5 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Starting My Photography Business

Most businessmen would most likely have a few things they wished they knew beforehand, especially businesses that are highly skill-based. Looking back, think about all the things that you could have done before you first started your photography business. Do you wish you knew more about the technicalities of photography, from f-stops to aperture? Better yet, could have had a nice, long chat with someone who’s an expert in the industry? Doing so could have saved you from a lot of anxiety and sleepless nights.

Whether you are just starting out or have been in the business for a couple of years, here are the five things you wish you knew before taking the plunge.

You Are Not Just a Photographer

Most of us thought that as long as we have the talent and excellent photography skills, anyone can build a successful business.

However, it's far more than that. You're just starting out. For your business to thrive, you need to wear many hats all at once.

Therefore, when operating your own photography business, you won’t just be the photographer. You're also the marketing director, the bookkeeper, the customer service expert, the CEO, the secretary, the tech guy and the social media marketing expert of your own business.

That's why the sooner that you are aware of this, the better. That way, you can improve in different fields.

Impeccable photography skills are essential – but it's only part of the pie.

Drop Unnecessary Business Purchases and Gears

You might think that buying the latest version of a particular gear is a worthy investment but it can also be crippling in the long run. You'll likely end up being caught up in the never-ending cycle of buying things that you don't need.

If you have to invest, choose to spend your money on taking the right classes or continuing education. Deciding to invest in education will equip you with the right skill set to manage your own business. Otherwise, don't waste your funds on buying gear that you don't need. Chances are, it will just end up collecting dust in the closet which can add up to serious losses.

So, think about whether or not you really need to buy a particular gear. The same rule applies to make a business purchase. Weigh the pros and cons first. It's going to be incredibly tricky making a profit if there are huge expenses that you're paying for.

Backup your photos

Learn to backup your photos every single time. Memory cards are pretty handy and can survive almost anything. But what happens if you accidentally overwrite a file on your hard drive? Or your hard drive encounters surprise errors? Not to mention, your computer can be prone to crashes and viruses as well and can fail without warning.

Anything can happen.

It might just be the worse case scenario, but you cannot afford to lose all your photos. Every photographer's life depends on it.

That's why it's vital to update and make copies of your photos regularly. You can use your website as an excellent way to backup all your work, or invest in secure cloud storage services to ensure your photos are always accessible wherever you are.

Referrals Are Essential

Who thought referrals aren't necessary?

In fact, referrals are the bread and butter of your business and can be the primary source for bookings for photographers.

One of the best ways you can do to encourage referrals is to set up a formal referral program. The system rewards people for referring potential clients your way.

Another clever way to do this is to give clients a stack of business cards together with their photos. Tell them how much it would mean to you if they can share your work with their friends.

Never Stop Learning

Perhaps, in your early days as a photographer, you've been spending a great deal of time learning – reading blogs and books about photography, practicing and trying out new techniques, and eventually mastering your art.

As much as you are confident about your skills, always make room to learn new things. Most photographers make the mistake of spending all of their time working after they mastered the concept and things are working well. However, they neglected what’s important – learning and growing in one’s craft. As a result, parts of their businesses never really improved.

Education is very important, good thing that there are online schools for photography on the internet. See this excellent online photography course that gives you an opportunity to hone your skills further.

Make sure to never be stagnant. Learning is a lifelong process. Always make room to challenge yourself to conquer new heights!

To wrap it up

Starting a photography business is not an easy feat. You have to equip yourself with the right set and amount of knowledge, skills, passion, and grit to succeed. Work out your schedule, take the right classes and be prepared for almost anything!

Kate helps businesses build effective processes for vetting ideal clients and building a business that doesn’t take every hour of every day.