Starting a Photography Business – The Biggest Mistake You Can Make

It’s Day 3 of 30 Days to a Better Blog! So far so good. We’ve chatted about the process of branding and my workspace so today I’m sharing my journey and the biggest mistake you can make when starting a photography business.

I’ve been in business for 5 years now and it’s only in the past year that I feel like I’ve finally figured a few things out. I feel comfortable with my equipment and confident that I can deliver beautiful pictures to my clients every time. Growing as an artist and this crazy world of marketing and blogging will be something I’m constantly working on though ~ no matter how many years I’m blessed to do this.

It all started when my husband gave me a Canon Rebel for Christmas one year. I was kind of at a crossroads at this point because I was working part time and I was pregnant with our second child. I didn’t want to go back to a part time gig. I wanted a real job. Before having babies, I was writing for a magazine. Yup, a teen magazine. I actually graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and have always loved writing. You’d never know it now though. Even writing a blog post now is like torture!

Still, I needed something to do. I’ve always been in love with photography, but never dreamed I could make it a career. It clicked one day (no pun intended) when I was going through a box of old pictures and came across shots I had done where I set up my dolls and used sheets as a backdrop and books as a prop. I can remember closing the door to my room and taking ‘selfies’ with a disposable camera too. Embarrassing, but true. I’ve also collected photography books for years. So I spent hours and hours online reading blogs and practicing. This was around the time that Facebook was getting really popular so I was posting pictures online. Before long, I got my first inquiry for a session. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that things snowballed quickly. I almost couldn’t keep up. In a matter of months, I was open for business.

Here’s where I get to the part about the biggest mistake you can make when starting a photography business. Don’t rush into it. Take your time! I had no business being in business, but I needed a job and people were willing to pay me. It’s that simple. Looking back, I wish that I would have waited. I should have gone to a workshop, taken classes online, or mentored with someone. I had no clue about running a business, marketing or taxes. I wasn’t even shooting in manual at first. I’ve always felt confident working with children, but the intricacies of being self-employed are way more difficult than I anticipated. I made a ton of mistakes, paid a lot of money for those mistakes, and ended up losing some really great clients. Thankfully, I stuck it out and have been blessed to have a successful business now. But I’m always scared. Scared that the phone will stop ringing or the emails will stop coming in. Scared of making those mistakes again. Maybe a little bit of fear is a good thing because it will motivate me to find new ways to learn and grow my business.

If you’re thinking of starting a photography business, do everything you can to perfect your craft and get your business ducks in a row. Reach out to a friend or family member who is self-employed and ask for advice. Look for a mentor. Take a class. Read as much as you can so that you are ready. Things will still go wrong, but you’ll be better equipped to deal with mistakes. And those mistakes will help you become a better photographer and business owner.