Why Professional Photographers are Important

By Jetweb
Photography is an art which has developed from a tedious process. The days of setting up a big camera, making everyone in the photo sit very still, without smiling and then developing the film in a dark room have evolved into a simple handheld device with a flash, that can capture a moment in a second and has the ability to hold hundreds of photos on a digital memory stick. Now anyone can click a button and take a photo without much knowledge of how a camera works, therefore shouldn’t this make professional photographers irrelevant? The skill required to take the photo can be learned by anyone; however, it is a common misconception that the only good a professional photographer has is in operating the camera.

Professional photographers are people who not only know their way around a camera, but they are also artists. They compose a photo in the same way a painter will paint a picture. Professional photographers are able to capture beautiful moments in the second that they happen. They also know how to structure a photograph to achieve a certain feel and to evoke a specific reaction from the audience. A professional photographer won’t simply snap away and hope for the best.

Whether it’s a headshot or beautiful landscape, professional photographers are well versed in the most flattering angles and best light. In advertising, a professional photographer would be able to create a piece that makes the product stand out and look desirable to the target audience. The photographer controls the lighting, the exposure, the aperture and composition of a piece, which is what gives the finished product its desired effect.

Professional photographers are also specialists with editing software such as Photoshop and Lightroom. These programmes can be incredibly confusing to the general public; however, professional photographers will have invested many hours into learning how to use them to edit a picture to it’s ultimate potential. Therefore, professional photographers are relevant even in a digital world where anyone and everyone own their own camera.