Starting a photography business

[mitchell_green]

<p>Hi there<br>

I'm an avid, amateur photographer who is thinking of starting a portrait photography business in my town. I haven't got a portfolio. I have a Nikon D3100 with a Nikon 18 - 55mm lens and a Sigma 70 - 300mm macro lens, 3 tripods, a compact camera and a remote. I don't have an extra flash or a photo printer, but I can get relatively cheap prints from a local shop. I was hoping someone could answer the following questions for me:</p>

<p>1. Do I need a dedicated photo printer?<br>

2. How can I find out if there is a market for my business?<br>

3. Which lens should I predominantly use? (I've heard wide-angle lenses are bad for portraiture)<br>

4. How do I start?<br>

5. What do I need for start-up?<br>

More questions to follow when I think of them. Any tips are welcome.</p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>3. Which lens should I predominantly use? (I've heard wide-angle lenses are bad for portraiture)<br /><br /></p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is a most basic and rudimentary question. Stating that you merely "heard" the other information also reveals a grave lack of knowledge of the very activity for which you plan to engage in on a professional level. Imagine proposing to repair computers and not knowing what tools to use or what they are even for. What if someone wanted to open a painting business and didn't understand what type of paint is suitable for a particular situation or how to apply it correctly? <br /><br />If we could review an average sample of your portrait images, we might better know how much the lack of knowledge is effecting the end result. The ability to produce marketable images is a perquisite to trying to market them in the first place. Even to an less than discerning clientele. The question is whether you can produce the goods you plan to deliver. Then get in to the method for doing so.</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>lol</p>

[mitchell_green]

<p>Thank you for the feedback. I was doing research about portrait photography when I came across this mention of wide-angle lenses. You are right, I don't know what I am doing, but that is why I am asking, instead of just jumping into the deep-end. I am still building my portfolio. Thank you for the constructive criticism.</p>

[john_h.1]

<p>In addition to research which is important but generic, you can post some images here to seek some direct feedback on your particular work.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

In the USA? Talk to the Small Business Administration. They will help with basic business questions.

[mike_earussi1]

<p>Read <em>a lot</em> before you jump in because mistakes cost a <em>lot</em> of money.</p>

<p>Questions to answer:</p>

<p>1. Do you plan on shooting primarily indoors or outdoors? This will determine your lighting needs as well as what lenses you need, because you'll find more distracting backgrounds outside that require wide aperture lenses to successfully blur out the background, and wide aperture lenses cost more than the variable zooms you have now.</p>

<p>2. Are you going to specialize, i.e. children, weddings, babies, fashion, etc, or are you going to try to shoot everyone? The more you specialize the better you will get in that one specific area. Also you may find you prefer one age group over another. </p>

<p>3. Do you have any free models you can practice on, because you really need to have a high skill level to charge money for what you're doing.</p>

<p>4. A printer will give you more control than using Wal-Mart to print photos. Plus you'll learn a lot more (and faster) from the experience. </p>

<p>5. For cheap lighting tips go to the <em>Strobist</em> website. </p>

<p>6. Buy the 50 f1.8 lens as it's the cheapest wide aperture lens you can get for your camera. </p>

<p>And read books, not just info on the web, as books go much more deeply into the subject. </p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Mitchell -- "starting a business" and "what kind of lens to use" don't belong in the same post.<br /><br />If you would like to end up as a professional portrait photographer, that's a wonderful goal and something many people on this web site and others would be glad to help you with. But before you can start charging people, you need to learn the craft and art. Photography is not a turn-key business where you buy a piece of equipment and then start operating it. <br /><br />To learn portrait photography, there are countless books out there. I would highly recommend the ones by Monte Zucker and Steve Sint. Read those, memorize what they say, practice what they say. Take some classes and practice, practice, practice. Don't take anybody's money until you know absolutely 100 percent that you can deliver what you promise.</p>

[rick_m.]

<p>Ok. As others have said you are not even close to ready. But here is a jump start...</p>

<p>Photography is all about the light. So the first thing you do is go to the strobist web site and take the flash photography tutorial. That is first. You will see in a very easy format what flash photography will do for you. When it comes to portrait work at a professional level the statements "I am an available light photographer" and "I am a rank amateur" are synonymous". </p>

<p>Though most of us would say that you need to improve your kit, I would maintain that for portrait photography on a professional level, if I were given the choice of your camera and my lights or my cameras and no lights I am going for the lights.<br>

You said you are "building your portfolio". Here is the deal. It will do you little good to shoot a zillion pictures, pick the best and call that a portfolio. That is what most people do. A professional on the other hand must create his best work on demand. Every time. See the difference. So to do this you have to know exactly how to create the photos from scratch every time. </p>

<p>Keep this in mind. Some people have one year of experience. Some have 20 years of experience. Most have one year of experience, 20 times. Your first resolution should be to improve your skill set everyday. You can do this by trial and error but that is the hard way. The best way is to study under really good photographers. Attend portrait photography trainings. Take a local community college basic photography course if you haven't already. Watch every online video you can find on portrait photography. </p>

<p>One key thing that makes a professional photographer different from the average amateur is that the professional can because he/she must reproduce his/her results at will. Know how to shoot skinny people and fat people. How to expose African American skin and how to shoot an interracial couple while exposing both correctly. Learn how to wrangle kids. Learn how to do post processing by taking classes in Photoshop. Learn how to pose people for different purposes. There is a difference between how you might post a CEO for her annual report and her mom for the family reunion. On and on. <br>

This is not to discourage you but rather to encourage you. These days professionals are having a hard time competing with amateurs because the line is blurred. That said. It is easy to spot a real professional's portfolio from the one you are in all probability putting together. So your most important investment right now is training and education. Along the way you will learn everything you need to know about equipment.</p>

<p>After you have done all of that read 10 great books on salesmanship. Not marketing. Salesmanship. Then you will be on your way.<br>

</p>

 

[MichaelChang]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"After you have done all of that read 10 great books on salesmanship. Not marketing. Salesmanship. Then you will be on your way."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Marketing is the effort to create opportunities for sales to take place. Without marketing, you'll have no one to pitch a sale to. </p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>1. partially "yes". - Printing color stuff is a pain in the behind and from my limited experience inkjet prints appear too sensitive to sell these, but I do believe you will have to be able to provide instantly printed passport pictures, so I suggest getting a dyesub printer in the 50 Euro range.<br>

2. Try to interview the last one who closed?<br>

3. a 35-80mm<br>

4. As a side jobbing weekend warrior with online presence and a dedicated cell phone? <br /><br /></p>

[hjoseph7]

<p><strong>1. Do I need a dedicated photo printer?</strong><br /> not necessarily, but it would be nice to have one. if you do decide to get one get a printer that can at least print 16X20 .<br /> <br /> <strong>2. How can I find out if there is a market for my business?</strong><br /> This is one of the toughest parts of starting up. You might ask fellow photographers in your area. Or get a count of families, single people etc. from the Census bureau in your area.<br /> <br /> <strong>3. Which lens should I predominantly use? (I've heard wide-angle lenses are bad for portraiture)</strong><br /> The standard for groups is 50mm and the standard for individual is 85mm. You can stray from the standards but not by much. <br /> <br /> <strong>4. How do I start?</strong><br /> Put an ad in the news paper or magazines. Or put an ad in your local paper. Send out flyers or post cars. Create a website. Give out business cards. Volunteer as a photographers associate. Work for free until you build up your clientele. <br /> <br /> 5. <strong>What do I need for start-up?</strong><br /> You are definitely going to need more than a camera and lens. First of all you are going to need a business license. Then there is insurance, and maybe a business plan. Office items such as a computer, word processing, accounting software package, pens pencils, business cards, envelopes, Photographer release forms, you might also need a lawyer and tax preparer. The list goes on...</p>

<p>GOOD LUCK !</p>

[mitchell_green]

<p><strong>Mike Earussi:</strong><br>

1. I plan on shooting mainly outdoors, without a studio.<br>

2. I plan to specialize in the future, but I want to gain experience first. I would like to keep my options open at the moment, experience all different aspects of portraiture so that I can choose a niche with confidence, knowing that I have explored all of my options.<br>

3. Family and friends are the only free 'models' I have, but I will take your advice.<br>

4. I have a 3 or 4 year old small HP colour inkjet and a few-month-old Samsung B&W Laserjet, but I don't think they will do the job.<br>

5. I am making use of the <em>Strobist</em> website, thank you for that.</p>

<p><strong>Rick M:</strong><br>

<strong><br /></strong>Thank you for your insight! I am already making use of the <em>Strobist</em> website, and after some thought, what you say about my portfolio rings true. I will continue to work on my skills every day and I am constantly using online resources in the world of portrait photography.</p>

<p><strong>Jochen Schrey:</strong><br>

1. Thank you, but what do you think of portable photo printers that don't require a computer?</p>

<p><strong>Harry Joseph:</strong><br>

1. I have taken what you say into consideration, but I'm not sure what I will need 20x16 photos for? Can I not merely get a smaller printer, and when the need arises for bigger prints, just take them to a local shop to be printed large?<br>

3. I'm not sure what you mean. Should I get a lens that size or can I use my current lenses for those values? What would be the difference between using a designated lens and using my lenses?<br>

4. Any suggestions for a website?<br>

5. I don't have business license, I have insurance on my equipment but I'm not sure what other insurance I need (business?), I have a rough business plan (maybe you can recommend a template?), I have a desktop and laptop both with word processing software, I have stationery, I do not have an accounting package but know basic bookkeeping and I will get envelopes and business cards. Where can I get photographer release forms?</p>

<p><strong>More Questions:</strong><br>

1. I have basic editing software (sharpness, red-eye, contrast, colour-booster, brightness, shadow protection, highlight protection, cropping, D-lighting, straighten), but do I need expensive software? If so, what would you recommend?<br>

2. Where should I get a photography website from and what should be on that website?<br>

Please give any and all advice and tips.</p>

 

[rick_m.]

<p>Reference the attached photos. Remember that your backdrop is important. The messy table is distracting in the photo. There is a greenish cast to the skin tones and judging from his hair this may come from lighting above him. <br>

I am glad you are working on strobist. I don't think you can reasonably expect to conduct a photographic business "mainly outdoors". </p>

<p>Maybe it would be good for you to spend some time thinking about what a "professional" is. I sure would not claim to have all of the answers but here are a few points about the photography side of it:</p>

<p>A professional has lots of arrows in his/her quiver. We do not just know how to make one shot, we know how to make most all of them. </p>

<p>Outdoor shoots in the portrait business just scream amateur. Besides. Unless you know how to do them very well (and when), outdoor light can be very unflattering and far harder to use than good studio lighting. </p>

<p>Remember that, as a professional, your job is to fill your client's expectations. If that client wants a studio portrait then you are going to have to turn them down. Of course you can train and equip yourself to take the "studio" on location. A good portable light setup is a necessity. I completely understand that you are trying to get started 'on the cheap' but some things are just necessary. </p>

<p>I am going to assume that you really want the answers to these questions and that you will see them as education and not be discouraged. So here is the deal. You have a great deal to learn about photography before you style yourself a professional. This does not mean that you can't take pictures of folks and even good ones some of the time. But professional work is quite different. Let me give you an example. You are developing a business plan. You want a template? What do you think a business plan is for? It is a roadmap on how you are going to become successful complete with a prospecting plan, advertising plan, market analysis and a myriad of details you will discover along the way. So if you are doing a market analysis, as you stand right now, you must ask yourself not if there is a market for professional photographers in your area, but if there is a market for a photographer who shoots portraits in the park. And there is not. </p>

<p>This site is often home to people who believe that the difference between professional photographers and good amateurs is fancy equipment and a business card. Not so. Selling some pictures does not make you a professional either. Becoming a good professional photographer takes years of training and experience. You have to know how to do tons of stuff. I suspect you do not yet know even what stuff to teach yourself.</p>

<p>Rather than get discouraged you should, before you take another step, heed the advice of Harry who recommended that you apprentice yourself to a working professional. A good one. One who has been in business for years. From him/her you will learn what to learn. </p>

<p>I am not saying that there are not people who picked up a camera and taught themselves to be professionals through the school of hard knocks. There are. I know some. You don't need a BFA. But these folks learned their trade one skill at a time and their skill-sets are formidable. </p>

<p>You need to get this skill set or here is what will happen. You will get a few gigs and do OK with friends and acquaintances. So you will decide to try your hand at a wedding. It will be cheap and you will disclaim your abilities like crazy but you will try it. You will brush up on some internet articles about wedding photography and borrow a backup body. You will show up to the wedding. It will be outdoors at noon. The African American bride will wear a white dress and the groom will wear a black tux. Afterwards there will be a reception in a dark reception hall. Can you handle this? Do you know the shots? Do you know how to handle the lighting? There are no re-do's on weddings. </p>

<p>Rather than be discouraged you should be encouraged to learn all of this fantastic stuff. It will make photography far more interesting and far more fun for you. But the first thing you need to get before you go on is a healthy respect for what real professional photographers do and know. </p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>I suggest you buy and read John Harrington's book "Best Business Practices for Photographers" and the ASMP Publication "Business Practices for Professional Photography" They will help you understand how the professional photography business works and will give you example contract, quotation, and release forms.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[goldbergbarry]

<p>As others have said, it is my opinion that you really need to master the craft of photography. You are on your way, which is great, but you are years away from being able to go pro. If I was you, I would not even think about things like setting up a web site, marketing or another else other than learning the basics of photography such how to control lighting, rules of composition, and basic photo editing. I am not trying to make you feel bad but reality is important, especially if you expect to make a living out of this in the near future.</p>

<p>Remember that you need to be better than people shooting with iPhones and from the example you posted, you are not quite there yet.</p>

<p>Wish you the best!</p>

[sandandtsunamis]

<p>Along with nailing the craft, if you can take a basic accounting or business class, that would help set you on a path to success in the business side of the business. I'm not a pro, but am spending almost as much time learning about the basics of setting up and running a business as I do on the art/science of photography for the day when I start trying make my expensive hobby pay its own way.</p>

[alan_rockwood]

<p>"3. Which lens should I predominantly use? (I've heard wide-angle lenses are bad for portraiture)"</p>

<p>Considering the camera and lenses you have, the best lens choice is 18-55mm for most of your work. That is equivalent to 37-82mm on a 35mm camera, which covers moderately wide (37mm equivalent) to slightly long (82mm equivalent.) In 35mm photography lenses in the range of 80-100mm are widely known as "portrait lenses" because they are long enough to produce a pleasing perspective for portraits of individuals. The other lens starts at 70mm for portraiture, which is an equivalent of 135mm in a 35mm camera. This is getting a little bit toward the long side, though not impossibly long, provided you have enough room to make the camera-to-subject distance long enough.</p>

<p>For group shots you will zoom to a shorter focal length, depending on the size of the group. However, don't zoom way out and then try to get too close or the perspective in the photos will be "way out of whack" (to use the technical term) and unflattering.</p>