...Get our Newsletter for new articles/reviews and please subscribe to Keith's YouTube Channel
...Keith's book about how to use tilt/shift lenses is now available.
Our site contains affiliate links - these help support the site. See our Advertising policies for more
Keith often gets asked about becoming a professional photographer.
As he usually says, it’s more about business acumen than photographic skills… and has written a number of articles specifically covering different aspects of setting up and running a photography business.
This page indexes all our business related articles and links to a few external sites that Keith has found helpful in this area.
Keith is always happy to answer questions about anything on the site – it’s often where he gets inspiration for all our articles.
Never miss new articles/reviews – sign up for our Newsletter (2-4 max. per month)
More specialist index pages
- Keith’s photo blog
- Keith’s photography videos
- Index for all of Keith’s videos [450+]
- Articles and Reviews
- Colour Management
- All about using tilt and shift
- Equipment Keith uses
- Photography book reviews
For even more detail, check the category listings and search box at the right of the page
Articles reflecting business aspects of photography
- Video: Selling prints from your archiveVideo: Selling prints from your archive? Seems a good way to make some money... You've lots of photos and a good printer. Just how difficult could it be
- Video: The print quality triangleVideo: The print quality triangle - Are you looking for a cheaper high quality printer for photos/art? What factors limit your choice and how do you decide what matters
- Video: Sell your fine art printsVideo Keith looks at what you need to consider if you want to sell your fine art prints into the 'fine art' market. Could your hobby become a business? (7m 40s)
- Video: Showing prints at galleriesVideo: Keith looks at showing prints at galleries and what you need to know and ask about if you want to exhibit and maybe sell your own photos at galleries (19m 08s)
- Video: Selling your printsvideo: Keith looks at if you can make money from selling your prints of your photos and artwork? What do you need to know? (10m 36s)
- Book Review: The photography exercise bookBook review and video: The photography exercise book by Bert Krages. Training your eye to shoot like a pro. Subjects to study and photograph that will help train your photographic vision and produce the photos you want (and know why)
- Book review – Marketing and promotionBook Review: The Photographer's Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion (Maria Piscopo) Reviewed by Keith Cooper, professional commercial photographer and author of many of our business related articles. Includes short video review
- Video: Epson ET-8550 and selling printsKeith looks at whether the ET-8550 and its prints are good enough to sell and what different factors you need to consider if looking to sell your work (12m 45s)
—
There are over 1300 free articles, videos and reviews on the site - thanks to everyone who helps support it. We appreciate any purchases you make through our partners such as B&H which help us sustain the site.
Some of Keith’s personal views about photography
- Video: Limited edition printsVideo: Limited edition prints of your work - are they really worth making and are they even relevant to the print market you are in? Who wants to buy them?
- Video: working as an architectural photographerVideo: working as an architectural photographer - Is it a job for you? Looking at the business and photography aspects of being a professional architectural photographer
- Video: So, do you need a large printerVideo: Do you need a large printer. Some of the things to consider before getting a large format printer - it's about far more than bigger sheets of paper (21 mins)
- Video: Pro photography – what does it meanKeith Cooper looks at what he means when he calls himself a professional photographer. Are there too many photographers, should professional photography be a regulated profession? (11m)
- Video: Marketing your photo businessMarketing your professional photography business - Videos: What to say to stand out from the crowd (15m 14s) and five key principles of marketing your business (10m 40s)
- Video: Skills and changes in your photo businessProfessional photography as a changing business - Two videos: Changing your skills, and learning new ones (10m 30s) and changing your business models over time (5m 40s)
- Video: Skill without marketing isn’t a businessProfessional photography as a profitable business - Why your photo skills, without proper marketing, count very little towards your business success (9m 50s)
- Video: What sorts of photo work not to doProfessional photography as a business - The importance of choosing what what sorts of work not to do and how it helps you plan your future business (12m 40s)
Keith’s photo business videos
- Video: Limited edition printsVideo: Limited edition prints of your work - are they really worth making and are they even relevant to the print market you are in? Who wants to buy them?
- Video: working as an architectural photographerVideo: working as an architectural photographer - Is it a job for you? Looking at the business and photography aspects of being a professional architectural photographer
- Video: Selling prints from your archiveVideo: Selling prints from your archive? Seems a good way to make some money... You've lots of photos and a good printer. Just how difficult could it be
- Video: The print quality triangleVideo: The print quality triangle - Are you looking for a cheaper high quality printer for photos/art? What factors limit your choice and how do you decide what matters
- Video: Sell your fine art printsVideo Keith looks at what you need to consider if you want to sell your fine art prints into the 'fine art' market. Could your hobby become a business? (7m 40s)
- Video: So, do you need a large printerVideo: Do you need a large printer. Some of the things to consider before getting a large format printer - it's about far more than bigger sheets of paper (21 mins)
- Video: Showing prints at galleriesVideo: Keith looks at showing prints at galleries and what you need to know and ask about if you want to exhibit and maybe sell your own photos at galleries (19m 08s)
- Video: Selling your printsvideo: Keith looks at if you can make money from selling your prints of your photos and artwork? What do you need to know? (10m 36s)
—
Lighting, colour and web use of images
- Video: Epson ET-8550 and selling printsKeith looks at whether the ET-8550 and its prints are good enough to sell and what different factors you need to consider if looking to sell your work (12m 45s)
- Video: Printing your own cards needs good cardKeith looks at printing your own greeting cards and why good media/card and printers are essential, but are not all you need to consider for for a business (10m 30s)
- Looking for a bigger photo printerImportant questions to ask yourself when looking for a bigger photo printer wider than 13 inch width or A3+. Things that it's useful to know if you want a 17" (A2) or larger printer, it's about more than just bigger prints.
- On site product photography setupBasic colour management and photography options for photographing large numbers of products out of the studio. Efficient setup reduces the processing needed
- What paper should I use?With a massive range of different papers available, how should you go about seeing which papers work best for your photos. Some of the choices you can consider when looking at paper types and brands for printing your photographs
- X-rite updates i1Profiler LicensePerhaps not something I'd normally report, but given all the kerfuffle over the i1Profiler EULA (license) when it came out, it's worth noting that they have retrospectively altered the license.
—
Books and reviews for photographers with a business
- Book Review: The photography exercise bookBook review and video: The photography exercise book by Bert Krages. Training your eye to shoot like a pro. Subjects to study and photograph that will help train your photographic vision and produce the photos you want (and know why)
- Book review – Marketing and promotionBook Review: The Photographer's Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion (Maria Piscopo) Reviewed by Keith Cooper, professional commercial photographer and author of many of our business related articles. Includes short video review
- Book Review: Starting Your Career as a Freelance PhotographerBook review: Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer (Tad Crawford, Chuck DeLaney) Just how do you run a photography business. What things do you need to address? How will you market and sell your services, and make your business last.
- Book Review On Being a PhotographerKeith Cooper reviews the book 'On Being a Photographer: A Practical Guide' by Bill Jay and David Hurn ISBN-13: 978-1888803068
- Book Review Make money with your digital photography Erin ManningKeith Cooper reviews Make money with your digital photography by Erin Manning, a comprehensive guide and introduction to the business of photography
Training – for companies
Training other people to take better photos means I have to reflect on my own work and practices – never a bad thing to do every so often.
These are aspects of training that I provide (on location, not at our offices) as part of Northlight’s business.
We also have a training directory that is freely available for any professional photographer who offers training.
It’s arranged by location, so as long as you are a pro photographer, a free link is available
Useful external resources for photography businesses
- Model releases and commercial use – Great article by Dan Heller about why most of what you hear on the internet about the need for releases is rubbish
- http://www.danheller.com/truisms.html
Some very pertinent information that Keith regularly points out to the many people who ask him about becoming a professional photographer. - Business Link UK government advice and support for setting up your own business
- Business in Canada – useful advice, not just for Canada
- US Small Business Administration
Never miss a new article or review - Sign up for our occasional (ad-free) Newsletter
and please do subscribe to Keith's YouTube Channel
Other areas of our site that may be of interest...
All the latest articles/reviews and photo news items appear on Keith's Photo blog
Keith explains tilt and shift lenses
Keith has written a book that looks at the many ways that tilt/shift lenses can benefit your photography from a technical and creative point of view. If not in the UK check for import issues and maybe try an on-line bookshop. Keith has no connection with sales of the book.
ISBN 9781785007712
There is also a specific index page on the site with links to all Keith's articles, reviews and videos about using tilt and shift.
We've a whole section of the site devoted to Digital Black and White photography and printing. It covers all of Keith's specialist articles and reviews. Other sections include Colour management and Keith's camera hacks - there are over 1200 articles/reviews here...
Assorted Google ads - sorry but we have no control over external content. One day you might see one that is remotely of interest
We're an Amazon.com affiliate, so receive payment if you buy via Amazon US