Professional photography is an excellent career choice for anyone who wants to get paid for their creative talent. It is a field where age and educational qualifications are not as important as a good eye, product quality and self-discipline. However, photography is a competitive industry, so be prepared to start taking small steps as you perfect your art and build your own portfolio. The advice in this article can help you embark on this career.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Focus on Photography
Step 1. Develop your photography skills
There is no "right way" to become a good photographer. Some take courses or graduate from universities and academies of fine arts, specializing in photography; others believe that the university career is a waste of time to pursue this career. Maybe you will find it easier to learn this profession by studying books and experimenting on your own, or you can decide to gain experience alongside other professionals.
Step 2. Get the right equipment
The type of equipment you will need depends on the type of photography you are going to do, but chances are you will need one or two cameras and a variety of lenses to use depending on the situation. You will also need quality software to edit the photos.
You may need additional lighting equipment or to set up a home studio. Again, it depends on your photographic specialization
Step 3. Buy equipment without breaking the bank
It is important to have quality equipment to take good photographs, but it is not worth investing all your savings in brand new and latest generation equipment unless you have actually embarked on your career first. You can buy used devices in good condition, take advantage of discounts on buying older models than newer ones, rent equipment, or even borrow equipment until you are sure your business has taken off.
When purchasing equipment, check to see if it is tax relief material
Step 4. Get to know the camera
Before you get paid for the photos you are going to take, you should know all the settings, error messages and quirks of your camera. Also, you should be able to change the lens with your eyes closed. If you improperly tinker with your equipment, you will look unprofessional and risk compromising the quality of the final product.
- Read the camera manual from start to finish. It will give you a wealth of information about the features and functions of the appliance. Generic photography texts cannot provide you with these details.
- To become a true expert, practice a lot at home. Try the play of light and shadow, the different camera settings and learn all the advantages and disadvantages of taking pictures with your equipment.
Step 5. Do some research on the technical characteristics of cameras and seek advice on photography
Check out books, magazines and online articles for the latest information on camera settings, tips and tricks. This information will help you find new solutions regarding camera and lens use, so you can take great photos.
Make sure you know how to use the other devices that come with the camera, such as the remote flash or different lenses. Mastering these tools will allow you to greatly enhance your photos
Step 6. Learn to use editing software
Photos may also need some minor tweaks. By using a good quality editing program you will be able to transform your photos from "beautiful" to "wonderful". However, be wary of more exorbitant special effects. Clients may not like overly contrived or retouched photographs.
Step 7. Create a complete portfolio
To secure photo shoots with people who are not close relatives or friends, you will need to create a portfolio to display. Use photographs taken from various services and portraying different subjects if you want to highlight the versatility of your talent. Make your portfolio contain more than 5-10 photos. People will want to see your best works.
If you need to enrich your portfolio with posed photos, hire novice models for free at the nearest agencies in exchange for free prints
Step 8. Find your niche
Try your hand at various areas of photography before choosing one. For example, you can focus on portraits, weddings, sports or landscapes. Find your area of expertise and use it to your advantage when working as a photographer.
Step 9. Give customers what they want
Maybe you like to get creative while your customers are more interested in looking good. Remember that you need to make money, especially in the beginning. The best way is to be able to sell printed photos to customers (or digital images). They are more likely to buy them if they like what they see!
Part 2 of 3: Creating your Business
Step 1. Internship with a professional photographer
If you are an amateur photographer or just starting out, you might want to work as an apprentice with a professional to get an idea of how such a business should be run. You will likely disagree with the way your mentor conducts their business, but this experience will give you a clearer overview of the work as a photographer.
Step 2. Develop your communication skills
The success of a good photographer lies in working with people. Therefore, you should hone your ability to discuss what they think and expect from a photo shoot with others, calm down angry or disappointed people, and build customer loyalty.
Step 3. Set your goals
Set several long-term goals as well as others to realize immediately, so that you gradually get closer to the first ones. Short-term goals should be measurable in terms of time, so they should be placed in a time frame with a deadline. For example, consider finding five new customers in the next three months. By doing this, you will be able to reach the biggest goal: to have a regular clientele within a year.
Make sure you write down all of your goals. Research shows that you are more likely to achieve goals that you have noted
Step 4. Create a work schedule
It will largely depend on the needs of the clientele, so you will need to be organized and prepared. When setting a schedule, consider how long the photo shoot will take and how long it will take you to edit the photos before delivering the product to the customer. Realize that some types of shots require particular times and days; for example, you are likely to work a lot on weekends and evenings if you specialize in wedding photography.
Remember that a service includes all the expected times for travel, shots, changes, interviews with customers, etc. Therefore, you will need more time for a "one hour service"
Step 5. Promote your business
Create a website, print business cards, build business relationships, and talk about your business with everyone you meet. If you are active on social networks, you can also make a name for yourself. Instagram is a great way to post images that a lot of people can access.
Create a watermark (logo) to protect your photos so they can be posted online. Allow your customers to share your signed shots on their open profiles on social networks, advertising you. Make sure you look after search engine optimization (SEO), so that your business appears higher in the search results
Step 6. Accept new job opportunities
If you have an opportunity that is slightly different from your sector, do not refuse to take it categorically just because it does not correspond to your ideal job parameters; you may find that you like something you thought was outside your comfort zone. However, you don't have to feel compelled to accept something just because it represents a professional opportunity.
Step 7. Prepare to build relationships with anyone
You should take every opportunity to extend your network of acquaintances. If, for example, you are specializing in wedding photos, make contact with anyone who represents an opportunity in this sector. Talk and leave your business card to wedding planners, pastry chefs, restaurateurs and other photographers (disagreements may arise and look for a replacement), wedding dress atelier employees, and so on.
- Be ready to build professional relationships on any occasion. For example, if you are doing a photo shoot for a wedding, take some pictures of the courses and give them to the restaurateurs. They could use them to advertise and mark you as the professional who took them.
- Catch the bus, line up at the shops, or share a table at the bar - these are all great opportunities to promote your business.
Step 8. Ask clients to recommend you to others and try to propose new jobs
If someone is happy with the photos you took, ask them to recommend you to friends. Also, try to expand your business: if you've taken pictures of a 6-month-old baby, contact the parents sometime later and ask if they would like to make an appointment for another photo shoot when the child turns one. Your business can gradually grow thanks to word of mouth.
Part 3 of 3: Running Your Business
Step 1. In the beginning, keep your previous job
You probably won't be able to become a professional photographer in a few weeks. It will take you some time to develop and stabilize your business, before you start making enough money to support yourself. Therefore, it is best to keep another source of income until you establish yourself as a professional.
This aspect may complicate your life for some time, but you will find that much of the photography profession takes place in the hours when you are not working. For example, many families schedule photo shoots on weekends when their children are out of school
Step 2. Edit the documentation
Before you start working as a professional photographer, you will need to set up your own business. Research the requirements and documents needed to start your own business.
- Talk to an experienced small business attorney to find out everything you need to do. For example, if you're just planning to be a photographer, take out an insurance policy that covers various aspects of your business, including your equipment and employees.
- You should be meticulous about accounting. Keep contracts, receipts, customer emails and invoices. Organize everything according to your needs (by month, customer name or location) and consider keeping both electronic and paper copies of your most important documents.
Step 3. Manage your money
Open a new bank account, create a ledger and manage your balance sheet. Each week you should update the ledger with all entries and exits that occurred in the past seven days.
- Before you quit your job to pursue a career as a professional photographer, make sure you have enough savings to support yourself for at least a year. That way, if your business fails, you will have enough money to survive until you find another job.
- Make sure you keep bills for all expenses related to your business. The accountant can use them to calculate tax deductions.
- Remember that (depending on how your business is defined in legal terms) your income will be subject to self-employment taxes. Consider setting aside money to pay taxes for the year following each photo shoot.
Step 4. Draw up a contract
Before accepting a photo shoot, be sure to draw up a contract that must be signed by the parties involved; inside enter the economic aspects and legal responsibilities. For example, make it clear if you take responsibility in case the photos are accidentally and irretrievably deleted, or if after signing the contract it will no longer be your problem.
Have a lawyer draw up the contract if you want to be on the safe side. If you join an association of photographers, you will have the opportunity to take advantage of the contract made available to the members
Step 5. Set your rates
To quantify the price of the final product, consider the time required for each service, the cost of the equipment, prints and CDs you will use, as well as your experience. Avoid rates that are too high or too low for photo shoots. Too high a price will keep most customers away, while an excessively low price will make you look like a desperate or untalented photographer.
Try to find out the rates applied by other photographers in your city. So, decide yours by comparing your skills with those of others
Advice
- The secret to becoming a successful photographer and not losing the passion for your art is always working on personal projects. Find the time to photograph the one you love in order to cultivate your passion and try various digital photography techniques; at the same time, your safety as a professional will also benefit. This applies to all hobbies that become a job.
- Invest in good image editing software. While most of the "editing" phase you would have to do manually on the camera before shooting, it is very useful to have the ability to retouch and enhance your photos.
- Remember that if you get paid to take pictures of other people, they will expect you to follow their wishes and not your artistic tastes. As the saying goes, "the customer is always right".
- Don't be afraid to use your camera in your free time. It is important to take pictures every day, but you will not be able to do so if you are very busy and have a rather bulky car.
- Always start a new business by taking small steps and don't expect it to grow quickly.
