March 29, 2009
Help, my wife is starting photography business where do we start?
johnnyandelly asked:
My wife is starting an onsite photography business. We know we need a business license, but what else. I want to help her as much as possible but I dont know enough about the photography world. Do we need insurance? Does anyone know of a good website that has information on starting a photography business. They are so much different than any other kind of business out there. Thank you for anything you can help with.
Bruce
My wife is starting an onsite photography business. We know we need a business license, but what else. I want to help her as much as possible but I dont know enough about the photography world. Do we need insurance? Does anyone know of a good website that has information on starting a photography business. They are so much different than any other kind of business out there. Thank you for anything you can help with.
Bruce
Comments on Help, my wife is starting photography business where do we start?
Charlee
i would recommend hiring an accountant. also, if you become an LLC (limited liability corporation) it can be a good way to separate personal and business finances, but i would do a lot of research first. thirdly, talk to your bank, they should have financial advisors available.
James
A few things to consider:
Business insurance - yes, look into it. Call your insurance rep and get quotes for your equipment, see what else is available.
Equipment - do some practice runs, maybe with neighbors or whatever and make sure you’re ready! Do the FULL flow, from talking on the phone, meeting up to show portfolio, taking pictures onsite, processing photos, handing off to clients for review, modifying if necessary, and ordering prints (if that’s what you offer). You could do it with ordering a few 4″x6″s if you don’t want to spend a lot. Trust me, you’ll be better off if you do this excersize. This will also tell you if you need additional equipment and supplies. For example, I was on a job 600 miles away and suddenly realized that people were tripping on my sync cords and I had no tape. D’oh! Lesson learned!
On that note, make sure you have a nice portfolio to show off, both hard copy and online. Do you have a website? You’ll need a nice one.
Do you have a marketing plan? Consider who your clients will be, HS Seniors, Brides, family, etc. If your answer is “everything” then break it up into sections and build a business model for each section.
Leslie
Starting a Home-Based Photography Business