People aspire to performing their dream jobs quickly. But will the window of opportunity still exist?
The window to becoming a photographer is rapidly closing unless you put in hard work to master the basics and your future niche. Let me explain.
What the future holds
Technology is developing at a frightening pace. One day we enjoyed having physical newspapers and cars to drive. But now, we prefer reading news online through our phone and cars are learning to drive themselves.
The same thing is also happening in the photography industry. Low light photography — which was a specialist feature — is now standard in many smartphones. Although the quality may differ for each price range, it shows how advanced gadgets have become.
Portrait modes are also starting to become common in smartphones. Remember the creamy bokeh look that could only be created by a specific lens and a combination of focal length and apertures? Yes, phones are now able to automatically recognize and determine faces to create “bokeh” photos.
Given enough time, I guarantee that the usual expensive features that were limited to pricey cameras will become common. So, if you have been investing in gear more than skills, stop it. Now is the time to take a U-turn and focus on your skills (but don’t throw the equipment away, of course).
Start mastering the basics of photography and expand your knowledge to other popular/exciting fields! Don’t put all of your eggs in a single basket — spread them out. If one falls, you will still have a decent backup plan.
What the future will still need
Now we know what the future has in store for us. We know that equipment won’t be the largest hurdle for our career development. With one less fear in the way, let’s focus on what you can do. Something captivating, engaging and intriguing.
When a door closes, another one opens widely for us. Technology has introduced us to immersive photography, the rise of the analog cameras, significant involvement of AI to improve shots and much more.
For a brief sneak peek to what the future holds, let me explain two of my favorite technologies.
Immersive photography
3D technology is both new and captivating. It has proved to break the two-dimensional walls present in photography. Now, people have the opportunity of making three-dimensional models. You can see these models from a 360° angle, which is very neat.
Imagine looking at the boots you wanted to buy with that technology. Not only it can be spun and seen from any angle — you could even see the small detail it holds. Museums, artists and many people in between are also using this technology to their advantage.
Creating a free or paid immersive experience to customers all over the world is an excellent way to advertise themselves. Will there be a nostalgic photo that you can walk and relive? Well, as time goes by, I’m sure there will be.
Game-changing artificial intelligence
It may not be immediately obvious what AI will have to do with photography, but it is sure to improve your workflow. Not by a bit, but tremendously.
Imagine having AI automatically pick the best photos for you from your 200 burst shots. Not only will it save you time from sorting the best from the latter, but it also allows you to save more time for post-production afterward!
AI is also inside your smartphone and cameras. They can automatically preset your phone based on your current needs to automatically look better! Although the technology doesn’t allow us to do that now, it will happen in the future.
If you wonder what would help your workflow to bring it to the next level, AI will be your answer.
Conclusion
The future holds an exciting path for photography. Gear will become less game-changing, with more emphasis on skills and understanding, accompanied by the rise of new tech to improve our workflow.
New content creation techniques to support our photography business such as video creation will also be more important.
We need to keep up with the current situation to thrive in it. We must work hard and effectively to survive in the future.
