This week, Latest Sale reports from the Photography Business Directory with advice on how to create a robust photography business.
One of the greatest challenges the photography industry faces as a whole is the wider availability of images thanks to a plethora of online resources and the difficulty photographers have in protecting the distribution of these images from those online resources.
Photographers need to decide whether they wish to place their photographs with various image bank libraries and catalogues for a fraction of the true value of the image. This will entail clear categorization; images that have unique value and can be sold on an exclusive basis for premium charges for specific usage (global usage, exclusive or historic buildings for example). Other images may be promoted for casual or regular use as stock library images (such as standard images of business professionals, generic buildings or lakes) with revenue that is much less but that has a greater chance of gaining awareness.
The next focal point budding photographers need to bear in mind should be segmentation and specialization. Different styles of photography require different props, lenses and Marketing efforts with popular categories being; Wedding Photography, Fashion Photography, Commercial Photography and Product Photography. With product photography, props, a studio with white backdrop and good lighting may be all that is required to start with. Fashion Photography requires a much higher expenditure with consideration needed for models, make-up artists, stylists and hairdressers. If not using a studio, location costs for the fashion shoot are also an added focal point.
In summary, the key factors that budding photographers need to take into consideration when turning their photography passion into a business is to focus on the sector of interest versus the given budgets and resources available. There is also the case of natural creative understanding with some photographer’s ability and talents particularly skewed towards fashion and therefore they will have a natural vision for the art form and the key factors required to create the perfect fashion shoot.