingly identical libraries might choose completely opposite organization methods. There are two main things you should ask yourself before settling on a photo library organization structure:

Is this the easiest way for me to find a specific image or series?

Will this system keep working as my library grows?

Once you’re able to answer these two questions in the affirmative, you’ll know you’ve found the organizational system that’s meant for you.

05. Rename your files

Once you’ve found the best folder structure for photos in your digital library, you can take your organization skills one step further by coming up with a file naming system. This will allow you to include additional details in your files and perform more specific manual searches.

For example, if you traveled through Iceland for a month in 2018 all the hundreds of photos you took during your trip might be stored under the path 2018 > Travel > Iceland. In this case, you’d want to include the date and exact location in which the picture was taken, as well as a numeric series for each location - such as 20182304_Seljalandsfoss-058 - so that you can easily identify the files you’re looking for.

06. Use strategic keywords

Also known as tags, keywords are terms you can add to a file and use for cross-folder searches. This adds a lot more flexibility to your photo library, as it allows you to find very specific criteria regardless of where they are saved. Here, too, you should define which keywords you’ll be using before you actually start implementing them.

Now, you might be wondering why you should bother creating a keyword system on top of the folder structure and a naming strategy. After all, don’t they all do the same thing? The truth is, just like in a real library, a single classification method just won’t cut it. A clear folder and naming system will allow you to easily browse your photo library manually. On the other hand, keywords should be used for specific queries that don’t fit your other organization methods, such as countries, subjects, colors, feelings, et cetera.

Furthermore, in addition to being one of the best ways to organize photos, keyword categorization will also make it much easier for you to write SEO-friendly alt text when uploading photos to your online portfolio.

07. Schedule regular backups

As you continue to develop your skills and grow your digital library, you’ll come to the realization that finding the best way to organize photos is an incredibly important part of becoming a professional photographer. A clearly structured library will significantly cut down the amount of time and energy it takes you to find specific images, as well as allow you to determine your strongest areas and those which require more development.

In order to make sure your photo library is always organized, you’ll need to reshape your workflow around it. Ideally, you should properly file your images right after a photo shoot or during a trip if you’re away for a significant period of time. By doing so, you’ll be able to avoid having a lot of work pile up, which can keep you from having an up-to-date archive.

This post was last updated on July 23, 2020.

“The best time to create an email marketing plan was the day you started your business. The second best time is today.” This ancient proverb, slightly adapted to our current times, perfectly sums up the essence of this article. Email marketing is one of the most underrated promotion tools by photographers, even by those who already spend countless hours trying to promote their work online. This might come as a surprise, but a strong email marketing plan paired with a professional photography website can do more for your business than growing your social media audience to thousands of followers.

People who choose to sign up for a newsletter are prone to be much more involved in your work than someone who sees your photos while scrolling over hundreds of other people’s feeds. Furthermore, subscribers are likely to be located relatively near your business, rather than all over the globe. Lastly, email marketing for photographers is also a great tool for building loyalty with previous clients and avoiding being forgotten a few months after the gig.

Ready to expand your business opportunities? Here are 7 effective tips you can use to build a strong photography newsletter strategy:

1. Create engaging content
2. Build a subscriber list
3. Write captivating emails
4. Avoid the spam box
5. Show that you care
6. Mind your timing
7. Optimize your results

01. Create engaging content

Let’s start by making something clear: you don’t need to be an amazingly talented photography blog writer to create an informative newsletter. This seems to be one of the main concerns of photographers who have decided not to engage in email marketing. While writing long chunks of text makes total sense if you want to create a blog, there are many other approaches you can take when it comes to planning your photography newsletter.

Stick to what you know and love. People who subscribe to your emails will do so because they are interested in your photography career and expertise, so focus on sharing your knowledge in a clear way, so that even people with less technical training will understand. If you’re a food photographer you can send out recipes of the meals you shoot. If you’re passionate about post-processing, create easy-to-follow tutorials. Travel photographer? Your subscribers sure will love some behind-the-scenes footage and stories.

Additionally, there’s a lot of content you can add to your emails regularly, such as your availability, showcases of recent photoshoots, promotions, giveaways, and a long etcetera.

02. Build a subscriber list

In order to distribute your photography newsletter, you will need to build up an email database. Keep in mind that people who receive these emails should actively sign-up for them. Automatically adding every customer you ever had into your newsletter list will only result in upset people who will probably call a different photographer for their next photoshoot.

But how are you supposed to put together a lengthy mailing list, if you can’t just send it out to all the people you’ve already worked with? You can start by reaching out to your existing contacts, offering them to subscribe to your photography newsletter. Depending on how many clients you can contact and how long ago you last interacted with them, this might result in a nice number of subscribers with which to begin your campaigns.

Your main goal, however, is to get every single one of your website visitors to sign up to your newsletter. The first step is to include a visible subscribe button on your site. You can use this tool to easily add a signup form, send emails and manage your subscribers from a single platform.

Since nobody wants yet another newsletter clogging up their inbox, you might want to offer an incentive for visitors to give yours a try, such as a free eBook of tips on your photography genre or a small selection of processing presets.

03. Write captivating emails

It all starts with an enticing subject line. This element will have a huge impact on the success of your email marketing efforts, as it will determine whether people open, ignore or mark your messages as spam. A third of recipients open emails based on the email subject alone, even if it’s a service they signed up for.

Here are some tips on writing the perfect subject line:

• Make it attractive and interesting as it needs to stand out even in the most crowded inbox.
• Keep it simple, sticking to what the reader can expect from the email itself.
• Give a sneak peak of the content to get them excited.
• Write a maximum of 50 characters so that the whole text will be readable from the inbox.

You got your subscribers to open your email! Now what? The ultimate goal of these marketing campaigns is to guide people to your website, whether it’s to read your latest blog post or to book a holiday photoshoot. These are some of the things you should take into account to achieve this conversion:

• People have short attention spans, so your emails should not take more than a few seconds to read.
• Include an engaging call-to-action that is short, clear and stands out.
• Pick an email safe font that fits your brand and the tone of your site.
• Don’t include images that are too heavy, as they may not load.

The easiest way to build a powerful email marketing campaign is to use Wix Email Marketing, which allows you to pick out of a selection of beautiful templates, share the content on social media, get new subscribers from each email and track each campaign’s stats.

04. Avoid the spam box

The spam box is the place dreams go to die. After investing so much time and effort in putting together a strong email marketing plan, the last thing you want is for your photography newsletter to get lost before reaching your subscribers.

Take these steps to avoid hitting the spam box:

• Let people know what kind of content to expect and how often they will be receiving your emails. Ideally, they should know this either before signing up or as soon as they do so.
• Ask your subscribers to add you to their contact list when they first sign up.
• Stay away from misleading subject lines.
• Abstain from WRITING AN EMAIL IN ALL CAPS or include spam trigger words such as “100%,” “Free” and “Click here.”
• Balance the amount of images and text you include – it is recommended to go for an 80:20 text to image ratio.
• If you love someone, set them free by adding a visible unsubscribe link in your emails.

05. Show that you care

We’re not saying you need to pick favorites among your clients, but signing up for your newsletters should definitely come with a feeling of exclusivity and some extra perks. Start building a connection with subscribers the moment they sign up by sending a welcome email that includes a reminder of what they can expect from your newsletters.

Additionally, your subscribers should be the first ones to hear about any new service or promotion you’re offering, and maybe even get some free materials like tutorials and presets every now and then. Another great way to strengthen these relationships is creating a calendar with your subscribers’ birthdays and sending them exclusive discounts to celebrate the special occasion with a photoshoot.

06. Mind your timing

Time is money and also one of the main factors in your email campaigns’ success. On a large scale, you should send out themed newsletters on special occasions (such as Christmas, graduations and wedding season), when the demand for photoshoots is higher. Make sure to adapt your offer based on each occasion, like offering a discount for a couples photoshoot a few weeks before Valentine’s Day.

When it comes to your regular schedule, send at least one email each month to ensure subscribers don’t forget about you. You should also send your newsletters on different days of the week and times to see which render the highest engagement.

07. Optimize your results

You have built a strong mailing database, curated captivating content and written engaging emails. All that’s left is to grow the reach of your photography newsletter. In addition to tracking your messages’ stats with Wix Email Marketing, you should be using a tool like Google Analytics to learn more about your subscribers. Knowing details such as their location, age and gender can help you create better-targeted content, as well as figure out what time of day and which days of the week are the best to send your emails.

Finally, don’t be afraid to try new things. Experiment with using different CTAs, subject lines and templates to see which ones perform better.

This post was last updated on July 15, 2020.

The popularity of self portrait photography is at an all-time high. Yet it's likely that you didn't even consider including this genre on your photography website. There are two main reasons why photographers don't include self portraits on their portfolios: they don't see an artistic value, and they don't like being in front of the camera.

The first reason is due to the fact that most self portraits we consume nowadays are the ones found on social media (or in other words - selfies). As for being uncomfortable in front of the camera: how much of your personal and professional growth has actually happened without stepping out of your comfort zone?

These inspiring self portrait ideas will help you expand your horizons and master this unique genre.

25 creative self portrait ideas

1. Find new angles
2. Ditch color
3. Go outside
4. Capture your silhouette
5. Get closer, much closer
6. Integrate reflections
7. Create a series
8. Use a soft focus
9. Put together a diptych
10. Be part of the scene
11. Leave your face out of it
12. Allow your personality to shine
13. Shoot multiple exposures
14. Stitch a panorama
15. Let color define you
16. Frame yourself
17. Mind the shadows
18. Transform into something else
19. Call a friend
20. Hide a part of you
21. Play with perspectives
22. Include movement
23. Imagine the impossible
24. Have fun
25. Become a work of art

01. Find new angles

Rather than shooting from an eye-level perspective, position your camera a bit higher or lower. This simple change in the way you capture a scene will have a huge impact on the final result and the feelings your image evokes in viewers. Make sure that the angle you choose works with the type of message you want your self portrait to convey: higher angles result in smaller subjects, while shooting from below makes them appear much bigger.

02. Ditch color

“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” If this powerful photography quote by Ted Grant doesn’t convince you to give monochrome pictures a try, spend some time looking at black and white photography examples and get inspired by the outstanding results you can achieve.

03. Go outside

When thinking about self portrait ideas, most people tend to imagine a solo session in the studio. However, you might want to consider taking your pictures outdoors. Not only does this offer an endless number of potential scenes, it can also result in much more candid portraits. To make the most of natural light, pay attention to weather reports and schedule your shooting during the photography golden hour.

04. Capture your silhouette

Silhouettes are a classic self portrait idea with which you can’t really go wrong. All you need to do is find a bright, beautiful background and strike an interesting pose. Needless to say, sunsets are the most popular choice for these kinds of pictures as they provide a mesmerizing backdrop of vibrant colors and contrast.

05. Get closer, much closer

Who said portrait photography is just about faces? Get up close and personal by capturing an extreme close-up shot of a small part of your body. Ideally, you should focus on certain physical traits that make you unique. This can be anything from your unusual eye color to a close-up of your hands playing the piano.

06. Integrate reflections

A mirror, a window, a puddle, a screen… The number of surfaces on which you can catch your reflection is limitless, and all of them can make powerful additions to your compositions. You can even include reflections within reflections, within reflections… Well, you get the idea.

07. Create a series

One of the biggest advantages of self portrait photography is the fact that your model’s schedule always lines up with yours. This gives you the perfect chance to finally bring your fine art photography ideas to life and create a visual series for your portfolio.

08. Use a soft focus

Being in full control of your camera settings will allow you to capture visually intricate self portraits that truly stand out. Using a soft focus is a beautiful way to give your images a strong personality, while obtaining striking results.

09. Put together a diptych

An image might be worth a thousand words, but sometimes certain creative photography ideas require more than one frame to tell the full story. Creating a diptych will allow you to show off both you Dr. Jekyll and your Mr. Hyde by displaying two complementary shots of the same scene.

10. Be part of the scene

Self portraits focused on landscapes rather than on the human subject have become incredibly popular ever since the dramatic rise in outdoor photographers. All you need to do is find a jaw-dropping spot and position yourself in a way that allows you to immerse yourself into the scene.

11. Leave your face out of it

If you ask anyone what a portrait entails, they’ll most likely say it’s a picture of a person’s face. But when you are trying to come up with original self portrait ideas, it’s important to remember that the only requirement is that you need to be the subject.

12. Allow your personality to shine

Finding your photography style is one of the most crucial challenges you'll face as an artist. Being able to identify what makes your vision unique and bring it to life in your images will allow you to develop a brand and stand out from the crowd. Self portrait photography is a great space to work on this, as it offers an exceptional platform for you to explore your connection with your images both from a creative and technical perspective.

13. Shoot multiple exposures

Double exposures can either be captured in-camera when shooting film photography, or during the editing process of digital files. Either way, it will require a deep technical knowledge of both your gear and the scene's lighting conditions. On the bright side, once you manage to pull it off no one will be able to peel their eyes away from your self portrait.

14. Stitch a panorama

While panoramas are most commonly used to capture beautiful landscape photos, there are many other occasions in which this practice can come in handy. After convincing someone to move the camera and press the shutter for you, walk ahead to become part of the amazing composition unfolding in front of the viewer's eyes.

15. Let color define you

How many times have you been asked what your favorite color is? The significance of color theory is deeply ingrained in our daily lives, from the clothes we buy to the food we eat. Coming up with color-centric self portrait ideas will allow you to transmit specific emotions with subtle compositions.

16. Frame yourself

Natural framing is one of the less commonly used photography composition rules, but it can be an incredible addition to your self portraits. Use elements within the scene to remove yourself from the clutter and lead the viewer's attention straight to you.

17. Mind the shadows

One of the most well-known photography tips for beginners is that shadows and light are equally important in any composition. Knowing how to control them will give you the ability to choose which areas of the frame you keep in or out. As a result, people will perceive your subject exactly the way you intended them to.

18. Transform into something else

Much like Halloween, self portrait photography offers the perfect excuse to dress up and use accessories you'd never consider otherwise. Get an extravagant hairdo or cover your face in glitter for an impactful image that will immediately stand out amidst a sea of perfectly posed selfies.

19. Call a friend

Who said you need to be the only person in front of the camera? Have a friend join you to take your self portrait to the next level. This might help you feel more at ease during the photoshoot, and maybe even give you new couple photoshoot ideas to try on your next gig.

20. Hide a part of you

The parts of a scene that are hidden are just as important as those that are shown. Playing with textures and transparencies to conceal or reveal certain aspects will make your self portraits much more eye-catching and intriguing.

21. Play with perspectives

Reality is not always what it seems. The way in which you choose to position yourself and the camera can completely alter how the audience perceives your images. Experimenting with perspectives and switching vertical and horizontal elements is sure to draw people into the photo as they try to figure out what is so interesting about it.

22. Include movement

Motion is not usually present in portraits in general, let alone in self portraits. This is one of the main reasons why it can be such an amazing addition to your images. Furthermore, you’ll be putting both your creativity and technical skills to test, which in turn will allow you to grow as a professional photographer.

23. Imagine the impossible

Since you don’t need to follow the directions of a client, self portraits photography offers the perfect chance to let your imagination run wild. Learn how to use Photoshop or any other photo editing software available online and start creating compositions that could be displayed at the Dalí Museum.

24. Have fun

Having a good time during a photoshoot is always important, even more so if your happiness is actually captured on camera. Candid shots have been one of the biggest photography trends of recent years. In order to appear as natural and approachable as possible it’s important that you are feeling comfortable and enjoying the experience.

25. Become a work of art

Break away from any preconceptions of what a self portrait should look like. Let your creativity roam free and bend the rules to become your own masterpiece. Finding the middle ground between classic portrait photography and other art disciplines, such as painting and sculpture, will result in visually powerful compositions.

This post was last updated on July 8, 2020.

As Robert Mapplethorpe once said: "The more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer.” For media creators, inspiration is as important as the air we breathe. It's the force behind every creative project, from the moment you come up with an idea for a new series to the final click that publishes the results on your photography website.

Nowadays, browsing and learning from the work of others is much easier than it was for Mapplethorpe. An endless sea of inspiration is right at your fingertips, if only you know where to find it. These 30 outstanding photography Instagram accounts will not only nurture your creativity but also allow you to view the world from an entirely new perspective.

Tobias Hägg

Are you constantly told that you have your head in the clouds? This, aerial photography Instagram account is all you need to fuel your daydreams.

Forrest Mankins

Film photography is far from dead. In fact, thanks to outstanding Instagram photographers like this one, it’s more alive than it has been for a very long time.

Theron Humphrey

The best creative photography ideas are those that allow you to develop your skills while having fun. And what could be more fun than capturing the adventures of your adorable four-legged best friend and sharing them with the world?

David Guttenfelder

Photojournalism is one of the most valued photography careers, playing a huge role in society since the 1850s. The incredible photography Instagram account of this National Geographic Explorer will help you stay up to date on recent events, as you learn how to capture static images that tell touching, meaningful stories.

Chris Burkard

Millions of users consider Chris Burkard one of the best photographers on Instagram. In addition to enjoying incredibly beautiful landscape photos, you’ll be able to tag along on his (somewhat crazy) adventures - from the freezing waves of Iceland to the warm skies of the Utah desert.

Paul Nicklen

In recent years, using media content to fight environmental and social issues has become one of the biggest photography trends. The stunning nature and wildlife photos captured by this photographer slash marine biologist will teach you why using photography to support a cause is so important and how you can join the movement.

Breakfast & Bowls

Behold, the drool-worthy results of finding the perfect balance between photography composition rules and food presentation. We recommend you don’t spend too much time on this feed if you’re feeling slightly hungry.

Kael Rebick

They say it's not the camera, but the photographer, who makes a great picture. This beautiful Instagram feed proves that mastering your photography skills is the key to capturing works of art within any ordinary scene.

Roie Galitz

This Greenpeace ambassador uses photography as a tool to raise awareness about climate change and environmental issues. His work will introduce you to the beauty and struggles of the world’s most remote locations, from the frozen vastness of Svalbard to the rushing rivers of Kamchatka.

Akihito Nagata

By stripping scenes of any color, black and white photography teaches us how light and shadow exist in perfect harmony, and how one cannot exist without the other. This amazing Instagram photographer allows you to step into an exciting, monochromatic world that will change how you see your surroundings.

Louise Amelie Whitehouse

In her quest to capture stories inspired by humans and nature, this talented adventurer offers a fresh approach to portrait photography, resulting in a unique study of our inherent connection to the wilderness.

Ted Hesser

If you’ve ever wondered why anyone would feel the need to climb mountains, take a look at extraordinary sports photography captured from perspectives you have never seen before.

Ami Vitale

The Instagram Stories and posts of this World Press Photo Award winner will give you a glimpse of all the hard work that goes into capturing powerful photos that leave a lifelong mark.

Elke Vogelsang

Who let the dogs in the studio? Someone who wanted to take pet photography to the next level and brighten up anyone’s day with incredibly adorable, professional puptraits.

Nolan Omura

We could write a hundred reasons why all photographers should learn videography, but none of them would be quite as convincing as this Wix user’s breathtaking underwater photography and videography portfolio.

Sharon Radisch

In a digital world dominated by landscape and travel pictures, a beautiful fine art photography Instagram account will encourage you to think outside the box. Sharon Radisch’s outstanding Instagram account will help you do just that.

Mario Testino

If you’re looking for a fashion and beauty photography portfolio that balances aesthetics with a unique approach and remarkable stories, look no further. Widely considered one of the best photographers on Instagram, Mario Testino’s work has also been featured internationally in magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair and GQ.

Donal James Boyd

This extraordinary wildlife photography Instagram account will allow you to get up close and personal with some of the most magnificent animals on our planet.

Hannes Becker

When it comes to reaching out to brands as a photographer, few do it as well as this talented outdoor photographer. Take a look at his breathtaking Instagram photography account and see how paid partnerships can lead to amazing projects.

John Bozinov

Ever heard you can’t shoot good pictures in bad weather or without a professional camera? In addition to offering an extraordinary documentation of what life looks like in the coldest places of the Earth, this feed is a certified photography myths slayer.

Tim Flach

Wild animals become professional models under this incredible photographer’s eye. His photography Instagram account offers a preview of some of the most breathtaking work, which has been published in several photography books.

The Wild Bride

Whether you’re looking for couple photoshoot ideas or are simply in the mood to enjoy the beauty of loving human connections, this wife and husband duo have got you covered.

Demas Rusli

This talented media creator blurs the line between imagination and reality with his incredible urban photography and video work.

Michael Shainblum

This photography Instagram account might just have the most stunning timelapses you can find on the internet. At the center of these creations, you'll discover breathtaking landscapes, sunsets, aurora borealis, and astrophotography.

John Kowitz

Oceans take up over 70% of Earth, yet more than 95% of them remain unexplored. But as you can see in this underwater photography feed, the mere percentage that we are aware of is nothing short of breathtaking.

Emilie Ristevski

Over the last couple years outdoor photographers have taken Instagram by storm. The warm view of the world this account offers feels like a breath of fresh air delivered straight to your fingertips.

Mario Martinez

Despite being one of the most accessibles genres, street photography is also one of the hardest ones to master. This urban photography Instagram account will show you how to capture images that truly reflect the essence of a city.

Eeva Mäkinen

Whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed, take a break and look at these beautiful nature photos. The delicate refinement present in every shot is sure to ease your mind and make your troubles fade away.

CreativeSoul Photography

Developing a unique photography style is crucial to standing out among the millions of media creators out there. This husband and wife duo found their own vision and celebrate under-celebrated beauty with portraits unlike you’ve ever seen before.

Our Food Stories

Food plays a central role in social relationships and even religious practices within most cultures across the globe. These exceptional Instagram photographers capture food photography that goes beyond the meals themselves, instead presenting the full story surrounding them.

“Happiness starts with a wet nose and ends with a tail.” If you have a pet or have ever interacted with any dog, cat, guinea pig or ferret, you know just how true this saying is. And so it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that pet photography is one of the fastest growing genres, with thousands of dedicated photography websites created every year.

While animals’ inherent cuteness definitely plays a big role in the popularity of pet photography, there is so much work behind each photo. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to prepare for an animal photo session in order to capture beautiful pet images that truly reflect your furry friend’s character.

25 best pet photography tips:

1. Mind your timing
2. Be patient
3. Practice, practice, practice
4. Plan the shots
5. Pick the right lens
6. Take advantage of their curiosity
7. Get on their level
8. Nail the focus
9. Beware of the light
10. Master the exposure
11. Play with angles and perspectives
12. Pay attention to the background
13. Get rid of distractions
14. Use props
15. Be quiet
16. Capture their character
17. Make sure they are comfortable
18. Ask a friend for help
19. Catch their attention
20. Interact with them
21. Pay your model
22. Overshoot
23. Take breaks
24. Be ready at all times
25. Have fun

01. Mind your timing

You might be used to choosing a shooting session’s time and location based on light conditions or weather forecast. However, pet photography demands a whole new level of planning. In addition to taking light, weather and other regular factors into account, you will need to consider the needs and routines of each subject.

Think about how their mood changes during the day and how that affects the pictures you want to capture. For example, dogs “smile” when they are tired so you might want to take them for a long walk before. If you want to get adorable sleeping cat pictures, feed them right before you start shooting.

02. Be patient

Patience is the key to paradise… and to amazing cat and dog photography. Unlike human models, who understand what you are trying to do and how they can help, pets can’t follow specific instructions.

How do you tell your dog to smile? How do you make your cat look pensive? The answer is: you don’t. You’ll just need to be patient enough until the desired expression finally happens.

03. Practice, practice, practice

It’s no secret that successful results require a lot of practice. The more animals you photograph, the better you’ll understand how to work with them. You should also practice your non-photographic skills – that is, simply spending time with them.

Without a camera in front of your face, it will be much easier to read their body language and learn what each movement means. Understanding the difference between a dog’s and a cat’s tail wag will definitely come in handy during your photo shoots.

04. Plan the shots

Take some time to create a general guideline of the photo shoot beforehand. Focus on the emotions you want to evoke rather than on specific compositions. This will allow you to think about the expressions and mood you need to recreate without getting frustrated about not getting the exact image you pictured beforehand.

Keep in mind that pet photography can be unpredictable, as your model might simply not feel like giving you the shot you’re looking for. If that happens, allow yourself to move on and look for a different approach.

05. Pick the right lens

Unlike astrophotography, there isn’t a “best lens for pet photography.” Just like everything else, your gear will be determined by the unique needs of each photo shoot. Each type of camera lens will come in handy in different situations.

For indoor photos, a “nifty fifty” or 50mm lens is probably your best option as they are fast and give beautiful bokeh results. A telephoto lens is great for outdoor and action shots, as it allows you to take amazing pictures of your pet in movement. Last but not least, using a wide angle lens results in interesting perspectives that can give extra character to your photos.

06. Take advantage of their curiosity

Ever heard that curiosity killed the cat? That inquisitive nature can also be found in dogs, and can be a great asset for your compositions. Let them be and simply wait for the next new thing that will catch their attention.

Unlike actively trying to direct their focus to the camera, this will result in more spontaneous and natural expressions. For example, a wide-angle lens paired with a subject curious about photography can lead to some very interesting close-up portraits.

07. Get on their level

Images shot from eye level are usually more attractive to viewers and also induce empathy. This is especially important when working with subjects that are much smaller than you, such as the ones you’ll be working with during pet photography sessions.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that every single one of your pet pictures should be taken from the same perspective. Simply keep your natural, standing-up viewpoint for a few, selected shots.

08. Nail the focus

Eyes are the window to the soul - and the key to a great photo. There’s also nothing cuter than puppy eyes. Having the eyes in focus is a must for any type of portrait, but like everything else, it becomes a bit more complicated with pet photography. The main reason behind this is, of course, that your pet will probably not stay still long enough for you to comfortably find the ideal focus.

Furthermore, those adorably long snouts will also give you some trouble, as low apertures will leave either the nose or the eyes out of focus. Unless you’re purposely looking for this result, use a smaller aperture or shoot from the side to get both of them in focus.

09. Beware of the light

Photography is light, literally. Ideally, you want your pet pictures to be shot in natural light – either outside or next to a large window if you’re shooting indoors. Unlike human portraits, where you can easily make up for the lack of natural light with a good lighting setup, pet photography is a bit trickier.

First off, you should avoid using flash. Flashes of light usually startle animals enough to ruin the shot, and can even hurt the vision of younger animals. If you need to use artificial light, stick to steady lighting setups and use camera accessories, such as reflectors, to soften it.

10. Master the exposure

Getting the right exposure is also extremely important, as you might have only one chance to nail that exact composition. Shooting in RAW can help you save some imperfect shots in post-processing, but you should not rely on it.

Learn to doubt your camera’s meter, as it can be easily tricked by your pet’s coat color. White animals tend to appear dull as the camera thinks the scene is too white, while black ones appear gray as the meter detects a darker composition. Use exposure compensation to make up for these metering flaws.

11. Play with angles and perspectives

Don’t be afraid to try new things. Look for close-ups and explore how you can break photography composition rules. Focus on specific details rather than on the eyes. Seek textures and contrasts. Use different lenses and see how they affect each composition. Diversifying your shots will keep you engaged in the session and can lead to some fun, creative results that you can develop into your unique photography style.

12. Pay attention to the background

It can be easy to ignore a background scene when you have a lovely puppy playing in front of your camera. However, the background will stand out once you’re looking at a still image. Before you start taking pictures of pets, look out for elements you definitely want to keep away from your compositions. Examine your full surroundings rather than a specific area, as your pet will likely move around during the photo shoot.

The same concept applies to indoor shootings, as there is nothing more annoying than having the perfect cat portrait ruined by a dirty litter box in the background. Additionally, try to find colorful backgrounds that contrast with the color of your pet’s coat to avoid bland results.

13. Get rid of distractions

It takes very little to distract an animal. While you probably cannot eliminate all distractions, you should keep them to an absolute minimum. Find a secluded location away from the crowd, or remove every unnecessary element from the room. In fact, even you and your camera count as a distraction. Unless you actually want them to look at you, try to move as slowly as you can to avoid drawing attention.

14. Use props

It’s hard to ignore how adorable pictures of pets with props can be. A dog with a bow, a kitten in a box, literally any animal with a hat. But on top of the cuteness factor, the right props can also help your pet feel safer and more comfortable with the whole photo shoot.

Leave their favorite toy or bed in the area, or offer them a place to hide if they get uncomfortable. Needless to say, don’t try to force props on them, as this can end up injuring them and also leave you with an unfinished photo shoot..

15. Be quiet

Remember: animals do not speak your language. You might be tempted to give a lot of directions, or even repeat the same one over and over. Sadly, that will only end up confusing them. There are two results this can lead to:

Your people-pleasing pup ends up looking scared and sad because they don’t understand what they are doing wrong.

Your self-sufficient kitty walks away and you don’t see them again until your gear is safely stored.

Avoid both scenarios by sticking to short commands that they know and by simply letting them be if they are not following your requests.

16. Capture their character

Just like humans, every animal has its own unique personality. If you’re photographing someone else’s pet, make sure to ask about their character and spend some time with them beforehand to see it for yourself.

Focusing on what makes each one of them special will result in more natural and unique images. For example, don’t try to take action dog photography with an old, lazy pup. The same applies to cat photography: aiming for a still portrait of an energetic kitten will likely end with blurry shots and a lot of frustration.

17. Make sure they are comfortable

One of the most essential pet photography tips is making sure that the animal is comfortable. Getting out of one’s comfort zone is only beneficial for humans. Animals are creatures of habit and can get really anxious when their routine is altered. And, needless to say, a nervous animal does not make a good model.

If you’re taking pictures of your pet, introduce them to your gear beforehand. Let them smell, touch, and hear your camera and any other equipment you will be using. If you’re working with someone else’s four-legged companion, you’ll need to make sure they get to know you well enough before you start taking photos.

18. Ask a friend for help

We all need a helping hand sometimes. Pet photography is definitely one of those times. Having someone to help you during the photo shoot will make it much easier, safer and a lot more fun for everyone involved.

When shooting outdoors, you will need a friend to look over your pet and make sure they don’t run away or get into dangerous situations. No matter how careful you are, it’s hard to pay attention to these things with a camera blocking most of your vision. Another huge benefit of involving someone else is that they can play with the model and entertain them to help you get the expressions you’re looking for.

19. Catch their attention

All pet photographers will tell you that squeaky toys and strings are their best friends. Sudden sounds are a great way to surprise them and capture an alert posture, while strings and other toys will help you get the animals’ attention in a more relaxed manner.

If you want your subject to look directly at the camera, you can buy toy squeakers and make the sound directly with your mouth. To make them look somewhere else, see the previous tip.

20. Interact with them

Your pet has no clue what you’re doing with that big, weird thing in front of your face. Focusing too much on the photos and ignoring your little friend will just make them confused and frustrated.

Make sure you spend enough time petting them and playing, even if that means you miss a few picture opportunities. This pet photography tip is even more valuable when photographing other people’s pets, as you’ll need to gain and maintain their trust throughout the session.

21. Pay your model

No species likes to work for free. Luckily, working with some of the most beautiful pets out there will only cost you a bag of treats and maybe a squeaky ball.

Use food to get pets to feel comfortable and toys to reward good behavior. This will make them like you more and also encourage them to let you take photos for a bit longer when they start getting tired.

22. Overshoot

Animals are in constant movement. They blink, turn their ears, twitch their whiskers, and look away at the most inopportune moments. These moves are sometimes so fast that they can go unnoticed during the shooting. However, there isn’t a worse feeling than going home after a session and realizing that most shots are not good enough.

To avoid this, set your camera to burst mode and capture numerous shots of the same scene. This might mean you’ll need to spend more time on your photo editing software, but you’ll be happy to have that safety net once you see how many cute pet pictures it saved.

23. Take breaks

Photoshoots can be exhausting for both the photographer and the model. This magnifies in pet photography, as one of the parties involved has no clue they are involved in something.

Because of this, you should keep your sessions to no more than two hours and allow for breaks in between. That means complete breaks for both of you, where the camera is put away for a few minutes and you’re just enjoying each other’s presence.

24. Be ready at all times

Cuteness can happen when you least expect it to. For the entirety of the session, except during designated breaks, make sure to have the camera ready at all times. You don’t want to miss out on the perfect photo because you were busy checking previous shots on the back screen.

This also means you should be ready to quickly adapt your camera settings to light changes or sudden bursts of energy.

25. Have fun

Animals are emotional sponges. If you are not having fun, neither will they. Of course, this is easier said than done as pet photography requires a much higher level of patience and perseverance than most other types of photography.

Whenever you feel like it’s becoming too much, it might be time for one of those breaks we mentioned before. On the bright side, their energy and wonder are contagious and you will never get bored taking pictures of them.

This post was last updated on June 24, 2020.

What good is having an outstanding photography website if no one can actually find it online? This is why you need to put some effort into optimizing your site and getting your pages to rank higher on search results. Known as SEO, this practice will make it possible to show up on Google, Bing, and the likes when someone searches for: ‘wedding photographers in San Francisco’, for example. The more exposure you get on search result pages, the more prospective clients will see your work and book your services.

In this article, we’re going to focus on one small step for you, but a giant leap for your SEO: alt text. The potential benefit is huge: your photos will stand a greater chance of appearing in image search results, which means more traffic to your site and a nice SEO boost. Without further ado, let’s discover what alt text actually is, why it’s important and how to write alt text for images:

What is alt text?

Alt text, short for alternative text, is a small piece of text intended to describe an image, photograph, chart or any other picture on a website. The alt text only appears in the source code of your website, as a line of HTML code also known as the alt attribute.

As search engines can’t actually ‘see’ pictures, at least for now, they check your site’s code to find out what’s on your photos. Alt text allows search bots to understand your images and the context in which they are placed, and thus index them more accurately.

Why is alt text important?

Adding alt text to every image you upload to your website is crucial for three main reasons:

Your images can be found on search engines: Images with good alt text stand a better chance of appearing on visuals-focused platforms such as Google Image Search. Keep in mind that images account for a significant percentage of searches and appear at the top of the SERP (search engine results page) for many queries. This means that just by adding alt text for images, you can multiply your site’s traffic exponentially.

Your website will have better SEO: Search engines tend to perceive websites with SEO friendly images as more optimized. In addition, the increase in traffic you’ll be getting can help boost your ranking.

Your website will be more accessible: Visitors with a visual impairment use screen readers to understand what’s on a web page, as well as which pieces of information are in a site’s source code. Adding textual descriptions to your images helps make your website accessible to all types of users, allowing them to browse your website and enjoy it freely.

How to write good alt text

Let’s discover some alt text best practices you should apply to your website:

1. Define your goals
2. Add relevant keywords
3. Describe the image accurately
4. Keep it short-ish

01. Define your goals

The same image can tell many different stories. You need to figure out what story you want to tell, based on the objective of your website. Depending on whether you’re a photographer, a chef or a web designer, your image goals will be different. Let’s take a look at the image below, for example.

Let’s say that you’re in the tourism business, and are currently offering boat tours on a lake. In this case, the location becomes more important and therefore you would want to mention it in your alt text. So instead of writing a generic description like “A boat on a lake surrounded by mountains,” you may opt for something more tourist-oriented, like “A scenic cruise on Lago di Braies.”

If you were to present this image in your photography portfolio, however, it would be a different story. In that case, you may want to highlight a certain genre, like nature or landscape photography. Your alt text would be something like this: “Beautiful landscape photography of a lake with mountain view.” Lay out all the possibilities, and decide what’s most important to mention based on your goals.

2. Add relevant keywords

Keywords are the phrases (or queries) that your potential clients would type into Google when looking for you – or a photography business like yours. Keywords are tightly related to your goals, and they are crucial for your website. If you want your images to show up as a result for certain keywords, it’s good practice to insert them into your alt text.

As a photographer, your keywords will likely include: the type of photography you specialize in (e.g. pet photography), your name (e.g. photo by John Doe), or a combination of the two (e.g. photo by animal photographer John Doe). So how do you find these key phrases? Put yourself in the searcher’s shoes and do some keyword research to find what it is that people search for when looking for images like yours.

Tip: Don’t overdo it with the keywords. Nobody (including search engines) wants to see this: “cat photographer Jane Smith taking beautiful cat photography of a cat in a bay.” Remember to make it sound natural and focus on explaining the image to humans, as opposed to Google bots.

3. Describe the image accurately

You’re probably sick of hearing the popular saying: “A picture says a thousand words.” But when it comes to alt text, it pretty much hits the nail on the head. There are so many ways to illustrate what’s in a photo. Explaining your images in the most accurate way possible will help search engines better understand what’s going on, on the screen.

In addition, it’s wiser to use simple and commonly used words. Anything too fancy or sophisticated is less likely to be used by searchers. A great trick that can be used is to try and describe the image as if you were talking to a friend who cannot see it. This will help you write more precise alt text for your images.

4. Keep it short-ish

Indeed, the photograph of this pixel perfect breakfast below evokes many words. However, your alt text shouldn’t be endless. The recommendation is to write a maximum of 125 characters, otherwise your alt text may not be read completely by search engines.

Stay away from long image descriptions like this one: “Belgian homemade waffles covered in blueberries and rainbow colored sprinkles on pink plates with pretty napkins and a cup of tea with milk and a teapot all laid on hexagon white tiles.” When it comes to alt text, words are like calories - you don’t want to overindulge.

Keep it short by describing the focal points of the image: “Appetizing breakfast of waffles with toppings and tea.” Most of the time, you can also omit phrases such as “a picture of” or “an image of” to reduce your character count. Alt text already implies that this is an image, so mentioning it once again is superfluous.

Nevertheless, if you work in the food photography field, you’ll want to compete for keywords related to your area of expertise. In that specific case, adding the words “food photography” to the description makes total sense. The alt text will thus become: “Beautiful food photography: appetizing breakfast of waffles with toppings and tea.”

How to add alt text to images

It’s extremely simple and intuitive to add alt text on your Wix website. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow to optimize your images and galleries for SEO:

To add alt text to your Wix Pro Gallery:

• Click the gallery
• Click Manage Media
• Select an image
• Insert your alt text underneath Title
• Click Done

To add alt text to a single image:

• Click the image
• Click the settings icon
• Enter your alt text under What’s in the image? Tell Google

How else can I improve my image SEO?

Alt text should be your main focus when it comes to image SEO. However, there are additional ways you can use images to improve your website’s SEO. First, you’ll need to make sure your images load quickly on your site. To do so, employ certain website features that optimize your images without compromising their resolution or use a free image resizer.

In addition to alt text, your image caption can also indicate to search engines what the context of your image is. Here, you can be more creative, while making sure to remain within the context of your professional photographer website. It’s also a great place to add words you wouldn’t normally in your alt text.

This post was last updated on June 17, 2020.

Photographers tend to underestimate the importance of having a good logo. It’s easy to believe that your photos will be memorable enough for people to remember your name. And since you’re most likely using a self portrait as your profile image, you may feel as if having a logo is a waste of time and energy. But what happens when you need to generate an invoice for a client? Or when you want to personalize your site’s favicon? The truth is, the sooner you create a logo, the less headaches you’ll encounter in the long run.

The first step towards successful brand imagery is coming up with a solid creative plan. Start by thinking about what you want your brand to depict. Take a look at your work and imagine how you could portray it in a single image. The last step before jumping into creating your logo is seeing what others are doing and getting inspired by their work. These 40 logos by Wix photographers will offer you photography logo ideas for any genre and style.

Use a handwritten signature

Essentially, signatures are the original form of logos. They have been used for centuries, and to this day they’re still one of the most popular choices amongst all types of photography. You don’t necessarily need to work with a digitized version of your own signature. Nowadays, many photographers use script fonts, as it allows them to adopt the same handwriting in other applications such as their professional photographer website.

Put it in a circle

Circular logos have been around for quite a long time, but their popularity has grown exponentially over the last few years. When social media platforms decided to work with circular profile pictures, many struggled to properly present their logos within this shape. Not too long after, every logo had a circular version. And eventually, this became the standard form for many.

Include your main subject

If your work as a professional photographer focuses on a specific genre, you might be looking for photography logo ideas that will immediately identify you with it. There are two ways to achieve this result. You can either write your expertise as a tagline, or you can add a visual element that represents your work. Both are equally valid, but working with a graphic element will give you more room for personalization and will be more easily recognizable.

Be bold with type

Logotypes are purely written logos in which the original typeface has been altered to add character and personality. These edits can include anything from deleting or moving sections of the letters, to subtly modifying the kerning or position of the words. The end result of this type of logo is a unified piece that is perceived as a brand image, rather than as a piece of text.

Get inspired by nature

It's not just outdoor photographers that incorporate nature in their works. In fact, nature has become a major photography trend across the industry, including in seemingly unrelated fields such as product photography and logo design. Many choose to include natural elements in their logos, even if they are not directly related to their work. Minimalist branches and leaves seem to be the most popular choice, primarily among the fields of wedding and children photography.

Box up the text

Text boxes put readability and simplicity front and center. The execution of this photography logo idea is as straightforward as its name: surround your business name with a rectangle. If you want to take it a step further, you can play around with the shape of the box or use an incomplete form. This minimalist approach allows for versatility in its application, as these logos can be easily layered on top of photos, videos, or colorful backgrounds to function as a watermark.

Focus on the equipment

From a graphic point of view, camera iconography has always been widely popular among photography logos. After all, there are few elements that represent photographers so clearly. But while this idea might seem simple, you’ll need to get creative to make sure your logo doesn’t end up looking like a hundred others. Take a look at the other photography logo ideas in this list and try to combine a few to create a logo that truly stands out.

Play with your initials

The graphic part of your logo doesn’t necessarily need to be an image. Your initials can be combined to create a striking icon. The range of potential outcomes is nearly endless. It can be anywhere from a strict representation of a letter to an abstract form composed by two or more characters. This will depend on the image you want to project and how it relates to your photography style. There are plenty of logo fonts you can use to create a striking result.

Work with geometric forms

Geometric shapes are a popular choice among businesses of all kinds. These forms allow for a clean design that conveys very clear emotions. The shapes you base your photography logo on can be related to your name, your specialty, or they can be completely abstract. Working with simple shapes and compositions will allow you to create a result that is easy to identify and remember.

Add a splash of color

As you reach the end of this article, you might have noticed that the majority of logo examples are monochromatic. There are a few reasons behind this trend. One of photographers’ main priorities is to ensure that their logo doesn’t clash with their photos. Using a single color is the simplest way to do so. Another important reason is how easily monochromatic logos can be layered over any background, simply requiring you to invert their color.

However, there is no reason why you shouldn’t add color to your logo if that’s what you believe your work needs. A multicolored logo can make your brand more memorable and should relate to your photography website’s color scheme.