Photography Business Startup Guide
Book by Charlene Davis Helps Professional Photographers Get Started
This new startup guide from Entrepreneur Press explores the business side of creating and selling your photographs as a part-time or full-time occupation.
Book Review:
Start Your Own Photography Business.
Studio, Freelance, Gallery, Events
Entrepreneur Press
Charlene Davis
978-159918124-0
131 Pages
$17.95 U.S.
Whether you want to run your own photography studio, travel to exotic locations to photograph events, or maybe just snap pictures part-time for pay, you can find out what you need to know in this new book.
Start Your Own Photography Business addresses a variety of situations: Maybe you are just beginning your career, laid-off from your regular job, looking to switch careers, or recently retired but still full of energy. Regardless of your individual situation, Davis says that it has never been easier to turn the hobby of photography into a lucrative, professional business.
Part-time and Full-time Careers in Photography
Combining a passion and talent for taking pictures with a strong business plan could lead to a successful career in photography, whether as a full-time operation with a studio and employees, or part-time on the weekends working out of your home. Davis provides many useful tips for getting started, including descriptions of photographic specialties (fine art, photojournalism, wedding photography, portraiture, stock photography, etc.), creating a business plan and mission statement, obtaining additional education, choosing a location, legal matters, licenses and permits, business equipment, hiring staff, marketing your business, and handling finances.
In addition to her own knowledge (Charlene Davis has authored other business startup books for Entrepreneur Press), she interviews five professional photographers with various specialties to offer their own insights into the photography business. These photographers – with varying degrees of time and money to devote to photography – also have a range of opinions on techniques, equipment, and business ideas for getting the job done.
Digital Versus Film
Davis also explores the growing area of digital photography and compares the pros and cons of digital versus film. In a section titled “Technology is Not Evil,” she details the impact of the digital revolution. The book cites a statistic from a study by the research firm InfoTrends that predicts that by 2010, 90 percent of all professional photographs will be taken with digital cameras. She concludes that digital photography is here to stay and that photographers need to make a conscious decision how they intend to incorporate this technology into their business.
Helpful bright ideas, smart tips, and beware notices are included as boxed items that complement the text, in addition to helpful forms such as a startup costs worksheet and a job description worksheet. In the Appendix, Davis includes photography business resources, a glossary, and an index. For anyone looking to start a photography business, this book is a great place to get ideas and inspiration.
For more information about small business, read The Entrepreneur's Almanac.
