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Starts at $0 + state fee and only takes 5-10 minutes
Capture the moments and turn your passion for photography into a profitable business. With an initial investment ranging from $2,000 to $15,000 or more, you can secure basic to professional photography equipment and potentially a studio space. Critical skills for success include not just photography expertise and editing prowess, but also strong business management and people skills.
The photography industry offers steady demand for weddings, portraits, and corporate events, with average profit margins ranging from 10% to 50%. Let’s focus the lens on how to start your photography business and develop a successful career capturing life’s precious moments.
Photographers can make a good living. Research shows photographers with home studios tend to fare the best as they keep more of their profits than those renting a space. Photographers with a home business can make upwards of $129,000 a year, according to research presented by Chron.
The startup cost for a photography business is fairly low. You need high-quality gear, a website, and a little marketing know-how. Some photographers start without a studio and work on location only as a way to save on the initial costs. On the low end, you can start a photography business with just $2,000.
Part of learning how to start a photography business is creating a base of repeat customers. Many photographers expand their client lists through word of mouth and referrals. Even in a digital world, referrals are the most trusted form of advertising.
Starting a photography business in the digital age can be a challenge. As equipment gets more user-friendly and affordable, it’s harder to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Since this is a competitive field, getting organized is the first step to starting a business with a clear path.
To start a photography business, we’ll go over these steps:
When you’re starting a business, you need a photography business plan. Why? A business plan provides direction and helps the company grow. But it’s also required for bank loans or other financial assistance.
A solid business plan explains how you’ll make your company succeed. Here’s a look at different pieces that should be included in a working plan, along with a quick description of each. You can reference this when you’re writing a business plan.
As a small business owner, one of the first decisions you must make is determining which kind of business to set up. Most choose between a sole proprietorship and a limited liability company, or LLC.
What’s the difference? As a sole proprietor, all your profits and losses are reported on your personal taxes. That works best for part-time businesses or small businesses with no employees. There’s no cost to set up this kind of company.
An LLC offers small businesses some tax advantages, but it primarily provides liability protection. Put simply, if the business gets into debt, liability protection defends your personal assets. A sole proprietorship doesn’t do that.
To start an LLC, typically you need to name the company, select a registered agent, create an operating agreement, and obtain an employer identification number from the IRS. As an entrepreneur, you can take care of the filing and fees associated with these steps yourself or you can reach out to a business formation company to help.
If you do it yourself, here are some resources to work through each step of the process:
Unlike a sole proprietorship, there’s a cost for applying for LLC status. It varies in each state but ranges from $50–$500.
What will you name your company? This may seem fairly straightforward, but we’re here to help you figure out how to name an LLC. Make sure the name is:
Name your photography business
Enter your desired LLC name to get started
At this point, it’s time to do some administration work to get your photography business up and running. Here’s a list of items to work through:
Pro tip: You may be wondering how to obtain an LLC license, but that phrase isn’t quite accurate. There is no LLC license per se, but there are city, county, and state licenses and permits that could pertain to your company. Check out our list of possible licenses and permits to look into.
Now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. What will this business cost to start? As mentioned earlier, you can start a business for as little as ,000. However, on average, photography businesses cost anywhere from $8,000-$16,000 to launch. This price includes gear, the cost to set up the business, business insurance, a website, and a computer to manage the post work.
The type of business you decide to start will impact cost too. A wedding photographer, for example, has higher startup costs than a portrait photographer.
As a photographer, you may already have some of these costs taken care of, which will get you in the picture faster. Here’s a great resource to help you calculate your business startup costs.
Wondering where you’ll get the money needed to start an LLC? Here are a few funding options:
Of course, there are pros and cons to each of these funding options. Saving the startup costs yourself takes time, but doesn’t put you in debt. Asking friends and family to help might be a little embarrassing, but it gives you a chance to get started sooner. Federal grants are ideal, but your business must meet certain criteria and work through a lengthy application process.
Business cards let you start a business almost instantly, but interest rates can be high. A small business loan can help too, but to get one, you’ll need an ironclad business plan.
Ready to buy some gear? Here’s a quick list of the equipment you’ll need to get started:
Want a nice list for inspiration? Look into ExpertPhotography.com’s photography business equipment guide.
To attract and retain customers, you need to market your business. Rather than randomly posting on social media, it’s best to create a photography marketing plan. Photography Spark has a good resource for this.
Then, set up a Google My Business account, add your business name and location to several local business directories. Google search queries for “near me” businesses have gone up dramatically, and local directories will get you free impressions with prospective, local customers in those search results.
Remember, if you start a social page, you have to maintain it. As a business owner, time management skills are important, so don’t overcommit. Since Instagram is a visual channel, you should definitely prioritize it, and the others are up to you.
A photographer may also use advertising methods like Google Ads or direct mail. Whatever path you choose, when business heats up, look into hiring a personal or virtual assistant to lighten the load.
When starting a new photography business, it’s often better to declare a niche. That’s because it’s easier to generate income and clients from a single area of expertise than as a jack of all trades.
When it comes to photography companies, you may only think of wedding or portrait photography, but there are many, many choices:
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A photography business can be both creative and profitable. But like any company, it comes with challenges and competition. By reading about how to start a photography business, you’ve learned that there are several administrative steps to take before setting up your first photo shoot.
However, once you work through the process, you’ll have a business of your own that can start generating revenue in a flash.
We’ll form your LLC today so you can hit the ground running for just $0 + state fee. Past that, we’ll introduce you to the best resources to help run and grow your business as efficiently as possible.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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