Both product design and product photography can be lucrative careers for anyone. However, choosing a career can be a vital decision as you will spend a lot of time at work. So you must enjoy your work. There is a systematic way to develop your career plan. Below we are going to describe how to choose a career in the first place. And, then we will discuss both product design and product photography career options and what to choose in between them.
Choosing a Career: Things To Consider
Everyone should have a career plan as it helps immensely in building a successful career. There might be thousands of professions and careers to choose from, but you will have to choose one that meets your needs and matches the skills you have. A well-thought career plan lets you manage your learning and progression throughout your entire work life. It consists of four stages that help you determine the actions you should take to achieve your goals and put those actions into practice.
The four stages of a career plan can be listed as:
- 1. Identify your skills and strengths
- 2. Explore career options
- 3. Decide yourself
- 4. Set realistic goals
Having a career plan is essential as it stops you from taking hasty decisions. At the same time, it also allows you to look for new opportunities and develop new skills. We are discussing the steps in making a career plan below.
1. Identify your skills and strengths
The first step in having a career plan is to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. You should make a complete list of the skills you currently have. Once you make the list, you will be able to identify the skills you are lacking for the job field you want to pursue in life. You can also compare your knowledge and skills with the skills required by the employer for a specific position.
2. Explore Career Options
Before deciding on a career, you must have a clear idea of the job market and career paths that are on demand. You should browse the job profiles of different jobs to see which career matches your skills. You should make a thorough research on the local, national, and international job markets. The goal is to narrow down your choices and make a list of career options that you would like to go for. Before choosing a career option, you should consider not only entry requirements but also career development and learning options.
3. Decide Yourself
Now that you have compiled a list of your potential career options, it is time to decide for yourself. You should make a decision of your first choice i.e. the job you would most prefer, but you should also have a backup plan of one or two career choices. Here the most important question is whether you would like the job on a regular basis, whether the job will allow you to reach your potential, whether the salary is realistic, etc.
4. Set Realistic Goals
Finally, you can set realistic career goals to achieve the skills necessary to pursue your dream career. There can be three types of goals- short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. After reaching each short-term goal, you may need to modify your paths. Always keep in mind that you must have a backup career plan, if your situation changes and your first choice may not be feasible at a certain time.
Also read: 11 Tips to How to Get a Career in Graphic Design
Compare Product Designer Vs. Product Photographer
We have discussed how to devise a career plan and the steps to deciding on a career path for yourself so far. If you follow this model, you can set a career goal for yourself easily. Now we are going to discuss two popular choices- product designer vs product photographer. We would highlight the main things to consider about these two career options and what would be the best option for you out of these two.
What is a Product Designer?
A product designer is someone who is responsible for the user experience of a product and oversees the whole design process from start to finish. A product designer finds solutions to the current problems, takes suggestions from different stakeholders, and acts as a medium between designers, engineers, and researchers. They work under the guidance of the product manager and have bigger goals, i.e. the experience of customers and the goal of the business, in mind when designing the mockup through wireframes and prototypes.
What is a Product Photographer?
A product photographer is a commercial photographer who takes photographs of products for advertising purposes. Product photographers work with different brands to create values by best representing the products through images. Most of the time, product photography is used to sell a product. Photographs taken are used in the catalog, brochure, or in the eCommerce site.
Skills Needed: Product Designer Vs. Product Photographer
Product Designer
Most product designers have a degree, foundation degree, or diploma in a relevant field such as Product design. In fact, training that involves any kind of design content will be helpful for this career. You will need to show a portfolio when you apply for jobs, so anything that helps to build this up will be helpful.
The skills required by a product designer:
- High technical knowledge such as UX/UI design coupled with creative ability and practical experience
- Visual and spatial awareness
- Commercial awareness
- Computer skills with 3D conception and CAD
- Ability to work in a team
- Cope up with pressure and able to meet tight deadlines
- Good communication skills
- Strong determination to achieve the desired result
Product Photographer
Product photographers highlight the best qualities of a product through images. They collaborate with clients, collect devices and props for photoshoots, arrange the products, and the images.
The skills required by a product photographer:
- Have a portfolio or prior experience in product photography
- Having an eye for the details
- Expertise on Photoshop
- Excellent communication and business skills
- Creativity in shooting from different angles and perspectives
- Good at time management
Salary Considerations: Product Designer Vs. Product Photographer
According to Glassdoor, a product designer in the US earns an average starting salary of $103670 in 2021. However, in the UK, the starting salary for a junior product designer can be in the range of £25,000 to £35,000.
Product photographers mostly work as freelancers. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual pay for a product photographer in the United States is $39,482 a year. While the annual salaries can be as high as $60,500 and as low as $16,500, the majority of product photographer salaries currently range from $30,000 (25th percentile) to $49,000 (75th percentile) across the United States.
Final Choice
We have discussed the way to make a career plan and also the various prospects of both career options- Product Designer and Product Photographer. Now it is up to you to decide which career option would best fit your interests, skills, and other requirements. We can see that a product designer’s role may require more responsibilities and skills than that of a product photographer.
Also, the typical average annual salary of a product designer is more than that of a product photographer. But, with the development of skills, both professions can be rewarding and it is possible to earn the highest amount from either of them. So, whatever career you choose, you need to persevere and strive harder to get success in your endeavors.
Conclusion
Both product design and product photography can be good career alternatives. One needs to introspect themselves before choosing any path. You should identify your skills, knowledge, and interests before pursuing any career in the long run. Once you know yourself better and the job market, you will be able to choose a perfect career for you. In this way, you can make progress and flourish in the job you want for yourself.
