How to start up your own photography business?

[kayafree93]

I need to know what are the first few things that you need to Know, Do, and Have to start the steps to setting up your own photography business. Like I already have a camera (Nikon D3200) and am majoring in photography in college. But id like to know other things so I can already start building up my work and my client list. Like what editing software is best, what equipment ill need as a advanced starter, how much people usual charge when they start out, and just any tips from other photographers that started down the path I'm on. I also plan on putting up a facebook page for my photography.

[Gareth]

You get a license and then you get people to work for you.

[joedlh]

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you're asking what post-processing software to use, or what gear you need, you are nowhere near the point where you could successfully launch a photography business.

There's only one word that you need to know if your goal is to attract clients: PORTFOLIO. Do you have one? Does it have images that cause people to be awed into silence when they see them? Does it have the kinds of images that your clients will want to buy? If all you have are pictures of street signs, nobody is going to hire you to take portraits. You've got a lot of work ahead of you before you could consider making it a business.

[Matt]

Really, you have a camera and you are majoring in photography.

Can you take a photo that people want to buy? Do you know how to reach those people? Do you know how to price your services?

You need to take classes in business, since you want to open a small business. Then you will research what it costs to do business in your area, figure out what the competition is like, learn how to market, and try to open your own shop. Or you can put up flyers and charge $20 an hour.

Either way.

[andy w]

If you have to ask these most basic of questions then you are at least 5-6 years away from being able to start and run a proper business.

The basic things are knowing everything you can about photography and running a small business.

There is no such thing as an "advanced starter".

[Steve P]

Here are some links that will point you in the right direction, or at least allow you to get your head around what a "photography business" truly entails. The sad truth is that the great majority of new photography businesses fail, ....quickly and miserably. Simply enjoying taking photos, and even if you are very good at it, in no way means you are prepared to run a SUCCESSFUL business. Anyone can START at least a semblance of a business, but making a PROFIT consistently, staying in business, and staying out of legal trouble are very, very different things.

Calling yourself some kind of "photography business" on Facebook is as far from what a REAL business is as a kid selling lemonade on the sidewalk is from a restauranteur.

Please give serious study and thought to the following links. You would do yourself a huge favor by purchasing and studying the books listed before making the mistakes that thousands of other newcomers to the business world make.

It is always a good idea to get in contact with a local chapter of SCORE, which is a resource partner of the US Small Business Administration that offers free counseling and resources to people interested in starting or growing a small business. A good way to get the information and advice you need about such things as a business license, tax liability, accounting, business structure, insurance needs, etc.
http://www.score.org/


On MARKETING, which is a major aspect of a successful business:
http://www.cjlewis.com/starting-a-photog...sines.html

Here is the very first book you should invest in. Yes, it is an INVESTMENT. Far better to spend $30 now to avoid huge mistakes that could cost you your livelihood and / or possibly land you in a lawsuit:
http://www.amazon.com/VisionMongers-Maki...ionmongers

Many people don't even realize what their cost of doing business actually is. This will help you to see where your money is going and why you cannot simply pick a number out of the air to charge clients:

https://nppa.org/calculator

Here are various items that can be of use, most importantly the section where you can obtain CONTRACTS and RELEASES:
http://www.behindtheshutter.com/btsstore/

On a more indepth level of legal and specific aspects of a photography business:
http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Surv...169&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1435454...PDKIKX0DER

http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Track-Photogr...882&sr=1-1

Good luck.... you ARE going to need it.

steve

[Johnny Martyr]

1--Photography and business are two separate subjects and because you are asking this question here I can see that you are not an expert or knowledgeable of either and so therefore without a *finished* proper photographic education or, for that matter, a business education.

2--The Nikon D3200 is a very cheap consumer grade camera that is not up to the rigors of heavy daily use that a professional photographer requires. Furthermore a professional photographer owns at the very very bare bones minimum TWO camera bodies and a host of lenses. What happens if you're on a shoot and the camera gets stolen or damaged?

3--I majored in film in college and I did a lot of freelance work throughout college. It's certainly possible to do a limited amount of work while still in school but you will inevitably come up against challenges that you just are not prepared to deal with due to lack of training and experience. What I did was work with a local photography company and I learned much of the basics from my employer.

4--I strongly encourage you not to look at just learning photography and practicing it as "building up your work". At the stage you're at, you should be shooting purely out of personal desire and interest. If you are shooting to build a portfolio, you are not doing this out of passion and will therefore certainly fail as a professional. Why? Because professional photography can be extremely expensive and unprofitable for years and years. So if you're not doing it out of passion, not only are you going to do a poor job but you're not going to make it through those unprofitable years.

5--And a "client list"? Try just shooting your friends' weddings or senior portraits for free for several years and then see if anyone wants to start paying you. Clients will come by word of mouth once you start producing quality results and quality experiences with people.

6--If you don't currently know what editing software is best (for you, no one editing software or anything photographic; camera, lens etc, is the "best" for every photog and every job), you are so incredibly far away from starting a photography business where you can edit photos to a very high quality and quickly, that I don't even know where to start addressing your question. You are very ambitious and that's a good thing but your ambitions exceed your current education and experience. Build the education and experience then start thinking about what you can do with your skills and talent. Right now, you're putting the proverbial cart before the horse.

I hope these words are useful and don't come off as mockery. It's easy when you're young or new to anything to confuse the two. Please keep up the hard work but take this time to learn to shoot and hone your photography. Once people in such large numbers are approaching you about shooting for them and it becomes overwhelming, it will be time to take business classes or shadow with a professional. The rest will fall into place after that. Things like how much to charge should be no where near your radar right now.

Best of luck!

[Gabriel]

It is good that you are passionate about photography, but the first thing you need is a day job to fund your photography. It is a huge time and monetary investment, and that money has to come from somewhere.

As you develop in your photography, you will soon learn that a photography degree is not needed at all in order to be a good photographer, or run a good photography business. My friend and I are both amateur photographers, but my major in college is Accounting and hers is Computer Science, because we know a fine art degree like photography is not a good return on investment.

That being said, I encourage you to seek non credit college courses and workshops feared for beginners. They will help you discover yourself and develop you much more than a photography degree or anyone on Yahoo Answers.

Good luck to you.