Are you thrilled about watching sports? Do you want to be a part of it?
If the answers to the above questions are in affirmative, then you are at just the right place. Do you have a hidden passion for photography? The time is right to pursue a career in Sports Photography. According to a Zion Market research, the global demand for digital photography, with Sports Photography a major part of it, is expected to reach approximately USD 110.79 billion in 2021, growing at the rate of 6.1 between 2016 and 2021. And the market in India is booming and will require more human resources in the foreseeable future.
Imagine being able to freeze the motion of Virat Kohli leaning into his cover drives. Capturing Dipa Karmarkar midway in the air in the grandest stage of all, the Olympics. Images are the most beautiful depiction of a moment and are captured to be cherished forever. Images of Sachin Tendulkar lifting the world cup, PV Sindhu holding the World Championship trophy or Abhinav Bindra with that gold medal will stay alive in the hearts of the romantics.
In pic: PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik with their respective Olympic medals
Here we will discuss the reasons behind the rising need for good sports photographers, best colleges, average salary offered, career scope, and it's future in India.
Reasons behind the rising demand for good sports photographers:
Nowadays, Images have become the most powerful tool to communicate and express oneself. DSLRs have changed the way people perceived photography with companies like Canon, Nikon and Fuji offering a myriad of ever-evolving lenses to capture everything ranging from telephoto shoots to food and sports. There is a great demand for sports activities and the events need to be captured in forms of images and videos for live telecasting or for future reference. With the sports industry likely to boom in the upcoming years, the demand can only go up. And for that, one has to be behind the lens so that it is crystal clear when it is fed to the end-user, the customer.
Career Scope:
Modern-day photographers can work in many avatars with the most notable among them being:
Featured Photographers:
Featured Photographers essentially describe a story through a set of pictures. And thus requires a great amount of knowledge in the subject. For true sports fans, this is just made for them. Many photographers specialize in this aspect.
Commercial (industrial) photographers:
Such a photographer takes pictures of merchandise ranging from sports equipment to other products linked with a particular sportsperson. Big companies like Nike, Adidas, Puma and Reebok are always on the look-out for them. They help a company in preparing company brochures, advertising and selling products.
Freelance Photographers:
Freelancing is the most popular choice among sports photographers. They work from project to project on a contractual basis. They are the ones who often cover the stories of less-celebrated sportsmen of the country and bring them to the forefront.
Best Colleges for Sports photography in India:
An important fact in this regard is that photographers are paid more on the basis of their experience. For entry level positions, the package may seem far less attractive, but as you settle in this industry, it gets better. Here are the best colleges for Sports Photography in the country along with its location, fee structure and the expected salary that it offers:
Institute of Mass Communication
Location: Manipal
Fees: 4.95 lakhs
Average salary: 3.5-4 LPA
International Institute of Mass Media
Location: New delhi
Fees: 1.70 lakhs
Average salary: 2-3 LPA
Sri Aurobindo Institute of Mass Communication
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 2.69 lakhs
Average salary: 2-3 LPA
University of Delhi
Location: Delhi
Fees: 32.50 thousand
Average salary: 1.5-2 LPA
YMCA Centre of Mass Media
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 36.50 thousand
Average salary: 1.5-2 LPA
Film and Television Institute of India
Location: Pune
Fees: 35.00 thousand
Average salary: 1.5-2 LPA
Asian Academy of Film and Television
Location: Noida
Fees: 2.0 lakhs
Average salary: 2-3 LPA
In pic: a snippet from the Rio Olympics opening ceremony
Future in India:
There are a lot of opportunities in India for sports photography. Apart from IPL, we have the ISL, Pro Kabaddi, PBL and the Hockey India League. There are a lot of other tournaments going on a relatively smaller scale in the country too. Sports Photography in India has undergone an amazing metamorphosis. There are umpteen career opportunities that exist within the industry itself unlike five to ten years ago. So the opportunities are definitely there. If you have an interest and passion for the same, go ahead!
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