When we think of what a photographers day to day life entails we probably conjure up images of exotic locations, luxurious hotels and a champagne lifestyle. Yet in reality, a lot of hard work and determination is required before the pinnacle of a photographer’s career is reached. Whether you’re a budding photographer or looking for advice on how to expand your photography business we’ve put together 10 top tips to be a successful freelance photographer.
Find your Niche
As a photographer finding your niche is essential when you are establishing your brand. Are you prepared to photograph anything and everything or are you going to become a Wedding Photographer or snap lifestyle shots? Once you’ve established the area you’d like to focus on you’ll no doubt start to find your style of photography and define your niche.
Build your Brand
Following on from finding your niche and establishing your photography style you’ll then be able to build your brand. Your brand should remain consistent across all areas of your work and business and translate from your photography to business cards to digital platforms. It’s important your brand works across all platforms to ensure your style is recognisable to prospective clients.
Go Digital
Investing in a good quality website is essential to show of your photography portfolio, services and the rates you charge. You can either enlist the help of a website professional to build and design your site or use a free website building platform such as Wix. When creating your website ensure you have a good balance between imagery and text and ensure your site is easy to navigate with clear contact details.
Social Media
We’re all aware of the impact social media has had on our personal lives but it’s also important to ensure you’re visible on social media as a business too. Set up social media profiles under your business name (if this is available) to ensure you are easily found. Now you’re ready to share previous work examples, promote your services and network with other photographers.
Create a Blog
Setting up a blog is another way to help promote your business and a way for you to share your knowledge around photography. From sharing insider photography tips to interviews with previous clients, blogging is a great way to help establish your business and increase your appearance in online searches.
Invest in Equipment
Investing in photography equipment is essential if freelance photography is your main source of income. If your equipment is expensive it’s worth taking out insurance to protect your camera and accessories against any accidents that may occur. If you use a smartphone to take your photographs then running out of a battery will be your biggest concern. Investing in a Branded Power Bank will help to keep you phone charged up on the go and keep the flashing red battery a thing of the past.
Quality over Quantity
When choosing imagery to help with your promotion its best to choose your highest quality photographs rather than bombard the viewer with a large quantity of shots. Separate your photos into categories and choose the best 10 from each to share. Sharing your best quality photos will keep your portfolio of work clean and clear and show off your unique style.
Events
Never underestimate the power of networking in any industry as you never know where your next lead may come from. Attending as many industry events as possible will help to get your name out there and always make sure you have a portfolio to hand. Handing out a Customised Branded USB with your portfolio means you’ll be able to share as many images as you wish and promote your business in a unique way.
Be Organised
In any type of business it’s essential to keep organised and ensure you have a system in place to deal with enquires and manage your calendar. When you’re working on your own it can often be hard to keep on top of the day to day running of a business so set yourself goals and calendar reminders to ensure you stay afloat.
Schedule your Time
Time is precious so stick to a weekly schedule where possible. Whilst shoot days may not be consistent try and plan ahead and put days in the diary to edit photos, attend events and meet prospective clients. This way you’ll give your business a little of that 9-5 structure but still be free to move things around when possible. By following our top 10 tips for success starting out as a freelance photographer needn’t be a daunting experience.
