What Specialty Should You Choose For Your Photography Business?
People rarely want an all-purpose photographer. No, they want wedding photographers, portrait photographers, or food photographers. They want to know you have the skills to perfectly capture their special moment. That’s why, if you want to start your own photography business, one of the most important things you can do is find a niche.
Not sure where to start? Here’s what you need to consider before committing to a photography specialty.
Know Your Options
The first step in determining what your specialty will be is doing some research into the scope of the photography field. Do you have a knack for food photography? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to photograph pets. One of the amazing things about working as a professional photographer is that you can define your specialty in any way you want, as long as you have a portfolio to support it.
Evaluate The Competition
While you’re free to define your photography specialty however you wish, it’s important to recognize that it’s a competitive market. Before you establish your business, you need to check out what other photography businesses are operating in your area.
As the business development specialists at IncFile explain, there are more photographers than photography jobs. That’s part of the reason why more than 50% of photographers are freelancers, well above the freelance employment rate in other creative fields. Competition will be even tougher in highly populated fields, so look for gaps in the market where you can stand out.
Review Your Portfolio
Working in an artistic field demands a lot of introspection. What we think we want to do professionally, though, may not reflect our actual skills. As you work to define your photography niche, take some time to review your portfolio. Look at what types of photographs you’ve taken before, but don’t just look at numbers. You also want to pay attention to which photographs are most interesting to you and which show the greatest artistic accomplishment. To succeed, you need to balance your passion and your skills.
Do An Equipment Check
When digital cameras became a common possession nearly two decades ago now, people began to joke that anyone with a good enough camera could take nice pictures. While this certainly isn’t an accurate assessment, equipment does play an important role – and it’s expensive. Before committing to a specialty, evaluate your current equipment to determine whether you have the tools you need to be successful. What types of things might you need? Sports photographers shoot with long, heavy lenses, for example, and so do wildlife photographers. Newborn photographers, on the other hand, may need to think about what types of props they need to supplement their camera, since newborns are delicate and props like wraps and baskets are often part of getting a great shot.
Being a professional photographer is a great way to do something you love every day and get out of the rat race – just remember it’s not all taking pictures. You also need to be a savvy business person with marketing skills, a strategic mind, and a commitment to the hustle. Are you ready to chase your dream?
