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Specifics Request: “Step-by-step basics…”

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Ok, so you voted for “Step-by-step basics of getting a photography business off the ground”, with a whopping 52% of respondents requesting this in the poll.. I can address, in general terms, how to do it, or I can be specific to a particular field or specialty. Let me know what you’d like, and I’ll see where this takes us.

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Originally published on Photo Business News & Forum on September 3, 2007. Comments are closed; this post is part of the archive.

5 thoughts on “Specifics Request: “Step-by-step basics…””

  1. Maybe this is too boring a topic, but I’m sure my paper filing system could use an overhaul. I wouldn’t mind reading how you organize all your paper files. For example, do you have a general “Model Releases” file, or do you file releases with other paperwork pertaining to the specific job?

    For that matter, do you have files for every client, or every shoot? Or do you keep all that kind of “paper” digitally?

    Do you keep track of paper receipts in one big “receipts” file? Or do you sort them somehow?

    I guess my basic question is: What do you see when you open your filing cabinets?
  2. I can address, in general terms, how to do it, or I can be specific to a particular field or specialty.

    How about both? Start out in general terms, then discuss specifics for a few of the more popular fields/specialties.

    Suggested specialties that I’d like to hear about include: weddings, sports, personal events (family portraits, anniversaries, things like that).

    I’d also like to hear your suggestions about how someone can BECOME a professional, assuming they have the basic technical skills. Should they be an assistant for a while? Should they start out small, shooting high school football on the weekends? What other suggestions would you have?
  3. I think I’d prefer more general topics about the business of it, but then some specifics about the niches. Just starting out, I don’t know if there will be a niche for me to fill yet. Also, my business may be only one of a few in town (or the only one near by) so I my end up doing it all for a while.
  4. I think general is a great way to begin. Possibly sprinkle in some specifics when there are several different flavors of a topic.

    I’m migrating from exclusively shooting sports on-spec to offering more diverse services — portraits, weddings, real estate, etc. — and an area I wasn’t as prepared for as I thought is quoting/estimating jobs. I’m getting requests for some not-the norm shoots. For example, photographing 60 oil paintings hanging in my local county courthouse. Not sure what category that fits in, but being able to have a good method for estimating would surely come in handy.

    A good solid day-to-day business workflow for handling jobs from bidding to shoot to process to final invoice, I think can benefit a wide audience.
  5. I currently do weddings, portraiture, & event photography on a part-time basis. However, I would love to begin diversifying into editorial and advertising work, but I’m not sure how. My interests are twofold: first, I would like to see some general guidelines that I could use to determine if my general business practices are in line with what is appropriate (pricing, quoting jobs, marketing, overhead, etc); second, I would like to find out more about how to diversify and to build business in areas where one might not necessarily currently have business.

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