anyone have advise for starting up a photography business?

Question

We're thinking of something like glamour shots but not as outdated and kids pics like kiddy kandids. We have alot of props and all the camera equipment already but looking for advice on how to get the business end going, any help would be great thanks!

Answer 1

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.

I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* Photographers Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business: Everything you need to know to run a successful photography business by Vik Orenstein
* Legal Handbook for Photographers: The Rights and Liabilities of Making Images Paperback by Bert P. Krages
* How to Start a Home-Based Photography Business, 4th Paperback by Kenn Oberrecht
* Shooting & Selling Your Photos: The Complete Guide to Making Money With Your Photography by Jim Zuckerman

I also posted links to some free articles in the source box.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 2

A business can be summed up as follows:
Market (who are you selling to or in other words, who wants to buy what you want to sell - irrespective of this being a product or a service - where and for how much?)
+
Product / Service
+
Revenue Model (financials i.e. how much does it cost you to run the business and deliver the value you intend to and how much can you charge, to how many people you can serve ==> throw this is in a simple equation on a spreadsheet)

Based on the above understanding, you can now can make a serious decision on whether:
1) you want to be IN THIS business or not;
2) it makes financial sense to be in this business;
3) it can "breakeven" and make money within a short/relevant period of time before you grow frustrated
4) if this is a full time business opportunity or a sideshow that generates decent "extra" money.
5) Why you are doing this - i.e. starting a photography business - makes sense or does that answer to the question "why?" need a relook?
That was the first stage of decision making and the most important part. Once you seriously know "Why?" you are in this, rest all is administrative and easy.

Next, go to the website of your local state government, if you are in the USA, else to a legal counsel or account (CPA) to help with the basic decision making and advise on:
1. Formation of the company: name, capital structure, accounting formats/software, financial year etc.
2. Deciding on sole proprietor, partnership, S Corp, LLC or C Corp
3. Financial health required i.e. cash flow analysis, financial projections, financing needs and loans etc.

Then comes the execution part:
1. Marketing ==> advertising ==> budget and reaching out to your market/audience constantly.
2. Sales ==> Getting big projects ==>cold calling, meetings, deal closures
3. Business Development ==> partnerships, networking, swapping warm leads with other non-competing allies outside of your business / market area for a referral fee / affiliate commission.
4. eCommerce and eBusiness: an online angle to your business, to generate revenues online as well as take your offline business online in some way or the other.

Last comes in HR / Production / Operations: Looks like you are experts in this area already. Just keep these in mind:
1. to grow your company, you HAVE to hire new people, trust them (even if you are burnt multiple times...keep hiring), train them and try to get out of "you" out of the business and let it run on a systematic daily reports oriented effort...i.e most companies that are run by entrepreneurs / founders die when the founder leaves because the founder(s) was/were the company...therefore, on the operations front, put in an IT system in tandem with a Culture in place that can run the show on its own without your interference in the business decision making, revenue generation, order fulfilment and customer support. Also it is absolutely must that you get a T1 or higher internet with VoIP service for communications.

All in all, always remember that the seed you are planting already knows how large it can get, the one who plants may not be so aware of which seed he/she is planting...so, your photography business can take the model of a kiddie kandids or a flickr...you have to design this business model /seed before you launch.

Good luck with your venture...nothing ventured, nothing gained...go for it...the learning would be fun after its been learnt...hindsight is 20/20...I can keep advising till the cows come home...having been there done that...for you, just do it :)

Sanjay Saggere
404-425-3021
[e-mail]
www.bizdevsystems.com click on eBusiness

Answer 3

I wanted to share this with anyone who is in need of start up capital. If you have bad credit this company will still give you a loan. The catch? Your looking at an interest rate of about 20%. However, once you start paying off the loan your interest rate can drop and your monthly payments will go down. They also report to all 3 credit agencies. I borrowed $15,000.00 ffrom them last year and have had nothing but a positive experience with them.

This is not some "fly by night" company and I do not work for this company nor do I get paid to pass on any info about this company. I am simply doing this to help others who are having the same problems getting a start up loan.

You still have to work,(I put in about 50 hours a week on my webstore), and you still have to be honest. I do not know ANYONE who works 4 hours a day and makes thousands in a week. That's bull****!

I put my heart and soul into my webstore and I simply needed extra funds for inventory to sell. By getting this loan I was able to buy inventory and my sales went up because I had better items to offer and a lot more to choose from.

If your interested please email me at [e-mail].

I cannot give this company name out on here. I do not have their permission.

One more thing....I DO NOT MAKE MONEY FROM GIVING THEM REFERRALS! I make my money the old fashion way.....WORKING FOR IT.

Answer 4

you're unlikely to get a bridge digicam (with finished instruction manual administration) for £a hundred - a strategies from it. The optical high quality & sensor length will additionally no longer supply you the 'studio' high quality pictures you would be charging for. The multi backdrops are pointless - at maximum you will decide for 2 (a mid-tone gray, which in case you already understand a thank you to easy you are able to turn black, white or the different shade with gels on your lights; and a green show is basically functional in case you desire to place up technique yet another b/g in). As for the lights, i can not think of any good lights for £ninety. If those are non-end lights they are in all probability to be under powered. in case you opt for for flash, you will decide for some form of triggering device which you have no longer budgeted for. the place are you going to shoot? no rely if it relatively is in a shopper's domicile or at a studio, you are going to decide for coverage. in case you have a studio, you would be required to conform with wellness, protection & fireplace Regs, plus incapacity get right of entry to. there would additionally be lease/business enterprise expenditures to pay. in spite of your working for a 'intense highway chain', do you surely comprehend something approximately taking pictures & lights in instruction manual??? Judging by utilising the naivety of this question, curiously no longer. For goodness sake, improve some good equipment progressively - a DSLR, some stable, quickly, portrait lenses (my favs are the 50mm f1.8, the 85mm f1.8 and the 24-70mm f2.8), some instruction manual speedlights and modifiers and discover out a thank you to apply them. THEN think of roughly commencing a company. on the 2d you're putting the cart till now the pony!!

Answer 5

do porn photos for sure - you can make serious money cause we do alot of that and make a bundle .

Answer 6

Draw up LEGAL and BINDING contracts, and stick to them! :)