Making Your Photography Hobby Into a Business

Are you getting a ton of compliments on your picture-taking skills? Are people asking you to do impromptu portrait sessions? ย Maybe itโ€™s time to think about taking your photography hobby to the next level!

Photography can be a great way make some extra cash, but there are some things to think about before you set up a business and get into photography as a line of work. Here are a few tips to get you started: ย 

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  • Make a business plan. Anyone starting a small business needs to have one of these. A business plan will serve as your roadmap, describing what you are doing and how it will be profitable. Remember to include things like ownership, cash flow, expenses, and competition.
  • Find your specialty. Are you a nature photographer? A wedding photographer? Is your expertise newborn photos, pet photos, family gatherings or portraits? Be very clear about what services you offer and your area of expertise. Having a genre will help establish your brand and stating your services offering to potential clients.
  • Make a portfolio. Itโ€™s important to be able to show off what youโ€™re able to do. So, before you try to turn your hobby into a business, take the time to build your portfolio. Youโ€™ll want to show off images that reflect the style of shoots you want to do on a regular basis.
  • Participate in photo contests. This is a GREAT way to find out to see how your work measures up to that of other photographers at the beginner, amateur or professional levels. And, ย if youโ€™re lucky, youโ€™ll get a prize!
  • Consider online photography. Stock photography is in high demand and is a practical way to make some money. Advertising and marketing agencies, bloggers, websites, publications — and many more! — all make regular use of stock photos. And you can sell stock photos of pretty much any genre. You can find a list of websites where you can sell your photos here: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/selling-photos/