Simple Tips for Beginner Photography Business

How to start your new business the right way!

It can be hard to know where to begin to start a photography business in 2022.

A photography business is a great way to turn your passion for taking photos into a way to make money and build a career!

Should you get all the gear? Just start pitching clients? Make a website? Print all your photos? There are so many options!

In this tutorial, Amanda Campeanu shares her top 8 suggestions for what you should do when first starting your photography business to make sure you get clients and keep growing! 

New Photography business in 2022 – get on the right track with these easy tips

Start Your Photography Business in 2022 Tip #1: Have a Clear Idea of What Clients You Want

You want to be well known for something specific in the style and look of your photos. This can be known as ‘niche-ing down’ or finding your unique selling point, and not everyone agrees you should do it.

But it will help you get work if you are known for a specific style.

For example, Amanda is well known in the product photography sphere for her bright, clean, minimalist beauty product photos. So if someone is looking for that specific style of photography, they will recommend her work. 

That being said, when you are just starting out as a photographer, you should try out different styles and niches. But over time, try to zoom in on the style you love and create your business around that.

Start Your Business Tip #2: Create a Strong and Intentional Portfolio

Your portfolio is a batch of photos that you use to show prospective clients what your work is like. This is an important part of your business because it is the first impression that clients will have of you and your photography.

So what makes a strong, intentional portfolio? You want to choose photos that will attract the brand and/or specific client you want. Look at the kind of photos they post and try to take similar ones for your portfolio.

A good portfolio will show clients you can take good photos, and will strengthen your pitch to get clients.

Start Your Business Tip #3: Use Video Content for Marketing

Take advantage of the optimized reach you can get from social media platforms. 

Reels on Instagram and clips on TikTok can reach a lot more of your target audience than simple posts used to. Utilize these online forums with video content of your process, your photography, and your brand. (Need reel ideas? Read this!)

This can help you get followers which in turn helps increase your brand awareness and gets you clients!

Start Your Business Tip #4: Consider Adding Video to Your Services

Photography can be enough on it’s own as a service, but you see more growth as a company by adding video to your abilities.

It is a huge benefit for clients to be able to come to one business for all of their photography and video needs. 

And with online video content being a hot commodity at the moment, there is no better time than now to consider adding videos to your service list!

Start Your Photography Business in 2022 Tip #5: Learn Editing Software as Quickly as Possible

Knowing how to retouch photos is an essential skill for your photography business. 

You can easily find tutorials on how to edit using Photoshop or Lightroom and learn how to make your photos look amazing. 

It is going to level up your photos when you can edit basic lighting elements or add and remove creative elements as well.

Start Your Business Tip #6 Limit Your Time Comparing Yourself on Social Media 

This tip is to try to help your motivation! 

Don’t look too long at social media at other photographers work. You might be tempted to compare yourself, your work, your followers, everything to these more established businesses. 

It won’t help you to get discouraged comparing yourself and wishing you could be like them. 

Do look for inspiration, but also remember they once started out too and that you will get there with some hard work!

Start Your Business Tip #7: Intern with more experienced photographers

Working with other photographers can give you helpful insight and experience that will help you and your business.

When you are starting out and don’t have many clients of your own, try reaching out to local photographers and offer your assistance. They might need a second shooter, or simply someone to hold reflectors or move lights around. 

Any experience you can get with photographers on their shoots will increase your knowledge.

Start Your Photography Business in 2022 Tip #8: Get Professional Headshots of YOU!

For your website or social media, you want to be able to show clients your brand, which is you! But you don’t want to use selfies or bad quality images.

Get a session with a photographer you are comfortable with and get them to take photos that show who you are.

You can show your personality and your style through these photos and use them on your business websites. 

Clients will see your professional appearance and get to see who you are. It’s a personal touch that will draw clients in.

2022 is a new era for photography business, and it’s great to know how to get started NOW.

Read this next to improve your photography skills!

Which of these tips will you use to start your photography business in 2022?

Comment below!