• How-to

Going from amateur to professional can be a daunting experience for any young photographer. And going solo to run your own photography business can be a whole other ball game. Here’s what you need to do to set up a successful photography business, assuming you know your technical stuff.

Write a business plan
Surprise, surprise! Even photographers need a business plan. Your plan has to be a roadmap that clearly lists out your goals, your resources and your strategies. Under the plan, fix a schedule that you will follow to prospect for clients, what your charges will be and, most importantly, what photography services you will offer.

Set up your studio
Don’t kid yourself into thinking that you can be a photographer-on-the-go without a workspace. You need one. This could be a room in your house, a garage or any spare space you can arrange for. You will need to have some sort of furniture in the studio as well as studio lighting if you plan to do indoor shoots. What you will definitely require in the studio is a work table with a computer, net access, and a printer.

Get your equipment
The equipment you choose to have will depend on your budget and the size of the studio. However, there are some things that cannot be done without: cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, electronic flash units, studio lights and stands, seamless paper and other backgrounds, digital media cards, card readers, a computer, and photo manipulation software package such as Adobe Photoshop.

Go legal
You are now a business owner, not just a photographer. For photographers, the sole proprietorship model is preferred, mostly because it has the lowest overheads; also, the tax regulations are more or less the same as with personal income tax. Check for any local rules you must adhere to or licenses you must acquire to run such a business.

Create your identity
All set with the above? Now go ahead and design your business card. If you think you’ve got the design skills, you could put them to use here. If not, outsource it to a professional. It would be a good idea to have a card with one of your better photos on one side. Next, create an online portfolio of your work. This should be an easy-to-use website where one can see at least 50 of your best shots. If your web design skills are iffy, outsource this as well. Make sure it is sleek and representative of the work you want and can do.

Time to talk
You’ve set it up. Now market it. Join your local photography association and other visual arts organizations. Talk to fellow members to learn the ropes and find new customers and collaborators. Use social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr to engage your peers and audience. For example, set up a fan page on Facebook for your business and invite your contacts to it. Always carry your business cards with you for on-the-spot pitches.

No work is too low
A common mistake photographers often make is to go for the gold right from the beginning. The world of photography is a very competitive one. Always be ready to shoot whatever comes your way—weddings, birthdays, office parties—to keep the fires burning. Your big break will come; but for now, you need to put in the hard hours.

Click It Right
Some associations you should join:
• Photography Arts Association of India
• All India Photographic Trade & Industry Association
• Federation of Indian Photography
• The Photographic Society of India

©Entrepreneur December 2009

Tags:
business, photography, set up