How would you start an amateur photography business?

I am looking at an investment of 5-10k into starting a photography business. I would start by just working weekends. What are some ways I can improve my skills and also what computer programs would benefit me?

Asked by Acedoh 57 months ago Similar questions: start amateur photography business Arts > Photography.

Similar questions: start amateur photography business.

A couple of things. Before you start you venture, you need to do research. Do you know what does it take to legally run a business in your city and province/state?

Do you need licenses? Insurance? Bonds?

What type of photography are you going to offer, and is there a demand for it? What is your competition? What is your advantage going to be over them?

Price? Quality? Second, you’re going to want some good reading.

John Harrington’s Best Business Practices for Photographers is a book you must read if you plan on making any money from photography. The book is for pros making their entire living off of photography, but the lessons apply to those using a photography business to supplement their income as well. John Harrington also has a blog at photobusinessforum.blogspot.com that is worth reading as well.Do you know anything about photography?

Exposure? If not, pick up a book like Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. Heck, even if you do know about exposure, pick it up anyway and read it.

I bet you'll learn something. Are you computer savvy? You're going to spend a lot of time in front of a computer using Adobe Photoshop CS2 (or the new CS3).

If you're serious about this endeavor, don't mess with any other software; Photoshop is the king of the hill for a reason: it works, and works well. Learn about actions and scripts, and make your own to help reduce the time you're spending doing post-processing (editing). Remember this: For every hour you're spending in post-processing, you're not spending it shooting.

And shooting is where the money comes from. If you're looking at the "holy grail" of photography--Wedding Photography--do yourself and your brides a big favor and find a pro to shoot under (aka "second shoot") to learn things. You might not find any local pro willing to help train you, who will be a direct competitor; as such, you may have to drive a distance to find someone to shoot for.

Oh, and don't be upset if they ask you to "assist" first. Assisting is carrying cameras, lights, clipboards; charging batteries and supplying the main photographer with CF cards and/or film; helping set-up shots; crowd control; getting the main photographer some water; being a gopher. Some photographers want to make sure you are dedicated before they'll let you pick up a camera, that is, unless you already have a decent portfolio to wow them with, first.

_________________________________________ Also, here are two other questions that are similar in nature to yours: "Photo business" "Want to start a photography business" Sources: Experience as a photographer. NetJohn's Recommendations Best Business Practices for Photographers Amazon List Price: $29.99 Used from: $19.31 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 11 reviews) Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) Amazon List Price: $24.95 Used from: $10.67 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 239 reviews) .

Amateur photography business The website I found is from the UK, so prices are in £ instead of $ but can be converted easily enough, and should give you a general estimate of the costs of starting a photography business. It is fairly thorough, and may give you some idea of costs that you haven't thought of. I will paste that information below, but I wanted to add a couple of things first.

Something not mentioned much in it is computer software. I personally am also an amateur photographer, and I need to touch up my photos as pretty much everyone does. Adobe Photoshop is a great program, which is widely used and very well documented online.

The drawback is that it is quite expensive. Because I cannot afford Photoshop, I use an open-source image-editing program called The GIMP. (gimp.org) This program is not quite as polished and user-friendly as Photoshop, but it will do just about anything that Photoshop can do.

Since it is open-source, this means that it is free to download and anyone can develop and release new features for it. It is also well documented online, and it can be quite the powerful tool once you understand how to use it. If you have never used a program like this before, the learning curve can be a little steep, so you might want to purchase a book or take a class, but really there is so much help and documentation online (for either program) that I really don't see that to be necessary.

Ways to improve your skills:To improve my skills with photography, I take a lot of pictures! When I find one that I really like, I examine it closely and try to figure out why I like that one so much, and then try to take more using the same methods. I also post lots of pictures on an art website, DeviantArt (deviantart.com) where people can comment on my photos or add them to their "favorites" list.

I find this extremely helpful, because it shows me what other people like, and not just what I like. Sometimes, the photos that end up being the most popular are some of the ones that I liked the least. Another thing that I do to improve my skills is I play with editing photos.

Most digital photos need to be tweaked in one way or another, using a program like what I mentioned above. The color levels, saturation, and contrast are major things that need to be changed, but there are also things like removing blemishes, adding a soft focus, etc, that can be very helpful. I will often edit my photos several times, using different effects, to find the one I like the best.

I also browse the DeviantArt website mentioned above, and look for photos that I like, but that need to be "fixed" and then I save them and fix them up, just for practice. I feel like the more I practice, the better I get at learning exactly how to fix a photo that may not have even been usable before. Now, on to the information from the website:How much does it cost?

Photography is a business you can run from home - but you'll need to set aside some space for administration and storing equipment. If you're going to be a wedding photographer, you'll also need a relaxed and informal area where you can talk to couples about their wedding plans. If you're planning to take passport photographs and portraits, you'll need a studio as well.

Many home-based photographers convert a garage to provide all-in-one studio, admin, storage and reception facilities. A double garage attached to your home is ideal for doing this. Budget around £5,000 for your conversion costs.

Alternatively, you can rent a small shop with a display area and a small studio, prices vary depending on your location. But, of course, a shop will give you a higher public profile and you may not need to spend as much on marketing your business. You will also need photographic equipment - a reasonable camera and lens, studio lights and backdrops should cost around £5000."You can source second-hand equipment through trade bodies' magazines - both the MPA and BIPP have their own publications, " says Jones.

"But these items will sometimes have been well-used by professional photographers. Amateur Photographer is worth a look - amateurs generally don't use their equipment quite as much."The actual printing of the photographs is usually left to a specialist printer - you can source one near to you by asking for recommendations from trade bodies or existing professional photographers. You don't need a computer for digital printing as many amateur photographs believe you do - although some photographers like to do their filing and invoicing on one.

As Steve Barham says, "We're not quite into the digital age yet although the top studios use it. But the investment for start-ups would be very high and it's really not necessary. In time, it will be all digital, but prices will have come down.

"Budget for the usual administration costs of any go-ahead small business - stationery, business cards, brochures, phone and fax lines plus e-mail facilities. You may want a web site too. Allow from £1,000-3,000 a year upwards.

You will need to advertise your services too – Yellow Pages, leaflets and brochures left with wedding dress and other related high street shops and country houses and hotels where weddings and receptions are staged, plus ads in the local press. Allow from £3,000-5,000 a year upwards. As you become better known, some of your work will come from word of mouth recommendations.

Kit costsBuying second-hand cameras and accessories from keen amateur photographers who are upgrading to new equipment is the most cost-effective way of equipping yourself. You’ll find ads in Amateur Photographer from your local newsagents. And most amateur photographers will be keen to share their enthusiasm and know-how with you.

These are the approximate prices you’d expect to pay for good-quality, used items:Equipment CostsCamera £500-£1000Flashgun £300 (approx)Lens £400-£600Light meter £100 (approx)Reflector £50-£100Ideally, you’ll buy two of everything, plus three lenses (standard, wide angle, portrait) – professional photographers work on the basis that something could go wrong with any piece of equipment at any time! So carrying a spare for everything is essential. Allow around £5,000 in total for your kit.

Tips for successWeddings aren’t going out of fashion and neither are photos of your dearly beloved.So there is always work to be done as long as you don’t position yourself too close to other photographers. Relationships with schools or other associations will help in ensuring that a steady stream of local work comes your way. Consider taking digital pictures, adding web design to your capabilities or restoration to old or damaged photos as a way of as a way of adding value to the customer and increasing your return.

Of course new equipment does require additional investment but you don’t need to invest in the most expensive gear to get the job done. A good computer will set you back around £1000 and digital cameras, printers and scanners are likely to add up to a further £1000. “Sheer persistence is the key,” advises Roger Parker who runs MPL Studios in Steyning, West Sussex.

He specialises in both weddings and portrait photography. “It’s not easy as there’s so much competition. But once you’ve got established, you will start getting more work by word of mouth recommendation.

I’ve been in the business for 30 years and we do still do advertising and promotion but not nearly as much as we used to have to do. ”And once you are established it can be worth looking at processing your own work instead of sending it out to a printer. As Parker explains, “In terms of profit, it can add on an extra 30-40% - although you have put in the time to achieve this.It’s not a matter of turning on a machine and pressing a button!

A basic manual machine can be bought second-hand for about £10,000 – don’t be taken in by the all-singing and all-dancing machines that cost £100,000. They’re not really necessary."You could also approach local PR companies, magazines and book publishers and newspapers to supplement your income with freelance work. Tips from the pros * Get some training and qualifications before starting – go on the foundation courses offered by the professional associations for portrait photography, wedding photography and sales and marketing skills.

The way you sell yourself is especially important in a competitive market. Join a professional association. They will give you support and advice and provide a source of useful contacts.

Submit your portfolio to the association to get some letters after your name. This will give you confidence and impress your clients too. * Make sure you’re fully insured – accidents and mistakes do happen.

Talk to your local insurance broker about professional indemnity, public liability and product liability insurance. * Buy the best equipment that you can afford to purchase. As with anything else, you get what you pay for.

Sources: http://www.startups.co.uk/Photography_business.cJaaNURoS63Ijg.html .

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