photography items

Starting a Photography Business? I have some tips for you!

There are plenty of different guides out there in the world. However, I want to put together something quick in a list form to help you make sure you are prepared for your first shoot or future shoots.

grayscale photography of person holding black dslr camera
Photo by Md Iftekhar Uddin Emon on Pexels.com

I am currently putting together a whole Photographers Kit for digital planners and printables that will make life so much easier for you all. What will be in it?

  1. Photoshoot Workflows for different Photoshoots
  2. Client Sheets to keep track of client information and shoot type
  3. Goals sheet to keep track of business, client shoot tallying, money
  4. Location Scouting Sheet to keep a running list of locations you have shot at and the positives, negatives, and points of interest.
  5. Gear Check Lists for different types shoots
  6. Crew Sheet if you have a friend shooting with you or an assistant
  7. Forms, Contracts, Waivers, and Releases.

Just for the contracts and releases alone, I know people charge upward of $100 for those, but I plan on making a huge digital and downloadable planner affordable and accessible for under $25.

Check out the Etsy shop where I have a bunch of tools and tips for Photographers here!

So, what tips do I have for you for free right now? Let’s go over some basics first.

Do you have a camera? Good! You can now have a Photography Business. Do you have a high end phone with a decent camera? Also Good! You can now have a Photography Business. Yes, it seems silly, but the gear doesn’t matter anymore when it comes to starting your business.

person holding iphone
Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

Do you know what you want to shoot? Do you have dreams of shooting weddings, engagements, and couples? Maybe you just like the professional feel of doing headshots. Perhaps you are all in on Pets! (like I am haha). When you have a niche you love and want to pursue it, it’s a huge step in the right direction. Are you unsure what you want to do as a photographer? Try it all out!

So you have a camera and you know what you want to photograph. What now? You need clients! Talk to friends and family, go to networking events and businesses that might need your services, and of course post on social media.

person holding iphone showing social networks folder
Photo by Tracy Le Blanc on Pexels.com

How do you convince these potential clients to pay your for your services? Invest in a free web portfolio that has 5 – 10 of your BEST photos from different shoots you’ve done, paid or not. The cream of the crop in terms of quality is what you want, not multiples of the same subject.

Wait, wait wait… you’re getting mad at me because I told you to get clients and have a portfolio. How do you have a portfolio without clients? The easiest way to do that, for free for yourself or family! And let them know that this free gift will help you grow as a business, and then in future they have to PAY FULL PRICE. Because your time is valuable and no one rides the photography train for free!

There are a ton of other pieces out there to do, but you just want to start and get the ball rolling. In the future, I’ll talk about more in depth things like how to scout locations, how to create certain feels and looks for portraits, or even what websites to use for clients photos from free to premium.

Want to help out me and my business? Go to my etsy shop and like the shop, if you’ve bought something from me, leave a glowing review! It will be much appreciated.

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And stay tuned to my online courses on Thinkific. A lot of great things are coming to help people get into photography, take their own photography skills to the next level, and… not break the bank doing so.

Sign up for The Professional Amateur School of Photography

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