You can make a very good living with a photography business. With the advancement in photo technology, it’s getting easier for a beginning photographer to enter the industry. The skills you will need to be a good photographer can be easily learned. The most important skill you will need is to learn how to be a savvy business person. Many great photographers just don’t understand the business side of things, therefore, their profits aren’t as big as other photographers. You need to learn about the financial, legal, advertising and marketing portion of starting and running your own photography business.
Before you get started, you will need to decide what type of photography you want to do.
The field of photography is vast. There are a wide variety of options available, from part-time freelancing to traveling the world for National Geographic.
As a home-based photographer, you can work on a wide range of subjects including fashion, portraits, marine life, weddings, sports, industrial and others. You can be a freelance photojournalist, a publication photographer, or own your own portrait studio.
Your next step is to determine whether you will specialize in a specific field. If you specialize as a fashion photographer, for example, you need to try to be the best in that field. If you work in several areas, you need to be competent in each area that you work in.
Here are some of the steps that you need to take when starting your own photography business:
First, write a business plan. Your business plan will serve as your roadmap to starting and growing your new business. Writing this plan will help you decide what your goals are and identify the strategies that you will need to reach your goals.
Next, establish your legal business name. Check with your local county clerks office. If your business is going to be a sole proprietorship, you only need to register your business in the county office and file a “doing business as” form for a small fee.
Next, open a business banking account. You will need to bring your DBA form to a bank so that they can open a checking account for your business.
You will then need to buy your photography equipment. The equipment you will need depends on your budget, space availability and kind of shoots that you will be doing. It is always better to start small and add equipment as needed. For your office, you will need a computer, telephone, fax, scanner, office furniture, and other items.
After the above steps have been completed, you need to finalize supply and photo lab arrangements. If you will be in this business for the long term, you need to develop relationships with film, processing and equipment suppliers. Select a very reliable photo lab, if you will not be developing the photos yourself. The photo lab that you decide to use can make or break your business. The quality of the work, ability to meet important deadlines, and the ability to get a complex order correct varies from one photo lab to the next. Ask around and try some out before you pick one that you will use on a regular basis.
Now it’s time to make money! Don’t forget to market yourself on a daily basis. For information on how to successfully make over $100,000 a year with your own photography business, go to: http://www.americanbusinessbuilder.com/photography_business.htm
