More About The Business of Photography
by William Lulow
There are more and more people who have gotten interested in photography lately. And, that’s a good thing. The thing that’s not so good is that because of the ease with which images can be captured these days with digital cameras, many people think that it is easy to become a “photographer,” open up a business and start making money. It has bred a whole host of people who seem to be willing to work for nothing, or next to nothing, if it means exposure or being published in some magazine, website or blog.
The truth is, that it takes a whole lot more than just exposure to make a successful business out of whatever passion you have about photography. We begin with talent. It is a given that you have a talent for making images. It is also given that you have a love for the whole process. If this is the case, then you need to study all about it. You can’t just shoot one wedding, or one portrait or one landscape and call yourself a “photographer.” Not only do you have to learn all about your equipment and lighting, but you also have to learn about the BUSINESS.
The business of photography encompasses a whole lot more than taking pictures. Running a business also entails keeping records, contacting clients, knowing how to deal with clients, knowing how to keep clients, knowing how to follow through after the shooting part is over and just plain being professional. All this comes with a lot of practice. The best way to learn how to run a business is to be a part of one. Most photographers of my experience earned that experience by apprenticing with other, established photographers. We learned the procedures involved in maintaining a studio business. We got paid for these apprenticeships. There are far too many unscrupulous people in the business these days who advertise for “unpaid internships.” This is simply a way of enticing young people into working for nothing. DON’T FALL FOR THIS! An internship is a form of contract one enters into with a photographer in exchange for learning, college credit, or the promise of a job after the internship is over. If someone advertises an unpaid internship for a “few weeks or months” walk the other way. Real internships usually last enough time for you to actually learn something. YOU SHOULD ALSO GET PAID FOR YOUR TIME. Even though you may be learning, your time and efforts are still valuable.
Most established photographers experience clients that come and go. It’s the nature of the business. I’ve had clients that I’ve done business with for eight to ten years. Then, all of a sudden, an art director retires or moves to another company and I’ve lost the business. So, another very important part of the business of photography is that you have to be on the lookout for new clients and opportunities constantly. This means having some kind of marketing plan to attract new business. I have used the internet and email campaigns in the last several years. But there are photographers who also do regular, direct snail-mail campaigns as well. One of the most important things you can do is to make sure that your website lands on page one of most of the search engines. There are many ways of doing this and there are companies willing to take your money, assuring you that they have the answer about how to do this. The truth is, it’s probably better (and way cheaper) to find this out for yourself. I found someone a few years ago who actually taught me some of the points of this science and I actually did wind up on page one. So, it can be done. Throwing money at someone who says they can do something without knowing something about it yourself is usually wasteful. On the other hand, the right person can probably help.
Another important part of the “business of photography” is knowing what to charge for your services. I have found myself on both sides of this many times. One time, I can remember, I had an opportunity to bid on a job with a local advertising agency to photograph a celebrity for a series of advertisements. My mistake, I think, was in not charging enough! Yes, there are occasions when, if you don’t charge enough, the prospective client may think you cannot handle the job.
I recently bid on a job for which I thought I was a perfect match. It was for series of corporate portraits (something I do all the time). I didn’t get the job. But I have no idea why not. I bid my usual fee for the photography, plus I included some extras. Then, I noted that the client might save some money if it took me less time to complete. I thought I had the job after several emails. But this is just another one of the things about being a business person as well as an artist. Sometimes you really have no idea what is in the mind of a prospective client. And, it’s not always a good idea to ask.
I have also been in a position to bid on a job only to find out that it was given to a “friend” of the client. Sometimes, clients will ask you to bid on a job just so they get a range of what the actual costs would be. Sometimes, people are just trying to find out what a professional would charge before giving the job to a less-qualified person.
My usual response to this sort of inquiry is that “you usually get what you pay for.” But all these scenarios come with the territory if you are going to set yourself up in business as a photographer. Knowing how to bid on an assignment comes with experience in handling all these kinds of situations.
So, if you think the business of photography is just about taking great pictures, think again!
