**"So, how do I start a career in photography?"**
**"Should I do a course or just join a studio?"**
**"Is photography even worth it these days?"**
These are questions I often get asked — and I’ve asked myself the same, decades ago. You’d think it would've been easy for me. After all, my father owned a well-established photo studio, and we were financially comfortable. But ironically, that made my path even harder.
Why?
Because I didn’t want to be **just another studio photographer** doing the routine — passports, weddings, ID cards, rinse and repeat. I knew I wanted to do something *different*. But I didn’t know **what**.
And to make matters worse, there was no structured guidance in those days. We’re talking about the **analogue era** of photography — no YouTube, no forums, no quick answers on your phone. Everyone in the studio was too busy managing customers, orders, and deadlines. My questions were often seen as interruptions. I became, quite literally, *the disturbance in the darkroom*.
So, I took charge of my own learning.
I began reading — anything I could get my hands on. My prized possession at the time was **"The Encyclopedia of Photography."** That book was my Bible. It had everything from “How to shoot Trees” to detailed diagrams on lighting setups — imagine that kind of depth, long before the internet simplified everything.
In fact, I used to stump even my dad and his senior staff with questions from the book. They had never encountered certain types of photography because studio work was usually confined to fixed genres.
If you’re reading this and wondering **how you should begin**, here’s my heartfelt advice:
👉 **Join a good photo studio** or assist a professional photographer. Do it sincerely for at least a year.
👉 Don’t expect formal training. Learn by observing, doing, and staying curious.
👉 Be **patient and strong**. Most photographers are artists first — often moody, scattered, and unpredictable.
👉 The field is **demanding** — with erratic timings, odd clients, and intense deadlines.
👉 It can get **lonely**, especially when others around you don’t relate to your creative struggle.
In those days, I found peace through **meditation** and by talking to friends outside the field. They didn’t judge, didn’t interrupt — they simply listened.
Today, I look back and realize, those struggles shaped me. They taught me what no course could: **resilience, observation, and humility**.
There are people who are good at doing their own business & then there are people who are very good at working under someone. In both the cases you can make good money as there are good opportunities everywhere like weddings, events, advertising, real estate architecture etc.
The secret to getting rich in both the cases (business or working under someone) is saving money & investing in the right places & being patient.
I can understand that we all want to get rich quick as I too wanted to do the same, when I was young, but slowly realized that there are no short cuts.
So invest in yourself & hone your skills to become an expert in photography, how you present yourself & never stop learning.
Good insight, thought provoking
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