If you love photography and enjoy working with people then a home based photography business may bring you a lifetime of fulfillment and pleasure.  A photography business offers many advantages over traditional employment but can also be a very scary step for most budding photographers.   After all, no matter how good of a photographer you are, it is important to remember that a photography business is more than just taking photographs.  The key word to remember is that it is a BUSINESS.  Which means in order to be successful you have to be much more than just a great photographer. You also have to be a great business person.

One of the advantages of the photography business is the low barrier to entry. By that I mean that if you have a couple thousand dollars to spend on good equipment and have a place to start shooting you can be in business.  This however can also be a big downfall as there will be a lot of competition from others who enjoy photography as much as you do. So how do you get ahead?  Well it starts with being the better business person.  This may surprise you as you probably thought I would say to find a niche, improve your work, be the best photographer, etc.  Well those are good things as well but being a better business person is much more important than being a better photographer.

I know that last paragraph probably turned off most of the people reading this. That is because we all want to make the most stunning, amazing, creative, artistic images possible. Right?  Who want’s to worry about profit and loss, advertising, marketing, etc.  Doesn’t  that just dilute the art?  Well if you are of that mind set then I suggest you pursue a career outside photography that allows you to enjoy your hobby of creating beautiful pictures.  Because if you want a lifelong career in photography it will require much more than just an artistic eye.   It will require a lot of business sense.

So what do I mean by business sense?  Well I have spent a lot of time researching what makes a successful business.  I believe that just a few of the key traits are: Consistency, Personality, and Vision.

Consistency:  When a client comes to you they want to be 100% confident in the product that they will receive. They want to know that the pictures you take will be as wonderful and heartwarming as the ones they received last year. So how do you ensure this?  By #1 being capable with your equipment. And #2, being methodical in your processes. That means you should have a written workflow on how you setup for sessions and how you process them. Your client should know how long the session will be, how  long before they can see proofs, how long before they will get finished prints.  A steady and consistent experience breeds confidence in them of your abilities to deliver EVERY time.

Personality:  This is where you get to shine. Feel free to express yourself. If you are goofy, friendly, silly, let your clients know that. Don’t try to be someone you are not.  You won’t appeal to all people, but the ones you do appeal to will love you for live.  Photography is about personal interaction.  Let them feel connected to you.

Vision:  Have a purpose for your business.  Do you know where you want to be in five years? Do you know how many sessions you want to have this month?  If you don’t, it is time to start your plan. And that begins with a long term vision that is developed into a working plan.  This could be the form of a business plan or it could be as informal as a list of long and short term goals.  Do what works for you. But just do it.

In conclusion, I would like to encourage you in your dreams in starting a home based photography business.   I would like to help you along your way and I wish you much success!

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