Why becoming a school photographer could be the next best thing you ever did

It’s Monday morning and you’re on your way to Broome. The sun is blazing through the car window as you head north, you’ve got a bag full of your favourite things – camera, lighting equipment, and all the gear you need to capture beautiful photographic images you’ve worked so hard to perfect. The work road trip Spotify playlist is on and you’re sitting next to your team who are just as excited as you to get started on the first project of the week.

You can’t believe that just a few weeks ago you were at home with no prospect of traveling to Whitfords, let alone the furthest outposts of our great state of Western Australia.?

Not for the last time, you thank your lucky stars that you took this career leap of faith. You check your phone’s calendar and feel excited, after you’ve completed these few days’ work in Broome (with the opportunity for an unforgettable sunset on Cable Beach of course), you’re off to a small township in the Pilbara and in a few weeks, you’ll be in Albany overlooking the Great Southern Ocean.?

Of course, being a professional photographer has always been sold as one of those exciting professions which could take you all over the world. Could being the operative word – but how many snappers actually get the chance to follow their career dream and travel the length and breadth of WA on a weekly basis?

If you’ve read this far, you may be surprised to learn that our intrepid photographer on that road trip to the Kimberley holiday town isn’t a fashion or travel professional.?

She’s a school photographer for Fotoworks, the company that captures memories and records a little part of the life story of thousands of school kids from Derby to Denmark, every week. Our friendly and caring team of photographers travel to all corners of WA, to country town schools with just a handful of children to major metropolitan colleges. I select photographers very carefully because the work they are commissioned to do, I would argue, is some of the most important in the profession.?

For the children who pose in front of our lenses, it’s a day that will be memorialised for all time, the photographs captured on that day remaining a snapshot of their progress through school which families will cherish forever. To be in charge of such an important task, and to maintain the excellent reputation Fotoworks has built over many years means the person behind the lens must live and breathe the brand values of Fotoworks far beyond being able to capture a smiling face.?

They must care – deeply – about their role in this important part of every individual they photograph. They must be able to connect with children from kindy to Year 12, to work with often frazzled teachers and educators, and above all, love the whole process of these intensely busy, exciting school photo days, rain or shine, in dusty school halls and school ovals from above with a drone.

So what are you waiting for? Your next best career move awaits. Just remember to pack your sunscreen.