Advice oin starting photography business!

[xoerinox]

My close friend and I have been toying with the idea of starting a photography business for a while now, but we are not sure where or even how to being. We feel like we've discussed it and thought about it for a long time and feel we are ready to jump into it. However, where do we being? I am not sure how to start a business, advertising for the business, making prints for clients, how much to charge. These are the questions of the top of my head!

Any advice, tips etc., will be greatly appreciated!

 

[MLeeK]

Today must be the day. I feel like it's the day after first income tax checks deposit!

Where to begin... Get an education on business. A GOOD one. (I feel like the parrot in my avatar today...) A mediocre photographer with good business skills can succeed wildly. A phenomenal photographer with mediocre business sense will usually fail.
THIS post will help you to get some idea where to begin.

Now get in contact with your local chapter of the Small Business Development Corporation or Small Business Administration and see if they have a business class coming up. You can start researching business on the SBA WEBSITE.
Once you have an extensive education in what it takes to start up and run a business stop. Think REAL long and REAL hard about if you want to jeopardize a friendship by going into business with a partner. It's EXTREMELY difficult. Can definitely be done but it has to be outlined and hashed to death and EVERY. LITTLE. DETAIL. MUST be in writing. And even that's not a guarantee it will work well. Still good to go?
STOP again... Now take a look at your photography skills and figure out where you are lacking and where you are strong. Get educated in where you are weak and concentrate on where you are strong.
THEN... contact an attorney to draw up your contracting and agreement, file your LLC/Corp, etc.

 

[cgipson1]

Get a facebook page... some low end camera and lenses... a big fancy logo! Boom.. you are a PRO!

Or you can do it right like was mentioned above! One way you are CRAP... one way you have a chance of becoming good.... I'll let you decide which is which!

 

[orljustin]

My close friend and I have been toying with the idea of starting a photography business for a while now, but we are not sure where or even how to being. We feel like we've discussed it and thought about it for a long time and feel we are ready to jump into it.

No, you're not. Forget about it. Stick to being shooting buddies and have fun.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

The world needs one more suchandsuchphotography FB page

 

[KmH]

This is right at the top of the General Shop Talk forum - http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-shop-talk/266193-noobs-guide-starting-business.html

The first step is researching and writing a business plan. You'll need to learn the fundamental business skills - taxes, insurance, accounting, financial controls, marketing, and salesmanship.

Visit - http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/starting-managing-business

AND

http://www.score.org/

www.asmp.org - Click on Business Resources on the left side of their home page.

Profitable Photography in Digital Age: Strategies for Success
A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases: Making the Best Business Decisions with Your Photos of People, Places and Things
The Photographer's Guide to Negotiating
ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography
Best Business Practices for Photographers, Second Edition
Guerrilla Marketing, 4th edition: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business
How To Sell Your Way Through Life

 

[jowensphoto]

only because I just learned how to do that!

 

[Derrel]

Don't do it!

Sorry, I couldn't resist! Anyway, somebody wrote, "Get a Facebook page." Yeah, I think that has become almost as essential as an e-mail account and point of contact. Facebook is very popular AND it "binds you" to people...it gives them an easy way to message you, or to chat with you on-line, etc.. Facebook is a VERY popular social media site and it is an easy and VERY effective way to show photographs. Your clients' photos will be seen by many of their family and friends, at virtually no cost to you in terms of money spent on advertising. Definitely, get a Facebook account for the business.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

First of all, starting a photography business is one of the hardest things to do. There are 15, yes 15 photographers within 3 blocks of where I live and work. If you still think you are up to the challenge and you have the support of friends and partner, then I would suggest you first check out the Photography Boot Camp thing that I saw on If that doesn't scare you away from the insanity of this business they you may have a chance of making it.

+1

Bestbuy and Amazon.com made everyone a pro

 

[andywag]

My close friend and I have been toying with the idea of starting a photography business for a while now, but we are not sure where or even how to being. We feel like we've discussed it and thought about it for a long time and feel we are ready to jump into it. However, where do we being? I am not sure how to start a business, advertising for the business, making prints for clients, how much to charge. These are the questions of the top of my head!

Any advice, tips etc., will be greatly appreciated!

So you have been "toying" with the idea and you have "discussed it and thought about it for a long time" and yet you have not spent any of that time toying with or discussing the multitude of different things you would need to sort out prior to opening up.
What exactly have you been "toying" with ??

Sorry, but you are a long long long way from being capable of starting up a "proper" photography business if you do not know the answers to the most basic of questions you are asking.

Research the specific business requirements at you local library/chamber of commerce (i.e. business licenses etc)
Research labs in your area for printing requirements
Figure out ALL rpt ALL your business costs and then you will get an idea of what to charge
etc etc

The majority of the information you need you would already have an idea off if you had in fact seriously been thinking about a proper business and not
just thinking that having a camera and a friend meant having a business.