Tips For Getting Started In Photography: A Blog About Starting Your Photography Journey

Photography is an art. It's a beautiful thing to be able to capture moments and memories for people, but it's not always easy to get started. I've learned a lot so far and keep learning every day. So here are some tips for beginners like myself who want to start a photography business!

Where to Start in Photography:

Beginner Photography Equipment:

There are always necessities to get any business rolling, in the case of a new photography business you will need a camera, lighting, backgrounds, props, etc. Not to worry! A Lot of these things will accumulate over time and you can always stick to events or outdoor sessions at first…

First things first, get a camera! You can buy one or even rent one if you need to. When looking to buy, Canon and Nikon are the most popular brands and both have great options for beginners. If you're planning on buying new I would recommend going directly from cannon.com or nikonusa.com, if not you'll most likely end up paying too much anywhere else for a new one. I also have to recommend Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Craigslist as some great options if you're on any sort of budget. If you are looking to rent, companies like LensRentals.com and BorrowLenses.com have some pretty good deals

Myself along with countless other articles will say you should most definitely find a theme that works for you or a few settings you like and replicate it throughout your portfolio. The images should somewhat blend together as much as possible, this makes your work look much more consistent and professional. There are so many presets out there to play with when you're starting out. You can look through a bunch of editing styles and see what suits you the best or decide where you want to take your theme. After a while you can mess with the specific camera settings and make your own lightroom presets. To get an idea of some good presets you can check out nespresets.com

Networking and Outreach:

I think one of the most important things when starting out is networking. When starting out you really just need to get yourself out there, tell everyone you know and find some family members or friends to take pictures of so you can start building a portfolio right away (The sooner the better). At first you will have to offer a low rate or in most cases a few free sessions to get some work uploaded.

Photography is one of those skills where it is important to get involved with like-minded people. If you have never tried this before, here is a quick idea on how to do so:

Join a few photography groups on social media! There are many different groups on Facebook that can help you connect with other photographers in your area and across the country. This will give you an opportunity to see what is going on and let you learn from industry leaders while building a network of contacts with the same interests.

This will give you a good chance to start growing your social media presence, Instagram and Facebook are perfect places to start posting your pictures and building an audience. A website can also do wonders for your local reach if you have the time there are plenty of free website builders, or if you have the resources even a custom site for better SEO and a more professional brand image. Yes you are branding! A lot of people will tell you not to jump into this business head first and that's because it takes a little time for clients to trust you with their images and memories... But don't let that bother you, EVERYONE has to start somewhere, all it takes is a little effort!

Effort and Drive:

Now you're off to the races… After you build a portfolio go out and do as many shoots as possible, but of course only accept jobs that pay well or will at least be profitable for you (i.e., don't take a job where you'll lose money, Congratulations you've graduated from free or discounted sessions!). This will help build up your portfolio and client base while keeping your business expenses in mind so you don't crash and burn!

From here where the business heads is completely up to the individual and how much effort is going to be applied. This is where all of the “it takes too long to grow” or “you won't make any money” nonsense is proved wrong. As long as you just stay motivated and focused you will have no problem staying afloat!

Once you have an idea of how you work and what type of services you like the best, you can start to take a look at how you're handling your business. Here is where the real growth comes into play when you start using processes and tools to run smoother. Just simply trial and error alone is such a valuable skill to help you find your sweet spot… I'll be making an article in the future on some of the platforms I use to help manage my photography business!

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Thank you so much for reading!

-E. Marie