The field of photography is wide and competitive. There are a wide variety of
players out there, from the part-timers freelancing for the local weekly paper
to a few superstars who can command fees of $10,000 per day.
As a home-based photographer, you can work on a broad range of subject area,
from fashion, portraits, underwater, weddings, product photography and others.
You can be a freelance photojournalist or a publication photographer.
While there are various types of photographic activity, professional
photography can be broadly divided into two categories: assignment photography
and stock photography.
Assignment photography is any photography commissioned by a client. It covers
advertising of products, portraits, weddings, school functions and other images
shot on assignment. Most photographers spend their entire career shooting on
assignments, as it provides lower financial risk for the photographer. You know
that you will get paid, either before the event or after the contract has been
satisfactorily completed.
On the other hand, stock photography is photography shot on speculation, in
advance of being sold. In going after a "perfect air balloon" shot,
photographers may take several dozens, if not hundreds of shots, of air balloons
that could be made available at a fair price for generic uses. These
"surplus photos" can then be used in a multitude of ways, in newspaper
articles, brochures, calendars, web sites, and many more. Instead of
commissioning a photographer, many commercial and educational establishments
simply buy stock photographs at a lower-cost.
Your first step, therefore, is to determine whether you will specialize or
diversify. If you specialize, for example as a fashion photographer, you need to
strive to be the best in your field. If you work in several areas, you need to
be competent in each area or even outstanding. You can either exclusively shoot
on assignment or stock, or like many other photographers, combine the two. When
on assignment, some photographers take the opportunity to shoot pictures of
their surroundings or events that they put in their own stock collection.
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You know you have the skills and technical expertise to become a good
photographer. From a hobby, you now want to embark on it as a business. Here are
some of the steps that you need to take when starting your own home-based
photography business:
1. Write your business plan. Yes, even photographers need a business plan.
The business plan will serve as your roadmap to starting, managing and growing
your business. It will help you assess the viability of your business. Writing a
plan will help you to think out what your goals are and identify the strategies
that will take you to reach your goals. It will help you understand the
financial requirements of your business, evaluate your resources, force you to
think of where and how you can finance the business, and tell you the parameters
of measuring the financial status of your business. Through the business plan,
you can begin to identify your potential clients, establish a workable
timetable, set reasonable fees or prices, and plan out your marketing
strategies. As you go through your business, the business plan will serve as
your guide that will tell you how well (or how bad) you are performing.
2. Establish your legal business identity. Each country, state and counties
have different rules in treating businesses. Check with your local county clerk
the rules that apply to a photography business, particularly home-based. If your
business is going to be a sole proprietorship, you only need to register your
business in the county office or town hall and file a "doing business
as" (DBA) form for a small fee if you are not going to use your own name.
3. Open a business banking account. Bring your DBA form to a bank to enable
you to open a checking account for your business. It is important to separate
your business from your personal finances. Deposit the capital going into the
business as your opening deposit, and as soon as the account is established, use
it to pay all your business expenses. If you are going to use a credit card to
jump-start your business, it is preferable that you have a separate card for
your business and financial expenses.
4. Check zoning restrictions in your area. It is best to determine the zoning
restrictions in your area before you proceed, particularly if you expect to have
clients coming over to your house for a photo shoot session. Your neighbors may
object to the daily comings-and-goings of your customers.
5. Get your equipment. The equipment you will need depends on your budget,
space availability and kind of shoots that you do. List all photographic
equipment that you will need for at least a year: cameras, lenses, tripods,
filters, electronic flash units, studio lights and stands, seamless paper and
other backgrounds, and others. Don't be extravagant, buying expensive but rarely
used equipment. Purchase high quality core equipment and sufficient back-up to
complete any job. Consider rental sources, particularly for one-time use
equipment.
In addition, you need to identify the office equipment that you will need,
such as computer, telephone, fax, scanner, office furniture, and others. In your
list, make a mark of what you already own and what you need to buy. This will
help you determine your budget and plan out how to procure the additional
equipment that you will need for the business.
6. Set-up insurance. You must always think of ways you should protect
yourself and your business, and getting the right insurance is the first step.
Most photographers benefit from liability insurance, particularly if you have
clients going to your studio. This kind of insurance will protect you if your
customer, for example, trips on a cable and suffer an injury. You also need to
explore getting equipment indemnity, if your homeowner's or renter's insurance
do not cover these items. For your own benefit, you also need to set-up health
and disability insurance in the event that you cannot continue working in your
business.
7. Join professional organizations. One of the very first things that you
need to do is to participate in your local chamber of commerce, photography
associations and other professional organizations. Joining a group is the best
way to network and meet potential customers, compare notes and collaborate with
other photographers in your area, and maybe find a financier for your business.
8. Finalize supply and photo lab arrangements. If you will be in this
business for the long-haul, you need to start developing relationships with your
film, processing and camera equipment suppliers. Select a reliable photo lab, if
you will not be developing your photos yourself. The photo lab you use can make
or break your business. The quality of work, ability to meet promised deadlines,
and the ability to get a complex order correct varies from one photo lab to the
other. Experiment before you even start your business, and pick one that works
best for you.
