Get paid to do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life, right? Well, if you’re thinking of turning your photography hobby into a full-time gig that pays the bills, listen up.

Many people love photography, but transforming this hobby into a career is a significant step that requires careful consideration. It’s not just about getting paid to take photos—you have to run a business. 

Challenges and risks are involved; you might even lose your passion if you're not prepared.

That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you:

• Decide if you should turn your hobby into a career
• Find the tools you need to do it properly

In this guide, we use the experience and advice of expert photographers to help you:

• Understand the essential skills you need to be a professional photographer
• Learn the basics of financial planning
• Get what you need to know about running a business
• Optimize your pre- and post-shoot workflows
• Enhance your chances of success

And we’ll show you how to do all this while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Get ready to discover everything you need to know to succeed in professional photography. Let's dive in and turn your passion into a rewarding career!

The Day-to-Day Reality

As a professional photographer, your daily tasks will extend beyond taking pictures.

Much of your time will be spent on:

• Client communication
• Managing schedules
• Editing photos to meet client expectations 

Are you ready to become a professional emailer who sometimes takes photos?

Your schedule will often revolve around client events and the best lighting conditions. This flexibility is appealing, but it also means working during evenings, weekends, and sometimes holidays. Will this lifestyle suit you and your personal commitments?

Being your own boss comes with increased responsibilities. What you once did for enjoyment now has deadlines and expectations that can make it feel more like work.

One of the most significant risks of turning a hobby into a career is the potential to lose the joy that you get from photography. Is it worth jeopardizing your passion?

Having said that, running your own photography business can potentially be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. 

“Every time I pay my taxes or make a car payment, or we pay our mortgage, I just think, man, this is so cool that I get to do someone's hobby for a living.

”When I'm trying to help a client go through their timeline, I ask, what do you want to accomplish today? …the only way I can make good work is if you are having a good time, and I want to bring you back to those moments through my work. If that only gives me 10 or 15 minutes of portrait time with the two of you, that's fine because you guys are going to be having such a good time that those things are going to be way more natural, and you're going to end up with great photos.”

Doing What He Loves - Benj Haisch

Wedding and elopement photographer Benj Haisch (@benjhaisch) is the trailblazer of adventure elopements. An accidental trendsetter, he doesn’t believe in chasing trends for long-term success. Instead, he commits to his style of capturing candid images that resonate with couples for a lifetime while indulging his love of the Pacific Northwest

What You Stand To Gain From A Career In Photography

• An outlet to express your creativity and artistic vision
• Help others by capturing significant moments in their lives
• Continual learning and growth in a constantly evolving field
• Independence and flexibility 
• Opportunities for travel
• Recognition and accolades
• A connected community of like-minded people
• Fulfillment in producing work that makes an impact on others
• Earn a living doing something you enjoy

While photography can be an expensive hobby, starting a photography career is less costly than other professions. For example, to become a plumber, you need an array of tools, a truck, insurance, and certification. To be a photographer, you can start with a good camera and a few lenses.

If you’re ready to dive in and kickstart your photography career, you’re in the right place.

Let’s get started with identifying the skills you need to succeed.

When photography is your hobby, you don’t have to be good at it to enjoy it. But if you decide to turn it into a business, you had better be good and always be improving - otherwise, it’s wise to leave cash out of it and just have fun.

Besides taking great photos, you need to be skilled in several key areas:

Post-shoot processing 

Taking photos is the fun part. After the shoot, you have to cull your images to select the best ones and then edit them to perfection (tips on easy ways to do this later). These skills take time to learn and will continue developing throughout your career.

Communication

Your job is client-facing. Practical communication skills are essential to selling your services, handling client inquiries, delivering projects on time, and being prepared to handle difficult situations.

Organization and planning 

If this isn’t your strong suit, don’t give up just yet. There are plenty of apps and ideas that can keep you on track and help you manage your time and projects efficiently.

Running a business

This is a biggie. You have to be responsible, legal, and skilled at marketing, managing finances, and maintaining professionalism.

Adaptability, attention to detail, and patience

These soft skills are crucial for navigating the challenges of a photography career.

Receiving constructive criticism 

Have you had any constructive feedback outside your circle of friends and family? Use it to identify what skills you need to develop to improve. Learn to take an objective look at your work. In the field of photography, you have to constantly be improving.

Is Your Business Viable?

Planning your business before jumping in will help you navigate the initial stages of setting it up and avoid potential pitfalls. It will also force you to consider the viability of what you want to do. Is there a market? What are the going rates? How will you market yourself?

Here are a few practices to test the waters:

Analyze the competition. 

• Check out photographers in your area offering similar services. Look at their pricing, style, and client reviews to learn what clients like.
• What do you do better or differently that will make you stand out?

Online research. 

• Use Google Trends to see what photography-related search terms are popular in your area. This can help identify what types of photography services are in demand.

Leverage your network. 

• Use Facebook groups to connect with others who are doing what you’d like to do and get a feel for the market.
• Attend local meetups, workshops, and photography events to network with potential clients and other industry professionals.

Test the waters with trial runs.

• Offer discounted sessions or special promotions to attract new clients and gather feedback on your services.
• Use these opportunities to build a strong portfolio that showcases your best work and helps attract more clients.

Create a business plan.

• Develop a business plan that includes your target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategies, pricing, and financial projections.
• Include detailed financial forecasts, such as startup costs, projected income, and expenses. This will help you determine the financial viability of your business.

By doing market research beforehand, you can assess the level of demand for your photography services and make decisions accordingly. 

Don’t Forget Overheads

Starting a photography business involves several overhead costs:

• Camera gear: Quality cameras, lenses, and accessories are essential.
  

• Data storage and backup solutions: Reliable storage and backup systems to protect your images - there will be initial setup costs and potentially ongoing subscriptions.
  

• Legal contracts: You may need a lawyer to draft or review contracts.
  

• Business License: Ensure you have the necessary permits to operate legally.
  
  

• Business Insurance: Protect your equipment and yourself.

• Accountant: Professional help for managing taxes and financial planning.
  
  

• Website/domain name: A professional website to showcase your portfolio and receive client inquiries. 

These costs can add up, so budgeting carefully and planning for them is essential. You'll have to maintain them during slow seasons when you have limited money coming in.

Tips to Manage Costs

Budgeting: Create a detailed budget that includes all potential expenses and regularly update it to reflect actual costs.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluate each expense's return on investment (ROI).  Prioritize spending on items that will directly contribute to your business growth.

Leasing vs. Buying: If buying outright is too costly, consider leasing equipment. This can help manage cash flow more effectively.

Insurance Comparison: Shop around for insurance policies to find the best coverage at the most affordable rate.

How Will You Get Paid?

​​How do you accept money? Don’t leave this decision to the last minute. If someone is trying to pay you, be prepared!

• Set up a business bank account. Don’t use your personal account. A business account appears professional and makes it easier to manage your finances and taxes.
  
  
• Ensure legal compliance. Ensure that you're operating legally within your state and country's regulations. This includes registering your business, obtaining necessary licenses, and adhering to tax laws.
  
  
• Payment methods. Decide how you'll accept payments – options like Stripe, Venmo, or PayPal are popular, but be aware of transaction fees and the law about surcharges to cover those fees in your area.
  
  
• Invoicing. Use professional invoicing software to send detailed invoices and track payments.
  
  
• Accounting. You’ll need to hire an accountant or use bookkeeping software (like QuickBooks, FreshBooks, or Xero) to manage your finances. This is crucial for tracking income and expenses, preparing for tax time, and making informed business decisions.

Additional Tips for Financial Success

• Create an emergency fund (or credit card). Be prepared for unexpected expenses, like equipment breaking down.
  
  
• Review your pricing strategy regularly. Adjust to ensure your costs are covered, and the value of your services is reflected.
  
  
• Diversify. Offer additional services or products, like prints and workshops, to reduce relying on a single revenue source.
  
  
• Continue your financial education. Many online courses and resources are available that can help you improve your financial literacy.
  
  

Planning and understanding your finances set a strong foundation for a sustainable photography business.

We’ve covered the basic finances to get started. Next, make sure you are running a legal business.

Most photography businesses start small as side gigs, but as your business grows, you will have to decide how to structure it. 

We recommend working with a certified accountant in your area to make the best choice for your situation and ensure your legal bases are covered.

Sole Proprietor vs LLC

We don’t have the space or intimate knowledge of every possible business structure on a global scale, but we can go over two options standard to start-up photography businesses: LLC (limited liability company) or sole proprietorship. 

Sole proprietorship is the default structure - as soon as you go into business, you are a sole proprietor. It doesn't cost anything and there's no paperwork to fill out. The main drawback is that you are personally responsible if you are sued or default on your debts. 

An LLC costs money to set up and maintain, but the owners are not personally responsible for debts or damages. LLCs also have more tax flexibility, which can lead to better tax rates. 

Check Local Requirements

Besides structuring your business, ensure you have the business licenses or permits required in your area. Ultimately, you are responsible for meeting legal requirements specific to where you live. Get advice from professionals and do it properly in the early stages.

Now that you have a handle on finances and legal matters, we’ll cover how to market yourself, why you need to network, and how to manage your pre- and post-shoot workflows.

When you turned your passion for photography into a career, mastering marketing was probably not at the top of your list. But waiting around for clients to discover you isn't a viable strategy. 

The good news is marketing doesn’t have to cost a fortune. 

Four Affordable Ways to Market Your Photography Business

Start by creating a professional blog.

Your blog is where people go to browse your work and learn more about you. Creating a blog and updating it regularly shows potential clients that you a) are actively working, b) have a dashing personality, and c) are dedicated to your work.

Optimizing your blog for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can help you rank higher in Google search results (did you know 75% of people don’t go past the first page of results?). Businesses that blog get 55% more website visitors than businesses that don’t, so it’s worth your while. Plus, there’s more than one way to use your blog as a marketing tool (more on that in a minute).

We know you didn’t start a photography business to sit at a computer all day. We created Narrative Publish to make it easy for you to produce image-heavy blog posts that stand out.

Once you edit your images in Lightroom, you can build a blog post in Publish in minutes. Your images are compressed and resized so that your posts load at lightning speed to your website. Plus, they are enhanced for mobile, making for a pleasant viewing experience no matter the device.

When you use Publish, the beautiful stories you build will be optimized for SEO. By crafting your content and using relevant keywords, you can improve your ranking on Google search results, increasing visibility and attracting more clients. We couldn’t make it easier.

Turn blogs into video content.

By posting videos to YouTube, you can enhance your rank with Google by doubling down on SEO while positioning yourself as an expert.

YouTube has its own internal search system and is owned by Google. So, when you optimize for YouTube SEO, your video not only ranks higher within the site's search engine but also in Google Search.

You know all those blogs you created in step one? Turn them into videos targeted at your clients. For instance, make a video giving potential clients tips on getting the best wedding photos, preparing for a photo shoot, or choosing the photographer that's right for them.

You could market your videos as digital courses to make some extra income. Even if people work with other photographers, your expertise is still valuable.

Already making TikTok or Instagram reels? Get ‘em on YouTube to widen your reach. The more content you have, the higher you will rank.

Pro tip: Check out our podcast with Angela Shae to learn how to get ready-made social templates for photographers. 

 

Get your images in the spotlight.

Being featured in reputable publications gives you social proof and gets your work in front of a broader audience of potential clients.

You can answer calls for submission or submit unsolicited. Either way, check the publication’s guidelines and tailor your pitch to them. Verify that you will be credited for your work, and ask to link to your website.

When pitching, send a concise email pitch with 3-4 of your best images and a link to your online portfolio. Include a personal note—remember, there is another human at the other end of your email—such as an anecdote about the shoot or a bit about your personal story.

Publications love images that tell a story. Choose images that portray an emotional moment and add a human touch, making the viewer feel like they were there.

Once featured, you can repurpose this achievement into a blog post, a YouTube video, and several social media posts to keep the marketing wheel turning.

“When I started submitting images to contests, I started winning. It was a proud moment for me and put my name on the map. I won awards that allowed me to speak at gigs and conferences all over the world. I was 30 when this happened, and I had never had a chance to travel. Then I was in Amsterdam and Portugal and Brazil.” - Citlalli Rico

Utilize email marketing

Sending targeted, personalized emails to clients keeps you on their radar. Position yourself as the go-to expert and they’ll come back to you (and refer you) for all their photography needs. 

The ROI – that’s Return on Investment – for email marketing is around $40 for every $1 spent. A few hours of scheduling well-timed newsletters featuring your latest shoot, a peek behind the scenes, or a seasonal offer could reap huge rewards.