If you have ever considered starting a freelance photography business, there are some things you should know before taking the plunge. Freelance photography is always fun, but it is also one of the most challenging businesses to run. You can’t just upload your proof portfolio to your website and wait for the clients to roll in.
You are going to need to be proactive in your approach. It is up to you to track down new clients, arrange the shoots, market yourself, do all post-production work, deliver final files, and get paid.
You are going to be wearing many hats throughout this process. You must have a strong business sense to drum up new clientele continually. Learn how to negotiate rates, payment terms, and contracts. Prepare yourself for some long hours in front of the computer doing post-production work on retouched files that are then delivered on disk or emailed to your clients.
Know what you are getting into before you take off with this type of business—you may need a sitter when you go on a shoot, and it may be the middle of the night before you get your next client.
Learn how to price yourself correctly; too low, and you won’t make enough money (and that’s not good for business). Don’t underprice yourself because it will lead to problems down the road: will you do an amazing job at $10/hour? Your clients may try to renegotiate their original contract because they think you are “cheap.”
On the other hand, don’t price yourself out of the market. You want to create a good rapport with your clientele to continue to attract new business. You should be able to pay for your overhead costs and make a profit.
Another problem to watch out for is when you get a big client who wants to book multiple shoots with you, and it all seems too good to be true. Be smart about contracts because once you have a bad name in this business, it can be challenging to find new clients in the future.
Whenever possible, try to keep your overhead costs to a minimum. Freelance photography is not about being able to live in luxury while making money doing what you love. Clients will try hard to take advantage of your passion so that they can get high-quality work for little or no money.
If you don’t have an office set up, get one! A home office may sound like a good idea, but it can be challenging to separate work from home. If you freelance full-time and live in a small space, then your living room will begin to look like an office. An office is not just about having a place of business; it provides the professional look that potential clients expect and deserve.
You also need to keep track of your time, so get an online time-tracking software. You need to know where all of the time is going for any freelance business venture.
You need a schedule that you can follow every day—time allotted to marketing, shooting, post-production, and everything in between. You should be able to stick to your schedule and not let it get out of control.
Freelance photography is a fun business, but the money you make freelancing will never compare to what you could earn working in someone else’s studio. One must decide if the time and energy put into marketing oneself is worth the potential pay-off in future income.
You should be willing to put in as much time as necessary, especially at first. There is no such thing as an overnight success for those who freelance; it takes a lot of hard work and marketing before you start seeing the returns on your efforts. Being an entrepreneur means taking risks, so good luck with your new business!
A novice photographer looking to get into the business should expect to spend several thousand dollars before they begin seeing any money.
Freelance photography is not a 9-5 job, so be prepared for long hours in front of your computer doing post-production work or sitting in your car waiting for the perfect shot at sunrise. Long hours are good when you are making money but bad when you are trying to establish yourself.
You should be able to set your hours and decide how much time you want to devote to marketing your work and post-production and marketing materials. This is where many photographers go wrong—they do not put enough effort into the business side of their work. You need to spend time on the business side of things to get more clientele.