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START A PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS IN 5 STEPS

From creating an eye-catching portfolio to setting up your online storefront,
learn how to start selling your photos like a pro.

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If you’re looking to take your passion for photography from hobbyist to
professional, you don’t have to tackle everything at once. To make the
transition less overwhelming, we’ve broken down the steps to starting your own
photography business.


REVIEW THE FOUNDATION: YOUR PORTFOLIO

It’s the first thing potential clients want to see and it defines your style.
Ask yourself if it’s the best representation of your current skills and
specialties with an indication of the work you want to pursue in the future.
This may mean you dig into your archive, re-edit, or reshoot. Revisit your
portfolio on a consistent basis.


MAKE A PLAN AND MAKE IT OFFICIAL

Consider your specialty and what that would entail: What’s your niche? What kind
of lifestyle will it give you?  Wedding photography is a popular choice for most
full-time photographers. There are many potential clients but it does require
photo shoots on nights and weekends. Meanwhile real estate photography typically
offers more regular business hours.

A photography business plan isn’t a requirement, but it will give you momentum
and a better chance at success. On the most basic level, it should contain your
business structure, target market, pricing, and goals.  Next you should decide
on a business name. Ensure it is available at the required level of government,
as a url, and in social media accounts. Then legally register for a business
license, buy your domain name, and create any social media accounts. Now you can
create a logo, marketing plan, and marketing materials such as business cards,
social media posts, and a website. 

You may also need to protect your personal assets and your company with separate
business insurance and a business bank account. If you need major equipment
upgrades, income, or other startup costs, you may need to secure a business
loan.  

Ready to start selling photos? You can launch an online storefront for free with
Dropbox Shop in just a few clicks. Simply add your photos from Dropbox, set a
price, and share your listings on social media or your website to reach new
customers. Getting paid is a breeze and super secure with processing done by
Stripe and PayPal. 


INVEST IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT

If you specialize in sports photography, a high-quality zoom lens with
stabilization in key. Portrait photography requires a mirrorless camera with a
large aperture. A lightbox is a necessity for product photography. Needs can
shift based on your type of photography, specialty and growth, but if you have a
camera and access to a computer, you’re in business. You can also rent to scale
with your growth.

Equipment doesn’t just mean cameras and lenses. You also need to consider
peripheral things like editing software. This can include Photoshop or Lightroom
for photo editing and accounting software for record keeping and invoicing. 

If you don’t have your photos digitally archived, it’s time to get or upgrade
cloud storage. It’s the industry standard to house large files like all of your
RAW photos. Uploading to the cloud keeps your physical storage like your
computer and memory cards ready for the next shoot. It also ensures that they’re
safe and up to date.


SIGN CLIENTS, SHOOT, DELIVER

Before you even talk about a job, you need a contract outlining the basic
expectations and requirements for both you and your client. This should always
include pricing, deposits, cancellation policy, timeline, delivery, and use. You
can even collect legally binding signatures online.

To prepare for the day-of shoot, get a fact-sheet together. List any equipment
you need to bring, location, schedule, timeline, shot list, and any incidentals.
Stay organized and access it on the go by storing it in a folder dedicated to
the job. Your RAW photos can also live here with the final edits. 

Then it’s time time deliver the final photos in a way that protects your work.
You can set a link expiration date, a password, or add a watermark. It should
also be a secure and easy handoff for you and your client. If you use Dropbox
Transfer, the recipient doesn’t need a Dropbox account and it doesn’t take any
of your account storage quota. It also sends a copy to protect your originals.


GROW AND MAINTAIN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS

When you have achieved some cash flow and can articulate more about your
business, then start updating your website and social media accounts. Here are a
few pages to add or upgrade:

 * FAQs
 * Pricing
 * Online booking
 * Bio/About Me
 * Ratings/Reviews
 * Your portfolio 

Referrals can be a great way to grow, but don’t be afraid to explore different
revenue streams. One of the most popular for professional photographers is stock
photography. What was once a throw away photo can now be a passive source of
income.

Starting your own photography business is different from learning the art of
photography. Photography skills are just as important as how you organize,
market, and deliver your photography services. If you combine both, success
means you can get paid to be creative.




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WATERMARKS ARE A SIMPLE WAY FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS TO PROTECT THEIR IP AND BUILD
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HOW UGE AND DEBBIE TAN GREW FROM BELOVED SUNRISE PHOTOGRAPHY INTO A LIFESTYLE
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THIS FILM-MAKING COUPLE SHARE THEIR LESSONS FOR A WORK-FROM-ANYWHERE LIFE.

For all photos worth saving


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