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
.jpg "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!
are you on my exclusive email list? be sure to join so you can be the first to know about my latest photography tips + tutorials. plus, it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
Letters To My Little One | 38 Weeks In My Belly
.jpg "Letters To My Little One | 38 Weeks In My Belly")
thursday, april 7, 2016
dear peanut,
instead of counting weeks, we are now counting days until we get to finally meet you. and i can’t help but count the hours, at times. even though we got to see you twice this week on the ultrasound screen, it’s just not enough anymore. we can’t wait to see you every single day. to hold you. to kiss your sweet face. to cuddle together as a family of three. to take you on coffee dates. to dress you in sweet outfits. to see your first smiles and watch you try new things. we are just too ready and it’s hard to remain patient.
you have everyone’s heart melting when you show up on the sonogram screen. on monday, you were blinking your eyes and opening your little mouth. and today i think we caught you in the middle of a nap, because your sweet little arm was across your face and you were hiding from the camera. but we still captured a sweet photo of your sweet toes and it caused mommy to squeal in delight. i just can’t wait to kiss those little piggy toes.
your daddy and i still think you are going to be a fast little one because you are constantly moving around. not only can we feel you, but we can see you now! your little head makes us laugh as you roll across my belly…it looks like a baseball under my skin as you squirm from left to right. and we can feel your hands, as if you are reaching out to touch our palms. you and daddy have the sweetest connection already. from the moment he places his hand on my belly, you go absolutely crazy! there is something about daddy that you just adore…but mommy has the same feeling about him so i know how you feel.
when it is time to eat and you are hungry, you kick! and you kick hard. i can barely get out of bed in the morning before you start kicking for breakfast. it makes us laugh and daddy thinks you are just like me…when we want food, we want it now! and because it was easter, you were treated to a little bit of chocolate too. i didn’t want you to miss out on the holiday, my little easter bunny, so we enjoyed some sweet treats.
the final days before you arrive are planned to the hour. we have haircuts for everyone planned, even the puppies. a spa day for mommy. and one more date night for two. we are just enjoying the final days together before our best adventure starts. your new life is going to be more than you ever hoped for and we always want you to know that you are our everything. we will do anything for you. we will protect you, guide you, listen to you, and love you every single day. we can’t wait to be a family of three. and until then, we will keep hugging my belly and dreaming of you.
see you soon, little chick!
mommy
to read more of my mama bee adventures with #babyadilly, check out the posts below!
whether you love Facebook or not, it is one of the most popular social media outlets for potential clients to find your photography business so creating and maintaining a successful photography Facebook page is extremely important. using Facebook to promote your business is a great way to not only connect with your existing clients, but more importantly to connect with their friends who have the potential of hiring you. with so many businesses on Facebook, it is important that your photography Facebook page stands out among the rest. keep these 8 things in mind when creating and running your page to ensure your page is successful.
are you trying to boost your following on instagram? check out my 8 tips to grow your instagram following.
8 Smart Things To Do On Your Photography Facebook Page
.jpg "8 Smart Things To Do On Your Photography Facebook Page | bethadilly photography")
1. Respond to Comments
if someone writes a post to your photography Facebook page or comments on a post that you have shared, be sure to respond to them. not only is it the polite thing to do, but it shows them that you are active on your page and will encourage them to keep commenting and being active on your posts. responding to comments shows that there is someone behind the computer and makes you and your business more audience friendly. if responding to comments is something that you cannot do all the time, be sure to “like” their comment at the very least to show that you are acknowledging their words and appreciate them. if someone is taking the time to comment on your page, be sure to take the time to show your appreciation.
.png "8 Smart Things To Do On Your Photography Facebook Page | bethadilly photography")
2. Have Your Logo As Your Profile Picture
want to know why everyone knows that the red bullseye means Target or the yellow M means McDonalds. it’s visual branding! make your logo your photography Facebook page’s profile picture because, with everything you post, your logo will be visible in a newsfeed. this is how you will build brand recognition so that soon, everyone will associate your logo with your business immediately. this is also a great way of streamlining your photography Facebook page to match your website, which is very professional.
3. Use Your Cover Photo To Advertise
the first and biggest thing that consumers see when they click onto your photography Facebook page is your cover photo. use your cover photo to immediately tell your audience what your page is about and what your photography style is. for example, i am a lifestyle photographer who focuses on capturing true and organic emotion. because i want my audience to immediately know what i am all about, i chose a photo that best reflects my photography style and a slogan that encourages my potential client to take action.
4. Have A Call To Action Button
the goal of our photography Facebook page is to get clients to book us for a session. so we need to make it easy for them! place a call to action button on your page so that clients can easily get ahold of you to schedule a session. on my page, i choose to use a “book now” button that is located on my cover photo so that clients can quickly take action as soon as they realize they want to move forward with hiring me. if you don’t make it easy for clients to contact you, they are more likely to leave your page than search for a contact button.
.png "8 Smart Things To Do On Your Photography Facebook Page | bethadilly photography")
5. Actively Post On Your Page
post often on your photography Facebook page so that consumers know that your business is active and accepting clients. the best way to do this is by posting images of your clients on your page so that you are not only sharing images with your clients, but you are showing off your photography style with your audience. while you want to make sure you are posting often, don’t post too much to where you are clogging someone’s Facebook feed. find a happy balance so that you are active, but you aren’t being too intrusive. the last thing you want to do is post too much so that your audience either unfollows you or hides you from their newsfeed. i find that posting once or twice a day is a good rule of thumb.
.png "8 Smart Things To Do On Your Photography Facebook Page | bethadilly photography")
6. Ask Your Fans Questions
asking your fans questions is a great way to get your audience involved with your photography Facebook page. every once in awhile, get your audience involved with your posts and give them the opportunity to engage with you. this really helps people feel involved with your page and everyone loves to give their advice. not only are you promoting activity on your page, but you are promoting your business because when people comment on your post, it adds your post to their newsfeed and shares your page with their friends. for example, in the post above i asked my fans to guess whether we were having a boy or girl! not only is it a great way to get people involved on my page, but it gives them a personal peek at my life when i am not photographing. getting people to comment on your posts also makes Facebook consider your post an “engaging post” which is great!
.png "8 Smart Things To Do On Your Photography Facebook Page | bethadilly photography")
7. Get Personal From Time to Time
even though the main goal of your photography Facebook page is to promote your business and share your photography, getting personal with your fans from time to time is always a great idea. when you get personal with your fans, you are showing them a little glimpse of who that person behind the camera really is. you are showing them that while you are passionate about photography, you are also a person just like everyone else. one way to do this is by sharing behind the scenes glimpses with your audience whether you are editing photos, packing up your gear for an upcoming session, or working on a photography project. just remember, keep it positive! negative posts can encourage your fans to unfollow your page.
8. Post Links to Your Website
make sure you are actively posting links to your website on your photography Facebook page. in the about section on your page, there is a place for you to permanently post a link to your website so that it is easily accessible to your visitors. it is always best to continue posting links to your website, when appropriate, when you post to your page. for example, if you write a photography blog post be sure to include your website link in your post to help drive traffic over to your website. or if you post a little sneak peek of one of your client’s collections, be sure to post a link that will take your fans to your website so the can see more images from that particular session.
by keeping these 8 things in mind as your run your photography Facebook page, you will ensure that you not only promote your business, but you will also build an audience of supporters that will stick around and join you on your journey with photography. remember, Facebook should be a tool that works for you, just like an employee. so make sure you are using it in the best way you can.
are you on my exclusive email list? be sure to join so you can receive my latest photography tips + tutorials. plus, it’s free!
need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
.jpg)
Letters To My Little One | 36 Weeks in My Belly
.jpg "Letters To My Little One | 36 Weeks in My Belly")
wednesday, march 23, 2016
dear baby,
and with a blink of an eye, we are in the final month! 4 weeks until we get to meet you and it seems like just yesterday that we just found out that we were going to be a family of three. instead of counting months, we are finally counting days and it really could be any day now that you finally join us. the best thing about being in the final month is that we get to hear your heartbeat and see your sweet face every week at the doctors office…it is the best part of our week and, as soon as we leave the doctor’s office, we are already counting the days until our next appointment so we can see and hear you again.
mommy had one of her first decaf coffees during our breakfast date before church on sunday and that will be the first and last mocha i have until after you arrive. let’s just say, you loved it! i was smiling during church as you kept flipping around in my tummy and you didn’t stop moving for a few hours until after lunchtime. that was your very first babychinno and it took you on quite the roller coaster ride.
at over five pounds, your movements send me moving! even though you are measuring 2 days ahead of schedule, mommy’s belly is measuring behind…i am a little small so you are certainly cozy in there. as long as you are perfect, that is all that matters so you just keep on growing for your birthday!
in the last 30 days until your birthday, mommy has taken on some new habits. i suppose every mommy to be gets a little excited during her last month, and your mommy now…
1. packed the hospital bag with daddy and it’s sitting by the door. it took me over an hour to decide what we would all wear to come home from the hospital, because mommy likes all the little details. it took me another hour to decide what we would wear at the hospital. you know, the photographable wardrobe for our first family pictures. daddy kept chuckling saying, “only you would worry about this” as he lovingly held up corrdinating t-shirt options.
2. i clean the house and run the dishwasher every night before bedtime, just in case we head to the hospital in the middle of the night. i don’t want to worry about any messes while i am in labor.
3. after eating perfectly for 8 months, i now opt in for the brownie after dinner. it keeps me sweet and, why the heck not!? daddy says i deserve it. so i splurge.
4. i am putting myself first and letting others do.
5. we are driving around with a carseat in the back of the car. daddy totally pimped out my car with everything baby, including sun shades on the windows and mirrors on the headrest. i love looking in my rearview mirror to know that someday i will see your sweet face there.
6. i am taking that nap, instead of fighting in.
7. i am looking at the calendar every single day, multiple times a day…and smiling.
8. sleeping requires 3 pillows and one drop lavender essential oil. by the time the lavender fills the room and i am comfortable with two pillows under my head and one between my knees, i have to get up and pee.
9. i check and recheck that everything in your nursery is in it’s place and ready to go.
10. i have my first meal after delivery all planned and your daddy has known it for months. an iced oprah chai latte for breakfast, a turkey sandwich with a soda pop for lunch, and sushi for dinner.
everyone is so ready to meet you and has their guesses confirmed on whether you will be a sweet baby girl or a sweet baby boy. i go back and forth every single day on what i think you are and last night your daddy and i were talking about just how excited we are to hear the words, “it’s a …… !” and even though the anticipation is growing to know what you are, when we give you a brother or sister we will do the same thing and keep it a surprise. we wouldn’t change a single moment or day of this journey so far with you.
love, mommy
to read more of my mama bee adventures with #babyadilly, check out the posts below!
-
Your photography is beautiful!
when i first started my photography business, i was more focused on making my clients happy than i was about making myself happy. i am a people pleaser, so it is only natural for me to put others before myself. and don’t get me wrong, i was a happy photographer because i was living my passion. but i was exhausted! i was working 80 hours a week and compromising my weekends. i was on my email all the time and i was saying yes when i wanted to say no. it wasn’t until a couple years into my business that i thought, i am happy…but i could be even happier. and with a few little changes, i quickly made my photography business into an even better photography business…by truly being the boss.
do you know how to use pinterest to get clients? check out my post that talks about 5 ways pinterest can grow your photography business!
5 Good Habits of Happy Photography Business Owners
.jpg "5 Good Habits of Happy Photography Business Owners | bethadilly photography")
one of the best parts about owning a photography business is…you are your own boss. and this is exactly what you need to think about when you are making decisions for your business. you need to make the decisions based on what work best for you and, more importantly, for your family. the best thing about being your own boss is that, you do have the ability of putting yourself and your best interests first! and you should.
now, when you are just starting out with your business…of course you are going to be putting in long hours and putting others first. that is what starting a business is all about! getting a business off the ground is a lot of work and it has to get done. but once you are established, it should be all about letting your business do the work for you and not the other way around. by incorporating these 5 good habits into how you run your photography business, you will find that you are an even happier business owner!
1. Say No To Clients Who Aren’t Right For You
this is one of the most important habits every good photographer stands by and you should be doing this as soon as you start your photography business. think about the goal of your business and what your photography style is and accept only the clients who are a good match for you. i am a lifestyle family and newborn photographer who’s goal is to create images that are honest and contain true emotion. when clients contact me for posed photography or to photograph an event for them, i politely turn them down because i know what they want in a photographer is not something that i do. more importantly, it is something that i am not passionate about.
taking on clients that aren’t right for you will only take your business into a downward spiral. if you start taking pictures that you hate only to please your client, you are going to start attracting the wrong clients because you will be giving the idea that what you are photographing is what you offer.
turning down clients that aren’t a good fit for you not only is a good habit because you are giving them to a photographer who will be a better fit for them, but it also ensures that you are spending your time with the clients who truly love your style. if you are accepting any and every client, you are going to be creating chaos in your portfolio as you try to do too many things. you will also burn yourself out because you will be taking jobs that you aren’t passionate about. instead, you should be taking only the clients that support your photography style so that you photograph what you are passionate about and, in turn, can create a strong portfolio.
need help finding your own unique photography style? check out my new eBook the styled photographer!
2. Stand By Your Pricing
i have done this from day one. i have a price and it’s non-negotiable. listen, there are going to be clients that don’t hire you because you are too expensive. you need to let them walk away. when you originally set your pricing, you were thinking about what your time and what your work was worth. don’t take anything less. there are clients for everyone and not every client is going to be ideal for you. but once you start telling one person that you will reduce your pricing, the word is going to get around (and trust me, it will) and every client will expect you to do it for them too.
there are a lot of clients who email me and ask if i can offer a lower rate, and i always respectfully stand by my pricing. most of the time, the client books me anyway because they were simply trying to get a better deal, like any good consumer. and sometimes they don’t book me because i am out of their price range. but allowing those customers to walk away only makes my business stronger and more profitable because i am saving my time and session spots for the client who is going to pay for what i am worth.
3. Set Your Own Schedule
a good photographer tells her clients when she is going to work, and doesn’t let others tell her what her schedule is. i offer only three locations to my clients and only certain days of the month are open for scheduling. by setting my own schedule, i am only working when is best for me and my family. by setting the location, i am making the most of my time by scheduling multiple clients back to back throughout the day so that i only have to leave my family once, but can still photograph multiple clients all in one day.
one of the easiest ways for me to enforce my schedule is by having clients email me their top 3 desired dates with their inquiry, which allows me to pick which date works best for my schedule and what i am currently offering.
4. Be Strict At Your Sessions
this was a game changer for me and my business, and once i became more strict with my clients, i was an even happier photographer. be strict about your policies and what you will not tolerate. the biggest one for me was late clients. because i arrive on time to my sessions, i expect my clients to respect my time by being punctual as well. when sending out session confirmations, i tell my clients the exact start and stop time for their session and inform them that late arrivals do forfeit their photography session and will have to pay a new deposit to get a new spot on my calendar. as soon as i started being strict about time, i haven’t had a late client. this means i start and stop my sessions on time, and am back home spending time with my family instead of waiting on a late client.
5. Have Written Communication
put everything in writing, especially pricing and policies. if you are a photographer who likes to talk with clients on the phone, that is great! but follow up your phone call with an email outlining everything that you discussed so you have it in writing. it’s harder to tell a client, “i told you that over the phone,” than it is to politely forward them an email that outlines what was previously discussed if ever an issue were to arise. in addition to written communication, you should always have clients sign your photography contract so that you and your business are protected at all times. every client i photograph signs my contract and i won’t photograph a client without a signature, ever. i recommend hiring a lawyer to create a photography contract for your business.
like i said, it takes time to develop good habits and some of these habits you will develop right away, while some of them you may develop as you grow your photography business. it’s all about working smart and being happy, because being a business owner is so rewarding when your happiness is the goal of your business.
are you on my exclusive email list? be sure to join so you can receive my latest photography tips + tutorials. plus, it’s free!
want to read more photography tips + tutorials? check out what’s trending below!
.jpg "5 Good Habits of Happy Photography Business Owners | bethadilly photography")
-
Hi Beth,
Thankyou for these great tips- it’s really helpful for me to read as I consider turning my hobby to a business at some point. Friends and family have started asking me to do photo sessions with them- do I need to get them to sign a contract? What kinds of things do I need to be thinking about for a photographer’s contract? Thanks!ReplyCancel
Dorota Long - Great Article!
Would you mind sharing where you bought that table and benches? Thanks in advance
Mary Jordan - it’s interesting, but I learned how to edit my photos here fb.me/2y4SdQvjB
From Beth To Bethadilly : My Photography Journey » bethadilly - […] want to know more about going into business? check out my post on how to start a photography business. […]
Lindy - Hi Beth, Just wondering if you use paper contracts or some sort of electronic signature software/ app? Thanks!
{beth} a-dilly - Hello Lindy! I use paper. 🙂