Nowadays you will find advanced cameras on every smartphone, which is why everyone wants to become a photographer suddenly out of nowhere. But being a professional photographer takes more than just capturing good photos and owning a high-resolution camera, doesn’t it?
No matter how good you are at taking selfies, you can’t launch a photography business unless you have unique photography, creativity, and editing skills. If you are someone passionate about taking photos and love to add creativity to them, then monetizing your photography skills might be just what you need.
Fortunately, the photography industry has low startup costs and attractive earning potential. So, whether you are looking to launch a photography business as a side hustle or a full-time career, our step-by-step guide will help you learn how to start a photography business with no experience.
How to Start a Photography Business With No Experience
Launching a photography business is an ideal choice for individuals with photography skills. Here’s how to open the doors to your new photography business in 10 steps.
1. Write a Photography Business Plan
Prior to the business launch, it is important to draft a comprehensive plan of how you will manage customer appointments, what services you will provide, and who will look after the invoicing and payment process.
At this stage, you should identify your targeted audience which will further help you set the price of your photography services. You can spend some time researching online about your local competitors’ offerings and current trends in the photography industry.
However, If you find it challenging to create a business plan for the first time, you can seek advice from experienced photographers or industry experts. A solid business plan is essential, as it serves as a roadmap to guide you toward a successful photography business.
2. Choose a Business Name
While every business needs a name, your photography business is no exception. So, it’s important to choose a unique yet easy-to-recall name. Of course, you can take some time off to think and come up with a catchy name that resonates with your photography services.
The business name is the first thing your prospective clients will notice and using it, they may try to find your business location. Therefore, finalize a name that not only reflects your specialty but also leaves a lasting impression on your clients.
While naming your business, you also need to make sure it is available. For that, you must check your state’s business registry to confirm that no one else has the same business name.
3. Register Your Business
After you have finalized your business name, the next thing you need to do is register your business. Therefore, decide whether you will launch your business as a sole proprietor or Limited Liability Company (LLC). Finalizing any one of these legal structures is an unavoidable step in order to get your photography business registered.
Most photographers prefer the LLC business structure because of advantages like liability protection and tax flexibility, while others choose a sole proprietorship because they find it easier to establish a business.
Similarly, you need to choose either an LLC or a sole proprietorship to register your new business. In case you don’t know which one is best for your business, have a word with a business attorney before you make any decision.
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4. Obtain a Business Permit, License & Insurance
Now once you are done registering your business, you must apply for the necessary license and permits. Your business might exist because it is registered, but you can’t operate it legally unless you have obtained the necessary permits.
Getting a business license not only allows you to carry out photography services legally but also helps you gain the trust of your clients, leading to improved business credibility.
To secure your business license, you need to get in touch with state licensing authorities and submit the required documents. Besides licenses & permits, you must purchase business insurance to protect your assets and ensure your business is covered against potential liabilities.
There are many types of insurance coverage to consider, but general liability insurance is the most sought after by photographers.
5. Secure Startup Funds
Every startup comes with financial challenges, especially if funding isn’t secured early. To cover initial expenses for a few months until you start earning profits, securing startup capital is important.
Since photography businesses come with higher equipment costs, the risk of stalling operations always looms if you fail to raise funds.
Below are some tools and equipment that contribute to your photography startup costs. Some of these items you may already own, which can help reduce your overall startup expenses.
- Camera- up to $2,000
- Camera lens – $1,000
- Tripod: $100
- Office laptop: $2,000
- External drives: $100
- Memory cards: $50
- Business website: Approx. $100
- Backdrops & Lighting: $500
- Software for editing: $25
- Software for invoicing: $10
6. Build Your Photography Portfolio
Now you would be ready to use your photography equipment, but first need to secure your new project by representing your work portfolio. As a photography business owner, you need to show your portfolio illustrating your expertise to your prospective clients.
Therefore, start preparing a portfolio by collecting your unique photos, videos, reels, or anything that could bring new profitable jobs.
As a photographer, you can show your creative photos or project work in an album. Elaborate on what are your strengths and how well you capture photos in a dynamic environment. Remember you can lure in clients when you have prepared a solid portfolio. This is because people trust your services by reviewing your previous work.
7. Obtain Essential Photography Gear
Once you are ready to visit a new destination for photography, make sure you are equipped with all the necessary gear. You need to carry a separate camera bag, laptop, or tripod and be ready to shoot a perfect shot in low-lighting areas.
If you are new to this industry, we recommend getting a mirrorless camera for capturing picturesque landscapes, and stunning views of mountains or beaches.
In case the mirrorless camera is expensive for you in the starting phase, you can rent it from somewhere. Besides the camera, do not forget to carry other essential gear such as an external drive or memory cards. Also, make sure you have photography essentials like a hat, shoes, and clothes ready before you depart for shooting.
8. Invest in Invoicing Software for Photography
As your photography business grows, you are likely to acquire multiple projects and numerous queries from clients, meaning you would have no time to perform administrative tasks. Therefore, it is better to hand over your invoicing and accounting duties to reliable software right from the start.
Consider sophisticated invoicing software like Moon Invoice to automate invoice & receipt generation. You can make professional invoices using a photography invoice template without manual calculation and encourage clients to pay promptly.
Getting invoicing software means you can have peace of mind about delivering accurate invoices all the time. Moreover, you can cut off your extra workload to manage business finances. Keep your important documents, invoices, or tax data saved in the cloud platform and access business reports on the fly.
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9. Establish a Pricing Plan
Earlier, you must have identified who are your competitors, but now you need to dig deeper by reviewing their pricing plans. So, know which types of photography are currently high in demand along with their rates.
Likewise, you can set up competitive pricing for your service in such a way that you can attract maximum clients. While you prepare a pricing strategy, make sure to add a profit margin regardless of which type of photography services you provide.
For example, if you offer wedding photography services, you can charge approx. $1,000 – $2,000. Similarly, prices may get hiked if you roll out event photography or wildlife photography services where you need serious effort to capture candid moments or unique photos.
In short, you need to analyze competitors’ rates and explore market conditions to price your photography service correctly.
10. Market Your Photography Business
Once you have everything in place, it’s time to market your photography business to reach the targeted audience. Either you can go with offline marketing or online marketing. In offline marketing, you can post ads on newspaper cutouts or distribute pamphlets within your service area.
You can also promote your photography services through word-of-mouth marketing, which comes at no cost but requires delivering exceptional service.
However, if you opt for online marketing, you need to find a web development company or marketing agency. Meet developers to help your photography business get an online presence with a unique website.
Once a website is live, collaborate with marketers to help your website get ranked in Google Search, allowing you to reach a wider audience.
What are the Benefits of Launching a Photography Business?
Starting a photography business could bring some attractive benefits, including money-making opportunities.
Let’s check them out one by one.
1. Low Startup Cost
Unlike many businesses, the photography business doesn’t need hefty money to get off the ground. You can buy necessary equipment in a budget-friendly way, deliver excellent service, and start earning profits as soon as you acquire jobs.
2. Flexibility
Photographers running their own businesses get an unmatched flexibility to schedule a client’s appointment or embark on a remote location for their next assignment. Since you are a boss, you don’t need to report anyone and can handle customer queries over phone calls.
3. Business Scalability
The photography industry brings in lucrative opportunities for photographers. Plus, the increasing social media trends have led to a surge in demand for new photographers. Therefore, there is not only scope for a learning curve but also great chances of steady business growth.
4. Diverse Income
Photography business owners can take advantage of diverse income streams by expanding services. If you have started your business with travel photography, then slowly you can include more services like event photography, or food photography to earn more money through diverse income.
Types of Photography Businesses
Below are common photography business types that you can include in your services. Whatever service you choose, make sure it aligns with your specialty.
1. Wedding photography
Wedding photography is mainly about recording lovely moments of a couple’s once-in-a-lifetime event. From taking vows to the couple’s dance, it’s the photographers’ responsibility to make sure they capture photos of joy, laughter, and emotions in a dynamic environment.
2. Fashion photography
It involves taking photos of clothing, jewelry, and models for advertising or marketing purposes. You need to collaborate with fashion designers or hairstylists to capture stunning images in a studio setting. While doing fashion photography, you should aim to capture photos that tell a visual story on their own.
3. Wildlife photography
Wildlife photography isn’t so easy, but if you are passionate about capturing animals and their habitats in your camera, you must deal with patience. Wildlife photographers require patience amid unpredictable environments to capture small yet beautiful images of animals or birds. The wildlife images are mostly used to raise awareness about environmental protection.
4. Event photography
Event photography involves capturing moments from private office parties or corporate functions, usually organized to celebrate a company’s achievements or anniversaries. You need to capture key moments under varying lighting conditions, both posed and candid, to truly reflect the essence of the event
5. Travel photography
Travel photography involves capturing the beautiful and scenic views of famous destinations. Basically, as a travel photographer, you should tell stories through stunning images captured under your lens. It is all about capturing moments while you are exploring city areas or traveling around hilly regions.
6. Food photography
Photographers looking to specialize in food photography need more than just a keen eye. You must showcase each food item in an appealing way, ensuring your images convey how truly appetizing the dishes are. You need to work closely with chefs to capture mouth-watering photos that draw food lovers.
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Conclusion
Photography is one such business that requires less paperwork in comparison to other businesses. With the increasing number of online users, the photography market is estimated to reach $161.8 billion by 2030, helping photographers to run a lucrative business.
Here, we understand how you can get off to a great start using 13 steps and what are the benefits of the photography business. As we inch closer to the conclusion, our key takeaway is that automation tools and software are transforming the photography business.
Be it a mirrorless camera or invoicing software, some tools are must-haves if you want to stay on top of your business. Having said that, we recommend you try Moon Invoice for 7 days completely free and check out how it has been a go-to software for photographers like you.