You're starting a photography business. What are some common mistakes you should avoid?

In 2024, and the last decade, what I see as a "common" mistake is folks jumping into photography who have never had a job working for a photographer or photography studio. Actual photography is about 10% of running a sustainable business. Working in the industry before going solo has big advantages: you will see firsthand all of the nuances and details no business book will be able to teach you. The reality is, there will likely be a lot of client interaction: leading up to a job, during a job, and delivering a job. And, establishing and communicating clear and consistent business policies around invoicing and payment is a must.

1. Underdelivering - always go above and beyond to exceed client expectations 2. Being unprofessional - this is a business and so you need to operate like one: insurance, agreements, estimates, and invoices are essential. 3. Poor pre-production planning - successful projects always include a thorough brief, scope of work, treatment/shot list, visual references, schedules and more. 4. Trying to do it all yourself - building a team of producers, stylists, assistants and collaborators elevates your work from just ok to incredible. 5. Expecting jobs to come to you - test and experiment with different methods of marketing in order to get sales. Building a website/portfolio, social media presence, networking, and outreach are essential.

Don't charge for your time, charge for the value you are adding (more important in commercial than social). Dont undercharge Keep a close eye on your finances - don't be afraid to chase overdue payments - you are not the bank of the businesses you supply Have a sound business and financial plan then execute without getting sidetracked Keep marketing even when you are busy. Employ a good accountant and solicitor - preferably with experience in the photo industry Invest in yourself Enjoy

Don't be fooled by the market being saturated, you have to work at it. The market is not an excuse.Getting clients is hard so you have to ensure quality work, great connections with people through being friendly and kind and do not make it about you but how good you make your client feel and how you can serve them. Give, give, give... and once you have landed a client DO NOT just give them the work and forget about them, comment on their socials, say happy birthday, check in with them etc. Build your network and make people remember you.

Not sure what to charge for your services? Google what other photographers are charging to find a baseline, and go from there. If you believe your work is stronger than the average, add that value to your rates. It's okay to compare, even request quotes from other photographers.

Be confident in that you have talent . This is the reason you started this business in first place, right . Don’t let people take that away from you. You will be constantly challenged by non creative people who won’t understand your work or worth . You will be constantly asked for free work or poor value exchanges. Hold your nerve , breathe and stand your ground . Know that some people will never pay for you . These are not your clients . Keep your cool and hold your prices . Be realistic in what you charge . Look at what the market value is and set your price accordingly. Don’t under price .

Underestimating one's education/training, experience, and talent is the number one pitfall of sole proprietor businesses One really needs to remember that when we charge a customer for work, as a photographer, the client is not just paying for the time to meet and snap a bunch of pictures and get paid, the client is paying for the knowledge/education, the experiences we have garnered during the years of our practice (like doctors) we charge for our expertise we have. Like doctors, or lawyers, photographers have specialized in an area of photography. Photographers can be good at several areas of photography. That's what we need to remember when we set pricing, charge not only for time, but, for that expertise and talent. Good luck!

Social media is critical because it allows you to display samples of your work plus allows people a sample of your personality. Both are important. The work obviously is but approachability, personality, work ethic, and creativity can be expressed/ displayed on social media. Don't let it consume you but don't hesitate to embrace it for the boost it can give your career.

Be absolutely diligent in your online presence. Research which social media platforms are best for you, and post on them regularly. Engage people on your social media posts with questions and responses to help keep your threads active and searchable. Make sure your SEO is complete on your website; if you're not sure how this is done, ask a web developer for help. Make sure your brand is on point on all platforms, so that there is consistency to how you present yourself professionally.

Was heut zu Tage einige noch denken ist, dass eine Webseite allein reicht, um sichtbar zu werden für seine Kunden. Doch das stimmt nicht. Man sollte sich auf mehreren Plattformen präsentieren. Eine Webseite, Social Media, eventuell sogar locale Geschäfte auf sich aufmerksam machen. Es ist ein Zusammenspiel von allen Medien. SEO spielt hier auch eine große Rolle. Meiner Meinung nach wäre eine für sich, gut überlegte, Kombination aus Plattformen gut, die regelmäßig aktualisiert und beworben wird.

I neglected this for a while and it was not the smartest decision for my business. Nowadays, I invest a lot of time to catch up and put a lot of effort into being present online. Post 6 out 7 days on Linkedin, write articles, share my personal and professional work, add insights whenever I can contribute to the subject.

Insure your gear. There's a lot of options out there, do some research and ensure you have your gear covered. Consider public liability insurance too. Can you afford to pay for everything if the worst happens?

Know all the licensing requirements for your area in addition to the other legal aspects that have been brought up. Be respectful, and know the rules for location access and usage. You may need a location release, permission to access and even a day license to work in certain areas. If you operate a drone, know and respect the federal and local laws! Business insurance is a must, not only for your equipment but for liability when dealing with clients. Check your vehicle insurance to see if it covers you for commercial use, especially if you have clients in your vehicle.

Make sure your model or property releases are in place and comply to local laws. Also have a usage clause in your contract so that clients are very sure what they can use images for. Never sign over copyright unless there is a fat cheque attached to the agreement.

Absolute agree. Always provide a contract or T&C when working with clients, even if it's a free photoshoot. It doesn't need to be overcomplicated when you are starting out, you can change it anytime later. Include: Client name, your name, what is the photoshoot type, location, what is included in the package.e.g how long is the shooting time, how many photographs, when they will be delivered, how, price, payment terms Cancellation policy, model release, complaint procedure

Manage expectations through clear and frequent communication. Save your communications. You need insurance, someone to keep the books, a separate person for accounting, access to a lawyer. Get to know the clerks at your town office, the person who you will pay the local fees and taxes as well as who you will get your licenses from. Set up a business checking account that is NOT your personal account. Keep your personal finances separate from your business.

Owning a business can be lonely and with a heavily saturated photography market it can be easy to see everyone as competition. However I encourage you to challenge that notion and seek industry friends. You will learn from each other and commiserate in a way that others won’t necessarily understand. Bonus: cross promotion looks great on social! Remember: a rising tide raises all ships.

Networking is the most important marketing platform as a photographer. This is the best way to create visibility for your business Creating meaningful relationships, collaborations with other business owners with the same target audience are the best ways to generate referrals.

Not networking or marketing yourself As a photographer, you may prefer to focus on your craft rather than on networking or marketing yourself. However, these activities are vital for growing your business and expanding your reach. Networking and marketing help you build relationships, generate referrals, and increase your visibility and credibility. You need to network with other photographers, potential clients, and industry professionals, both online and offline. You also need to market yourself through various channels, such as social media, email, word-of-mouth, and local events. You need to showcase your work, share your story, and offer value to your audience.

Your online presence is quite literally your first line in getting your name and work out into the world. It will feel like a slog at first, but engage in every platform you can realistically engare with, and make a weekly schedule for posting new work, creating threads and blog posts, and generally engaging the public. Follow and contribute to other photography platforms, provide advice or ask questions where you can, and basically "get out there" at every opportunity. Building an audience — and an eventual client base — takes time, but once the momentum begins it gets easier.

Il est essentiel de toujours apprendre, de s'informer sur les nouveautés, ne pas prendre ses compétences pour acquises et de les remettre en question. Incorporer dans son planning une veille et un moment apprentissage est important pour évoluer. Bien sur il est également important de compartimenter cela pour éviter de se perdre dans la nouveauté permanente. On devient meilleur en travaillant nos techniques, pas en observant simplement d'autres experts qui montre les leurs.

Be sure to invest in your portfolio and show the type of wprk you want to be hired for. Never use someone else's work to promote yourself or your business.

Practice makes perfect. Although some principles and techniques have carried on for and undergone refinement over generations, new and improved ways of storytelling through pictures are always gaining traction. What you must do before identifying your own technique and artistic style is studying and/or observing styles of other photographers in your industry/niche. This is a critical step for improving oneself as references or "bounce boards" are a great way of developing your skillset with direction.

Mejorar y aprender todos los días como si fuera un mantra, debido a que es de suma importancia mostrar un perfil fotográfico de tu trabajo que pueda ser diferenciado y superior al de tus competidores, y la única vía es la mejora continua. En línea y de forma presencial cada día hay cursos que te permiten ver las tendencias fotográficas que hay en el planeta y que te pueden inspirar y dar las pautas para tu propia evolución.

In the photography business, stagnation is the enemy of success. Every shoot, for me, is a unique puzzle – a chance to experiment, problem-solve, and walk away with valuable lessons. This constant learning fuels my growth. Between shoots, I devour new trends, dive into lighting/retouching tutorials (including AI compositing!), and hone my skills through practice. This dedication to improvement allows me to offer clients increasingly relevant services and stay ahead of the curve. Think of it this way: the more puzzles you solve, the better equipped you become to tackle any photographic challenge!

Don’t compare yourself to others. Find your own style, embrace your creativity, have fun, and let your unique perspective shine through in your photos. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new photography techniques and ideas. Experiment with different compositions and lighting conditions. Learn to work with natural light, as well as artificial lighting when needed. Pay attention to the direction, intensity, and quality of light, as it can dramatically affect the mood and atmosphere of your photos. Always be professional and kind to the teams that you work with, no matter how big or small the assignment is.

No tener una actitud de servicio. Lo que hacenos debe cumplir un objetivo fundamental: aportar y ppr ello lo que ofrecemos debe contar con la caracteristica de servir a los demás, ese enfoque en el servicio nos hace buscar mas alla del simple disparo y nos da algo que nada puede reemplazar: satisfacción de sentirse útil.

A lot of photographers love equipment - nothing wrong with that. The problems happen when photographers "invest" in the "latest and greatest" equipment when 1) they don't have the client base that require ownership of such gear and 2) they neglect alternatives. Is it a smart move to get that $4,500 85mm f/1.4 lens that's super sharp and has great quality "bokeh" for portraits? Will the f/1.8 that costs $600 suffice? Is the difference in "image quality" worth the staggering difference? Is it possible to get better subject-background separation by other means such as...not photographing your subject next to a wall? Something to think about before committing to a monthly CC payment without any portrait session bookings.

Marca un nicho específico: Tratar de abarcar todos los tipos de fotografía puede diluir tu marca y dificultar la diferenciación en un mercado competitivo. Es útil especializarse en un nicho específico, como fotografía de bodas, retratos, fotografía de productos, etc.