Key Basics of Launching a Photography Business

Launching a photography business.⁣here we go.

I’ve received three DMs on instagram just today asking this, and that’s on top of the several I received the week before that.

To be honest, I feel like the answer isn’t what people want to hear or commit to. but I’m going to make the post anyway because I do love sharing this stuff!

1. Buy any camera. any. research and find one that works for you, it can be a DSLR, a mirrorless, Canon, Nikon, doesn’t matter. I can’t make that recommendation for you.⁣⁣

2. buy or borrow “Understanding Exposure” by Bryan Peterson. read it. a lot.⁣⁣

3. put your camera on manual, and shoot. shoot. shoot until your eyes cross. just keep shooting. fiddle with settings while crying.

4. be prepared to suck.⁣

5. be prepared to spend a lot of money— photography is the opposite of a “cheap hobby.”⁣⁣

6. youtube tutorials all day, every day. not sure how to upload photoshop? youtube. not sure how to use the clone tool? youtube. not sure how to use curves? youtube.

7. shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot. ⁣⁣

8. read that book again.⁣⁣

9. be prepared to still suck.⁣

10. google “the difference between Lightroom and Photoshop,” “what is a preset?” how do I upload photos to an iMac?” and “why did I do this again?”⁣⁣

11. don’t constantly look to other photographers to tell you how it’s done. you’ll end up playing the comparison game, and that helps no one. ⁣⁣

12. shoot, shoot, shoot. daytime, sunset, dusk. take free photos for friends.

13. read your camera manual. ⁣

14. google some more.⁣

15. be prepared to be really tired.

16. work harder than you’ve ever dreamt of working in your life.

but really though. you won’t know what you love to shoot until you’ve shot everything else. shoot until you know what you love. ⁣it’s a time and money suck, but it’s worth it.