Tips To Start A Photography Business for Beginners

Often, many photographers ask me for tips to start a photography business. I inform them that there is no “one-size-fits-all” for the photo business. Neither are there specific photography niches that are ‘better’ than others.

I always suggest building your photography business around you and your style. That way, you won’t lose your passion or ‘excitement’ element from photography. Sometimes, business can be very dull. To make matter worse, the following always becomes clear too late to too many photographers: Taking pictures because you love doing it, is one thing. Taking pictures because you have bills to pay is ‘something else’ entirely! That lesson, like so many in life, is expensive to learn.

The tips offered will not teach you how to “make $250 - $450 a day” in two or three weeks! And I don’t have any “secrets” to reveal to you – just tips that I’ve learned from and made a few bucks in the process.

Determine your style and build your steps to start a photography business around you. For example, I work a full-time job as a manager. I work, at least, fifty hours a week. I don’t have a great deal of discretionary time. At first, I took on photography jobs that required too much of my time. My time is valuable. Lesson learned – time is valuable and can be consumed by extra tasks. If I had to do it all over again, I would start as a freelance photographer to get a well-rounded experience with various photography niches. Freelancing helps beginning photographers test and find their favorite and most successful photography work.

"Workflow" The Ignored Factor When Most Start A Photography Business

There is a process that includes the steps and process of taking the photos, preparing them for delivery and the subsequent delivery. That process is referred to as “workflow” process – the steps required in post-production and order fulfillment. This step is critical. Failure to clearly understand and factor in the necessary time and tasks of your “workflow” process will doom a photography business for sure. There just won’t be enough time to do what you need to do to be successful and profitable.

I do everything that I can to ‘minimize’ my tasks in the “workflow” process without compromising the quality of my photos and delivery presentation. I build and manage my own photography websites and online photo galleries. Doing so gives me a clear understanding how everything works together. Whenever I can outsource and/or automate the tasks – I do so. Reducing the time of my “workflow” process frees up my time to shoot photography instead of processing the “workflow.” As a result, my profits are larger.

For my style, it is extremely important that the “workflow” process is done efficiently and done with quality. If I cannot find dependable help – I do it myself. I do not compromise on the quality that I offer my customers – that is one of my selling points. I charge more than other photographers for the same products and services. However, my customer service and presentation of the package is consistently first-class. I usually over-deliver more than the customer expects. My customers love such treatment and willing and repeatedly pay my prices.

Make Your Photo Packaging Look As Good As Your Photography When You Start A Photography Business

I never deliver unframed photos – never. I even frame the proofs. When I shoot events I deliver the photos in quality photo albums – usually with two CDs that contain the photos in a slideshow. My customers love it. Lesson learned – any photographer can take great photos and deliver them to a customer. It will be to your profitable advantage to deliver a quality package to your customer – no matter what they paid. This is a tactic that is guaranteed to put you head and shoulders above your competition. Most photographers have undeveloped people skills and don’t realize that it costs them business and money.

Whatever photography product you’re delivering to your customers, get the edge on your competition – treat your customers (all of them) like gold. What I’ve found is that even if they leave you for another photographer, they gladly come back. People like to be treated special and they will gladly pay you for it.

Profitable Photo Products To Start A Photography Business

What follows are products that you can use to start a photography business. Many photographers limit themselves to photographs. Of course, photographs are the most popular use of the images that we produce. But, there are many other uses for the images that we create and there are customers willing to pay us for them. Remember, when you start a photography business it is important to do your research on your customers, where they are and what they buy. Even though you are about to start a photography business, they already have a photographer that takes photos for them.

Prints: Of course, prints are the staple of the photography business. Nowadays, color prints are the most in demand. My experience is that the most profitable photo size is the 8x10 portrait. I sell other sizes. I mostly sell packages. But, I’ve found that my customers order extra prints that are 8x10, mostly. Consequently, I put portrait packages together that offers multiple 8x10 sizes. I often upsell them to 16x20 portraits and up. Often they purchase the larger portraits. If I were to start a photography business today, I would put a lot of attention into having great portrait packages.

Black & White: Color is the most popular but Black & White hasn’t lost it’s popularity. In fact, I find that some audiences are favoring Black & White as well as Sepia. When I produce them, I generally make them 16x20 and up framed. Many new photographers don't produce black & white because, due to inexperience, they think that black & white photography is old-time photography and undesirable when attempting to start a photography business.

Magazine Covers: With the help of a good digital photo editing software program or a good desktop publishing software program you can produce a popular magazine cover with your photos. Some photographers find this to gimmicky for their taste – but there are customers that love this product – especially parents and families.

Inspirational Posters: We see these everywhere, don’t we? If you have that special photo this will make a good product for you. I have produced such products with a couple of my photos. I have some flower shots and ocean shots that constantly received comments from viewers. I enlarged them and put a few inspirational words on them. I’ve sold less than two dozen. But, my contact info is on them and customers have found me from viewing the posters.

Trading Cards: This product is especially popular with children and their sports teams. Many photographers have found that this is an in-demand product and have jumped into the business. But, they don’t ‘deliver’ a good product. Many actually deliver the cards with a rubber band around them. I deliver a perfectly packaged set of cards for the same price and much faster than the photographers that deliver with rubber bands.

Calendars: These are great marketing tools. I use these profitably all the time. I make calendars of customers that have spent significant amount of money with me for the year and give it to them as a gift. They’re happy and my photography work and contact information is on display in a prominent place for a year! Calendars work very well with families with young children.

Photo Books: This has to be one of the best kept secrets for making good money in a small photography business. I first found out about the popularity of photo books when I produced my own photo ebooks. (It’s easy to do with Adobe Acrobat – which comes free with many computers. Also, there are many other ebook publishing software programs.) Ebooks are good, but once I found a company that can produce quality photo ebooks for a price that allows me a good profit – I started using the company.

T-Shirts & Sweatshirts: This is a very obvious product. The challenge is the pricing. Depending on where you’re located, t-shirts might be selling for $3 - $5. It is hard to compete with those prices. Many photography customers feel they can take the photo themselves and have the t-shirt/sweatshirt silk-screened. I’ve found that it’s hard to compete in this product market. But, that’s just my style, it may not be yours.

Puzzles: I was surprised at how popular and profitable photo puzzles are. I underestimated the public’s love and affection for puzzles. I also underestimated how many puzzles that puzzle-lovers buy. Some of them not only buy puzzles of their picture they also will buy other photo puzzles that you have available – especially flowers and landscape photos. Producing photo puzzles will bring you customers and profits when you start a photography business that provides photo products that customers want.

Odds & Ends: There are a number of products that are very popular, very profitable and much underused. Determine your style and adapt products that promote and add quality to your style. Also, remember, when you start a photography business, quality products and services keeps your name and your work in front of the public (re: warm and willing customers able to afford what you are offering).

Products worth taking a good look at when you start a photography business include:

• Key chains – a standard (the oversize keychain charms sell better)
• Playing cards – everyone likes these, but grandparents really like the playing cards with photos of the grandchildren. I’ve found that they will purchase a deck of cards with photos of the individual children and the group shot of the children. Sometimes, they purchase extra decks to give as gifts. Take a good look at this product.

Click Here For The Perfect Photo Business Solution

You want to start a photography business. You want to know, specifically, what to do next. Click here now to get what will make it work for you. Determine your style and take a look at some of the products and see how they add to your success. What I find is best about the use of the listed products is that they do make me money, but they also are great marketing tools. I get a ton of business because people see calendars, puzzles, mugs, posters, ebooks and other products. I’ve found the perfect solution to handle my increase “workflow” tasks. I highly recommend them.

There are solutions and easy-to-follow steps to successfully start a photography business and you're on the website that can assist you to find the resources that will contribute to your success.

Don't Forget About The Valuable Lessons You Will Learn From Freelance Photography

Once again, I will let anyone listening know, that if I were beginning in photography and I wanted to learn as much as I can about the different types of photography and where I fit; and that I can start without a studio, I can operate part-time as my life schedule allows, and that makes me very good money, there is no doubt about it - I would choose Freelance Photography. The rewards are great! And you have a lot of fun with your photography!

Good luck. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please share them with me by using the contact us form.

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