How to Start your Own Digital Photo Business
If you’re a teen looking for a quick way to earn some extra money, grab your family’s digital camera and start taking photos. You can start your own digital photo business with as little as a digital camera and a computer that has photo editing software on it.
Since digital cameras are all the rage now, photography has become easier than ever. Whether you’re looking for part time income or a full time business, selling digital photos is a great way to go.
Since you probably love to hang out with your friends and family, anyway, taking your camera along to take photos is a natural. If you go to a concert or other public event, grab the camera and take it with you. Even if you’re not allowed to take the camera into the event, you may still be able to snap a celebrity photo outside, or at the very least some pics of the crowd before and after.
A digital photography business is easy to start and can become very lucrative. Digital cameras come in all price ranges and most households have at least one. Familiarize yourself with yours before you start shooting pictures to be sure you get the best quality.
As to what to take, there are all kinds of subjects. Nature photos, landscapes, still lifes, household objects, people, animals, and more. Take photos of your yard, the landscape around your home, or your siblings playing in the snow.
Take shots of local news and events, such as a car stuck in the snow, or photos at the high school football game, and submit them to your local paper. Local newspapers are often looking for pictures that were taken by residents. Whenever you get a great shot, submit a copy to your community paper. You can get, not only name recognition, but cash as well. And you’ll be making your name known to others who might need a photographer.
Another way to find business is to contact a real estate office and offer to take photos of the homes they have listed for sale. Take several different views and offer them for a nominal fee to the realtors. This, alone, could turn into as much business as you can handle!
Also consider offering your services for local events such as Santa visits, school plays, parties, etc. Parents love to have copies of their kids participating in such activities. The opportunities are unlimited.
Showcase your works on CD or a laptop before printing whenever possible to save the expense of ink and paper if no one is interested. With digital photography, the only expense is printing photos you actually sell.
For pricing, you can call other photographers in your area and ask out what they charge for photos as well as the sizes and packages offered. You can then price your services competitively.
If you don’t have access to a printer, you can sell the photos only on disk or by email. Though, once you get going, you’ll want access to a good printer, which you can get for under a $100. Then you can print as many copies as you need and charge accordingly.
Use some of your best photos to create a flyer and business card for your new business. Hand them out to all your friends and family members. Post them on bulletin boards around town, in grocery stores, libraries and other public buildings. Ask your family members to give them out to co-workers, and more.
Take photos at family members weddings and observe the wedding photographer and how many photo’s they shoot. Practice makes perfect and with a little practice you can learn how to do weddings and other formal portraits and create your own clientele.
You can also take photos of your friends and family, their kids and even their pets. Edit the photos on your computer and print them out to use as Christmas gifts. The more people see your work, the more chance you’ll have to sell photos. Before you know it, you’ll have a real following.
Create brochures for local businesses or offer to take their picture in front of their store to print and frame for them. Do the same with local athletes who’d like a photo of themselves in their uniform, holding a trophy, or carrying their golf clubs.
Between community jobs, go through your photos often, edit them, and publish them online with digital photo companies. There are many online photo sites that will offer you either a flat payment or a usage fee for your work. Webmasters and online businesses are always on the lookout for photos to enhance their Websites, and your photo has a great chance of being purchased or leased for such use.
Take as many jobs as you have time for, and be prompt and follow through on your task. Discover what your client wants whether it’s a portrait, natural poses, a formal pose, etc. Always be polite and produce your work in a timely manner.
With a little creativity, you can set yourself up in business and be earring a lucrative income in a very short time. Develop a positive reputation for yourself, and you could become the best known and most sought-after photographer in your hometown.
