If you want to become a professional photographer, a helpful first step is exploring all the educational options available to you. For one, it’s helpful to know what training is required for you to get started.
Many aspiring professional photographers often feel confused about the difference between photography certificates, online courses, college degrees, and even YouTube tutorials. There is a huge difference in what these options cost, what they can teach you, what they can be used for, and how long they take to complete. Depending on the type of job you want and how quickly you want to start your career, it’s important to understand the differences between these options before you make the best choice for your education.
Are professional photographers required to have a college degree?
The short answer- no.
The majority of today’s clients looking to hire a photographer are simply looking for experience and the right quality of work. Given this, the education pathway that gets you started doesn’t really matter as much as the quality of the work you’re capable of showing- meaning you aren’t required to spend tens of thousands of dollars and years of time on a college degree in order to start working as a capable, talented photographer. What you probably need instead, is a strong photography portfolio. In fact, student advisor at the New York Institute of Photography Daniela Dawson shares, “As a working professional photographer, rarely have I been asked where I studied photography in college - but always I am asked for a portfolio.”
Read more: How an Online Photography Course Works
Where to get professional photography training
If you have no photography experience at all, or you have some experience but don’t feel confident enough to call yourself a pro, you may want to consider investing in some formal photography training to help get you more comfortable- but know that a college degree is not a requirement, and that the style and cost of your training is up to you.
Thousands of photographers currently running successful businesses never went to college for their craft. Some are self-taught, some took courses locally at a community college or arts center, and some took photography courses online. Daniela says that “education is important, and I recommend going with an option that allows you to practice and grow your body of work as much as possible.”
In NYIP’s online photography courses, you will cover a number of different subjects as you dive into the field of professional photography. In the Professional Photography course, for example, you will receive an introduction to a wide variety of different photographic genres in order to help you explore which career path is right for you- weddings, nature, landscapes, wildlife, portraits, studio, still life, and more. Throughout the course, you will complete photo projects and submit them online to be reviewed and evaluated by a professional photographer. That way, by the time you complete the program, you’ll have accumulated a beginner’s portfolio of work that you can use when coordinating with your first clients.
If you already know what type of photography you’re interested in, the New York Institute of Photography (NYIP) can help elevate your skills and may even help prepare you to start your own business.
Read more: Take Your Photography To The Next Level Like These NYIP Grads
How much does photography training cost?
According to College Tuition Compare, the average photography college tuition cost was $21,950 per year, for the 2024 academic year.
For price comparison, NYIP offers a self-paced, online photography certificate course for less than $1,100 with available payment plans, making it both convenient and affordable.
With this option, you can login to an online learning center and study from the comfort of your own home while still communicating with a real team of photography teachers.
Read more: Where Can You Work as a Photographer? (Photography Careers Guide)
Get started at NYIP
If you think an online photography course at NYIP is the right fit for your training needs, you can get started at any time. These online courses have no official start dates, class times or project due dates- meaning you make your entire schedule from home based on your personal preferences. You can work entirely at your own pace.
You can enroll and get started online or call 1-800-583-1736 to get started over the phone with one of our student services representatives. If you’re still on the fence, you can request more info in order to make the right decision for you.
Learn more about how our photography training works from a real NYIP graduate: Interview with NYIP Graduate Dennis Beaulieu.
