5 Things I’ve Learned As A Photographer in 5 Years That Will Help You If You’re Only Starting Out

This Can Change Your Business

Photo by Dev Asangbam on Unsplash

1. Photography is a business. Treat is as something else and you’ll not make anything out of it. Treat it as a hobby and it will always remain a hobby. Many photographers come to this realization late. By the time they realize this, they’re almost out of business. This one took time. I took too much time to transition from hobby to business. I struggle with this sometimes with some people who do not want to pay what I charge. What do I do? I take them out of my list of clients and then find new prospects who are willing to pay what I’m worth, people who love my work enough to value it.
2. You don’t need 3 camera bodies and 20 lenses. I’m sure you get my point. You don’t need every lens on the face of the earth to make an amazing photograph. The photographer makes the photo, not the other way round. There comes a point in the life of the photographer where he needs expensive equipment, but this is something I always say to photographers who are struggling in business. How many jobs or hour will you have to cover to recover the money you just spent on the fancy equipment you got? One time I wanted to rent a camera because I had no camera to work with. On my way to the rental store, I met a photographer who I recognized. I reached out to him and he asked where I was going. Then he told me he could rent his camera out because he needs a little money. After some 15-minute conversation, I noticed he spent all his savings on the EOS R. Good camera, but did he have to spend that much to create quality images? I was on my way to rent a crop sensor. I got the EOS R from him, anyway.
3. Crop sensors produce QUALITY images, too. Yes, if you can afford bigger frames, go for it. Watch your niche. Do you really need an expensive frame? If not, why break the bank to get it? I know a photog who used the D3300 for 3+ years and everyone thought he owned a D750! It’s what you create and how you create it. People on the internet do not really care about your gear and you mostly don’t shoot ads for billboards, which will require printing in large pixels. There are good enough cameras out there that will allow you to make ‘expensive’ and classy images. You just need time and creativity to make images. Talking about creativity, I have a book on Amazon which I have titled Reclaim Your Creativity. This book was written for the photographer who is struggling to stay creative. Check it out.
4. Learn to say no. You don’t have to take all the jobs because you have a fear of not gaining enough, in terms of money. Let some jobs slide if they’re not worth your time and investment. Saying no also means having enough time to invest in something that will make you a valuable artist. Saying yes to a bad job is saying no to a good job at the same time. You can’t have it all at once. Choose your clients carefully.
5. Charge your worth! Don’t take the gig because you’re hungry. Take the big because you can deliver BIG TIME! And because you can bring value, you charge what that value is worth. Think of it like this because it is true — they’re paying for you because you are helping them. As a photographer, how do you help your clients? By creating and or pausing happy memories; things they would like to look back and smile, you’re creating an ad or promotion for a business with your photography, and this will increase the value of their business. Photography has a way to record history and bring profit at the same time. Use it to your advantage.

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