Starting a Photography Business
Purpose:
I have always had a passion for exploring new opportunities, particularly in entrepreneurship and establishing my own business. During my time in high school, I actively participated in the yearbook club. I played a key role in producing our yearbook. I grew to love capturing moments through photography and curating images that encapsulated the beauty of various occasions.
My decision to venture into the photography business stemmed from a desire to explore its viability as a potential career or side hustle. I also wanted to enhance my photography skills and gain firsthand experience in launching and managing a business.
Admittedly, I underestimated the challenges involved, but I am committed to overcoming these obstacles and continuing to grow both professionally and creatively in this field.
Samples:
These are a few samples of pictures I took and edited. It also includes the logo I created, how I was able to find more models, and my instagram account. I was able to do pictures for 3 different families/individuals throughout this time.
Challenges:
As stated above I underestimated the challenges that come with creating a photography business. I believed I would start out and instantly know what I was doing. I was wrong. The challenges that are still taking getting used to are time and talent required to be a good photographer.
TIME: Everything about photography takes your time. Planning the shoot takes time – where it will be, what poses they will do, planning for the time of day, setting the camera settings for the time of day. Taking the photos takes time – you have to change the settings, pose the client, move locations, redo shots. Editing the photos takes time – you have to understand the software you are using, find the photos good enough to edit, then edit the photos.
I believed the whole process would take me about 2 hours. I was wrong. It took me more like 5-10 hours per shoot. I had not idea what I was doing so I spent hours creating Pintrest boards of poses I liked. I took my time changing the settings when at the photoshoot to ensure the lighting looked good. Then editing took me HOURS. I watched videos, looked up fast ways to edit, but that was the longest part of the process. I wanted to ensure the clients were happy with my work.
TALENT: I thought taking the photos would come natural to me. It did not. I realized that I was taking photos crooked, the lighting was messed up, I was too close or too far away. It took patience to be able to find the perfect angle to take a photo at. After training videos and time practicing I felt more confident in my ability to take photos but it happened overtime and I’m still learning.
I also thought editing wouldn’t require much time and skill. There is so much skill that goes into editing. You have to know how to use the software and what you want your style to be. Editing is the area I am still the farthest behind on. I’m still learning and realizing how much skill is required. It only comes through practice.
Process:
The process in creating a photography business is one that takes time and patience. I had to trust that my skills would improve over time and that the clients would come. I spent at least 5 hours each week on my business. The steps I took in creating my business were:
- Research about photography along with best editing software, cameras, editing styles, and ways to reach clients.
- Come up with a name for the business: Scibelli Shots
- Create a Website
- Create an Instagram
- Find Clients
- Take Photos
- Edit Photos
- Send Photos to clients
- Post Photos on Social Media
- Follow steps 5-9 over again
Overview:
As I have started and worked to grow my photography business I have learned to see the beauty in the little things. It took my a while to feel comfortable taking photos of clients, but each time I felt like I got a little better. It’s been amazing to see the progress I’ve made in just a few months.
Not only has it been beautiful to learn and grow, but it has been beautiful to help people be confident. I have had the most amazing models that make being a photographer easy because they are gorgeous and fun to photograph. The most common thing I heard was “I feel awkward” and then I would show them a picture and they would realize their beauty. It was the coolest experience to witness that realization happen.
My experience has been full of growth and improvement little by little. There are times that I really enjoy it and times that I don’t but the thing that keeps me going is knowing that my clients want to feel beautiful and I can help them see their beauty. It has been an incredible process and I am excited to keep expanding.
Takeaways:
I’ve learned so much over the last few months. Some of the biggest takeaway I have had are:
- Learning and Creating a Business takes time and commitment
- Successful Photographers have worked incredibly hard and deserve applause
- Helping someone see their beauty is invaluable
- Using social media is a great way to expand a business
- Being patient with yourself as you go through the learning process will make for a better experience
Doing something new is hard and daunting and we need to give ourselves grace and celebrate the wins we have when we are improving.