How To Start A Photography Business

it’s a very exciting moment when you decide to turn your passion for photography into a business.  there is nothing better than loving what you do every single day, and getting paid for it.  and while the idea of starting a photography business is really exciting, it can also be a little overwhelming.  when i first went into business, i had a to-do list as long as my arm.  there are so many things to think about and set up before you accept your first client and start getting paid.  if you are wondering how to start a photography business, here are a few things that you should start doing and thinking about.

How To Start A Photography Business

How To Start A Photography Business | bethadilly photography

Visit Your Local SBA

this is your starting point!  the very first thing i did when i decided to go into business was contacted my local small business association.  and it was a very helpful experience.  during my first meeting with my small business association representative, they helped me review my business plan and to understand what taxes my business would be responsible for on a city, state, and federal level.  my small business association also explained what rules and restrictions i needed to be aware of in order to operate my business within my town.  every city and every business is different, so make sure you know what your business will be responsible for within your town.

Get a Photography Contract

before you even think about taking photographs of others, get a photography contract.  even when you are portfolio building for free, you need to have a signed contract.  think of your business as a baby.  you need to protect it.  and you need to protect yourself.  i recommend hiring a lawyer to create a photography contract for you.

Design Your Business Card

the days of business cards is not gone!  make sure you get yourself a business card with your website, social media links, email address and/or telephone number printed on them.  when you start portfolio building and taking on paid clients, it is really helpful to send a few business cards along with their final images so they can hand them out to their friends and family who may be looking for a photographer.  word of mouth, especially in the beginning, is a great tool for growing your photography business.

Start Portfolio Building

this is where it gets fun!  ask friends and family if they will allow you to photograph them.  in the beginning, it is common to either do this for free or for a discounted rate so that you can develop a portfolio and get images up on your website.  portfolio building also is helpful as you can practice interacting with clients.  it is essential that every person that you photograph, whether you are accepting payment or not, sign your contract so that can get signed permission to use their images on your website.  every single person i have ever photographed has signed my contract, even friends and family.  don’t forget to have them tell their family and friends about you, and give them some extra business cards!

need some tips on how to pose your photography clients, i’ve got you covered!

Start a Website

once you have images to share, the next step is starting a photography website.  there are so many website hosts to choose from and i personally recommend wordpress.  again, remember that you will need written permission from every person whose images you want to share on your website, so get those contracts signed!  because clients are looking to the web to hire photographers, you will want to make sure any and every question a client may have is answered on your website including: where your business is located, what you pricing is, what your photography style looks like, and how to contact you.  even better, create a “frequently asked questions” page to answer an additional questions you think they may have.  the more helpful your website is, the less time you will spend answering emails with questions in them.  plus, if a potential client can’t find the answer they need, they will most likely leave your website rather than contact you.

Start a Facebook Page

let’s be real.  everyone and their dog is on facebook these days.  love it or hate it, everyone is on it.  having a facebook page for your photography business will not only give you a place to share your images, but it will also give clients yet another place to discover you.  facebook is also a great place for your client’s friends to notice your work, as you share their images on your page.  and when potential clients see how awesome their friends look in their photographs, they will want to get their photographs taken too!

there is quite a list of things to cross off when you decide to start a photography business, but if you keep these tips in mind as you are wondering how to start a photography business, you will be off to a good start!

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