How To Start A Photography Business With No Experience: A Step-By-Step Guide

With a limitless potential for creative scope, photography is one of the most enduring pastimes today, with millions of photographers worldwide.

Learning how to start a photography business is a great way to transform this passion into a source of income and hone your skills.

If you’re considering starting a photography business, this guide will explain everything you need to know to attract the best prospective clients.

How To Start A Photography Business With No Experience: A Step-By-Step Guide

Photography is one of the most popular hobbies in the world, offering an endless scope for producing creative results by shooting a wide variety of subjects.

Unsurprisingly, many amateur photographers aspire to turn their passion into a viable income and create a photography business to generate revenue.

If you’re an aspiring solopreneur looking for a change in your career, here’s how to start a photography business without any prior experience.

Step 1: Research The Market

The best freelance ideas stand the highest chance of success when the business owner understands the target market and best industry practices.

This is as true for setting up a photography business as it is for anything else, so you should begin the process by conducting extensive research into the subject.

The nature of your research will vary depending on the photography niche you hope to break into, but there are a few core rules to remember.

Before you start a photography business, spend some time researching the following aspects of the craft:

• Competitors in your niche. Whether you’re considering becoming a nature photographer or competing with wedding photographers, you should take the time to see how they approach presenting their work to potential clients. Check out their websites and social media platforms to see what information they include and how they showcase their portfolios.
• Printing services. While some professional photographers share their work in digital formats online, most will include the option to purchase high-quality prints of their best photographs. There are thousands of printing companies to choose from, so read through reviews and order samples to find ones that deliver quality prints at competitive prices.
• Photography equipment and software. Different photography styles require different equipment, and photography business owners use specific lenses and cameras depending on their style. Make sure you understand which tools are best for your niche and what software will help you achieve great results in post-production.
• Branding and marketing strategy. Without promotion, even the best photography business won’t be able to reach out to potential clients and land projects that pay the bills. Throughout your research, take the time to see how other photography services market their services and find out how much of a budget you might require.

This research will help you assemble a comprehensive photography business checklist to formulate your business plan.

It should also be viewed as an ongoing process, to stay current with the leading photographers and learn new techniques and industry trends.

Learn more: Discover the best tools for freelancers to help start your photography business.

Step 2: Define Your Photography Niche

Determining the niche of your photography business will inform many of the decisions you make when setting it up and developing a marketing strategy.

Whether you use photography as a side hustle or make it a full-time career, your niche will influence your business name and target market.

If you’re unsure which photography niche is best for you, here are a few of the main subjects that have the potential to become a successful photography business.

Wedding Photography

One of the most popular subjects in the professional photography industry is wedding photography, which can earn thousands of dollars monthly.

A wedding photographer needs to be sociable and well-presented, able to engage groups of people, and able to shoot plenty of images.

While some wedding photographers can be relatively functional, there’s ample opportunity for more creative shots beyond the typical format.

To become a wedding photographer, you’ll need a wide selection of lenses, a second camera, and the patience to filter and process large volumes of images.

Portrait Photography

Like a wedding photography business, portrait photographers must have great communication skills when working with clients.

While they mostly work on family portraits, they can also be requested for corporate gigs or collaborations with other institutions.

Getting set up in this niche can be expensive, as you’ll need to open a photography studio and invest in professional lights.

Wildlife & Nature Photography

If you prefer getting into nature and shooting landscapes and animals, you can earn money through a photography business.

A car is a must, and you’ll need lots of patience and time since nature photographers often spend hours waiting for the perfect light.

Telephoto and super telephoto zoom lenses allow you to view the action from a distance and are typically used for nature and wildlife photography.

Although these can be expensive, many high-profile wildlife photography awards can significantly enhance your professional credibility.

Product Photography

A more mundane but potentially lucrative photography business idea is shooting product photography, which can generate a steady income.

It can be accomplished from your studio or garage, making it an excellent home-based business idea for casual income.

As a brand photographer, you’ll be sent the products to photography and edit, then email them to the client for approval and final payment.

Real Estate Photography

Another perennial photography business idea that can bring in consistent work for photographers is real estate, typically working with local agencies.

A wide-angle lens can produce impressive images of homes for sale, and some real estate photographers also use 360-degree cameras.

For reference on how to get the best possible shots, check out some of the best architecture websites for examples of stunning photography.

Other types of photography you can earn money from include stock, food, sports, and commercial photography.

Step 3: Invest In Photography Gear

Deciding on your chosen niche will inform you about the cameras, lenses, accessories, and other equipment you’ll need to run the company.

Whatever style of photography you’re aiming for, all photography business owners need to own several core considerations and types of equipment.

Here’s a brief breakdown of this equipment so you can factor it in when adding up your potential business expenses:

• Camera bodies. A camera body is the core tool of all photography, and there are many options to consider, covering various significant brands and available budgets. Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm are the main manufacturers professionals use, so see what other photographers in your field use to get an idea of what you’ll need.
• Lenses. As we’ve touched on in the discussion of niche photography, different styles utilize lenses of variable focal lengths and performance attributes to get the best results. While using the zoom kit lens delivered with a camera body may be tempting, you should consider investing in dedicated prime and telephoto zoom lenses relevant to your subject.
• Accessories. Professional photography businesses are doomed to fail if the photographer turns up unprepared at a shoot. Running out of battery life or memory is one of the biggest pitfalls. Your camera bag should be amply stocked with these and other accessories, filters, and other peripherals related to your subject.
• Photo editing software. Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are professional photographers’ go-to programs for editing, with powerful AI tools and features that can transform RAW files into outstanding images. You can consider more affordable alternatives such as Affinity Photo or even work with free tools like Rawtherapee and GIMP to save money early on.

With the option to upgrade your cameras, lenses, and software over time, it’s one of the best small business ideas for long-term evolution.

Step 4: Set Up A Professional Website

Photography demands a powerful online presence, and a photography business website should be at the top of your to-do list.

Whether you sell fine art photography or want to build a list of potential clients in your area, a website helps create a solid first impression.

It can be used for many resources, from promoting your business name and portfolio to sharing rates and insightful blogs.

As part of your research, you will have visited the photography websites of your competitors to see how they manage their assets.

Based on this research’s findings, you can draw up a website design timeline to ensure that everything you need to include is covered in the process.

If you find a photography website that stands out as a good model for your own, you can find out who designed it and what platform they used.

Here are a few pages and elements you should include on your website to bring it in line with your competitors:

• Branding elements. Setting up a website requires excellent branding, from including a logo and banner to the style of fonts you use in the text.
• Stating your niche. The style of photography you offer should be instantly apparent when someone opens your site, so make sure this is included on the home page or evident through the choice of images.
• Your photography business location. If you offer services that require in-person appointments, such as portraits and weddings, make sure it’s clear where you’re based on the site.
• Photo galleries. You’re unlikely to pick up many bookings as a new business without evidence of your photography skills, so choose your best examples and include these in a gallery.
• Links to your social media presence. Your website can be an effective way to broaden your social media contacts, so make sure it includes icons linking to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and your professional LinkedIn page.
• Pricing and packages. Whether you’re offering fashion photography services or sports photography, clients will want to know how much you charge for your services. Include this information on a dedicated page with precise contact details.

These are some of the core features you should include in your business website, in addition to the standard About and Contact pages.

As your photography business grows, you should expand the site to incorporate additional services and other changes to your business structure.

Use Friday’s website builder for your photography business website.

Step 5: Create Your Own Business Plan

Setting up a business plan is another essential step to becoming a professional photographer, with a few necessary steps to complete.

Your business plan should clearly cover all of these factors so that once you’re established and working with clients, you encounter no issues.

A strong business plan begins with an executive summary that outlines your business name, location, and description of what it aims to achieve.

It should also include market analysis and marketing strategies, incorporating competitor research and detailing your planned services.

A comprehensive business plan must also outline all the financial considerations involved in establishing and maintaining a company.

While becoming a freelancer has plenty of advantages, it does involve a lot of paperwork and administration that salaried employees avoid.

Some of the processes you’ll need to bear in mind when you start a photography business include:

• Setting up a business bank account to handle invoices and expenses separate from your personal assets.
• Paying for professional indemnity insurance to protect your business from unintentional breaches of confidentiality and other liabilities.
• Additional insurance to cover your photography equipment and accessories in the event of loss or damage.
• Payment processing fees and other services your business bank account requires to function, particularly if dealing with international clients.
• If relevant, your equipment and studio space rental fees, and any additional startup costs needed to launch the business.

By setting up a detailed business plan, you can focus on taking photos that attract potential clients and work toward becoming a successful photographer.

Step 6: Build Your Photography Portfolio

A strong portfolio is vital for giving potential clients an insight into your photography style, subject matter, and ability level.

Like the best artist websites, it serves as an eye-catching introduction to your work and helps clients assess whether or not you’re a good fit for their needs.

When setting up a photography portfolio, there are a few rules of thumb to consider, so let’s review these to help you produce the best results.

• Including a variety of examples. The best way to impress clients is to demonstrate your versatility as a photographer with a good range of compositions and lighting techniques. If you’re familiar with different shooting styles and subjects, aim to include a broad range of samples in your portfolio.
• Using high-quality images. While some photographers compress their images when sharing on their social media presence, your website portfolio should only include high-resolution images showing off the details. If you’re afraid of them being stolen, you can add a watermark to protect your content from copyright theft.
• Be selective in what you include. It can be tempting to overload a portfolio with dozens of images, but chances are your website visitors won’t browse through them all. Instead, refine the selection to the best examples and avoid repeating subjects.
• Add captions for context. If your photographs have an exciting story, include information about this in the caption text. You can also link to more in-depth blog posts on your site that tell the whole story for your visitors.
• Update the portfolio regularly. One mistake some photographers make is failing to update their online gallery when they take new shots that deserve to be shared. Ensure your business processes include portfolio updates, for example, when you return from an exciting trip.

You can promote your portfolio across social media to get more viewers, encouraging your followers to share their feedback and favorite images.

Use a Friday template for your photography portfolio.

Step 7: Establish Your Rates

When first starting a photography business, you’ll want to establish competitive rates to ensure you land your first client as soon as possible.

You can begin by advertising your services on services such as Upwork and Fivver, or posting ads in your local paper for nearby clients.

As part of your research, you should take extensive notes on what other photographers in your field charge for their services, either per hour or based on projects.

For example, if you’re setting up a wedding photography business, look into the average wedding photographer costs and see what the industry benchmark is.

This will give you a baseline to begin with, and allow you some leeway when negotiating with potential customers to reevaluate your fees.

In addition to rates for in-person photography services, you can also look into creating digital products that feature your photographs.

This can be high-quality prints that you sell through third-party online stores or directly via your website, promoted to followers on social media.

Always ensure you factor in your expenses when setting rates, including any fuel for travel, materials used, and other costs your business incurs.

Sell photography prints with an e-commerce website builder.

Step 8: Develop A Marketing Strategy

With an increasing number of businesses seeking higher-quality photos for their promotions, there’s plenty of scope to pick up high-profile clients.

While word of mouth will help in the short run, if you want to establish a healthy client base, you’ll need to develop comprehensive marketing strategies.

Here are some common strategies photography businesses use to pull in new clients:

• Paid targeted ad campaigns. Running ad campaigns on sites such as Facebook allow you to target specific demographics and interests in your local area.
• Sponsored posts. You can also promote your services by writing sponsored posts on other websites that cover your particular photography niche.
• Affiliate marketing. Partnering with social media content creators can drive traffic to your services, with plenty of affiliate programs to choose from.
• Free shoots and giveaways. If you have time, consider offering free shoots or photo print giveaways to spread the word about your photography business.

The more business you pick up, the greater your marketing budget will become, so reinvesting in adverts and other methods will eventually pay off.

Step 9: Work On Client Acquisition

In addition to the use of marketing materials to promote your photography company, you can actively work on acquiring new clients.

One way to achieve this is to leverage your social media presence and engage with followers to foster conversations and see what requirements they have.

You can also create a spreadsheet of your ideal clients and proactively approach them to see if they’re interested in hiring your services.

If there are local networking events for these organizations, consider attending and introducing yourself to the relevant employees.

Once you’ve completed an assignment, try to pick up client testimonials and include these on your website, placing them in a prominent location.

If you have any upcoming events or have received great reviews for exhibitions, these can also be included on your site via the press page.

All of this feedback can enhance your social proof and help you demonstrate your value when approaching clients in the future.

Learn more: Use a press page to share your success stories.

Step 10: Explore Different Photography Styles

Lastly, as your photography business expands, don’t be afraid to venture into new creative territory and expand your range of services.

Some types of photography complement each other, so if you’re experienced in sports photography, you’ll have the necessary lenses to branch into nature photography.

Take the opportunity to use your equipment outside of work projects, for example, while on vacation you can experiment with street photography.

This will not only improve your portfolio and demonstrate your versatility but can open up new potential for revenue through the sale of prints.

The more diverse your portfolio becomes, the more confidence your clients will have in your abilities, leading to repeat business and more bookings.

Share your photography journey with Friday’s blog website builder.

Summary

Building a photography business takes time as you establish a reputation, improve your portfolio, and network with potential clients.

As you continue to improve, you can upgrade your camera gear and focus on honing editing skills to deliver consistently professional results.

Return to this guide for a quick refresher when needed and update your photography business website with work that showcases your work in the best light.