subject: Yantram Provides Digital Photography Business From Home. [print this page] The invention of the digital camera and editing software has made starting a Digital Photography Business fairly simple and inexpensive.
The good news is that a lot of people may not personally know a photographer. When I was a Realtor, most of my family and friends already knew a real estate agent (or many) which made generating business tough.
When my wife decided to get into photography, we realized that most of our family and friends didn't personally know a photographer. Asking for business in photography is much different than asking for real estate business (this applies to mortgage or insurance brokers, too). When you ask to list someone's house, they might feel that you are hounding them. It is much easier to ask your friends and family to use you to take pictures of their special events.
You do need some equipment to get started but you don't need to spend a lot of money to start. You can always borrow a camera or buy a used one to start.
For portraits, weddings, etc. you will need a DSLR camera. The DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera is the best of both worlds. It has the versatility of using different lenses like a film SLR camera but you don't have the expense and hassle of film. Film cameras still have their place but digital cameras are great if you are trying to make a living with portrait or wedding photography. Also, you know right away if you took a quality picture or captured a special moment.
Unlike a "point and shoot" digital camera, a DSLR will snap pictures quickly even in low light. This is crucial for capturing special moments at a wedding or an anniversary party.
Being able to edit your photos with a computer program such as Photoshop allows you to turn a decent photo into a good one. Plus, some of your clients will want you to edit out braces or even blemishes on their face. With one click, you can turn a picture black and white. With a little knowledge you can turn a picture black and white and color specific items in the photo. These techniques will impress your clients.
Having a website to show off your work is great but you can even find companies such as Smugmug that will host your photos for a fee. Eventually you will want your own website but you don't have to start out with one.
Pricing can be a little tricky to figure out. For senior portraits you will want to get a sitting fee (to cover your time and driving). Then you need to figure out what to charge for different sizes of photos. My wife and I looked at some of the pricing for the big photo companies and copied what they charge. When you get more established you can charge more. A lot of people don't really know what they should be paying due to the fact that they may only get photos done once a year or every couple of years.
If you enjoy taking pictures and are looking for a flexible career, photography might be a perfect fit for you.
My wife supplements our income by taking senior pictures and family portraits. She is able to bring in extra money even while taking care of our small children due to the flexibility of this business.
