Become a Professional Photographer
You will learn how to become a professional photographer, including: what a professional photographer does, how to develop your skills to succeed in a professional photographer career, how to start your own business as a professional photographer, how to market your photography business and get clients.
What Happens in the Professional Photographer Certificate Course
The Professional Photographer Certificate Course is an online learning program with suggested readings from the textbook (IAP Career College Guide to Become a Professional Photographer). Unlike other photography certification programs, this course is self directed – which means you may study and complete assignments at times that are most convenient for you from the comfort of your own home.
This part-time online Professional Photographer Certificate Course has a recommended completion date of 6 weeks from the start of the program, however, you may choose to complete the course in as little as 4 weeks or as long as 12 weeks, depending on your schedule.
The Professional Photographer Certificate Course has been created to allow you to complete it without any teaching assistance. However, if you have questions or need assistance, you can receive help from a Faculty Member throughout the 6 weeks of the course. Your Faculty Member is a valuable resource person who can provide you with personal teaching assistance to help you succeed in the course and advice to help you succeed in the career.
Course Topics
The online Professional Photographer Certificate Course has been developed to meet high academic standards, ensuring that as a graduate you can display with pride the Professional Photographer Certificate you will earn from the International Association of Professions Career College.
How to Become a Professional Photographer
In this course, you will earn photography certification and learn how to become a professional photographer, including how to start a photography business. Topics covered in the Professional Photographer Certificate Course include the following:
What a Professional Photographer Does
- Services You Can Offer
- Portrait Photography
- Wedding & Event Photography
- Developing Your Skills
- Preparing and Presenting Images
Starting a Photography Business
- Develop Your Business Concept
- Opting for a Franchise
- Equipment and Supplies
- Financial and Legal Matters
- Staying Organized
- Working with Support Staff
Getting Clients
- Marketing Tools
- Marketing Techniques
- Referrals and Word-of-Mouth
- Tradeshows and Expos
- Getting Paid
What Is Included in the Professional Photographer Certificate Course
This all-inclusive Professional Photographer Certificate Course package includes:
- Registration for the Professional Photographer Certificate Course Online
- Access to a Faculty Member to provide you with personal teaching assistance and career advice
- (Optional) 2023-2024 membership in the IAPO International Association of Professional Photographers for only $2 per month
- Downloadable Professional Photographer Certificate personalized with your name and the seal of the International Association of Professions Career College which you may print
- (Optional) Opportunity to order official certificates printed on fine linen paper and embossed with the gold seal of the college
- Textbook: IAP Career College Guide to Become a Professional Photographer (e-book edition)
Register for the Professional Photographer Certificate Course
HOLIDAY SEASON SPECIAL
It’s easy to change or cancel your course registration. See our FAQ page for details.
You can have all this for an incredible price. It can cost hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to take other programs. (We found courses based on old editions of our guides with registration fees of up to $999 and more.) We are able to offer you online courses at a significantly lower cost to you because of our expertise from over 20 years of producing the leading online guides for non-traditional careers.
Our online certificate courses have previously been offered for a registration fee of $297 U.S. and include a textbook and professional membership – a total value of almost $377.
HOLIDAY SEASON SPECIAL: This all-inclusive registration package for the Professional Photographer Certificate Course is priced as only $149.00 for the December 04, 2023 course.
Register today for the Professional Photographer Certificate Course. Enrollment is limited and registration is on a first come first served basis, so we recommend that you register early for the Professional Photographer Certificate Course online to avoid disappointment.
If the course is full, please email support@iapcollege.com to be notified when a new course date is scheduled.
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How Much Money Does a Professional Photographer Make?
As a professional photographer, your income is determined by a number of factors, including: your experience, location, business model and how much revenue your photography business generates. According to data from PayScale, the average income for a small business owner in the United States is $73,000 - however this can range up to $182,000 or more. If you don’t have the funds to equip a studio, you can shoot outside or on location to start. You can buy a professional-quality camera with a basic lens for about $1,500.
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What Does a Professional Photographer Do?
As a professional photographer you can work in an indoor studio, or you can choose to shoot photographs at peoples’ homes, event locations, or outdoors. You might even have your own home-based studio. As a professional photographer with your own portrait and wedding photography business you could offer all types of photography services, or you might choose to specialize in the types of photographs that you most enjoy taking. For example, you could choose to offer photography services such as: family portraits, wedding photography, headshots for models and actors, portraits of business executives, high school graduation photos, photographs of pets, portraits of children, pregnancy photography, baby portraits, photos for real estate agents, glamour photography, special event photography (e.g. anniversary parties, birthdays, religious ceremonies, private parties, etc.), or home and business photography.
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How Do I Become a Professional Photographer?
Earning a certificate as a professional photographer will equip you with the principles and techniques for starting and running your own photography business and becoming a professional photographer. A certificate also provides evidence of your expertise, assurance of your professionalism, an important credential for your resume, a competitive advantage when marketing your services and higher earnings (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
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What is the Professional Photographer Certificate Course?
In IAP Career College’s part-time online Professional Photographer Certificate Course you will learn important principles and practical step-by-step techniques for getting started in a career as a professional photographer. This online course has a recommended completion date of 6 weeks, however it may be completed in as little as 4 weeks or as long as 12 weeks. The course has been created to allow you to complete it without any teaching assistance, however as a student you have access to Faculty Members to provide you with personal teaching assistance and career advice.
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What is IAP Career College?
The International Association of Professions Career College (IAP Career College) is a leading online career college offering affordable online certificate courses and professional certifications for non-traditional and "dream" careers. When you take a part-time online certificate course with IAP Career College, you can schedule your learning around your life - you can work at your own pace, at the best times for you and from the comfort of your own home. IAP Career College and affiliated company FabJob Inc (the leading online publisher of guide books on how to get started in a dream career) have served over half a million career changers on six continents since 1999.