Things to look for while starting a photography business are:
- Skills
- Opportunities
- Costs
- Marketing
- Industry tips
- Earnings
For several amateur photographers, running a professional photography business would be a dream come true. But now it can be a reality. The photography industry provides several opportunities for the keen amateurs who want to earn something from it. If you are planning to become a professional photographer, this is what you must know to achieve success.
Photography is most often a business for one-man-bands. There are many kinds of photography, but wedding photography is the most high-profile money-maker now, as summer is the wedding season. However, keep in mind that the job of snapping a marriage takes considerable expertise.
Generally, wedding photography is recognised by most of the photographers as it is a highly skilled job, not only in terms of taking pictures but handling all kinds of people at a time. And wedding photography tends to be seasonal also. May to September is regarded as the busiest time- accounting for 80% to 90% of the work with the rest of the year is very quiet.
Many wedding photographers must supplement their main income with extra work like passport pictures and portrait photography, mainly during those winter days. There are also some who diversify into some other lines, like industrial, commercial and PR work. They combine whatever is available in order to earn a living throughout the year:
What are the skills required for photography?
Ideal, you must have already handled photography with success, like a relative’s small wedding. And you must have that flair to do wonderful photography if you want to pursue it on a constant basis. There are other characteristics that are important for this work. You must like people and enjoy trying to achieve the best out of them. At a wedding, you must also look like a guest, or else you won’t get any respect. The trick to taking photographs with children is to consider them as adults. And having something that breaks the ice is also helpful.
Photography training and courses
Industry bodies like the BBIP run respected training courses for the budding photographers, run by experienced experts. Also, you can access training from special photography consultants, who offer a wide range of short courses for both portrait and wedding photography. A quick Google search will help you find a list of training courses near you.
Attracting customers for your photography business
A simple, risk-free way to break into the profession is to approach an established photographer and ask for a part-time role or training. Several successful wedding photographers appoint part-timers on a semi-regular basis to help them during busy days. Typically, this takes three to four hours, starting at the bride’s home and finishing at the wedding reception. If you are a willing and enthusiastic amateur with your own tools and a portfolio of photographs, you have a good chance of being working as a part-timer. You must make an interesting display of photos of what you want to sell. After all, a prospective employer can only judge you based on photos that you have taken before- which is why it is important.
Photography is a business that you can run from your home too- but you need to set aside some area for administration and storage equipment. If you want to be a wedding photographer, you will require a relaxed and informal area where for example, you can discuss with couples about their wedding plans.