How Long Does It Take to Be a Photographer?

Set a Timetable

• If you want to become a photographer you have many options. You can go to school, read books, complete an online course or learn as you go. All of these options require different amounts of commitment, as well as time to complete the courses, workshops or read through the books. Decide how much time you have to commit to learning photography. If you have two or three hours a week, online courses or reference books may be the best way to do it.

Always Carry a Camera

• Take pictures each and every day if you can. This does two things. One, you will start to see pictures in everyday events or scenes. Two, it will give you a chance to continue your learning process every day. You don't have to spend hours looking for a picture; take five minutes at the start of your day or over a lunch break and find an image to take. Download the picture when you get home and identify how you could have improved on the picture.

Study Other Photographers' Work

• Studying the work of other photographers is a good way to learn about composition. As you look at and take more pictures, slowly your own personal style will start to emerge. This is often referred to as your "eye," and it refers to your unique way of seeing images and taking them. This will also help you to learn about different lenses and how they work, the difference between a wide angle and telephoto lens.

Be Ready in Three Months

• After three months of taking pictures, studying the results, looking at other photographers' work, reading books or completing an online course, you should be ready to call yourself a photographer. But the learning does not stop there. Ask professional photographers, and they will tell you they are constantly learning. Whether it is about new equipment or a new technique, professional photographers never stop learning about their craft.