Photography and business

Articles about the business side of photography – how to be a pro photographer

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.

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More specialist index pages

• Keith’s photo blog
• Keith’s photography videos
• Index for all of Keith’s videos [600+]
• 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

• So, you want a large format printer?Issues and questions that you might want to think about before getting a large format printer. Do you print enough prints for example? What are you going to do with all those 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
• So, your friends say your photos are good…So, you want to become a professional photographer, and your friends say your photos are great - what do they know? Why you should take care with who you ask for business advice
• Just what does ‘Pro’ mean for camera equipment?Does the 'Pro' label make camera equipment any better - how will it help me take better photos? The camera really does make a difference when you are earning a living, but how often should you believe the marketing?
• Industrial photography in a foundryPreparation and subsequent image processing required when taking photographs in a working foundry. Also looks at how final size affect image editing
• Photo business working as a cruise photographerThe business side of photography, working as a photographer on a cruise ship. Why you might consider a photography job on a cruise ship. Ian Kee discusses what the job entails with advice for people considering it.
• The photographer working for freeOne of the traps that many new photographers fall into is the 'Pictures for credit' ruse. Is there ever a good reason to work for free? What are good ways of refusing that won't offend, and are there ways that benefit you.
• Selling cameras in the UK and a changing market for photographyHow the changes and ongoing decline in the market for cameras affect my business as a working photographer

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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)

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Keith’s photo business videos

These are videos embedded in articles/reviews.

For a full index of all videos on YouTube, there is a categorised index page here:

Index: All of Keith’s YT videos

• 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)
• 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: 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)
• 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)

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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.

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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