How To Start A Photography Business

How To Start A Photography Business - Background Info:

Do you have what it takes to succeed in the photography business?

Anyone with an eye for original images, the right equipment and film, and excellent technical skills can take good pictures.

But to make a living out of taking stunning photographs needs more than photography skills; you must also be a savvy businessperson.

To succeed in this business, you need to know about financial, legal, management and marketing aspects of starting and running a photography business.

Photography is an extremely popular hobby and an even more desirable career.

With the advent of digital photography, photo enhancing computer programs, and a reduced need for film developing, has made this a field that most anyone has the technical skills to get involved with.
When you are thinking of opening your own photography business, you should be aware that the competition is fierce. It may help to focus on an area in which you have the most interest. If you like fashion, you can do modeling pictures. If you like nature, you can do outdoor landscape shots.

When you open a photography business, you can also focus on doing assignment photography for clients or stock photography.

With assignment photography, you take pictures according to instructions from a client. As a stock photographer, you take generic pictures, like the perfect sunset picture, and then try to sell them. There is a big market for photographs, especially with the very visual nature of the Internet.

It is now easier than ever to turn your dream into reality and create a worthwhile business out of an engrossing hobby.

However in today's modern world there is more to it than simply pointing a camera, and shooting a picture. You need to be aware of marketing techniques, and here marketing simply means transferring ownership of a product, in this case an image from a buyer to seller.

You also need to be aware of any local gaps in the market in your local area. You should also try to be on top of your competitor's prices, to undercut an existing photographer is one choice, but to neglect to value your skills and not charge enough to cover your overheads is another matter entirely.

Starting a photography business can be rewarding and enjoyable. It is also a very saturated market, so before you start, make sure you have the time and resources to stick with it until you start meeting with success.

How To Start A Photography Business - Tasks And Skills Needed:

Business Specific Tasks:

If you are planning to do all the business tasks or hiring or subcontracting tasks, here's a list of tasks that need to be attended to when it comes to the business side of running a photography business:

Bookkeeping

Filing/general office

Scheduling

Appointment-setting

Advertising/promotion

Industry Specific Tasks:

Same as above if you plan to do everything yourself or get help, here are some of the tasks necessary to operate a photography business:

Set up studio equipment

Set up lighting

Shoot photos per request

Ship photos and/or proofs to clients

Sell photos to stock photography companies or through a website

How To Start A Photography Business - Approximate Daily Hours Needed:

General Hours of Operation: - When your business is open - There are no specific hours you will be working unless you have a studio that's open to the public. In this case, you could be working standard retail hours.

Hours Needed to Prepare - Before Opening and After Hours Activities - Make sure all equipment is cleaned and stored properly, set up the next days' shooting schedule, answer inquiries, advertise and market your business.

Number of Employees Needed To Run This Business:

Minimum Number of Employees -During the Start Up Phase: You can start this business yourself on a full-time basis.

Number of Employees - Once Your Business is Up and Running Successfully:

Website maintenance

Record/Bookkeeping

General office

Customer Service

Skill Requirements for This Business:

Excellent technical skills (with cameras, computers, film developing, and lighting).

Artistic eye - you need to be able to see the picture in ordinary things.

Ability to set up shots.

Licenses:

Licensing requirements vary from county to county and state to state. Contact your county or state offices to determine which, if any, license you need to operate your photography business. This is especially important if you are working from home - you may have zoning issues and irritated neighbors to deal with. Also, call the IRS. They will be able to answer a lot of your questions, as well as provide you with a federal tax ID number.

It is best to determine the zoning restrictions in your area before you proceed, particularly if you expect to have clients coming over to your house for a photo shoot session. Your neighbors may object to the daily comings-and-goings of your customers.

Approximate Minimum Start up Cost:

Bare essential: - The financial investment required to open and operate a successful photography business depends on how you are going to do it. If you choose to focus on nature and outdoor scenes, you will need high speed camera devices. The start up for this is relatively low.

With computer and printer costs, you could start for around $1,500 to $2,000. If you want to work indoors, the start up is going to be much higher. You need studio space, lighting, backdrops, computer, printer, photo editing programs, as well as at least a few good cameras. This will multiply the amount of money you need to start.

Minimal exposure - There are several ways to advertise for free including online classifieds, word-of-mouth, and passing business cards out to wedding and other special event planners.

Necessary Equipment to Run this Business:

Necessary Start-Up Equipment & Supplies:

Computer

Printer

Cell phone

Website

Cameras - both digital and film.

Computer and printer.

Photo editing program.

Supplementary Equipment: - Equipment or helpful products that you can acquire to once your business is off and running:

Studio

Lighting

Backdrops

Props

Studio space

SLR camera equipment

Video equipment

Monthly Expenses To Consider:

Wages
Phone/cell phone
Internet access
Permits
Advertising/Marketing
Electricity
Water

Special Requirements and Considerations For This Business:

Find out all you can about the trends in the industry. Know your competition, in particular, their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you identify your competitive advantage. In other words, this will help you figure out what you can give your customers that they're not getting from the other businesses. And keep from emulating the competition's strategy. Instead, make the most of your own advantage points.
While there are various types of photographic activity, professional photography can be broadly divided into two categories: assignment photography and stock photography.
Assignment photography is any photography commissioned by a client. It covers advertising of products, portraits, weddings, school functions and other images shot on assignment. Most photographers spend their entire career shooting on assignments, as it provides lower financial risk for the photographer. You know that you will get paid, either before the event or after the contract has been satisfactorily completed.
Stock photography is photography shot on speculation, in advance of being sold. In going after a "perfect air balloon" shot, photographers may take several dozens, if not hundreds of shots, of air balloons that could be made available at a fair price for generic uses. These "surplus photos" can then be used in a multitude of ways, in newspaper articles, brochures, calendars, websites, and many more. Instead of commissioning a photographer, many commercial and educational establishments simply buy stock photographs at a lower-cost.
If you will be in this business for the long-haul, you need to start developing relationships with your film, processing and camera equipment suppliers. Select a reliable photo lab, if you will not be developing your photos yourself. The photo lab you use can make or break your business. The quality of work, ability to meet promised deadlines, and the ability to get a complex order correct varies from one photo lab to the other.

Pros And Cons of Opening A Photography Business:

The Pros of Running a Photography Business:

Can work from home.

Allows you to turn your hobby into income.

Good market for pictures of all kinds.

Broad range of possibilities (portraits, sports, nature, underwater, fashion, etc.).

You can also freelance for newspapers, magazines, etc.

The Cons of Running a Photography Business:

Extremely competitive.

Price per picture can be low.

Start up and equipment can be expensive.

photographers

Type of Customers You Need to Attract:

One of the very first things that you need to do is to participate in your local chamber of commerce, photography associations and other professional organizations. Once word of mouth takes over, you will be able to find customers in all types sectors and industries.

If you are planning on doing a particular type of photography, you will find your customers in that area.

Photography Business Statistics:

See Bureau of Labor Statistics for the most current information and photography sector.

Revenue:

The field of photography is wide and competitive. There are a wide variety of players out there, from the part-timers freelancing for the local weekly paper to a few superstars who can command fees of $10,000 per day.

Photography Business Resources:

photographer

Industry-Specific Websites:

Dan Heller Photography

Virtual Photography Studio

ShutterMom

Photography

DSLR

Courses:

How to Start a Profitable Photography Business

Online Photography Courses

Equipment and Supplies:

Pro Studio Supply

B and H

Forums:

Photo.net

Franchises:

PortraitEFX

Grins 2 Go

Associations:

Professional Photographers of America

Association of Professional Photography Studio Owners

NPPA

Books:

A No Nonsense eBook Guide To Photography Business Fortunes

How to Start a Home-Based Photography Business

Software:

Photography Business Software

Businesses To Related to a Photography Business:

Advertising/Marketing/Promotion
Event coverage
Journalism
Tourism