As a part-time photographer myself, oftentimes I hear people ask questions like – is Photography a good career? - do Photographers really make much money? and who needs a Photographer when smartphones have cameras?

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Well the answers to those questions can all be found in this Content.
Photography is a very vast career with numerous opportunities and options to choose from! Many people go into Photography for different reasons buy overall, Photography is an Excellent career!
Some people get a college degree in photography and then invest their time in Teaching others. Others might start their own photography business. Contemporarily, people go into Photography as an alternate career path while taking up other white collar jobs along.

So what are your options as a photographer and what can you earn from it as a side hobby, alternate job or professional job?
Photography Career paths and opportunities they Present;
There are so many styles of photography that the options may feel endless. Within each style, there will be opportunities to work for yourself, freelance, or work directly with already established companies. The career path you choose depends on your personality traits and the reasons you’re the career.
Some of these niches of photography will overlap with others. For example, weddings and events are very similar in practice, but what goes into marketing and so on will differ how you approach them.
1). Wedding Photography

Average Yearly Salary: 5 Million Naira.

The wedding industry is very competitive and very lucrative. Every week (usually Saturdays), numerous wedding ceremonies are carried out and if you invest time in getting reliable sources of information, you could attend three ceremonies per Saturday and briefly take stunning photos of the celebrants! Even if you don’t get a task from the Newly Weds, you could focus on snapping the numerous people who’re present in the event. It is absolutely possible to make a viable career when working in wedding photography. With the right dedication and skills, it’s still an industry that will be around for years to come.
Most wedding photographers don’t report to a company or boss, they simply set up their capital, get the necessary equipment, and then register with the appropriate Photographers union. The earning potential is maximized since you aren’t paying anyone a commission, except tax.
2). Portrait Photography

Average Salary: 4.7 Million Naira.

Portrait Photography is also in high demand. For this career, you may need to set up an office since you aren’t totally a “On the move” Freelancer like the wedding photographer. You just need to set up a wonderful portfolio alongside your E-commerce website so clients can easily look you up and order for your services.
Your potential client-base is really anyone and everyone – even including pets! For the most parts, people get portraits taken to capture specific life events (like high school senior portraits), to commemorate the family (ie: family portraits), to celebrate milestones in love (like engagement photos), and take professional photos to use for career purposes (headshots).
Some portrait photographers will start their own businesses. It’s entirely possible to do portraits in addition to other types of photography too (such as weddings). Other photographers may find themselves working for an already established portrait photography studio – which is most likely to be one of the “normal” jobs you might find in this industry. This may be a local studio, or working for a big studio.
3). Photo Journalism

Average Salary: 3.8 Million Naira.

This particularly is my area of interest. You get to decide what you shoot and when you do! You may set up a photo blog, travel to a foreign location and then document great photos for your online audience. This career is a well recognized one in developed countries.
The pictures accompanying newspaper articles, when done professionally, are being created by photo journalists. Whether it’s documenting bad weather, war zone conflicts, or just doing a fluff piece for a local paper taking pictures of kids sledding – photo journalists cover it all.
This isn’t really a career you should choose if you want a steady source of income, it’s more like a hobby or a substitute for your Blog or YouTube channel.

4). Commercial Photography

Average salary; 5.5 Million Naira .

Most of those killer photos you see on Jumia or Amazon are products of the commercial Photographer!
Commercial photography is a broad category of photo work that involves taking pictures for commercial purposes. In practice, this translates into product photography, photos for advertisements, real estate photography, and the like.
This career path is more of a freelance based job, since you need numerous companies to hire you for their adverts or photoshoots. You may also get granted a job from a large producing company like #Innoson and then for any new product they manufacture, you get to shoot the products and advertise. You need a great portfolio stating your area of expertise and the companies you’ve worked for.
5). Landscape/Nature Photography

Average Salary: 2 Million Naira

Photographing landscapes is probably one of the most ideal jobs in photography. The idea of just traveling around, documenting travels, and taking pictures of the world around is pretty intoxicating. In practice, it is a tough niche of photography to break into.
There are a few ways you could wind up as a landscape photographer as a career – and all of them require a good deal of effort and even some luck.
The top landscape photographers may have the fortune of working for large organizations like National Geographic, who send people out into the field to document landscapes, nature, and wildlife. This is probably the top 1% of jobs – but what do the other 99% do? Landscape photography can be sold online in a variety of ways. These photographers may also expand their offerings to include digital photography presets for software like Light room. Most often, the actual photography work is supplemented by offering educational opportunities to other people such as “in real life” at a college institution or self-hosted through a platform like F-Stop Tours.
6). Lifestyle Photography

Average salary: 2 Million Naira.

You know all those great photos of Celebrities like #davido or #burnaboy and recently – politicians were taken by a lifestyle Photographer;
One of the main goals of lifestyle photography is to capture people’s lives in an organic, non-invasive, and often candid manner. If you feel like that could apply to most types of photography, you are right!
Lifestyle photography is a term that has become popular in just the past few years from what we have seen. In some ways, it means next to nothing, while to the people who read it – it conveys something meaningful and powerful that leads to new client bookings for the photographer themselves.
The job opportunities in the world of lifestyle photography will mostly be self-created. Generally, people will be hiring you to take portraits or photograph their wedding (or another similar event where naturally occurring interactions are happening). You’re opportunities here will be better as you grow your portfolio and become more established.
7). Fine Art Photography

Average Salary: 3.5 Million Naira .
Fine art photography can be difficult to properly define, as it does overlap with just about every style of photography and subject matter. The major difference is found in the mindset behind the photos being taken. While wedding photographers and photojournalists may be out to simply document an event (*even if done so artistically), fine art photographers are looking to express an idea, a message, or an emotion (thanks Wikipedia!).
Fine art photographers will often be taking on commissioned jobs or selling their work independently. With enough popularity, it is entirely possible for the best fine art photographers to make a great living off their work, but this is no doubt a challenging feat. However, unlike the days of old where you would need to be present in a major metropolitan art scene to have anything like that become possible, online resources like Saatchi Art allow you to sell your work to an interested audience.
. Event Photography

Average Yearly Salary; 4 Million Naira .
Event photographers will have a similar career outlook as wedding photographers – except the audience will by much more diverse. No doubt, events range from birthday parties & family get togethers, to corporate & charity events. As you might imagine, there is more income to be found in bigger events hosted by companies (who have money to spare).
Just like wedding photography, getting into shooting events will require you to have your own business (if you want to make a full time living doing it). Otherwise, you can find assistant and second shooting gigs where you will help out a more established photographer as a freelancer.

9). Scientific Photography

Average Salary: 4 Million.
Scientific photography takes the takes the art of photography and applies it to research, medical, industrial, and academic disciplines. Some of these shots will be for the simple reason of documenting objective truths, while other photographs will be used to go along with releases to the public that help make them more interested in scientific content.
Specialty styles of photography will more frequently be pulled on in this area, such as macrophotography (photography of small things), spectral imaging (ultraviolet photography, infrared photography, and thermal imaging), etc.
You will most likely want to start your search for jobs by looking at scientific research and laboratory companies.
Note: All average salary estimates from Payscale and salaryexplorer
What is the average salary for photographers? In Nigeria the average salary of a Photographer is 3.8 Million per year, with a little effort, you could be raking up to 4-5 million yearly!

Uboma
Mynd44

Wow!
Nice write up

This is the career i wanted to pursue but

HELLASJ:
Wow!

Nice write up

Hi, thanks

FahBuLous:
This is the career i wanted to pursue but

But money no dey lol. Well I used to work in a studio some years ago, I still haven't got a DSLR but I'm sure by next year money go come

Wedding

Journalism

Landscape

Informative.,

Ahumanbeing:

But money no dey lol. Well I used to work in a studio some years ago, I still haven't got a DSLR but I'm sure by next year money go come

Enjoy brother..
I wee never forgive china

Too lucrative even as a side hustle. But to get a deal out of it, money money money money will answer.

FahBuLous:
Enjoy brother..
I wee never forgive china

You fit dey work inside house join

Ahumanbeing:
You fit dey work inside house join

How?

View average salaries on Photographers in Lagos:

https://www.mysalaryscale.com/salary/photographer--t

Photography with filmmaking and you're made for life.

Just know how to sell your images online, and with your filmmaking skills, start a youtube channel.

When you are consistent with your niche, you'll amass subscribers, monetize and make money.

Girls dey pay well,, that's if you no gree collect kpusie.

FahBuLous:
How?

Idk there are many freelance sites, try Fiverr. Just learn video editing and white board animation and start selling. So when you get a camera, it's gonna be a plus

Bloghomies:
Photography with filmmaking and you're made for life.

Just know how to sell your images online, and with your filmmaking skills, start a youtube channel.

When you are consistent with your niche, you'll amass subscribers, monetize and make money.

So true, these days even with iPhones wise guys are getting paid. I attended my younger sister's graduation last year and I saw a cameraman filming with an iPhone and a tripod, low investment with high returns

Ahumanbeing:

Idk there are many freelance sites, try Fiverr. Just learn video editing and white board animation and start selling. So when you get a camera, it's gonna be a plus

You mean i can still learn it online??

Ahumanbeing:

So true, these days even with iPhones wise guys are getting paid. I attended my younger sister's graduation last year and I saw a cameraman filming with an iPhone and a tripod, low investment with high returns

iPhone is even much better compared to some cameras these days.

To get a legit DSLR camera with better lens, you'll have to budget a lot of money.

The best way is to start with whatever you have, and grow.

Good niche
What's the price range for a starter?
Camera, softbox, lens etc

Thank u poster for this wonderful writeup

FahBuLous:
You mean i can still learn it online??

Of course! There are YouTube channels dedicated to video animation tutorials. First analyze the various Video animation creating software, choose your most suitable software then learn how to use the software. With 250mb (night plan of 25 naira), you can learn about 2 hours worth of YouTube videos. Then download the preferred software and Practice with it. After practice for at least 50 hours, set up a Fiverr account and sell your stuff. I can help set up your profile and give you tips for Fiverr earnings.

Ahumanbeing:

Of course! There are YouTube channels dedicated to video animation tutorials. First analyze the various Video animation creating software, choose your most suitable software then learn how to use the software. With 250mb (night plan of 25 naira), you can learn about 2 hours worth of YouTube videos. Then download the preferred software and Practice with it. After practice for at least 50 hours, set up a Fiverr account and sell your stuff. I can help set up your profile and give you tips for Fiverr earnings.

I need to get a smart phone but i dunno when, hope we will still keep in touch..

Abovebest:
Good niche
What's the price range for a starter?
Camera, softbox, lens etc

I'll write content about this and publish by 7:30 but for a start, you need least 350k for brand-new DSLR from Jumia, a good editing laptop at least 190k then set up your social media page and buy
followers or run ads (10k for good result).
Convince your girls on social media to promote your website or Instagram and do giveaway you go get many followers, convince them to share your posts always and get customers!
If your photos are epic, good social media and good tools my brother na million money deal so plan
500-700k for a start!

timy22:
Thank u poster for this wonderful writeup

Uwc, you wanna go into Photography?

FahBuLous:

I need to get a smart phone but i dunno when, hope we will still keep in touch..

No wahala, if I stop posting on nairaland by then, just visit
https://ioalert.com to contact me.

Ahumanbeing:
No wahala, if I stop posting on nairaland by then, just visit https://ioalert.com to contact me.

Thanks bro.. May u live long..

[quote author=Ahumanbeing post=92891301]
Uwc, you wanna go into Photography?[/quot


Yes, l just started learning it.

Can you mentor me?

FahBuLous:

Thanks bro..
May u live long..

Lol same man

timy22:
Yes, l just started learning it.

Can you mentor me?

Well, the best thing I would've referred you to was a Coursera course I took but the price has risen to 49$/month, so i think seeing your photos and giving reviews/direction would be ideal. I'm not a professional (yet) but I may be able to help, contact through signature.

Ahumanbeing:

I'll write content about this and publish by 7:30 but for a start, you need least 450k for brand-new DSLR from Jumia, a good editing laptop at least 190k then set up your social media page and buy
followers or run ads (10k for good result).
Convince your girls on social media to promote your website or Instagram and do giveaway you go get many followers, convince them to share your posts always and get customers!
If your photos are epic, good social media and good tools my brother na million money deal so plan
500-700k for a start!

I have a laptop for that
Hp probook
Which DSLR do you suggest
Can I contact you?

Abovebest:


I have a laptop for that
Hp probook
Can I contact you?

Signature is open, I'll reply all DM's ASAP

Abovebest:


I have a laptop for that
Hp probook
Which DSLR do you suggest
Can I contact you?

To be honest, the camera you use depends largely on the purpose! A lifestyle Photographer won't use same camera as a Journalistic Photographer or landscape Photographer. And it's good to buy a camera which can also record videos, you maximise your income streams