With icons like Raghubir Singh and Daboo Ratnani, photography has come a long way in India. In recent years, the photography industry has witnessed a 15-20% growth, making it a lucrative career among the Indian youth.
If you consider taking up photography as a career option, having a professional degree is a testament to your photography skills. With the right qualification, you can earn big bucks, even if you are an amateur photographer.
There are umpteen photography courses in India that offer technical know-how to turn your passion into a highly successful career. But before you select a photography course, here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision.

A Fine Arts Course
In India, a professional course in photography falls under the UGC recognized Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts.
They set the right balance of theoretical knowledge and practical training and give you insights into the photography industry’s latest trends. The degree lets you explore the various specializations in this field, ranging from wedding to industrial photography.
Eligibility and Course Duration
To enroll in a resourceful degree course in India, all you need is a 12th-grade passing certificate and a DSLR camera with a basic lens kit. Typically, the course duration is three years.
For the diploma course, the eligibility criteria remain the same, but the duration is one year. To pursue the diploma diligently, you will need a laptop, Zoom lens, Prime lens, tripod, Adobe CC, and a DSLR.
Course Offerings
Starting from the fundamentals of photography, the photography courses give insights into topics like the creative usage of camera and its dial modes.
They teach in detail about color theory and various types of light sources.
With various brands competing to have a strong presence in the Indian consumer market, there is an increase in commercial and advertising photographers’ dominance. Brands like Lee Cooper, Levis, and Royal Enfield are vouching for the top-notch photographers to allure their Indian customers. It is because of this reason; the courses offer in-depth knowledge about this subject.
You also get to have hands-on experience in working with editing software like Adobe Photoshop. Moreover, with study tours, you can build a robust portfolio, a must for a successful photography career.
Curriculum
In India, professional photography courses extend over six semesters.
The curriculum does not limit to just photography. It discusses to great lengths about Media Law and Ethics, Media and Indian Culture, ensuring you know the national laws while clicking incredible pictures.
For instance, as per the Indian Law, minor children who are victims of sexual abuse shall not be photographed. If you aim to pursue your career as a photojournalist, such courses are of great help.
While one semester deals with compositions’ fundamentals, the others teach more about media marketing, soft skills, environmental studies, and digital marketing.
Software Exposure
The photography courses in India offer classes on the latest software, including Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Bridge, and Capture One. It will increase your photo editing expertise and enhance them with sophisticated software once you start working as a professional photographer.
Even with plenty of options in the Indian market, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom beat other competitors, so the courses include them in the curriculum. However, you can explore lesser popular options like the DxO Photolab, which allows content-aware edits.
Career Opportunities
Wedding photography has an unparalleled demand in India. However, niches like feature and industrial photography are on the rise, offering excellent opportunities. Surprisingly, you can earn over five lakhs per annum if pursuing your career in these niches.
The top-notch professional courses in India discuss in volumes about the different genres of photography. By the end of the program, you would be able to identify the niche you wish to pursue as a career.
Hands-on on Photography Gears

Reputed Indian wedding photographers recommend Canon EOS since it works well when you have to shoot with a bright sky background. And in a family shoot in a small space indoors, the Indian photographers go for the 24-105 mm Canon Lens option.
So, to work professionally with various gear types, the photography courses in India include the best hands-on sessions during the training period.
India’s reputed institutes give training for the latest gears like Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Nikon D-810, Elinchrom ELC 1000, and Godox AD 600.
Summing Up
India has produced some of the finest photographers, from the famous Raghu Rai, who took the iconic photograph of Mother Teresa, to Atul Kasbekar.
In photography, the eye’s creative level depends on the beholder, which matters more than the machine. Do you think you have the much-needed zeal to become a fabulous photographer? Then get yourself enrolled in the best professional course to sharpen your creativity and technical skills, giving the world a glimpse of your artistic side.
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