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Spotlight On: Photography
by Yank Elliott, MBA & IAHBE Staff Writer
 What
does it take to start a photography business? You can find how some
entrepreneurs approach the photography business
here.
Photography, for many people, is a passion which makes it easy
for them to go from taking pictures for themselves to creating a
business out of this passion. Passion is associated with emotion,
and whenever an entrepreneur can get emotions driving a new
business, they are more likely to succeed.
A photography business may be easier to start than other
home-based businesses. It is simple to begin part-time until you
feel comfortable you can make a decent living from your business. If
this never happens, so what? You still can make a little side money
from your part-time efforts. A lot of top professional photographers
started part-time out of their home before it became their full time
career. Every professional photographer did so with the decision to
make a business out of their love for the industry.
The first question someone will ask is, "How did they get
interested in this business?”
Our featured home-based entrepreneur is Elizabeth T. Becker,
owner of Seaport Photography in Port Townsend, Washington. We will
frequently refer to Ms. Becker’s business while describing any
home-based photography start-up. She has made a landing page for
Seaport
Photography, which takes you to one of her main local interests
and the source of many photos, the
Port Townsend Sailing
Association. Finally, keep clicking and here is her main
Website,
Seaport Photography.
Port Townsend has a lot of boats, particularly those made of
wood. Big or small, one mast, or two, or three, power or sail, new
or old, ready to sail or in need of repair—all kinds of boats and
ships are around Port Townsend. This is paradise for a photographer
who loves scenes of boats with snow-capped mountains as a back-drop.
What equipment do I need?
You need a satisfactory camera and love for photography. Some
feel it best to use a digital camera because of the convenience and
the clarity of the final product. It is also much cheaper and faster
when developing. And there are others who say the old film cameras,
which remain very much alive, are the true way to display a
photographer’s creative abilities. That could be, and I certainly do
not criticize those who choose film. However, there is almost no
cost to making a digital picture, so you can make literally hundreds
in the attempt to obtain a perfect photograph. On top of this,
Google Picasa is a free and satisfactory way to edit digital
photographs. If you want to spend some bucks and time on a learning
curve, you can use a top editing program like those in the Adobe
line of products.
Should you choose film and want to control your own images with a
darkroom, a search of Google will tell you what you need to have and
where to get it. It would really help if you have access to a local
photo shop with knowledgeable people to help you face-to-face. Never
be afraid to ask for help; we are all dummies about something.
Do I need special training?
The answer is yes and no. If you have been an amateur
photographer with a love for making images, and you have done this
for several years, you probably can slide into your own business.
Whatever business you are in, including photography, you really need
to get additional knowledge of the field on a continuing basis.
If you know nothing at all, check these sources (and others you
can find with a search) for learning what you need to know:
-
Photography Courses-Distance Learning—This is a
gateway leading to three online distance learning sources:
Ashworth University, Penn Foster Career School, and Stratford
Career Institute. These schools offer photography diplomas at your
own pace, some in as few as six months. The cost seems to be
reasonable but varies with the school and course.
-
Distance Photography Training Online—offers a series of
courses dealing exclusively with digital cameras. There are
courses addressing various photographic needs from beginning to
digital photographs as art. Maybe you can learn to be good enough
to have your work displayed in a major art gallery. That’s a fine
goal to set for yourself.
-
Photography Training—This site lists a number of
photography training courses, many offline. This brings up the
fact that you may be able to find courses at a local community
college or other school. This training should be low or no cost
and convenient to take. Check them before making a decision.
What are the legal requirements for this
business?
There may be business license requirements. You should check with
local county or municipal authorities, usually at a courthouse or
town hall for local requirement. Then call or write your Secretary
of State for the state of your residence about any necessary license
or registration. Contact your State Revenue Office (they may have a
local office or can be reached on the Internet) for any state tax
requirements like registering for sales tax payments. You can always
use your Social Security number for Federal Income Tax, but a better
way is to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN). With an EIN
you’ll never have to expose your Social Security Number to anyone.
It’s simple to
get one online.
An excellent resource for starting business owners in the United
States is the Small Business Administration. Every state has offices
available to answer your business related questions, and in many
cases they offer classes to help you get your business going.
An important early action is choosing your company name. Your
choice should be carefully considered so it can become part of your
branding strategy. Consider the types of services you will offer. In
our example Ms. Becker likes ships so her business is Seaport
Photography. It’s her business and she is the only employee, so she
could easily have named it Elizabeth T. Becker Photography. I like
the Seaport name better, don’t you?
Insurance is something else you should think about. To begin
with, your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may do the job.
Establish a rapport with your agent and stay in touch as your
business progresses to ensure adequate coverage.
You may need a bit of legal advice about a simple contract
between you and your customer. It’s possible you may find something
free on the Internet. Nolo is a great source for legal information
of all sorts, including ways to protect your photographic images
from being copied or stolen:
http://www.nolo.com.
A prospective proprietor should certainly ask, “How much does it
cost to get into a business like this?”
Here is an estimate based on the business plan of one
photographer, much larger than home-based. These estimates are my
guess and include a good quality digital camera, not top of the
line, but not the bottom either.
Legal fees = $50
Brochures, cards, copy paper for advertising flyers = $50
Camera = $750
License = $25
Computer and photo quality printer = $1,000
Total Estimated Start-up Cost = $1,875
This estimate indicates a home-based photography business can be
started for less than $2,000; this should be within the range of
most beginning entrepreneurs. If you already have a computer and/or
printer you can come out for less than $1,000.
Another thing the prospective new self-employed
will want to ask the established entrepreneur, “Where did your
business start?”
Elizabeth Becker started Seaport Photography 11 years ago. She
operates the photography business along with writing. In keeping
with her brand she specializes in maritime stories and images.
Elizabeth Becker recently decided to build a Website to attract
new clients to her small business She wanted a site that was easy to
update and didn't require any programming skills. She avoided the
need for a Web designer as well as the cost of a domain name and
hosting by using
Microsoft Office Live. With very little web knowledge Ms. Becker
can select a design template, choose a layout, type in her text,
load company graphics, and customize the site's look and feel.
Back-office functions, which let her track visitors and communicate
with business partners, are particularly useful for a small business
because she can post confidential Word documents, conduct surveys
with business associates, and track project status in a way that
looks similar to more familiar Microsoft products.
Now comes the question, “How do I find products
to sell?”
You make your own products with a camera. This is really a
business of niche markets, some of which are:
Portraits—these are a standby of many mainline
photographers. It requires close attention to details and, perhaps,
some knowledge of your subject’s personal life.
Landscapes or seascapes—these are the specialty of our Ms.
Becker. Here are some of her images:
Been there, done that (owned a boat)—it’s hard work! I’d rather
be on the Committee Boat.
Actually, this is where I really want to be— with some beautiful
lady:
But technically, look at the way Ms. Becker framed the lighthouse
with those trees. The full moon is just a little extra!
Weddings are another staple for many photographers.
Here
are slide shows featuring five different couples.
Children—another favorite niche market. Use it if you like
little ones.
Pets—this looks like a growing niche unfilled in a lot of
places. Many of today's white-collar professionals, between the ages
of 26 and 60, have at least one pet in the household. The pet is
often treated as a family member, and the owners spend over $26
billion annually for gourmet food, cosmetic services, health care,
and specialty items. Industry experts expect sales to grow steadily
for the next few years, from three to 15 percent each year. This
increased importance and love for the family pet has opened a very
large photographic opportunity. For more information about pet
photography,
read this.
If you love pets and enjoy taking photos, why not combine the two
ideas and own a pet photography business from home? You need not do
this full time. You can keep your full time conventional job and
take photographs of pets during the weekends or after office hours.
It will get you that extra income you have always wanted!
Creating specialty items is another niche avenue. It
includes postcards, albums, tinting, and whatever else you can do.
Ms. Becker produces tinted photographs as one of her specialties.
The art of handtinting started with black-and-white prints made in
the darkroom on fiber-based photographic paper. Using a special oil
paint that allowed the image to show through, a tint of color was
added to the image. The density of the coverage and the "reality" of
the colors were up to the photographer/artist.
Ms. Becker has been tinting photographs for more than a decade.
She is fortunate enough to have her own darkroom to work in.
Although it's getting more difficult to find the necessary
materials, it's worth the effort. The paints she uses are the
original Marshall's oils...pretty much the same product that was
introduced in the 30's by the Marshall company and still carryies
their name.
Here are two examples of Ms. Becker’s handtinting.
 
Handtinted images and other photo products are featured at the
Seaport Card Company, another of Ms. Becker’s projects.
So, “How do I sell these great products?”
Create a business plan defining what your business will do, how
it will grow, what it will sell, and the direction it will take over
the next few months and years. The plan should cover an overview of
the services you provide, a description of your ideal client, the
ways you will market your business. Your goals should be set up in
monthly and yearly format so you will know what to do and when to do
it.
In spite of all your other efforts, the best way to market your
services is through referrals. You can develop a business plan with
pet shop owners or the pet groomer in your area and agree on
offering something like a FREE portrait of the pet taken whenever
they spend more than average at their store. Imagine the numerous
other pet lovers who will receive their recommendation? You can also
take a few extra photographs and offer them to the pet owner at a
discounted price. Of course the next time they want the photographs
taken, it will be at cost!
You can also send out flyers and advertise through email
contacts. But the best way to market your services is through other
pet related services. Do not stop at partnering with only one pet
shop or grooming centre, but contact others and make your business
grow!
Ms. Becker also is visible in her community which promotes her
personal brand. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of
the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding and is a former Board
Member of the Port Townsend Sailing Association and the Port
Townsend Main Street Program.
Finally comes the question, “Can I make any
money?"
Because most home-based photographers are closely held, there is
no information available about how much money they make. However,
because their operating costs are very low, if they stay in business
for a while, the money will be there. If you have enough passion
about photography, enough to start your own business, you should be
able to make some money, at least as a sideline. You can’t lose very
much and you could make a lot. |
