Advice regarding venturing into photography business

[86proshooter]

Dear all,

Recently I attended a stock photo event in Hong Kong, after an successful event. (Inside the link my name maxli86 is listed there.)
I realized that it's time for me to venturing into photography business.
All these while I been training myself and actively helping to take photos for my company events but
without getting paid.
When I ventured into photography business the main important factor is have fun, meet new people and improve my skills
along the way and money is the last factor.
I did advertised my service but hardly get any request for photography services.
Since I already have a foundation so how do I build on it from here?

Regards,
Max Lee (86proshooter)

 

[huatman]

A business won't able to survive if not making money. Photography business not only on having good photography skill, the part on "doing business" is important and this is something I myself still learning.
U had mentioned u helped ur company take photos of event for free, it same where many others will look for photographer that work for free or charged very low rate.

I not a expert and I myself still a newbie who is exploring and learning how to do business...

 

[JacePhoto]

An interesting fact: Your immediate friends will not help. Even if they do, its not useful. This applies to anyone setting up any biz.

Interesting fact #2: Your friend's friend can help. Connect yourself to your friend's friend. They will give you a chance. I.e your friend, the bridegroom and bride probably ask you to do for free. But at the wedding, pass your name cards around to the people present. Those people are the ones who will give u the opportunity.

Saw on your website that you 'offer Guitar or Ukelele lessons'? OMG. When people sense that you do not specialize, they won't go with you. You are just a trader!

 

[JasonB]

All these while I been training myself and actively helping to take photos for my company events but
without getting paid.
When I ventured into photography business the main important factor is have fun, meet new people and improve my skills
along the way and money is the last factor.
I did advertised my service but hardly get any request for photography services.
Since I already have a foundation so how do I build on it from here?

Regards,
Max Lee (86proshooter)

Highlighted your problem in red. Your priorities are wrong. Want to have fun, meet new people, improve skills; then let it remain a hobby.

In any business, photography included, the ultimate goal is to profit.

The next problem is mistakening yourself as 'having a foundation'. Knowing how to shoot is not having a foundation, countless other amatuers know how to shoot and lots better. In a photography business, having a foundation means having a recurring client base that generate income monthly, yearly. Then you built upon it more marketing and brand building skills to bring your business higher and expand it.

Until you drop the amatuer/hobby mindset, real business will not show up on your door. Even if it does, you will not be ready to take it up.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

 

[Agetan]

Like what JasonB says... Business is a business and the photography, which is the "product" that you sell really depends on what audience you can find to purchase your product. Many find it difficult to find the audience and many stuck there and give up.

In any business, good marketing will make your business flourish and you don't need to be award winning photographer to make a living...

and yes, it is about the mentality and attitude towards business that count. What you wrote fit perfectly as a hobbyist and there is nothing wrong with enjoying photography and not getting paid and do it as a hobby.

Here are a few things that I wrote about the business of Photography in my blog...

http://www.tomato.sg/blog/the-business-side-of-photography-what-is-real-what-is-not/
http://www.tomato.sg/blog/life-as-a-photographer-art-vs-business/

There are more on my blog, just find it under the category of "Photography Biz".

Some are more direct some are about the "mental" issue, some are just my thought... so feel free to read and hope you learn something.

 

[86proshooter]

Been busy lately especially helping out with photography for a community event.
I agree that my mindset is still not ready for business yet and more to hobby than taking it seriously.
The ultimate goal which I must think about it is what will I get from setting up this business.

 

[mambostevie]

Just to share..

Photography biz starting out .

Basic is have photography skill
But u r a boss too running own biz so u need to have skills for marketing that lead you to have sales. Once u have sales , u need to have the skill to seal the deal..

Overall u r marketer , salesman and photographer unless u have capital to employ people to help.. add on also you need do own accounts so u r an accountant too.. entrepreneurs r nt easy to b but in fact nothing is easy and you will learn alot..

If ask me , my Ultimate goal for me is have a production team which can handle more events in future.. it will take some time to find good and right players to b in your team too..

Just sharing my experience

 

[wilsonwongjw]

Ok, first of all, if you want to go from hobbyist / amateur to professional, you need to drop the mentality that closing / making sales / charging people for your photography services is bad.

Once you get past that mental block, what you need to do is like the above mentioned, start offering photography services in niches you're most familiar with. If your photography skills are of high quality, make sure to charge prices commensurate with that. Psychologically, people assume high prices = quality and quality = high prices.

Don't sell yourself short if you have the quality