Why Learn Photography?

Photography is the art of producing an image by recording light with a camera.Have you ever explored all of the things photography can do? 

If you want to become a professional Photographer, there are countless possibilities for your career. Professional Photographers have a wealth of specialties, from wedding photography to photojournalism, from fashion shoots to wildlife shots. Whatever your interests, you can likely find a type of photography that will allow you to explore them further. Print Journalists, Social Media Managers, and people in many other careers can also benefit from strong photography skills. Learning to take great photos can also help you gain a different perspective on the world and express your artistic vision. Another great thing about photography is the opportunity to meet new and interesting people, whether in the course of your work or when you gather with fellow Photographers.

Here, you’ll learn more about the careers that benefit from photography and how it can enhance your professional life. Regardless of your goals, learning photography is a valuable and impressive skill to add to your resume.

What is Photography?

Photography is the art of producing an image by recording light with a camera. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took the first photograph in 1826. Photography was a revolutionary technology because it made it easier for images to be reproduced and widely distributed. The first cameras were large and awkward to handle, and the lengthy exposure times necessary to capture an image required photographic subjects to hold still for uncomfortable intervals. However, as the technology evolved, cameras became easier to use and more affordable.

For over 100 years, all photographs were captured on film and developed using chemicals. In 1975, Steven Sasson invented the digital camera, which dramatically increased the ease of capturing and distributing photographic images. Most photography today is digital: the device taking the photo saves the recorded image as a digital file. Smartphones capture 92.5% of those digital photos, but there’s still nothing like a dedicated camera for getting a sharp, high-quality image. 

Digital photography classes will teach you how to make the most of your digital camera. You can learn how to use all of your camera’s settings to the best advantage, how to work with studio or outdoor lighting, and how to adapt the choices you make as a photographer to the environment and goals you are working with. You’ll also explore the powerful, industry-standard software that allows Digital Photographers to edit and retouch the photos they take. 

Read more about what photography is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Photography?

Since the first photograph was taken in 1826, creators have been using this skill to capture images of the world around them. Photography allows people to document events, moments in time, and things they have seen. It can also help human beings gain a better understanding of the world, in the case of scientific photography or photojournalism. Photography is also an artistic medium—the Photographer presents their interpretation of the human experience through what they choose to document and the perspective their photos show.

Another important aspect of photography is that photographic images can be reproduced, allowing them to be circulated and distributed worldwide. Even before digital photography, a film photograph was easier to reproduce than the paintings and drawings that had previously been the best way to convey an image. One early example of how the new technology of photography rapidly came to shape the world is the work of Matthew Brady. His photos documenting the American Civil War showed the brutality of the war’s impact, powerfully influencing public opinion about the conflict.

Now, with digital cameras, the distribution of photographs can be nearly instantaneous, and reproducing one only requires uploading a file. Also, the powerful editing software available to modern Photographers makes remarkable transformations possible. Social media has shown some of what one can do with the opportunities provided by digital photography, with photos of dramatic events witnessed by private citizens being rapidly distributed all over the world. However, the full potential of digital cameras and photo editing software may have yet to reveal itself.

Common Professional Uses for Photography

Within the field of photography, there are many possible specialties. Whatever your particular interest, photography has much to offer as a profession, in both personal fulfillment and practical value. In terms of career outlook, the employment rate for Photographers is projected to grow 9 percent between 2021 and 2031, which is above the average across all professions.

If you enjoy meeting new people, studio portrait photography or event photography could be good options for you. For those who prefer the outdoors, nature photography is a popular field. A student who likes to travel might consider becoming a Wildlife Photographer or a Photojournalist. Advertising photography can be a lucrative career, especially when combined with skills in marketing or graphic design. 

Photography can be useful for other careers as well. Graphic Designers often make use of their own photographs in their work. Being able to design with their own photos saves them the time of working with a separate Photographer, or, alternatively, the money they would pay for the right to use someone else’s pre-existing photo. While Photojournalist is a specialized career in itself, Journalists who primarily work in written form also sometimes find it useful to be able to take their own excellent photos in circumstances where they may not have a separate professional Photographer with them. Social Media Managers or Professional Influencers will also want to be skilled in photography, especially if Instagram is one of the formats they use. Regardless of your career, employers and co-workers also value having someone around who can document major events or snap impromptu photos of happenings around the office. 

Start An Independent and Engaging Career

As a career, photography allows you a great deal of independence. Most professional Photographers work for themselves and have control over which projects they take on. If you choose a specialty that corresponds to your other interests, photography will likely be an engaging career for you as well. If you’re interested in clothes and culture, being a Fashion Photographer could bring you into an exciting world. If you’re passionate about travel, you’d probably enjoy photojournalism, wildlife photography, or travel photography. The photographic world offers a wide variety of possible careers that might overlap with your other interests. Whatever type of Photographer you want to be, getting your digital photography certificate with Noble can provide a great starting point for the journey.

Discover A New Way Of Seeing The World

Photography requires you to slow down and look carefully at the world around you. To be a successful Photographer, you’ll need to learn to notice striking images when they pop up. You’ll also explore your own perspective on what you see. Your attitude, interests, and aesthetic taste will affect the framing, composition, and focus of your photos, as well as how you choose to edit them. Great photography lets the photo’s viewer get a sense of the world as the Photographer sees it.

Have Exciting New Experiences

To take photos, you need something to take photos of. That often involves going places you don’t usually go and looking at things you don’t normally notice. Even if you don’t become a Photojournalist or Travel Photographer—even if you only take photos indoors—chances are that studying photography will bring you experiences that you wouldn’t otherwise have had, just because you’re out there looking for the right photo opportunity.

Get to Know Interesting People

For those who like to meet new people, photography can be a great way to do that. In addition to meeting fellow Photographers in clubs or study groups, some forms of photography, like portrait photography or event photography, involve meeting new people all the time as you work with clients. If you become a Photojournalist, you could encounter interesting people in many different places as you travel the world to report on events. Sports photography, fashion photography, and performance photography are all great ways to get to know people who share your interests. Do you prefer the company of your thoughts to conversation? Or perhaps you like animals better than people? If so, nature photography or wildlife photography could be a good fit for you.

How to Start Learning Photography

Taking live classes, whether in-person or online, gives you real-time access to an expert instructor. For a successful study of photography, it’s useful to connect with a skilled Photographer who can answer your questions, provide feedback on your work, and guide you as you proceed through your studies. Those who like to be in the classroom can find a list of in-person Photoshop classes through Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. You can also check out the available options for studying Photoshop live online.

You may find that a self-paced class fits better into your busy schedule. If so, Noble can help you find on-demand Photoshop courses that will suit your life and needs. These cater to a wide range of skill levels, with substantial variation in length and intensity. On-demand lessons generally come in video format. Most require a subscription to a learning platform such as Udemy or Skillshare.

There are also free materials available that can help you learn more about photography. A great place to start is Noble’s free Intro to Photoshop tutorial video. Noble offers free seminars on many topics, including this photo retouching seminar. Video playlists, like this YouTube playlist on photo editing, are a good way to start investigating the topic. More of a reader than a watcher? Take a look at this hub of photography articles, tutorials, and resources. On the Noble Desktop blog, you can find tutorials like this Photoshop tutorial on how to restore old photos, and informative posts like 3 Essential Ways Photographers Use Photoshop. You’ll also want to check Noble’s full list of available photography courses.

Read the full guide on how to learn photography.

Learn Photography with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop’s small class sizes and expert instructors make it an excellent environment for learning photography and related skills. Students can choose between in-person and live online courses, depending on which is better for their particular situation. Students can also retake Noble classes for free, which can help expand their knowledge of the topic.

Noble offers a certificate in photo retouching specifically, delving more deeply into critical skills that Photographers should have. Another option is Noble’s popular Graphic Design Certificate, which covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and graphic design principles. If you don’t yet want to commit to earning a certificate, you could take an individual Photoshop course to start with. You can also do a Photoshop bootcamp for beginners with Noble.

When you do a digital photography certificate at Noble, you’ll acquire foundational skills for photography and photo editing. Students learn to use manual settings to help them make the most of what a high-quality camera offers. They also discover how to work with different types of lighting, both inside a studio and out in the world. In terms of digital photo manipulation, students explore how to manage their photographs with Adobe Lightroom and edit them using Adobe Photoshop.

Key Insights

• As a Photographer, you’ll be able to capture and document the world around you through the photos you take
• If you use a digital camera, the images you create can reach people all over the world almost immediately
• The way you frame, compose, and edit your photos will express your perspective on the world
• The many specialties within photography can allow you to explore your other interests
• Photography is also useful in other careers, such as print journalism and social media management
• Professional Photographers often operate independently
• As a career, photography can be highly engaging, especially if you find a specialty that suits your interests and personality
• Studying photography will help you gain a different perspective on the world and have experiences you wouldn’t otherwise have
• Many types of photography also bring you the chance to meet new people in the course of your work
• You can receive comprehensive photography training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop