Starting your own Photography company.

[Snowmobiler]

Hey there, just wondering how one would go about starting his own photography company.. I have no idea where to even start. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Juice]

You should start by searching the topic, since you can't honestly think you're the first person to ask this.

 

[altair005]

my boyfriend has been wanting to start a landscape photog biz. he reads reads reads, searches a gazillion professional websites, we visit galleries, talk to photographers in the galleries, peruse photography tents on the river street...

basically, you have to start with research.

 

[caveman]

What kind of photography business will it be?

 

[shmne]

The best place to start with photography business is to start with knowing how to conduct business in the first place. Honestly most of what you need to know isn't on the photography side (at first, as long as you can take solid pictures).

I suggest searching for some business books with photographers in mind, there are many very outstanding books. Honestly I haven't looked up one for photography (prefer just plain business myself) so I can't help you there

 

[Petraio Prime]

There are lots of people with superb photo skills who would not dream of becoming pros.

 

[Ryan L]

Thats easy! All you do is buy a digital camera and start a flicker.....BAMMM Insta-Pro. lol easy as that.

popcorn anyone?

 

[flyingember]

the first place to start is with how to start a business in general in your area

research licensing, taxes, zoning, laws and the like. look into travel costs, equipment costs, computer costs, etc.

flip the words. you're starting a business in photography. look at what it takes to start a business. then extend it to how you would do business by selling photos

 

[Petraio Prime]

Just because you want to be a 'serious' photographer, that doesn't mean you need to 'go pro'.

Now that digital cameras and printers have become much less expensive, and photography is much more convenient than formerly, everyone thinks he can become a 'pro'. The already crowded field does not need new entrants.

That said, if you really want to 'go pro', it would behoove you to study and work with a true 'pro' for several years, perhaps as a studio assistant; otherwise you won't have any credibility whatsoever as a 'pro'. I worked in the commercial field for a couple of years. From this I determined that I wanted nothing to do with 'pro' work ever again.

:meh:

If you think there is a huge market for landscape photos, be aware that everyone else who bought a digital Rebel within the last year thinks so too...so who is going to buy your photos?

:lmao:

 

[KmH]

Hey there, just wondering how one would go about starting his own photography company.. I have no idea where to even start. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

A photography company to do........what?

And as suggested, a photography business is way more about business, than it's about photography.



There are 3 main types that sell photographs and/or photographic services:

1. Retail
2. Commercial
3. Editorial

Then there are photography companies that make their money by selling "How to". In other words they are companies that teach photographic technique. Some do that by traveling from city-to-city conducting seminars. Some have the customer come to them. I have a friend that does his seminars on cruise ships.

Then there is Stock Photography. You take the pictures and some other company advertises and markets their availablity. They usually have images from thousands of other photographers so until/if you rise to the top of their sales figures they don't feature your stuff promenently.
There are 2 kinds of stock RF and RM. RF pays pennies for each sale of one of your photos, so to make any money that way you need to have several hundred photos accepted every month. RM pays better, but there are fewer buyers.

Time magazine recently used a RF stock image for their cover. As I understand it the photographer got a check for $2.73, and it was only that big because of the number of magazines Time prints. Other wise his cut would have been $0.35.

 

[IceEateer]

If you're thinking about a company company like an LLC or Corporation, then you'd have to pay the $$ to an attorney to help you out.

Most people do their taxes, etc. as a sole proprietor.

That's just the business end.

You still have to take and sell pictures that people are willing to pay for.

 

[Petraio Prime]

Hey there, just wondering how one would go about starting his own photography company.. I have no idea where to even start. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

You first have to be a 'pro' before starting your business. That means working as an assistant and learning the ropes first.

 

[Snowmobiler]

Alright, i'm not trying to make a living out of this business nor am I looking to make photography a profession of mine in any way. I'm simply wanting to recoup a little bit of money from when I go on rides with people and take pictures of them, or when I attend my buddies MX races or something. I appreciate the polite replies, those helped. As for the negative, rude ones I don't see the need for that. I simply asked one question. Yeah i'm sure there are plenty of threads about this, i'm on 28.8kbps dial up though so it takes enough effort to just get one post done. If you didn't have anything positive to say in reply to my simple question, why even read my thread in the first place?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Welcome to the Internet!

Good luck with your business!

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Welcome to the Internet!

Good luck with your business!

Hey there, just wondering how one would go about starting his own photography company.. I have no idea where to even start. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

You first have to be a 'pro' before starting your business. That means working as an assistant and learning the ropes first.

First we have Bitter with a dose of reality (the business of photo is not an easy one, get over it) then we have the man who hates pros (get over the world of jealous people who don't seem to be able to shoot a good image) and, well, you are stuck somewhat in reality.

Photography as a pro is a pain in the neck. You have to know what you're doing and you have to avoid all the idiots who thing they do but don''t.

Cheers.