How Do I Start My Own Photography Business From Home – Most of us are stuck in the rat race of modern life. I think the first step in gaining freedom in our life (according to Diogenes, the most desirable virtue of man), is to start our own company and business.
Like it or hate it, we all live in a capitalist society. Instead of trying to overthrow the system, I think it’s better to think about how to game the system; almost like hacking the Matrix for our own good.
How Do I Start My Own Photography Business From Home
In today’s world, if you’re self-employed and have enough money to pay your rent, food, coffee and wifi, you’re set. As I write these lines, I am in Dalat, Vietnam, where you can rent a nice room for only 200 dollars a month, and have an exclusive espresso for only 1 dollar (La Viet Coffee House).
Photography Mentoring Session
However, I have complete freedom. Freedom with my time, my schedule and what occupies my mind and metabolism/mind.
It’s amazing and I feel that everyone should have this opportunity. Also when I became self-employed and no longer had to worry about money, answer to my boss, or worry about getting fired, I started to thrive. I started writing poetry, making beats, and regaining my style of photography. I’ve taken bigger risks in life, created more things (like digital products, pdf books, printed books), and I feel like I’m on a different level.
I feel like I’m living life to the fullest, and I want to share that gift with you.
You become more shy, more single, and care more about the opinions of others to judge your self-esteem.
Meet Jackie Larkin
When I’m in Vietnam, I try to explain what I do to foreigners, using the words: “Làm đầu độu do” which means (freedom to work). This means that I am self-employed.
I think we all want freedom. Freedom to be ourselves, our own schedule, our time, etc. Most of us think that we need more money, but in reality, money is a tool to gain freedom. The main goal is freedom, and having the time and energy to follow your creative desires, not to be stuck in a cave with dragons and pools of gold coins (Scrooge Mcduck style).
In today’s world that is dominated by photos, images, photos and videos, I feel that there are many opportunities for you to start your own photography business! Some thoughts:
You don’t need a business plan to start your photography business. You just need to do your “grieving process”, and think as you go.
How To Start Your Own Photography Business
For example when I started this blog in 2010, I did it just for fun, and as a passion project; sharing my lessons learned about street photography. I actually had no plans to try drawing for a living (I didn’t think it was possible/practical).
But after a year of working in my old company, I was fired. Then I thought,
I thought about it as I was going. I’m sure I’ll keep improving until I die. Every time I thought I had “the answer”, the answer kept changing (because I was always changing and in a changing situation).
Calculate your monthly expenses, and think about how you can earn money through your photos that can cover these monthly expenses.
Photography: How To Self Promote Your Work
Remember, the goal is not to become a millionaire or a billionaire through your photos. The goal is to pay your rent and expenses in advance, and get it FREE!
In today’s digital economy, I recommend everyone to start their own website (1and1.com or bluehost.com) and install WordPress.org
You must have your own domain, otherwise you become a “digital share trader” (remember how black slaves were tricked into thinking they “owned” the land they worked and farmed)?
With WordPress.org (an open source platform) you can easily integrate digital payments (woocommerce plugin, or PayPal), you can customize your theme (I recommend Genesis theme) , and you are listed by Google (read my article about Google SEO and how to be #1 in your category).
About :: Shoots For Spud
Use your website as your domain, center and home. Instagram is all the rage these days, but don’t you remember the old days of MySpace? Live diary? Xanga? Facebook? Flickr?
However, on your own website (which is also a blog), you own it. Isn’t that amazing? Most of us aspire to own our homes one day, not rent. Having our own website is like owning our own house, not “renting” space from Instagram or Facebook (remember, Facebook owns Instagram).
Place your portfolio, about page and contact email information on your website. Also build your blog as a kind of “content market”; You build credibility with your audience/potential clients by promoting yourself and “proving your worth” through the quality of your work.
A very practical tip: when starting your photography business, start locally. Ask friends, family and co-workers for referrals. Know that you can start your photography side hustle while still having a full-time job!
Website Copywriting For A Branding Photographer — Kelsey O’halloran, Website Copywriter
Get a few customers, and offer a 100% money back guarantee. This will give you “more skin in the game”, and encourage you to be more aggressive to gain their favor with the company.
For transactions, I recommend using PayPal to send invoices and make payments. In general, I discourage cash transactions, because it will be more difficult to calculate taxes later, and with cash there is no “paper trail”, which can cause headaches in the future.
I don’t think you need to make a full-time living from your photography to be able to accept that you have a “photography business”.
When you get your first paying customer, view the transaction, print it and put it on your wall. Don’t miss this important moment!!!
I Created My Own Business!
There is no right or wrong way in the photography business. Please consider everything in this article as advice, guidance, or information that may or may not be useful to you.
Take “calculated risks” when starting your own business. Find out what is the most important thing you can do, and ask yourself:
THE MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER is the new philosophical and practical foundation for success as a modern photographer in today’s digital world. Learn the dos and don’ts of starting + running your own photography business so you can avoid some of the rookie bullets. come and put your best foot forward in this competitive field.
Choose a specialty: When you start out, you can take any job you can, but the more you choose your specialty (news, family, weddings, sports, etc.), the faster you can prove yourself as an expert. sector and offer competitive prices in the market.
My Little Insight From My Own Experience About Running A Photography Business. At Home. With Kids!
Invest in the right equipment: Sure, you can start with a basic camera and a couple of lenses, but as your business grows, make sure you invest in advanced and specialized equipment. This will help you stay competitive and give more credibility (as well as expertise) to your business.
Buy Insurance: Accidents happen so make sure you protect yourself against future incidents that could put you out of business. Research and look for equipment policies, as well as indemnity and liability insurance so that you are protected if a customer is injured by gunshots or your equipment is damaged.
Build a portfolio: This is very important when you are starting out. Make sure you spend a lot of time uploading your high-quality images to the website, writing meaningful blog posts and building a well-designed online portfolio to present to your clients. In the early stages you can’t lose your brand, but it’s important to have examples of your work to successfully retain interested clients and as you progress as a photographer, you can adjust your portfolio to show what you know. /what makes your work special.
Market Online: Use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and post news. You spend a lot of time and energy on your online portfolio and blog posts, so get people to review it! In this day and age, online marketing works and is one of the best and easiest ways to get clients and book your calendar!
How A Threat Started My Branding Business — Top Personal Branding Headshot Photography + Intl Educator Heike Delmore
Lower Your Price: One of the worst things you can do when starting out and working for yourself is to offer your services at a price that doesn’t cover the bill. Although it may seem obvious, pricing is one of the most difficult (and frustrating) parts of starting a photography business. Research other people’s session rates, find out what the standard is in your industry and create a price list that is competitive.
Set expectations low: When you’re starting out, it helps to get a few meetings with new clients to start with so you can build your portfolio and begin the process of finding your lifelong clients. But the job seems difficult when you’re up against a photographer who’s been in the business forever and pays more than you can ask for. The solution is not to set your price at half of anything
