Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting out, you know that this career comes with several challenges. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming to balance running a business, giving your clients top-notch service and having time to focus on yourself.
However, photography doesn’t have to be intimidating or challenging. Here are several of the most common problems photographers face and ways to solve each of them so you can be a happier photographer and better serve each of your clients.
Challenge: Feeling Unqualified
No matter how experienced you are in photography, you’ve probably felt inadequate when it comes to the business side of things. While many of your sessions are a literal walk in the park, managing finances, social media accounts, marketing to get consistent bookings and a website definitely isn’t as easy.
If you are unsure how to grow your photography business, investing in business coaching for photographers can shorten the learning curve and save you from costly mistakes. Coaches or photography business schools can help you learn the ins and outs of running a business so you can put more energy into creating beautiful photos.
Challenge: Feeling Pressured to Learn the Latest Technology
When you start a photography business, it’s easy to get a little too eager to learn all the latest marketing techniques. On the other hand, you might feel so overwhelmed that you don’t know where to begin.
The truth is that you don’t need to worry too much about this. While you should have a website and a professional logo, the trick is to keep it simple. Only use one version of your logo and a handful of photos on your site to serve as your portfolio and give potential clients an idea of your style. Remember, you’re not a fast-food restaurant with an online menu; your clients don’t need hundreds of photo examples to understand your photography style.
Additionally, don’t get caught up in systems like automated email replies or booking calendars. They can be tough to figure out and take the personal touch out of your business. Think of it this way: how often have you booked an appointment and only received a short automated message confirming your appointment? How confident were you that they got the details right?
By writing your email responses personally, your clients will always know they’re being taken care of by a friendly (human) photographer. This is especially important in the boutique photography model, where your business revolves around personal touches.
Challenge: Standing Out from the Crowd of Photographers
These days, it seems like photography is an oversaturated market. Anyone with an iPhone or tripod and a trial subscription to Photoshop can take pictures, slap on a filter and call themselves a photographer. How do you stand out among the sea of people with cameras?
The key is to offer clients something very few photographers are offering. How many photographers do you know who will upload hundreds of digital photos to an online gallery, overwhelming their clients with the sheer volume of choices? In contrast, how many photographers do you know who offer gorgeous wall artwork and professionally designed albums curated with the very best photos?
This is why being a boutique photographer is such a high-value career choice. Your clients understand the exceptional value they get when they book with you. You’re there to walk them through the whole process, from choosing clothing and planning the ins and outs of their session to selecting where they want to decorate their home with wall artwork and hanging their final artwork on the walls of their home. This is a level of service most photographers don’t provide.
If you lean into the boutique model in your marketing, focusing on everything you offer that is different from other photographers and why you are different, you’ll rise above your competition.
Challenge: Feeling Tempted to Discount Your Services
When you see other photographers running limited-time discounts you may be tempted to follow their lead. After all, it seems like they’re doing it often enough to have seen success, right?
The problem with discounting your services is that it literally cheapens your work. Think of it like this: if you purchase a designer handbag for $500 when the brand originally priced it at $1500, you’ll only ever view it as worth $500. The designer quality is cheapened in your mind and you’ll never be willing to pay full price for another one.
So many photographers make this mistake. Running a sale may earn them more clients immediately but it hurts their business in the long run. The clients who booked a session at a sale price will never book that photographer again at full price.
As a boutique photographer, remember that your services justify a higher level of investment. When you have a sales process in place that educates your clients, they will understand your pricing and will never view your work as cheap—unless you give in to offering discounted services.
Challenge: Spending Too Much Time Away from Family
Photography is an incredible side gig so it’s all the more heartbreaking to see stay-at-home moms start their photography business only to find themselves spending more and more time away from their families.
Unfortunately, this is all too common in the photography industry. Booking several clients each week at a discounted price for a set number of digital files just to make ends meet quickly leads to burnout and exhaustion.
This is another reason to follow the boutique photography model. Not every client is interested in boutique services—and that’s OK! Those who are interested are willing to invest more than they would for a digital file photographer. For you, this means fewer clients but higher-paying sessions. You’ll get to spend more time with your family while earning more per session. The boutique model is the only business model that allows you to earn a substantial income while also putting your family first.
Beating Challenges with the Boutique Model
Every photographer will experience challenges but overcoming them involves a little creativity and unique strategies. The boutique photography model, in particular, provides many solutions to common photography problems. By offering high-value services, boutique photographers have dozens of ways to serve clients, market more effectively, separate themselves from the competition and spend more time doing what they love.