thephotographychic

Scarier than expected I must say. From the marketing to investing everything from all aspects to holding my breath while taking the plunge into venturing into the world of being a sole proprietor in the ever competitive photography world. ALL ADVICE is most certainly wanted and welcomed. I used Vista prints for my business cards, but where is the best place to showcase and market my work, brand/studio? Should I contact a local gallery about booking a show? I love architecture and landscapes, however pets, and lifestyle sessions also bring me immense joy with the finished product. Again, all advice is appreciated and absolutely wanted, more than that though, it is needed. Thanks again.
*I have to mention this is a new 2nd career I am beginning at 47, so it is a do or don't for the ever looming retirement..lol*

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

Facebook has been very successful for a friend of mine. She does newborns, weddings, and high school seniors. Not sure about architecture and landscapes. Possibly an upscale restaurant or local attraction.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

In addition to galleries and group art exhibits, consider asking whether a local venue like a coffeehouse or restaurant would give you some space for a set period. Relatively low cost, informal and with good signage and business cards, you won’t necessarily have to be there every minute. /Ralph

Wuligal Loc: Slippery Rock, Pa.

If your planning on only high end studio work ignore the following:
I have a friend that does pet portraits....contact local pet stores, Tractor supply, Agway.....any place they have pet supplies. Offer them a commission on every sale. It's a way to get your foot in the door. Try contacting local schools to do their sporting events. Offer to set up shop at proms and events. If you have a partner and a portable printer try truck shows. Truckers love high end photos of their rigs- there's usually a booth fee at those events.
Go to the thrift shop, get an arm load of silly hats and glasses and other props and set up shop at at local fairs and carnivals and brew fests - Good luck.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Welcome to the forum. The rule of thumb for starting a business is to have the ability to support yourself for 3 years without any income. Yes, it is scarier. The key is marketing. I would put together a portfolio of architectural photography and visit all the firms in the area telling them you are available and want to work with them. Offer a promo price.
For landscapes put a portfolio and visit galleries in your area.
For pets and lifestyle I would use social media.

I took early retirement at 52 to start my photo business.

Best of luck.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

you might try putting your location into your UHH profile - that way 'local' members may have insite in local events etc.
Businesses fail because people dont keep a tight reign on cashflow....A simple note book with one page income and facing page outgoings tallied every week and month is the minimum. An excell spreadsheet is better - especially if you intend to use an accountant. But Keep A Tally....its a no,no to keep on 'subsidising' a business (other than not claiming a stupid wage). There is no magic formulae....every business is unique depending upon how much you 'need' to earn. But initially add all your camera bits and advertising costs into Outgoings.....that will frighten you into 'making money'.
I don't know what your previous employment was....In any case punctuality is key and the customer is always right......(may not be correct, but we don't tell them that)
Word of mouth is over-rated.....make sure that your advertising brings in business or find a new venue to advertise in.
Produce a good contract.....One that states 'how much' 'cancellation cost'. 'failure on your part restitution amount' (If they don't like your work on an important day to them....what is the limit you will reinbuse or expect to be paid in any case whatever.)
Ownership of rights on photographs plus model release form etc. Protect yourself!! Insurance!! (Read other businesses 'small print' )

A business plan is great for 'middle management' but fairly useless for a sole trader,,,try not to get tied up in 'plans' get out there and work = then analise what needs to improve and what you need to stop doing.....It is not always a mistake, but it might NOT BE cost effective to do too much of one thing at the loss of potential income in doing less of something else, It is not simply time management it is doing what you enjoy........you have to love what you are doing!

Finally be realistic.....set a 'cost' on this venture....and a time limit. You will be told that most small businesses fail within 3 years. In the UK the Taxman does't expect you to make a taxable profit in the first 3 years (you need only show that you are covering your fixed costs.) But don't bankrupt yourself trying to spend yourself into a profit. Get a paid job that will 'fit' around what you want/need to do.. if necessary.

Have fun and enjoy what you do - every day....find ways of making it fun... It will get you out of bed in the morning.

My wife and I have run a 'handyman' business since 2001 and a Health and Safety consultancy since 2005. We enjoy what we do even though we could probably earn more 'working'. We love our lifestyle, our ability to 'drop' horrible people and concentrate on helping nice people. We can plan our personal lives, days off, holidays when we want...(More often than not) We are not getting rich and probably never retire (why stop doing what you enjoy). We are not stressed and can control our workload to suite our age and fitness. If that is the lifestyle you are looking for then 'keep' control rather than try to 'get rich quick'. It doesn't matter what you do...

Good luck and have lots and lots of fun

luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

I am going to partially disagree with your statement about pet stores because not all pet stores are alike. I would agree to stay away from places like Petsmart, Petco and Tractor supply. I am the manager for a Pet Nutrition Center. It is a local, family owned business and we sell high quality foods and supplies. Because we offer expert advice on pet nutrition we are constantly asked for recommendations for veterinarians, pet sitters, boarding and, yes, photographers. I have 3 customers who are professional photographers but I only recommend 2. Why? Because those two came into the store with portfolios and talked with me about their photography. I don't get commission or free photos or any other remuneration and wouldn't accept it if they offered it. When a customer asks why I picked these 2 photographers I can tell them that I have seen their work and talked to them about their business and feel confident that they will give the customer the results they are seeking.

One of them really likes doing senior portraits and placed ads in the high school yearbooks and she got a lot of business from them. She has also started doing horse portraits and photographing customers in competitions/events. A couple of the local barns have "lounge" areas and have walls where boarders can put up photos of their horses in competition or receiving awards. The friend that she originally did this for put one of the photographer's business cards in the frame of the photo and that started a new segment in her photography business. And I know all this because when she comes in to purchase for her pets she tells me about different things she is photographing and shows me photos.

So when a friend of mine asked if I knew of a great photographer I quickly wrote down 2 names and phone numbers

You have to put your name and your product out into the hands of the public and I don't mean just putting a business card on a wall. I mean talk to the business owner/manager/employees and show them your photos so they can say they have met you and seen what you can do. Just because one person may not be interested in your work doesn't mean that they won't recommend you to someone else.

Best wishes for a very successful new career

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I am not going to repeat advice already given. Some is pretty good - some is so-so.

I will advise you some other areas: Be sure you have any business/sales tax licenses required in your area. Register your business with the Secretary of State. Use a program to keep track of every penny you spend and earn—come tax time it will save your sanity. Remember that about 30% of what you take in goes to the IRS.

Join a professional organization. Those can help with training, marketing advice, and support. The PPA membership will get you $15000 of equipment insurance. If you are going to photograph people or pets, you REALLY need liability insurance.

If you think you can make a living selling landscapes...well...keep that day job. I have several professional landscape photographer friends and the work is spectacular. Getting clients, however, is really tough.

If by "Lifestyle" sessions you mean photographing people in supposed natural settings, forget it. That is what EVERY wannabe professional does. YOU ARE NOT DIFFERENTIATING YOURSELF one bit. Learn how to pose and light people outside so your work looks different from the other 10,000 photographers in your area. That is what I did and people tell me they hire me because my work, "...does not look like everyone else's."

Good luck! Figure 3+ years before you are profitable. Might be less, but the odds are not in your favor. To succeed today, you have to be REALLY good as a photographer and SUPERB as a businessperson. Especially the business part.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

For Architecture try very small firms.The larger ones I worked for all had marketing departments including staff photographer etc.

Dannj

From what you say in your post “started a photography” means you have a camera and some business cards. You make no mention of a business plan and without one you’re likely doomed. There’s a lot of good advice in the replies you’ve received and you should follow it.
You need to decide who your customers will be...not necessarily easy...and focus your marketing on them. When people are buying a service, they generally want a specialist and you need to be the “go to” expert not just a guy with a camera.

erickter Loc: Dallas,TX

Do you have a business plan? If not, you need to write one or pay to have it done. Absolutely critical, and why you seem to be shooting in the dark right now.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

This is a MUST! It will help you think about your business - the risks, the benefits, the "threats", etc. Someone stated that about 30% of what you take in goes to the IRS - that is only half correct - about 30% of what you take in MINUS legitimate business expenses goes to the IRS. You need to become familiar with the intricacies of IRS rules. For example, you cannot deduct mileage for the drive to and from your studio, but you can deduct mileage to any off-site shoots. If your studio is in your home, you can deduct a percentage (based on square feet) of your housing expenses (utilities, rent, etc.). This gets very tricky if you intend to deduct a percentage of home depreciation if you own your home - you then have to determine "profit from sale of business asset" if you ever sell your house.... Also - a home office deduction increases the odds of an IRS audit - but the fact that a studio is not also used for personal enjoyment, that deduction would not be disallowed. Another point: business losses can be used to offset other income, which is very useful, but if you do not start producing a net income after three years the IRS will consider it a "hobby" and not a business.

I am not an accountant - these are my observations from years of having a business. Some rules may have changed in the last five years. An accountant may be useful, although they are expensive and sometimes I felt like I was simply paying a whole lot of money for someone to fill out a few pages of forms. But you are also paying for reassurance that the RIGHT forms have been filled out and filled out correctly!

And BTW: the dreaded audit - can be daunting. I was audited once. They look through and question everything and have to start with the assumption that you may be hiding things. I think I was audited years ago because I had recently started a medical practice in a tiny Maine town and they probably thought there was no way a doctor could have such little income! Life is easier now that everything is stored on a computer - if you keep your records and are honest, an audit is really a simple and non-threatening event.

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

I would not venture into any new business without first developing a complete detailed business plan. I business plan is critical to your survival and you obviously need one.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Hey, chic, do you have a business plan written out?? That is the first step to starting a business, photography or not!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I am pleased that you are passionate about you work- the areas of photography that you LOVE to do and the results that bring you personal satisfaction. I have been at this profession for over 50 years and I still love the work- you must have enthusiasm for what you do- it's one of the important foundations of a successful business. Never give up on that aspect of your professional life!

The concept of turning all this love and enthusiasm into a paycheck can be a daunting undertaking without consideration of the BUSINESS components of a successful enterprise. Assuming you actually have the talents, know-how and skill sets to execute work of a professional caliber and you have the equipment and materials at your disposal, you MUST come up with a viable BUSINESS PLAN including a targeted marketing plan. Without theses components in place, in today's business environment and the state of the photographic industry, you will put yourself on the fast track to the bankruptcy court!

So...my young friend- put the cameras down for a couple of days or weeks and get out the pencil, paper, the calculator and begin the task of business management. You will need to support you lifestyle and you business on the revenues you take in so you will have to project a salary for yourself and enough cash flow to sustain your business. Start off by listing all you personal expenses- EVERYTHING- rent/mortgage, food, all household expenses and utilities, automotive expenses and payments, insurances, entertainment etc.

NEXT- make another list of all your projected business expenses: Rent/mortgage payments (even if you work from home you still need to calculate a percentage), all utilities, insurances, communication and computer operations, equipment maintenance and repairs, eventual assistants or staff salaries, advertising and promotional costs, professional association fees and dues, license fees and business taxes, educational expenses, automotive expenses, interests and banking fees and charges, bookkeeping and accounting costs and fees, legal (set up) fees and any and all post-operational expenses. Include you salary based on you personal expenses. The sum of both lists will give you some idea of the revenues you must generate set as a goal. There many spreadsheet and computer-driven accounting programmers that you can adopt and adapt once you get going but at first a pencil and paper is a good start.

These lists do not include COSTS OF SALES, these are the monies you have to advance to service you client's orders- lab fees, materials, outsourced services, expendable supplies, albums, picture frames, - the stuff you by on behalf of of your clients and need to mark up accordingly.You must decide on markups and profit margins.

Based on all of this you need to create a price list or schedule. You can not solely depend on so called going rates, what others are charging etc. because those rates do not reflect YOUR overhead expenses, personal requirements and costs of sales.

If you have difficulty with any of this you may want to consult a Certified Public Accountant or professional business adviser. You bank manager may be of some assistance. Good legal and accounting advice is a good investment- it saves money and aggravation in the long run. Even of you are starting out as a very small individual operator, you need to put all of this in place and be able to project goals and monitor your business as it progresses.

Market research: Think about this- McDonald's will not so much as open a burger joint and General Motors won't open a Cadillac dealership unless they are convinced the demographics are there to support their businesses. You can't successfully operate a high-end studio or photographic business where folks or companies can't afford your prices or the customer base for your services doesn't exist. Folks won't pay professional fees for things they can do themselves or have Uncle Oscar with his new DSLR do. You work needs to be outstanding! Different! People can photograph their own doggies and puddy-cats with their cell phone cameras- and family pictures too, so your pet and lifestyles images should fall under a category of high-end general portraiture and again- your stuff has to be above average in content and presentation.

Each geographic location is different. In my city, there is still a viable market in high-end portraiture, corporate portraiture, commercial, architectural, and industrial photography, and very high-end wedding overage. I love landscape and still life as well so I display a few in my showroom and sell some occasionally- a side line!

There is no MAGICAL promotional secret- this is not a job for the lazy photographer. Believe me, even a really classy website won't have folks breaking down your doors. Websites and other institutional advertising are good support systems for good old hard nosed legwork and networking. Once you decide on a targeted market you need to network. I started my commercial business by visiting, in person, ad agencies, advertising and PR departments of local industries, retailers and governmental offices.- with my PORTFOLIO in hand- you gotta compel one! Meanwhile I promoted my wedding work by doing some pro bono (freebies) for popular florists, wedding planners, jewelers, gown and formal wear providers etc- other vendors in the same industry. Within a few months I had MY photography hanging in over a dozen highly frequented shops. I rented some showcases in shopping malls and one at the airport. I went through 5,000 business cards in 3 months! I explain what I do to just about everyone I met- I still do that, why not! . Learn to do that and make it short and sweet. Mine is- "My name is Ed Shapiro- I operate a photographic studio specializing in creative and imaginative commercial photography, corporate and family portraiture...” !

I display my work at 4 trade and consumer shows each year- a business show, a home show, a bridal fair, and a food and beverage show for restaurateurs and the food service industry. I talk to potential clients, meet old ones and renew relationships, collect leads and do PR.

I hope this helps- not to get discouraged! This is the “riot act” I explain to all the new folks! Best wished for every success!