15 Things To Know If You Decided To Start Living From Photography

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Everyone makes mistakes when they start out with a new business. The mistakes are a part of the experience. They are just learning curves and help improve. As a photographer, if you are planning to make a living out of your skill, then here are the top 15 things you must know. 1. Join A Photography Course – Photography as a hobby is different from photography as a profession. It is best to join a good photography course where you will be taught different and important techniques and styles. The benefit of joining a good course is that you get a good mentor with a successful career. Do check out the careers of the past students who have done this course. 2. Use Manual Mode When You Begin Shooting – Shooting in Aperture Mode may seem easy but it actually makes things difficult for you in the long run. Learning how to shoot in manual mode can be really helpful in many situations. Moreover, it lets you have more control over the images and improves your shooting. 3. You Are More Than A Photographer – Sure, you are a good photographer, but to make a living out of it, you need more than photography skills. You have to be a bookkeeper, marketing director, brand ambassador, CEO and everything else. Know that you have to wear multiple hats and learn different skills. 4. Learn Patience – Don’t expect your photography business to take off from the word go. You will have to build your reputation and get good at your work while you are at it. Photography business will spend lot of time improving customer service, business organization and others. Things will not happen quickly. Learn to be patient while you build up your business. 5. Learn to be Good with People – To be a good photographer, you need to be good with people. Get the most out of your subject, especially if it is a person, with your people skills. Put more effort into your people skills and see how people respond to you. 6. Don’t Burden Yourself with Unnecessary Gear or Purchases – People make the mistake of buying a lot of business stuff and gear that they never even get to use. Don’t get carried away and try to make do with what you have. Your priority should be to take good pictures with only the essential gear. 7. Develop Your Unique Style – There are a lot of photographers in the industry. Why should people come to you? Ask this question of yourself and you will realize that you have to stand apart if you want to be successful in this field. 8. Learn From Other Photographers – Look at other photographers and learn from them. If you are a newborn photographer like my friend Claudette Gross, read magazines, watch shows and other photographers related to the field of newborn photography. You will find inspiration from them. 9. Get Referrals – Ensure that your clients spread the word about you. This is possible only if you are a good photographer and a good people person. In addition, you have to encourage people to refer you to others. This is very important. 10. Start Marketing Yourself – No one cares how good you are till you care about it. You can show how much you care about your business by marketing yourself. Sure, you set up a blog, but you have to get out and tell others. Interact with people, tell them about yourself, show them your work and convince them to give you a chance. 11. Create a Newsletter List – This is an essential asset. Send email updates and contact prospective clients directly. 12. Get a Full Time Job – Remember that initially you will not be able to earn full time as a photographer. You need an income to support you during lean times to tide you over. 13. Think Out of the Box – Stop following the crowd. Think out of the box and stand out. Offer different things, than will make you and your clients happy. 14. Think Big – Think big and dream bigger. Work hard and you will have a big business. 15. Don’t Quit – The problem with beginners is that they give up easily if they face failure. Remember that it takes a long time to build up your business. Don’t give up easily. It is necessary to be patient and creative. Follow your heart and work hard to make a success out of your passion. Resource: