Questions from an aspiring photographer?

I'm aspiring to be a photographer for National Geographic, mainly because of how the main aim is to inspire the world to care. Anyhow, I would like to know this. I know that the road to being even an accomplished photojournalist is long and hard, and even the ones at the top ain't driving fancy cars, but what I'm aiming for in my life you can say is to do something for the earth with my photographs and to show the world through my vision, whether it may be about the wrong doings around the world or the culture.



Anyway, back to the question, everyone has to start of small first right?? Because my parents aren't exactly too happy with me studying photojournalism or something along those lines. Because it's hard to earn money with it. I'm 16 by the way but I already gotta start thinking what I'm gonna do for college and what to major in etc. So I was thinking like somewhere along the lines that maybe I could major in photojournalism and something to do with the sciences, maybe like wild life biology? It's a weird combination for sure, but at least it'll please my parents I guess. Since it's science. Anyway, from what I understand is it actually possible to go up the photojournalism ladder while being a wild life biologist?(supposedly I do choose it) Like won't free lancing as a photojournalist or if I'm lucky being a staff photographer for a newspaper or magazine take up all my time? Won't aiming to be an accomplished photographer and working for National Geographic actually take up all my time and dedication? Would there then be much point to having a degree in the sciences? Let's say If I do instead focus on being a wild life biologists instead and then use my camera to document wild life etc or maybe just do it in my past time. And then maybe get an assignment from Nat Geo or something since some people go with them specializing in certain fields like wildlife etc. But won't it not be enough to actually go up the ladder as a photojournalist? Because I do not just want to take photos of wild life only or go on a single assignment only. I would like to photograph for them as a photographer and hopefully continue doing assignments for them. And I'm also a city kid, so isn't animal sciences gonna be pretty tough for me to go up the ladder as well?



So yeah hopefully you see my dilemma. What is the best way for the path to be an accomplished photographer? What degrees do you recommend me in doing and still maybe have something to fall back on? Or is there another way?



Also, nowadays, are there any newspapers or magazines etc that actually still do hire staff photographers? Or is everything free lance now? Does National Geographic actually still hire staff photographers? From what I understand everything is free lance now, what are the chances of getting a staff position? Are there any of you here who are staff photographers for anything? Just anxious to know the world of photography as a career.



And last but not least, just so you all know, I feel like its a calling if I may be corny, that I'm to go around the world shooting photos of various cultures etc, travel to obscure places and even dangerous war torn places. I wish to help change the world, however small my part maybe, through photography and traveling around the world. I just can't see myself sitting in an office non-stop everyday or being a doctor or something. Whenever I watch documentaries on people in distant countries, from Tibet to war torn Iraq and the photographers that are there to photograph it I feel as if I'm meant to do that as well. It's like my dream.Questions from an aspiring photographer?
National Geographic huh?



You can start by completing your degree in photography from Art Center, Brooks or Rochester Institute of Technology.



http://www.artcenter.edu

http://www.brooks.edu

http://www.rit.edu



Then spend five to ten years as a staff photographer for a newspaper or magazine, honing your skills learned while in school.



Hopefully the Photo Editor at National Geographic will notice your published work, your style and have an assignment in your area when you have all the skills you need to produce the quality images National Geographic requires ... on demand
Basically when you can produce images like this, constantly, will will have the skills necessary to shoot assignments for magazines like National Geographic



Bruce Dale was staffer for over 30 years



http://www.wimp.com/badpicture鈥?/a>

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Questions from an aspiring photographer?
Basically when you can produce images like this, constantly, will will have the skills necessary to shoot assignments for magazines like National Geographic



Bruce Dale was staffer for over 30 years



http://www.wimp.com/badpicture鈥?/a>

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Questions from an aspiring photographer?
buy good camera and try
NG... some very good photographers on that magazine (and, to my surprise, a few mediocre ones as well).



It takes talent, real talent. Not a degree.



These days it's difficult for any new photographer to make a good living, many of them make as much in training and workshops as they do in selling their work.Of all the areas to make a living with photography nature and landscape are the most difficult ones to make a living in.



Honestly... find something that you don't mind doing and pays your bills and start with photograpy as a hobby, if it works out you can always switch.
I know two photographers that have been invited to shoot for National Geographic, (that's how it works by the way), neither of them have a degree in photography, both have their degrees in the subject they are specialists in (anthropology and life science), photography is the easy bit and can be learnt on a short course.



Chris