How to Become a Photographer in 2021
How to Become a Photographer in 2021
We opened our first studio location in 2009 - and we did a lot of things wrong. We made several costly mistakes on our way to becoming a photography business. A profitable photography business. Becoming a photographer would have been easier if we had the foresight to do the following things. Not all of these were possible for us because of our family’s needs, but if we were looking at how to become a photographer in 2021 - here’s what we’d do.
Go Make Friends
I’m the social butterfly of the two of us, and Daniel is a little more… reserved. Photographers that have seen Daniel on YouTube might not believe this, but it’s true. We still had three kids at home, and Daniel had his hands full during the week while I traveled for work, so we weren’t out making photographer friends. Tagging along with other photographers as a second shooter or doing walkabouts with the local Professional Photographers of America association would have been great for a lot of reasons, but at the top of the list is that the additional training and industry support would have made a difference.
Intern
You don’t really have to call it interning, but even being a fly on the wall of other photographers’ shoots teaches you things; what to buy, fun locations, how to interact with clients. And we all need a support network - so this is one more way to make friends. In our experience the photographer next door might not be super open to bringing up the competition, but that doesn’t mean the photographer an hour away will feel the same. Some photographers end up joining the studio they’ve interned for - and if you aren’t super excited about all the paperwork and responsibility (especially in the beginning) joining a photography studio that’s already up and running might work out really well for you.
Build up Your Portfolio
This is another reason to intern. As long as the photographer you’re working with is ok with this - those picture you’ve taken will really help round out your portfolio. And remember you ABC’s - Always Be Culling. I know from experience that my affection for my client skews my opinions of our pictures. Daniel is far better at separating his emotions from the final photograph. My opinions of the pictures are more on point 6 months after we’ve taken them, when my enthusiasm for the client has mellowed. We try to do a pretty significant update on our website each winter after the season slows down. We when were first starting out it was once a quarter.
Narrow down your Field
Trying to be all things to all people is exhausting and confusing. It’s really hard to keep your advertising on message when you’re trying to be the photographer everyone needs. We’ve done wedding photography, product photography, stock, headshots, family, senior, newborn and cake smash photography. And probably a couple that I’m not thinking about right now. Don’t.
Pick a couple genres, maybe 3, 4 tops. Stick with them. Pick options that work well together. Options that need the same gear, or the same studio, or pick the ones that light up your world and make your heart happy. Stick with those. If you’re a wedding photographer consider boudoir photography. If you love cake smash photography, try newborn and maternity photography. Newborn and cake smash photography props and gear overlap. Wedding and boudoir photography are the same client base.
Don’t try to be all things to all people.
Get to know the local camera shop
This one we did right. Our local camera guys are great. Nice guys, good photographers, and more interested in us as a long term (i.e. successful) client than a large single sale of gear we didn’t need. The owner sat down with Daniel on one of his first visits and mapped out what camera gear he needed, in what order. You’re not going to get that at the local big box store. We haven’t bought everything through them, but we’ve spent a lot of money there over the years. And when I need something today I can run up the road. While we’ve watched other camera stores disappear around us, they’re still here. Support your local guys when you can, you’ll need them later.
Find a business coach
This first year, maybe you can’t afford one. Reach out to the SBA (Small Business Administration), their SCORE program will give you the help you need for free. Having another person that (gulp) sees your business financials and that you can be completely real with is invaluable. And another cheerleader in your corner won’t hurt you a bit.
If your first SCORE coach isn’t a good fit, find another one. Our first coach didn’t fit AT ALL. Our second coach(es), a married couple just like us, are still close friends almost 15 years later - we still see them for holidays and get togethers.
Set up sustainable pricing
Build a price list, tear it apart and build it again. I don’t remember who it was I heard say this, but they said that no matter what you wrote on the first price list to DOUBLE it on the second one. Keep it simple. Try for one page. And if you aren’t comfortable charging AT LEAST $400 for a shoot, maybe don’t give up your day job just yet.
Set photography sale minimums now, don’t put yourself in a position where clients come back later and you have to explain why you’ve changed your entire structure (we had to do this, it’s not fun). Even if you have a price list and then offer a discount for something specific, you won’t have to justify your price increase the next time while you’re building your business. You can read more about us fixing our photography pricing mistake if you need further justification.
Institute In-Person Sales
And never look back. ESPECIALLY if you’re not a wedding photographer. Clients expect to spend real money on wedding pictures. But for the rest of us…
Unfortunately the photographers that have populated the marketplace the last 15 years have killed the public’s expectations of the cost of photography. $150 for a disc of 20, 40, 80, ALL the images isn’t going to get it done. And if you’re not there to counsel your clients about the best products for their pictures, they’re going to stick with what they know, and what’s comfortable. Clients say “I’ll have the disc please” or “I’ll take the big one, that 8x10”. This isn’t how your business will survive. We more than doubled our sales when we switched to projection. Huge TVs are cheap now - you’ll make it back in 2 clients. Do it now.
More about in-person sales in photography.
Read
Read photography books. Read business books. Read style magazines and watch for upcoming trends. Just read. This was another one we did well. I’m a bookie (no, not that kind) at heart, so I can’t even tell you how many photography books we moved around. And moved again. And again. There are some of our favorite photography books on the shopping side of the website and some wonderful business and sales training books too. I spent a lot of time in airplanes those first couple years, so I had a lot of time to kill. This one can’t be oversold. The best thing you can possibly do is educate yourself.
Believe in yourself
Having a business partner through those first years helped us get through the doubt and the anxiety that we were doing the right thing. Find people that will build you up. Build a mood board about why you want this, why it’s your dream. Write a journal. Commune with nature. Do whatever you need to do to get in the mindspace that YOU ARE WORTH IT, that your art has value, that you have something unique to share with the world - do that. Photography is often a bumpy ride at the beginning
My husband will have no problem telling you that he became a photographer later than he should have. He actually photographed his first wedding at 17. But, family and friends impressed upon him that photographers don’t make money, that artists don’t make money, so he joined the Navy instead of pursuing his dream. Twenty years later and we love what we do. He should have started earlier - don’t wait. If wanting this is what keeps you up at night - GO FOR IT. Just do it right.
- Clare