Do you have a "photography niche"? And should you?

photogir2002 · Aug 17, 2011

When I started my business I had a photography "niche" of children. Loved it. Completely. But in my area, a small, rural area, most people are looking for a photographer who will do everything and anything. So, while I still try to focus a lot of my business on children and babies, I have expanded my services to weddings, family portraits and the like. My question for other photographers is if you have a niche and if it is something, definite, that a photographer should have. In this day and age, with the growing trend of everyone having a digital camera, is it profitable to only have one niche and not offer other photography services? Just curious of the thoughts on this. :sexywink:

Big Mike · Aug 17, 2011

Depends if your target market or niche is big enough to support your business goals.

In a small rural area, you client base is going to be smaller, so it makes sense that diversification is a good technique for you.

GAP Photo · Aug 17, 2011

I work a very rural area and wouldlove to specialize on action, sports and events. It is somewhat seasonal, so I have to supplement. That means that there is little that I won't do. There are a couple of things I leave to professionals in that realm, but like the original post says, people out here expect you to be able to do everything. Fortunately, there are a few things I don't eat, therefore there are a few things I don't photograph!

manaheim · Aug 17, 2011

Specialization is a blessing and a curse. Develop extensive expertise, but massively limit your potential market.

It's as simple as that.

bennielou · Aug 18, 2011

Agree with both above.

My overall market is: weddings, families, children, infants, boudoir

My specialized market is: weddings

My advanced specialized target market is: Photojournalism heavy, mixed with formal, done with a LOT of processing and editing.

In my area, there are more than 500 wedding photographers. There are about 50 in my price range. There are only a few of us who have the same target market. While I have about 80 percent that would not consider me due to style, cost, or processing, that remaining 20 percent has kept me in strong business for going on 8 years. I work between 25-35 weddings a year.

Hope that helps.

D-B-J · Aug 18, 2011

You can always have a niche.

bennielou · Aug 18, 2011

It might be interesting to find out what people have a niche market, and what that market is. Or what you want it to be. Could be a fun, enlightening conversation.

imagemaker46 · Aug 18, 2011

The majority of what I shoot is sports, but I do have the skills and experience in most other fields of photography and will accept work in any area and feel comfortable doing so. It is difficult to stay in one area of photography, but unless you have the skills and confidence to venture into a wider field, it could be a real challenge, or a business breaker. You have to start somewhere. I to see more wedding and portrait photographers attempting to shoot sports as well, and failed miserably, mainly due to the lack of equipment that is really required, and also the lack of sports knowledge. It's like a resturant that serves up great chicken and then decides to serve bad fish, all it takes is a couple of people complaining about how bad the fish is and the chicken doesn't look so good anymore.

In this day and age though, and thanks to digital, it is easier to do an decent job shooting most things, and the smaller the market the tougher it is to just stick to one area. If a photographer is confident that the images produced are of a consistant high quality in more than one area, then go for it.

bennielou · Aug 18, 2011

imagemaker46 said:
The majority of what I shoot is sports, but I do have the skills and experience in most other fields of photography and will accept work in any area and feel comfortable doing so. It is difficult to stay in one area of photography, but unless you have the skills and confidence to venture into a wider field, it could be a real challenge, or a business breaker. You have to start somewhere. I to see more wedding and portrait photographers attempting to shoot sports as well, and failed miserably, mainly due to the lack of equipment that is really required, and also the lack of sports knowledge. It's like a resturant that serves up great chicken and then decides to serve bad fish, all it takes is a couple of people complaining about how bad the fish is and the chicken doesn't look so good anymore.

In this day and age though, and thanks to digital, it is easier to do an decent job shooting most things, and the smaller the market the tougher it is to just stick to one area. If a photographer is confident that the images produced are of a consistant high quality in more than one area, then go for it.

Well hopefully, if a wedding photographer knows their stuff, they can shoot sports, fashion, portraits, photojournalism, and all the rest, professionally.

manaheim · Aug 18, 2011

bennielou said:
Agree with both above.

My overall market is: weddings, families, children, infants, boudoir

My specialized market is: weddings

My advanced specialized target market is: Photojournalism heavy, mixed with formal, done with a LOT of processing and editing.

In my area, there are more than 500 wedding photographers. There are about 50 in my price range. There are only a few of us who have the same target market. While I have about 80 percent that would not consider me due to style, cost, or processing, that remaining 20 percent has kept me in strong business for going on 8 years. I work between 25-35 weddings a year.

Hope that helps.

Side-track... looked at your website. Love your stuff. Died laughing over the farmer wedding couple with the pitchfork. :lol:

manaheim · Aug 18, 2011

My niche is essentially buildings... corporate real estate, architecture, new construction, etc.

I also do weddings, some product work, and just "stuff"... but clearly my major area is buildings.