If you could only choose a few things...

[lisameowrie]

If you had to choose one or a few things to go towards your new business:

1. Joining the PPA
2. Upgrading your computer
3. Using towards some CreativeLive classes
4. Purchasing some lighting equipment
5. Prime lenses

Or none of the above, a few of the above? Other suggestions?

 

[AceCo55]

I guess it would depend on what aspect was limiting you the most at the present?
For me, learning the business of selling and the business of running a business would be up there.

 

[Designer]

lisameowrie; you've got the artistic side, the technical side, and the business side that all need to come together in a cohesive package that somehow makes what you do profitable.

I guess you just do it all and more. Do whatever you can do today, and make plans for doing the rest of it tomorrow. I couldn't say what is the first on your list, as I don't know you.

 

[Braineack]

I'd wanna bring in sales.

 

[pgriz]

For a business to be a business, you need a defined market from which you can generate revenue (sales), and do it in a way that leaves you with adequate profit.

"defined market" is a niche which is large enough to support a volume of work, and yet unique enough that you don't have much competition and sufficient demand to allow you to price adequately.

"sales" is the whole process by which you convince enough people in that defined market to give you the money NOW, and which you can collect with relatively minimal effort on your part.

"profit" is what's left after you pay all your expenses (and yourself), and the government, etc. The mistake many businesses make is thinking that they should pay themselves out of the profits. But your time is a cost to the business, and should be paid for before you think you've "made money".

Of your list,

1. Joining the PPA
2. Upgrading your computer
3. Using towards some CreativeLive classes
4. Purchasing some lighting equipment
5. Prime lenses

there is nothing that helps you define the market or address it directly. Nor is there anything in that list that will help you generate sales and collect revenue. Items #2-5 address the production side, but again do not clearly affect the productivity (quantity/quality of results per time spent).

At this point, I think that what you really need to get your business going, is to put together a business plan. Every business is an engine to generate money. So you need to put together some numbers. Here's a hypothetical scenario:

my defined niche market has about 10,000 people in it. About 1 % would need my services on a monthly/weekly basis (100 potential prospects). Given the competition, and my marketing efforts, I can probably reach 20% of these (20 potential prospects). I can expect to convince 25% of these to buy my services/products (about 5 sales prospects). To cover the costs of my business (salary, business costs, depreciation of equipment, production costs), I need to charge these customers $X (total overhead for a time period divided by the number of customers) to break even. I will add a 10% premium for profit and risk.

Now, by doing these numbers, you can see whether the prices you need to charge can be borne by the market you are targetting. If not, the business is not going to work. This process also forces your attention to the process by which you identify the target market, develop marketing to reach that target market, prepare the sales approach and methods to convert those potential clients to actual clients, and the collection process by which you efficiently collect on the services provided. It's easy to focus on the production side, but it's not what will make the business work.

 

[tirediron]

The number one recommendation I make, and IMO, the best thing you can do to help your business is learn about business! Paul's post above is outstanding; my list would look like this:

1. Get local adult ed facility catalogue and take every possible course I could about small business management, entrepreneurship, small business accounting, and MARKETING, etc, etc, etc. Learn how to draft and follow a business plan, how much $$ you need for what.

2. Buy insurance.

3. Buy necessary licenses

4. Consult with IP/Contract attorney to review all releases, contracts, agreements, etc

5. Consult with local CPA to discuss tax and accounting specifics for your area.


Remember, the business of your business is no different than the guy who sells cars, grows flowers, or drives his own truck. It's all business... photography businesses don't fail (usually) because the photographer couldn't take a good picture, they fail because the photographer doesn't know beans about business!

 

[Mr. Innuendo]

I'm getting into shooting more portraits (which I never thought I'd do but, hey, it pays), so I recently picked up some lighting equipment, a couple of backdrops, etc.

I've been working at getting established here (I only moved here in 2013), so I also put money into marketing, advertising and the like.

Within the last year I've picked up a new computer, bought some software, etc. I also picked up a Canon 6D, a 17-40mm L and, recently, my new favorite toy, a Canon 100-400mm L to help me with my motorsports jones. I'm lovin' that lens right now.

Aside from all of that, I finally put on my big boy pants and got insurance, which is helping to open a few doors which weren't open to me without it.

 

[Derrel]

A person can spend tens of thousands of dollars on setting up a photography business, pretty easily. Cameras,computers,lenses,space to work in, cards, forms,contracts, etc,etc. But consider this: Photography is writing with light. Light is what makes pictures. One of the things that makes a person appear to be "a professional" is professional type lighting equipment. To the average person, a light stand, and a softbox or umbrella, or a big reflector positioned with a stand and grip arm...those few tools set apart a session that is done with artificial light that the photographer is controlling, from having somebody with a nice camera stop by to snap a few shots. These days, a TON of people "own a nice camera", and a ton of people "like to take pictures". If you want to charge more money, buy yourself a light stand, a recessed face grid-equipped softbox, a 43 inch umbrella, and a single, decent monolight of from 150 Watt-seconds or thereabouts.

The gridded softbox creates a nice pool of light that falls off rather rapidly, to keep backgrounds dark, and subdued. The umbrella creates nice, soft light that spreads over a fairly wide area. You don't need or want a lot of light blasting small animals frame after frame. The stand,modifier, and monolight separates you from all of the natural light photographers, who are, I think, viewed by the public as people who take pictures. If you own decent studio and location lighting, it's easy to shoot good images, which have the needed depth of field, and the control over the lighting that makes professional-looking images. And your clients will refer friends and family, and they will say, "Oh, she brings in lights and everything."

If you look the part, and use one of the real tools of a professional shooter, which is professional-type lighting gear,people will tend to view you as a professional shooter, rather than just some gal who "likes to take pictures". Your lighting gear is one of the very few things clients actually get to SEE. You could be processing on an outdated Dell PC and running Lightroom 3.6....they will never know, nor care.

 

[lisameowrie]

You made a lot of great points. You are referring to portrait, studio/backdrop photography though, right?

Would you happen to know where I can find photos of the set-ups you described?

A person can spend tens of thousands of dollars on setting up a photography business, pretty easily. Cameras,computers,lenses,space to work in, cards, forms,contracts, etc,etc. But consider this: Photography is writing with light. Light is what makes pictures. One of the things that makes a person appear to be "a professional" is professional type lighting equipment. To the average person, a light stand, and a softbox or umbrella, or a big reflector positioned with a stand and grip arm...those few tools set apart a session that is done with artificial light that the photographer is controlling, from having somebody with a nice camera stop by to snap a few shots. These days, a TON of people "own a nice camera", and a ton of people "like to take pictures". If you want to charge more money, buy yourself a light stand, a recessed face grid-equipped softbox, a 43 inch umbrella, and a single, decent monolight of from 150 Watt-seconds or thereabouts.

The gridded softbox creates a nice pool of light that falls off rather rapidly, to keep backgrounds dark, and subdued. The umbrella creates nice, soft light that spreads over a fairly wide area. You don't need or want a lot of light blasting small animals frame after frame. The stand,modifier, and monolight separates you from all of the natural light photographers, who are, I think, viewed by the public as people who take pictures. If you own decent studio and location lighting, it's easy to shoot good images, which have the needed depth of field, and the control over the lighting that makes professional-looking images. And your clients will refer friends and family, and they will say, "Oh, she brings in lights and everything."

If you look the part, and use one of the real tools of a professional shooter, which is professional-type lighting gear,people will tend to view you as a professional shooter, rather than just some gal who "likes to take pictures". Your lighting gear is one of the very few things clients actually get to SEE. You could be processing on an outdated Dell PC and running Lightroom 3.6....they will never know, nor care.

 

[Derrel]

No, I am referring to almost any, almost all, instances where one is hired to shoot photographs in exchange for money. Professional photography equipment, the kind that 99% of people do not have, and have never seen used in the real world, except by professionals, makes a statement in two ways. First, stuff shot with the right lighting almost always looks different than stuff shot by a "a natural light photographer". And second, bringing in lighting equipment and setting it up and using it tells the client that the photographer has specialized tools, and specialized knowledge, that "people who like to take pictures" probably do not have. It's a matter of results and also conveying an image.

Adorama's YouTube pages are great. He's an example about how to create a simple, broadly-lighted shooting area using three affordable light/softbox/stands:

Instead of a cute child...imagine a beautiful Irish setter, or an adorable golden retriever...

 

[Austin Greene]

If you had to choose one or a few things to go towards your new business:

1. Joining the PPA
2. Upgrading your computer
3. Using towards some CreativeLive classes
4. Purchasing some lighting equipment
5. Prime lenses

Or none of the above, a few of the above? Other suggestions?

Upgrading my computer (5 years old, small macbook) and prime lenses. Most of the rest comes with experience and a basic understanding of business.

 

[fjrabon]

What is your goal in starting a photography business? To make a good living? To produce self-satisfying work that pays the bills. To have a hobby that breaks even (not counting your time)?

 

[lisameowrie]

To make a good living! I want to be proud of my work and go far with it. I lost touch with photo for a while going to school as a vet tech, but I am all in now and ready to give it my all.

What is your goal in starting a photography business? To make a good living? To produce self-satisfying work that pays the bills. To have a hobby that breaks even (not counting your time)?

 

[fjrabon]

To make a good living! I want to be proud of my work and go far with it. I lost touch with photo for a while going to school as a vet tech, but I am all in now and ready to give it my all.

What is your goal in starting a photography business? To make a good living? To produce self-satisfying work that pays the bills. To have a hobby that breaks even (not counting your time)?

If you want to make a good living, the number one thing is market research. Knowing where the most bang for your buck (and time) demographics and genres are. Knowing where those demographics look, and how to get your brand in front of them.

 

[lisameowrie]

Does the gridded softbox go behind a backdrop?

I want to create studio portraits that are vibrant and pop. I have purchased savage seamless in banana color and plan to purchase more. In that case would I benefit from the types of lights shown in the video you posted?

a light stand, a recessed face grid-equipped softbox, a 43 inch umbrella, and a single, decent monolight of from 150 Watt-seconds or thereabouts.

The gridded softbox creates a nice pool of light that falls off rather rapidly, to keep backgrounds dark, and subdued. The umbrella creates nice, soft light that spreads over a fairly wide area. You don't need or want a lot of light blasting small animals frame after frame. The stand,modifier, and monolight separates you from all of the natural light photographers, who are, I think, viewed by the public as people who take pictures.