Light

Literatur
e:

The word "photography" was created

from the Greek roots
(phtos), genitive of (phs),
"light" and (graph)
"representation by means of lines" or
"drawing", Together meaning
"drawing with light". I love to call it
light literature. Professional
photography is highly competitive,
but there are a number of steps
small business owners can take to
stand out in a crowded market
Photography is a crowded market,
but once you know the ropes the
business will bring its own rewards.
Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty
Images

my successful
photography
business
My name
is Adib
Vun and I

established my photographic studio

in 2007, and I have to admit that it
was a steep learning curve in the
beginning. Taking pictures is only a
small part of the professional
photographer's business. There are a
multitude of other things that need
to be addressed to make your
company successful. And, in a
fiercely competitive market, in which
anyone can buy a camera and call
themselves a professional
photographer, your experience,
credibility and business acumen will
be stretched and challenged in the
early days. It started out as a hobby,
I like taking photos and develop my
skills by reading books and watching
tutorials. I never consider it as a job
in the future as a business until I
dropped out of university to pursue
my love towards

photography. My photography
business turns success because of
following.

Choose a specialisation
Firstly, I chose an area of that I can
be an expert in photography.

Choosing an area of photography to

specialise in is one way of
distinguishing yourself in a crowded
market. In the early days there is
little option but to take every job
going, even if you are not so familiar
with the subject matter or conditions.
You say yes to any inquiry that
comes your way for any budget.
Most photographers do this until they
establish their name and reputation.

Once I am known for my expertise, it

can be reflected in my charges. In
the beginning, equipped with nothing
but a camera and a passion to
succeed, I charged as little as 70 to
150 for an hour-long session, which
only just covered my food bills and
the next bit of kit. Now, that kind of
price would not cover the huge
number of studio overheads rent,
insurance, rates, salaries, equipment
and equipment maintenance.

Invest in the right equipment

Next thing I did was I invest in the
correct equipment. A bad workman
may blame his tools, but a good

photographer knows that the right

quality equipment can make a big
difference to his results. This is my
principal investment, and it pays to
buy the best you can afford. I did my
research and work out how to
allocate my budget to get the most
useful equipment. As my business
grows, I was able to afford better.
I thought about which camera and
lenses will be most appropriate for
my chosen area of specialisation and
then select a computer and photo
editing software. Of course, these are
the bare minimum that I can afford
last time. Later,I decided to rent a
studio and what sort of lighting I
required.

Insurance and other

incidentals
For me, it was the non-photographic
elements of setting up the business
that I found most challenging.
Getting to grips with all the different
insurance policies I needed took
some time. I have indemnity and
liability insurance from one company,
my equipment is insured on a
different policy, while my building
insurance is with yet another
company. My public liability covers
accidents with clients and their
property while working with them
simple accidents, such as tripping
over a tripod or lighting stand could
put you seriously out of pocket if a
client sues.
But that is only part of it. I decided to
operate as a sole trader. For many

photographers turning professional

like me before will be the first time
they have had to deal with payroll,
VAT and tax. I found a trusted
accountant recommended to you by
a friend.

and the prints themselves could set

you back a further few hundred
pounds. If you expect people to pay
top dollar, you need to be able to
show them they will receive highquality results. It took me years to
build my photography portfolio, and
it's still a work in progress. Building,
editing and refining portfolios is an
ongoing process throughout an entire
working life as a photographer.

Marketing online

Building a portfolio builds

credibility
Before I charge a professional fee for
my photography, I need to convince
potential clients that I have the skill
and experience to deliver the job. To
do this it's vital that I have a
professional-looking portfolio,
weighted towards my area of
specialisation. Professional
presentation of my work is critical,
and if I was not prepared to throw
good money at it,I would not stand
out in the theatre of presentation to
my clients. I could expect to pay
anything from 400 to 1,000 for a
handmade portfolio book or a looseleaf box, a solid leather or fabric box
that for loose photographs/prints;

As well as being an expert

photographer, I learn all about
search engine optimisation and
social networking to promote your
services. I was very lucky to get to
the first pages of Google for a large
number of keywords in a little over a
year and pretty much stay there
building on the quality of work I
produce.

Professional photography is a highly

competitive industry. The chances of
success will be multiplied if you know
your craft and if you take the time to
gain experience working for someone
else. I discovered facebook and
especially Instagram is a good
platform for my online marketing.
However, once you know the ropes,
running your own photographic
business is a challenge that will bring
its own rewards.

Inconclusion, photography is not

about taking picture but it is my
passion driven in my blood. It bring
me happiness so when it does that I
can be successful because the key to
success is happiness. Lastly, in my
opinion a photograph is not created
by a photographer. What they do is
just open a little window and capture
it. The world then writes itself on the
film. The act of the photographer is
closer to reading than it is to writing.
They are the readers of the world.