Are you good with a camera or interested in photography, and think that you would like to make money from it? Then you've come to the right article! Here are a few tips to get you started and help you create your very own photography business:
Gathering Equipment and Supplies
You can't start a photography business without a camera, right? I started with a Sony a6000 and a multipurpose lens, and as I progressed I started to buy more lenses specializing in what I wanted to photograph, for example, portraits or landscapes. You may also consider purchasing a tripod, a camera strap, a camera bag, SD cards, maybe some extra batteries, and other accessories if you feel it necessary.
Find your Niche
There are numerous different types of photography, and the question is, what do you want to photograph? People need photographers for weddings, senior portraits, family portraits, sports action photos, advertising, and much more. And once you decide what you want to specialize in, to go along with the first point, you should buy camera lenses based off of your area of photography, it's silly to buy a lens you wouldn't need or use.
Practice
Seems simple right? But this step is crucial. If you want people to pay you for your services, you need to show them some example photos so they can trust you; no one will pay you if they have never seen any of the photos you have taken. Offer free services to your friends and family, although it is free they are still helping with your portfolio and for your advertising. I specialize in portrait photography, so I started asking my sister, some of my friends, and even some of my sister's friends if I could take their photos for free, and in that way if they posted those photos onto social media and mentioned me in them, I also generated free advertising from that. The photo above is a picture I have taken as a practice senior portrait session.
Marketing and Social Media
With today's day and age, word of mouth is not always the best form of advertising. Sure, word of mouth is great; try and mention to everyone you talk to that you are a photographer, and then people will spread the word that way. However, social media is the best way to promote your business. Instagram is great for photography, as people can go to your page and see all of the photos you have taken and contact you that way. Facebook is great too, and some people even create their own website. I will leave the link to my own website down below:
And that's basically it! There is more to it than that, this is a simplified version and some basic tips to help you get started. You will make mistakes, I made plenty, but that's the beauty of it, that's what makes it fun! You will still need to figure out how you want to price, and how to edit your photos and that good stuff, but you'll get there!
