Making the Switch

Yikes, 5 months since my last post?  Must've been busy with 2 other blogs and 3 kids:)

I have recently connected with a few women who have decided to start a photography business.  I think it's fantastic.  You would think that it was such a super saturated market but it's not that bad.  So many more families are hiring photographers for their family, maternity and newborn photos.  Here are a few things I would suggest when moving from the `shooting for fun' to `starting a business' stage.  I would've done more of this before actually starting our business.

This does not include the actual setting up of the business which can be found here.

1.  Know your camera.   Be able to shoot confidently in AV or M.  This means you are confident changing your aperture, ISO and/or shutter speed.

2.  Practice, practice, practice.  Shoot every day.  Edit your favourite photos of the day.  If you are not motivated to do this, then, um, maybe you shouldn't be a photographer:)   You need the passion and love for it or you will burn out quickly.
  
3.  Talk to a professional photographer that you know.  Ask for feedback on your website or your work.  Don't bug them too much but a couple of questions is totally acceptable:)

4.  Shoot in RAW and have a good editing program to edit it.  I love Lightroom.  Shooting in RAW is the greatest switch we ever made.  You have so much control over your white balance and exposure.
 
5.  Don't spend too much money/time on getting props.  Spend your time practising and working in different light/locations/situations.  Over time you will see what props would actually be useful.   We do mostly wedding and family photography so why would I want to continue to invest in newborn photography if I only have 5 newborn sessions a year?  Although, I recently had a baby girl so we may just have a few more baby girl props that I find pretty adorable!!

6.  Have someone to bounce ideas off of.  Thankfully, my husband Gary is my photography partner.  Therefore, we discuss almost every purchase before we make it.  Don't make any impulsive decisions in regards to your business name, purchases, doing sessions you don't feel confident about or interested in etc.

7.  Make sure clients have seen your work so they know what they are getting.  When we started we were not great.  However, people could see what our work was like and we charged accordingly.

I'm sure there are a few things I have forgotten but these are just a few that come to mind.

Get out there and take some pictures.  In RAW.  And edit them.  And post them.

Love, Louise