What are the proper steps in becoming a legitimate (legal) photographer?

[vfotog]

You have a lot of mouths to feed, so you have expenses to consider, and photography can be expensive. You do want to do it legally, which means researching the laws in your country, state, city.... running a business can be complicated and understanding the rules of setting up one is just the beginning. Honestly, looking at these images, you're not ready yet. When people pay, they expect professional classes. Practice shoot a lot, take some classes, and get your skill set down.

Read your intro post. Thank you for your service.

 

[STiZzle2010]

I won't repeat what others have said but there are some very important issues that are failing here.
Yes, these are sharp and reasonbly well exposed but the camera is doing most of that.

Posing is essentially absent.
The subjects are flat to the camera or leaning against something. There is nothing in the poses that adds to the subjects; they are just there.

You aren't looking closely at the subjects or the photos.
Each of these is really deficient in a way that will show a lot in a print.

His head is off in one corner and there is a distinct greenish tinge to everything.
Assuming the color tint can be fixed, this needs to be sharpened or it will print flat.View attachment 107478

the tree others mentioned
look at the distinct greenish tinge on the left side of her mouth

View attachment 107480

that full on face is totally wrong for a young person with some baby fat.
If you pose her better, get a bit higher and work with her chin a bit, that chin bulge will disappear.
The right side of her face has a green tinge that will show in a print.

And what's that white thing running down the side?

View attachment 107477

Look at the yellow discoloration below his chin and working up into his skin particularly on his right side.
See that little peak of hair on top of his head, maybe it doesn't bother you but his mother will wonder why that's there in an expensive print.

View attachment 107476

I see what you mean and I appreciate your feedback. How did you adjust the skin tones in the first photo like that? Did you use a brush on the skin and adjust color temp from there or for the entire image?

 

[STiZzle2010]

Thank you and your welcome. I'm happy to have the feedback especially from those who do this daily. As I mentioned this is a hobby for me that I'm hoping to expand one day and critique as well as practice is what will make me better. I hope that I'm on the right track at least...

 

[jsecordphoto]

Cheers to you for taking critique so well, it can be hard to do without getting defensive. I would just learn as much as you can and worry about the business end much later down the road

 

[Trever1t]

To be totally honest and indeed very frank in my opinion, you are not ready to charge for photography.

That said at least you have come here and asked questions before proceeding. With time and determination it's possible your skills level will be where you want it. Truly, it's not really required to be a good photographer to charge and if people will pay, well more power to you.

 

[Designer]

Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?

As was already mentioned; you need to construct your business legally, but to simply file another page onto your income tax return is about as simple as it gets. You list your income and subtract the expenses, and pay tax on the positive difference, which gets entered on the 1040.

Small Businesses & Self Employed

 

[STiZzle2010]

Cheers to you for taking critique so well, it can be hard to do without getting defensive. I would just learn as much as you can and worry about the business end much later down the road

Haha I appreciate that. Sure some critique isn't always what you want to hear but you cannot expect to get any better with sugar coated responses. I see so many people in my photography group on Facebook asking for gentle CC. Really, wtf is that?! Don't worry, I've been in much more stressful environments and I have extremely thick skin. I can take it lol.

To be totally honest and indeed very frank in my opinion, you are not ready to charge for photography.

That said at least you have come here and asked questions before proceeding. With time and determination it's possible your skills level will be where you want it. Truly, it's not really required to be a good photographer to charge and if people will pay, well more power to you.

Im happy to be here and I'm eager to learn. Anything that you or anyone else thinks I can improve on, I'm all ears. This is something that I truly love to do and I want to do the best that I can whether it is for me or someone else!

 

[STiZzle2010]

Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?

As was already mentioned; you need to construct your business legally, but to simply file another page onto your income tax return is about as simple as it gets. You list your income and subtract the expenses, and pay tax on the positive difference, which gets entered on the 1040.

Small Businesses & Self Employed

Awesome, thank you!

 

[Vtec44]

Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?

For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out. Then they get a 1099 from my CPA. You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.

 

[vfotog]

Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?

For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out. Then they get a 1099 from my CPA. You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.

I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you as a business are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold. If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.

 

[Vtec44]

I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you as a business are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold. If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.

The information provided was for my situation, so take it for what it's worth. I'm not going to sit here and waste my time to debate and knit pick. I will leave that for the people that have nothing else better to do with their time. Way too many Internet experts.... lol

 

[vfotog]

I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you as a business are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold. If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.

The information provided was for my situation, so take it for what it's worth. I'm not going to sit here and waste my time to debate and knit pick. I will leave that for the people that have nothing else better to do with their time. Way too many Internet experts.... lol

he was asking for advice for HIS situation; your situation isn't remotely the same or relevant. It's not nitpicking; when you are dealing with the IRS, you want to get it right because they are particular. Definitely not warm and fuzzy. As for the "Internet expert" dig, well, anyone that knows anything about accounting would know that my advice was spot on and extremely accurate. I have substantial experience in the field and I was trying to be helpful to the OP by correcting the misinformation and giving him some free Professional advice.

 

[STiZzle2010]

Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?

For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out. Then they get a 1099 from my CPA. You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.

I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you as a business are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold. If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I am only looking to do portraiture on a very small scale right now and I am not looking to make very much money. Most of my business would be from family, friends, and acquaintances. To do a shoot a couple of times a month is all I really expect and I just want to make sure that I can legally collect money for doing this as I do not need anyone knocking on my door. Should I just keep track of any income I make and give it to my tax guy at the end of the year or do I absolutely need to get licensed from the state, have insurance, and contracts?

 

[Vtec44]

he was asking for advice for HIS situation; your situation isn't remotely the same or relevant. It's not nitpicking; when you are dealing with the IRS, you want to get it right because they are particular. Definitely not warm and fuzzy.

The example from me is pretty standard which is applicable and relevant, from a business stand point.

As for the "Internet expert" dig, well, anyone that knows anything about accounting would know that my advice was spot on and extremely accurate. I have substantial experience in the field and I was trying to be helpful to the OP by correcting the misinformation and giving him some free Professional advice.

The only mis-information I see is from you, but ignorance is bliss. I'm not going to knit pick and I will let you continue on rambling lol

 

[Designer]

The information provided was for my situation, so take it for what it's worth. I'm not going to sit here and waste my time to debate and knit pick. I will leave that for the people that have nothing else better to do with their time. Way too many Internet experts.... lol

You couldn't just simply answer his question? If you're not going to answer his question, then why post anything?