5 Best Tips to Become a Successful Freelance Photographer
4 min readAre you ready to start a freelance photography business? It’s been your dream to run a photography business for a while now, and you’re finally ready to get started.
But before you go out on your own, you’re wondering what steps you should take to become successful. You know it’ll take hard work, but are there some secrets to launching a well-known business?
Follow these five best tips, and you’ll be on your way to being the most popular freelance photographer in town!
1. Get the Right Equipment
It’s hard to run any business without having the right equipment. Like a graphic designer who needs Photoshop, you need high-quality photography equipment!
You may know what type of camera you like to work with but do some research anyway. It’ll help you decide whether you want to upgrade or not.
Look for a camera with excellent features. It should work well for your niche, such as wedding photography. For example, Canon’s EOS REBEL camera might be a good fit for you.
Also get some accessories, such as a separate flashgun and a tele focus lens. And, of course, you’ll need a tripod if you plan to shoot any landscape shots.
To produce excellent work, having high-quality equipment is a must.
Moreover, knowing you have the right equipment will make you feel confident. You’re already a pro, but having popular equipment will confirm that!
2. Showcase Your Best Work on a Website
Photography is all about showing off your best work, so it’s wise to set up a website. To get one up and running, follow these steps:
- Decide on a domain name and hosting site
- Use a WordPress Portfolio theme
- Put in place the appropriate settings
- Install a Portfolio Plugin on WordPress
- Be selective of the work you show
If you’re not a pro in programming and web design, don’t sweat it. WordPress makes it easy to set things up. And if you have any questions, you can always hire a programmer or designer if needed.
After launching your website, it’s time to get the word out and show off your site (aka your beautiful work)!
3. Get Back to Prospective Clients Right Away
When you start receiving calls and emails from potential clients, get back to them as soon as you can!
Often people who are looking around will go with a professional who gets back to them quickly. They want to feel confident that the person they hire will go the extra mile for them.
Respond to their questions and impress them with your killer skillset. They’ll no doubt be blown away!
Remember, if you secure a new client who likes your work, hopefully, they’ll refer you to all their friends! That’s one way your photography business will take off, and result in great success.
4. Set Up a Newsletter
After you get a steady stream of clients, select an email marketing platform. You’ll use it to send out regular newsletters.
Although, before setting up a newsletter, upload your photography clients to a CRM. You can sync the CRM to the email marketing platform of your choice, such as MailChimp.
After that, it’s time to decide on a design layout and write some content!
In your newsletter, keep your audience entertained by showcasing your recent photography shoots. And if you have a blog on your site (we recommend having one!), share your latest posts with them.
Email marketing is a powerful way to connect with your audience. You can also use it to secure interested clients.
Your audience can follow your photography journey as they read your newsletters. Consistency is important, so don’t forget to send them out!
Plus, at some point, you may want to offer a photography course online. If you decide to do that, you’ll already have your contacts in a CRM and newsletter platform!
5. Maintain a Consistent Schedule
As a freelancer, you may feel tempted to sleep in most mornings. If you’re working hard, you deserve to sleep in late every once in a while. But if you’re just starting or are working hard to get clients, it’s better to forgo sleeping in late. Instead, come up with a schedule and stick with it!
Even on the days you don’t have a photoshoot, still have a schedule mapped out. Reach out to prospective clients, respond to emails, and do some industry-specific reading.
You’re in control of your time, so don’t let it control you! The more productive you can be, even when you’re not headed to a job site, the more likely you’ll secure more work.
Keep working hard because you can do it!
In Conclusion
Being a freelance photographer is a fulfilling job, but things may not always come easy.
If you ever find you’re struggling, don’t give up. There are always ways to market your business and get the word out.
Continue to push past those fears and show the world how talented you are. Clients will sure be impressed with your skills and passion for your work!
