How to Start a Photography Business
Whether it has always been your dream, or you are looking for a side hustle or creative outlet, starting a photography business doesn’t have to be complicated. Below I share some steps that will help get your business up and running in no time.
Purchase equipment.
I share my complete gear guide here, but do your research to decide what gear is best for you and what fits in your budget. I also recommend borrowing or renting gear before you buy it so you can try it out and decide what works best for you. Lensrentals is my go to for gear rental.Also, once you decide what you want, check marketplace and secondhand sites for used gear. More often than not you can find something that is in good condition used.
Master your camera
Once you have the gear in hand, now it is time to master it. You need to know how to shoot in manual mode and what camera settings to use. There are a lot of YouTube tutorials that will teach you how to do this, but then go out and practice! Which brings me to my next point.
Build your portfolio
Before you can reasonably charge people for photography sessions, you need to have mastered the skill and have work to show for it. The best way to do this is to shoot for free or nearly free. Ask friends and family, do a model call, take photos of your own kids if you have them etc. You are not only getting in practice running a shoot, but also will have finished images to add to your portfolio.
Make your business legit
Register your business and decide how you want to structure your business for tax purposes. Open business bank accounts and get insurance and contracts in place to protect yourself and your gear.
Market your business
Decide how you are going to market your business. Typically you will use multiple marketing channels. I recommend creating a professional website and Google business listing. A Facebook business profile and Instagram profile are also a good idea. I also recommend having an email marketing strategy and planning a way to grow an email list.
Purchase software and tools
Some software like Lightroom and Photoshop are absolutely essential for your photography business and others will make it run much smoother day in and day out. This includes things like accounting software, customer management software and ways to send contracts and galleries. Here is a full list of the tools I use to run my business.
Just start!
Don’t let the desire to make it perfect or the fear of failure keep you from starting. Everybody starts from somewhere and you can always change and improve things as time goes on.
Invest in a mentor or coach
Having someone to come alongside you and help jumpstart your business will make it successful faster than if you are trying to do everything yourself from scratch. It can be a big investment, but often will have a big return in the form of enabling you to make more in your business faster. You can learn more about the mentorship and coaching I offer here.
Avoid some common mistakes
Photography is an art, but there is also a bit of science to it, and there are some rules that you can follow that help ensure great photos. Additionally, there are common mistakes that you will want to avoid. Read about them here.
Have fun!
I may be biased, but I think being a photographer is the best job ever! Nothing compares to getting to document families’ joyous occasions and cherished memories. Have fun going out in nature, finding beautiful places (check out my location scouting guide for help with this) and meeting beautiful people to document their memories.
Ready to invest in a mentor or coach to help jumpstart your business?
