How to Start a Successful Photography Business
There's no denying the appeal of starting your own photography business. This career path gives you the ability to work for yourself, the joy of being creative every day, and the potential to earn a good income while you do it. In fact, the photography industry has grown to $43.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow up to $49.5 billion in 2027. Whether it is a hobby or you're looking to make this your profession, photography allows you to develop your creative skillset and look at things through your own unique lens.
Starting your own business is an exciting yet intimidating endeavor, and you need to make sure you have the right tools for the job. Let's zoom in on a few key tips and tricks you need to set your photography business off on the right foot. Before you begin on this exciting journey you want to make sure you're prepared, having some basic knowledge about photography will give you a head start.
Gear Up: Get the Right Equipment
Luckily, if you want to start photography there are many affordable options for beginners. One of the benefits of photography is you can start from your own home and at your own pace, which means no stress of having to pay rent or utilities as you grow. With that said, you'll still need some crucial equipment to get started. Here are the basic investments new photographers must make to start a successful photography business.
A camera
While technology is advancing and the camera quality on phones are impressive, you're going to want to invest in a good camera to stand out. A great camera does not have to break the bank, there are many great options for beginner photographers. Usually, camera kits will have everything you need to get you on your feet but as you gain experience you will have to upgrade your equipment.
Lighting accessories
Regardless of if you plan to shoot in a studio or on location, you'll need a few lights, reflectors, and modifiers on hand. For example, wedding and nature photographers need great lighting equipment due to impetuous nature of their subject. Lighting will naturally enhance the quality of your photos and the ambiance of the scene you're shooting. Similar to cameras there's lighting for beginners and for more advanced photographers.
A computer with the right software
Pro photographers lean on software for editing, organizing, and processing images. You're going to want to invest in some editing software like Lightroom and Photoshop. There are plenty of free tools as well that help you edit, organize and simplify your tasks and workflow.
Memory and storage
High-quality photos can take up a ton of hard drive space, so you want to make sure you've got ample storage for the job. Cloud storage and USB flash drives are essential! Similarly, you can use these flash drives to not only store the raw photos you take but also your fully edited photos. A lot of photographers also use custom shaped USB drives to gift their clients their photos from the shoot. This adds a personalized and creative touch to your work that every client will remember.
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Branch Out: Grow Your Portfolio
If you're relatively new to photography, it's important that you get some experience before you launch into business. Not only will this help ensure that you're prepared for what the market has in store, but it will also help you grow your portfolio so you can start a successful photography business. Without a diverse portfolio, potential clients won't be able to visualize their projects in your hands.
Plan and Price: Create Your Packages
What services will you offer and how much will they cost? Before you start booking jobs, you'll need a plan for what kinds of shoots you'll offer and how you'll price them. Market research is an important part of starting up any new business, and this is especially true in the local photography market, which may be quite competitive. Check out the websites, social media profiles, and portfolios of the top local photographers. Browse through as many as you can find to aggregate data on pricing. Use this as a guide to set your own prices, making sure to price competitively while still making a good profit.
Sell Your Vision: Market Your Business
What good is a well-equipped photography business if no one knows about it? It's time to start marketing! Of course, you're going to want to create a website and accounts on all the major social media outlets. Be sure to leverage social media to your advantage by using geotags, hashtags, posts, and stories. Partnering with other businesses for giveaways can help you grow your followers and, in turn, your business. Attend local events and hand out promotional USB business cards so no one forgets your name or logo!
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Hit the Books: Start Learning
If you've played your marketing cards right, you should be getting plenty of booking requests by now. Plan an announcement that you're open for bookings and make sure your website and social media channels have easy-access booking forms so it's quick and easy for potential clients. Lastly, be sure to add post-production time to your calendar to account for selecting, editing, and resizing the final batch of photos.
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