What Tips Can Help Someone Launching a Photography Career to Gain Their First Clients?

Kevin Mercier

AS SEEN IN

Photography Business Institute
Photography Business Institute
It’s the age-old conundrum of trying to get a job for experience, but you can’t get hired because everyone wants someone who is already experienced. The same feels applicable to finding your first clients in your blossoming photography business. How can you gain your first clients when you launch a photography business? Some fellow photographers shared tips below that can help someone just starting out begin to gain traction.
Kevin Mercier

Kevin Mercier

Founder of Kevin MRC

Collaborate with Influencers

Collaborating with influencers is crucial. By partnering with influencers, you can expand your reach to their engaged audience, attracting individuals interested in unique and visually compelling experiences.

Build a Network

Photography might not be the easiest way to make a quick buck on the side. It requires a lot of patience, knowledge, and passion.

Besides learning photography and editing skills, you also need to build a network as big as you can; the more people you meet and know, the better chances your business will have. Online networking groups or, even better, in-person meetings are a great boost for your business.

Marcin Roszkowski

Marcin Roszkowski

Founder of Vivid Flow Studio
Angie Knost

Angie Knost

Start with a Good Website

Photography is one of the few fields where potential clients are making selections and judgements based on the current work they see you producing, not so much on your track record, education, or credentials. If they see you creating the kind of work they want, that is the main qualifier.

For that reason, the importance of a good website should not be underestimated. It is working for you 24 hours a day. Spend time learning good design and create a website that you can keep updated with new content.

Of course, your website must contain attractive content that motivates the viewer who has found your website to contact you. While it’s good to have some inspiring artistic content, be sure to post the kind of work that you are able to produce consistently and that your clients will want to buy.

Understand How to Run a Business

The first and biggest tip is to study business. Most photographers (and a ton of other small business owners) crash and burn not from lack of work but from burn-out after taking on too much.

Therefore, it’s important to understand how to run a business more than anything else. To do so, find a mentor, take some business courses, look for groups and resources or state-run small business development groups, etc.

William Don Orkoske

William Don Orkoske

Owner of WDO Photography

Kari Bjorn

Owner of Kari Bjorn LLC

Work With an Established Photographer

Pursue a career in photography by working with an established photographer in your area whose work you admire. This can include assisting on location, helping out in their studio, or second shooting during weddings and other events. Getting hands-on experience and seeing how a professional handles all the possible situations that can happen during a shoot is extremely valuable.

Another great starting point is to do free shoots with folks you’d want to have as your paying clients. This allows you to control the shoot, decide on a location, and build a portfolio that speaks directly to your dream clients.

This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors' statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.

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