I want to tell you about my small journey into seeking out and starting a photography career. It has been amazing thus far and I've learned some things along the way that I would like to share with you.

If you are thinking about starting a career taking pictures then know that it can be a lot of fun, pay well, and last a long time.

There are numerous areas within photography that you may find interesting.

For example I took to digital (Nikon is my favorite camera) and fashion photography. I also had a minor in wildlife photography.

Have no fear that is not all. There is also photojournalism, photographic art, fine art, editorial, and advertising photography.

So as you can see there is something for everyone.

I wish I could say that it's nothing but easy in this industry but if I did I would be lying.

It's tough like any other industry. There is a lot of competition if you make the decision like I did to start a career.

The best thing you can do is to make sure you have a foundation in learning all you can about photography and studying.

The truth is that you will have an edge if you take schooling compared to someone who does not.

The reason I say this is because, yes you learn, but besides gaining the overall understanding you will also get numerous opportunities to meet other photographers and build relationships. Sometimes key relationships make all the difference in catching your elusive "break".

So how do you find the right place to study? Where did I go to get the photography education I needed?

You are most likely already aware that there are many sources for learning about the industry. You can go small or you can go big and seek a full out diploma if you like.

You can even find numerous videos on Youtube about the topic.

The only thing to do is just start. Begin by searching the internet for schools online and schools in your local area.

What I did was I looked at the courses in detail. I wanted to know what was taught and how long the course was for.

Also pay attention to the success of those who have gone through the photography schooling. You may want to try and connect with them on Facebook to get their feedback.

Now I know what's going to happen once you start looking. You are sure to run into the cost.

If money is an issue for you then stick to online photography schools to start your career.

Again, doing a search on Google should get you started. There is some hustle and effort that needs to occur here as you research your options but the more you work the better your chances of finding the right school for your career ambitions.

One golden nugget of advice I can also offer to you is to make sure to network. No matter what you learn and from whom make sure to connect with other photographers. This is a very important step.

Just as you are reading this from someone who has been there, done that, there is a lot of good advice you can learn from others.

Join photography forums as I did and get involved in the conversation. Ask your questions and listen.

I can say all this because I did it.

No one said that a career in photography would be easy. As you can tell it does take some effort. But if you push through and don't give up like a lot of people do, you're sure to meet with success.

The rewards that I have experienced in my career made the initial hard work totally worth it.

Just think about this. There are many who got the crazy idea about having a career taking pictures. Then they ran into how hard it can be when it comes to finding the right school and persevering through the class work and resorted to casually taking pictures.

Don't let that be you if you really want a career in photography.

I wish you all the best in your journey.