Later in life, I would have photo sessions with friends and family, any excuse to be behind the camera. As life went on, my dreams of photography as a profession waned, but I always kept a soft spot for the craft.
Now, with the rise of social media platforms, becoming a professional photographer is very different than how it used to be. Just ask professional Canadian photographer David Koonar. Koonar, a classically-trained photographer, is well-versed in the world of social media photography.
We sat down with Koonar to talk about his experiences and learn some of his exclusive tips.
David, what got you interested in photography as a profession?
I was always drawn to photography and was especially influenced by the natural beauty of my home, Canada. Canada has beautiful forests, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, you name it.
And I found myself drawn to beauty of my home and had a great desire to capture it through photography. As I became a professional photographer, my skills and my subject matter expanded.
What do you focus on now?
Nowadays my focus is on social media and photography, because I see these platforms as a whole new world for photographers. Basically, social media platforms made it so that the old playbooks for photography don’t apply anymore.
Anyone can learn the necessary skills online, for free, and most people have a smart phone with high enough quality to take excellent photos. Then of course, there’s the option for visibility on social media.
What do you mean by that?
The different social media channels all have something to offer, but what’s the one thing they have in common? The opportunity for an essentially unlimited audience.
Rookie photographers can have massive followings of hundreds of thousands of people, or even more. That was never the case with old school photography of course. But with all of the potential, there is also some drawback.
What is the drawback you see in social media photography?
It can be too easy to get lost in the shuffle, because there is such a high volume of high-quality work. So that means if your work is only average, then it probably won’t go very far.
And not only that, you have to learn how to play by the social media rules to get discovered. That means engaging with your audience, telling stories with your captions, and utilizing hashtags. These were never things photographers needed to learn before but mastering these techniques can offer you huge potential.
How can people learn more about your tips on social media photography?
I just recently launched a blog where I will be sharing a ton of information about social media photography. I’m dedicated to helping other photographers figure out how to tap into the huge potential different platforms has to offer.
I’m going to post more about the overlooked things all photographers need to consider, the importance of finding a niche and how to effectively interact with your community, three seemingly small tips which can make a big difference in your audience.
