If you consider starting a creative career in photography, nowadays might be the best time to do that. Even though many of us have excellent smartphones with cameras that take 4K pictures, we do understand that creating professional photography is the next level of art, and most of us are more than happy to invest in talented people.
So, if you, as a creator, would like to start a business in photography but you simply don’t know how to start, this guide is for you. Let’s look at it!
Create a business plan
Before you start making money on photography, you need to create a clear plan of how you will actually do that.
You can find a sample of a standard photography business plan online and edit it to fit your needs. The second way is to hire a freelance specialist on Fiverr or Upwork to help you compile a business plan. In any case, this should be your first step,
Work on your budget
Every start-up, including a newborn photography business, needs funds to bring the idea and vision to life. This is just how it works: you need to invest at least something in your business to even start doing something.
For example, you need to consider how much a photography course, equipment, website, and promotion will cost you, according to your business plan. We also recommend you consider creating an emergency fund and money that you will need for the time when you’ll be a newbie in the industry, and your cash flow will probably be relatively low. This money will help you survive hard times and continue working on your business.
Take care of education
This step can be your first one, but this one is absolutely the one that cannot be missed. Of course, we get that you can learn everything by watching videos on YouTube these days, but we do think that some kind of formal education will be extremely good and helpful for you.
Some types of photography, like aerial photography, for example, take more than just basic shooting techniques, and important composition tips and tricks can be not so obvious for a beginner.
That’s why we believe that you need to take an online or offline course just to master the basics before competing with seasoned professionals.
Purchase your gear
Naturally, the best pictures take not only your talent but the best photography equipment to be created.
Depending on your plans and goals, you can need absolutely different gear. For example, if you plan on shooting nature and landscapes exclusively, you don’t need a green screen for a studio. In the opposite case, if you want to specialize in product photos, you will need a lot of studio equipment.
We recommend you ask fellow photographers, or online personalities, whose style you find to be similar to yours and ask what they’re using. These people definitely have huge experience and survived many unfortunate situations with their gear, and that’s why they can give you proper advice in your particular case.
Create a website
In 2022 you just can’t make it as a photographer without a proper website. It is needed not only to give your clients a chance to meet you but also to present them with your photography portfolio, a.k.a the most important promotional tool of a photographer.
We also strongly recommend you to create a blog and write there regularly to promote your brand. It is a very effective way to promote your website, and, in addition, you can share your wisdom with others there. You can talk about the insides of your profession, write tips on how to edit photos, what one or another video editor to choose, or even write about really specific topics like why iMovie keeps crashing.
This way, you will help new photographers and video editors (videos are a must-have on any blog!) to start their personal journey in this fascinating career.
Create a price list
Now, when you have an established website, you need to create a price list.
Everything has its price, and people who visit your website should know what exactly they can expect from you, how much it costs, and what they get in exchange for your money.
Take care about promotion
A word about business promotion. We already mentioned designing your blog, but besides it, we suggest you also take a look at social media and paid ads promotion. Photographers thrive on recommendations, and social media is the best place to meet people and present your work to them.
Also, do not forget about SEO! It’s still essential, it still works, and it still cannot be ignored.
Networking is a key
Connections are what will help you to make money on photography. People trust their friends’ opinions, and if a person wants to find a photographer, they would probably go to their friends or family for a lead.
That’s why we recommend you to go online, talk to specialists in this industry, go to professional events, galleries and try to make useful connections to help you grow your business.
Also, do not forget how people have helped you and when you’ll become a star, help them too when they need it. Quid pro quo!
Do not stop learning. Ever.
Even when you will make your brand a household name, do not stop growing, polishing your skills, and making your craft better and better.
The world changes so fast, and it is really important for a professional not to forget that they need to grow despite all the professional peaks they have conquered.
Take online courses, participate in webinars, attend workshops, and buy specialized literature. All this money will be spent very well because it is an investment in your business.
What’s next?
Well, now you can go and conquer the world of photography!
We are sure that you have all the tools and skills at this point that will allow you to achieve success in this occupation and only the sky’s limit for you. Good luck!