Photography is one of the best hobbies that you can turn into a business. Starting a photography business can be a great way to combine your passion with your work, and provide you with a lifelong career. Being a photographer has many benefits, but only if you lay the right foundations from the start. Then you can enjoy a variety of different jobs, flexible hours, and a sense of freedom. You can choose which direction to take your business, whether you freelance and work alone, or build your very own photography agency.
There is an increasing number of individuals who are taking up photography, making it a very popular industry. This is because there is good quality photography equipment readily available to suit a variety of different budgets, an increase in content creators teaching people on YouTube and TikTok how to take good photos and grow their business, as well as a surge of individuals looking to break away from the 9-5 work-life, and move towards freedom and flexibility.
There are many tools and strategies that are required to run a successful business. While photography is a good business to start, it is competitive. That’s why it is important to lay the right foundations, set yourself up for success, and ensure that you stand out from the crowd. When you can establish yourself as a credible and trusted product photographer in the market, you’ll grow your business in no time.
If you want to start or grow a photography business, then here are some top tips to help you get started.
#1 Pick your niche
There are a variety of different photographers out there, and if you want to survive in business, then you must pick a speciality. If you already enjoy photography as a hobby, then you may already have an idea of what you would like your business to focus on. You don’t have to just pick one and never do any other type of photography, but when you get started, it can be helpful to have a focus and a genre of photography that you can specialize in and become known for. This will significantly help grow your skills, as well as build your reputation in that field of photography. This can be anything from school photography to weddings, newborns, journalism, properties or sports. Choose where you would like to start and build up from there.
#2 Master the skills
You should think about how you can build on your skills, or learn the skills you need to run your business if you have no prior experience in photography already. Start by mastering the skills of the photography speciality that you have chosen to base your business on. Connect with other photographers in your field, join online communities and practice as much as you can. You should also make sure you are comfortable with editing photos. With Adobe Express, you can easily make transparent background images.
When you start a business, you will likely be by yourself. This means you will need a certain level of knowledge that will get your business off the ground. Learn about the different business structures, accounting, and other relevant topics that will enable you to function. If you have the budget, or later down the line as you start to attract clients, you may choose to outsource this work.
#3 Create a business plan
In the early stages of your business, you should create a business plan. A business plan is an important document that includes your business concept, and your strategy for success.
This will show that you are serious and committed to the success of your business, and provide you with a guide to follow. Within a business plan, you will include market research about your customers, competitors and the market, which will help you position yourself in the industry and attract clients. It will also ensure that your business and speciality are feasible, and help you focus your efforts on the right tasks. Your business plan will have milestones that you should aim for but will be adaptable. When the market and the demands of your customers change, your business plan will be updated to reflect this.
A business plan is helpful if you decide to grow your business into an agency, hire staff, or secure partners and investments.
#4 Invest in the right equipment
You can set up a business and possess the right skills, but if you do not have the right equipment, your business will not be a success. The right camera equipment is vital to create good work and make your customers happy. To find the right camera gear, you should spend some time researching to ensure you choose the right equipment for your specialty, that is reliable and high quality. You will also need to ensure that you are comfortable with the gear and that you can carry it around, especially if you are going to be taking photos outside or in high traffic environments.
The most basic gear will include a DSLR camera, a range of lenses, a flash, and a tripod. You will also need editing software, such as Photoshop. You may wish to invest in backup equipment. If any of your equipment fails, this will come in handy if you have a client to attend to and no time to go shopping.
Depending on your speciality, you may require additional equipment, such as a drone from DrDrone.
Make sure you get protection for your equipment, to make it last longer. You will also need insurance in case it gets damaged. This can be a much more cost-efficient solution to having to purchase new equipment.
In addition to your camera equipment, you may also need private darkroom rentals if you will be specializing in film photography.
#5 Build a portfolio
Once you have equipped yourself with the relevant skills and camera gear, and you know your speciality, you should build a portfolio. A portfolio is an opportunity to showcase your work to potential clients, so they can see what you offer before investing. Photography carries a lot of responsibility, especially if you are taking pictures of something special, such as a wedding, as you will only get one chance at getting the right shots. Individuals are going to be picky, and want to see the skills of the photographer. Your portfolio can be on your website and your social media accounts.
This is a great opportunity to practice your skills and improve your photography. It can also provide you with an opportunity to work with a few clients free of charge, or at a reduced rate. This will help build your credibility, ratings and reviews, and word of mouth marketing. You can also find a mentor in your speciality, and do some work as a second photographer, or photography assistant. This will give you real-life experience of how another individual runs their business, and how they interact with clients, provide you with relevant experience to share with customers, and have some photos for your portfolio. They will also be able to provide you with helpful tips and tricks.
#6 Market yourself
When you are ready to start working with clients, you need to come up with a marketing strategy that will attract the right customers. Building an online presence is a great place to start for photographers, as you already have high-quality content that is pleasing to the eye. You will just need to figure out the best hashtags, posting times and information that will attract your ideal customers. You may also wish to invest in other marketing strategies, such as Facebook Ads, pay-per-click and search engine optimization (SEO). Attracting clients will take time, so make sure you remain patient.
If you are looking to start a photography business, follow these top tips to lay the right foundations and be successful.
