Professional Photography Career Guide

Intelligence needed to become a professional photographer

This page is dedicated to the frank discussion of the intelligence requirements needed to become a professional photographer. While you don’t need the intelligence of a brain surgeon , you must have the ability to communicate with one.

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Most of your competitors are idiots

Ok, that may be a little harsh and not totally accurate, but it’s not all that far from the truth either. Let’s be honest with ourselves, photography is not rocket science. (as you can probably tell from all the typos here) Many people in the field are in it because they didn’t have the SAT scores to do what they really wanted to do. And others have chosen photography because it seems like an easy, fun way to make a living. Either way, the field isn’t populated with MIT graduates. Heck, a few of the photographers I’ve met over the years aren’t graduates from anywhere, except maybe high school. All in all, that’s a good thing because those are the people you’re going to compete with.

Don’t get me wrong, not all photographers are morons. Many are quite intelligent, handsome and even modest… :+) I guess what I’m attempting to say here is that a person of “normal” intelligence has a good chance to compete successfully in the field of professional photography. If you’re IQ won’t get you into Harvard, photography might be a good career option. It’s fun, it’s easy if you like it, and you can make some really good money doing what other people consider “a hobby”. Heck, It’s almost as good as being a professional athlete or even a rock star! Ok, maybe not… But it still beats working for a living!

Most of your clients aren’t idiots

While it’s true that many photographers are not all that high on the IQ scale, most photographer’s clients are, especially in the commercial end or the business. If your clients are marketing managers, creative directors, or writers, then you're dealing with relatively highly educated people. So it pays to have the education behind you in order to communicate with your clients on their level. Ideally, you want these people to think of you as an equal. To do so, it pays to act and speak as though you are similarly educated. Better yet, it would be nice (and profitable) to BE equally educated.

Charisma

Charisma is something you’re either born with or you’re not. If you are, then you are one lucky SOB. I know of only a couple photographers that have this gift and let me tell you, it really pays off. I consider both of these guys my friends, and I have to tell you that they’re both good photographers, but they’re success has far outreached their talent levels. It’s almost as though they talk such a good game that they somehow make their clients think that the photos they produce are better than they actually are! No kidding. So if god gave you that gift, please become a photographer, you’ll do well, and besides, we already have enough of that type in politics.

Understanding the big picture

I don’t know if it’s a matter of intelligence or not, but it’s important to be able to understand the bid picture. There are times when it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. You’ll be so caught up in the details of something that you won’t realize what’s important and what’s not. With photography, as in most other businesses, you need to be able to discern important, from unimportant. It might have to do with client relations, or equipment purchases, or even which jobs to except or turn down, but sooner or later, this issue will come up. And when it does, your decisions may make a big difference in your eventual success.

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