If I could start over: Key lessons for aspiring photographers

A little bit of background on me:

I fell in love with photography because the photos I took with a ‘mik-en-druk’ were horrendous, and I knew I could do better. I was a perfectionist then, and I’m a perfectionist now. That doesn’t always serve you in business, but it’s been a learning experience.

Timeline:

  • 2000 – Worked in corporate. Bought a camera and did two courses through the National College of Photography.
  • Shot my first wedding (as a favour, not paid).
    Continued working in corporate while shooting everything and anything part-time.
  • 2002 – Got a job as a product photographer working for a company.
  • 2005 – Left that job to start freelancing.
  • 2005 to 2013: I did any kind of photography you’d pay me to do. This included weddings, events, interiors, products, families, etc.
  • Around 2013 – I stopped doing weddings and family photos. I honed my skills in business and corporate photography.
  • 2016 – Started offering video production services. That moved me from freelancing to being a business owner. While I still do photography, I now often hire videographers and photographers to work on client projects.
  • Currently – I specialise in business and corporate photography and video production. This includes events, brand photography, product photography, and headshots.

But this isn’t about me, it’s about you. So, here are my tips for someone starting out in photography:

1. Free work

When you start out as a photographer, you’ll be approached by individuals and businesses who want you to work for free. Not maybe, not perhaps, but definitely (and often). It’s 20-odd years later, and it still happens to me.

Creatives are emotionally attached to their work, so they feel flattered when someone offers them an opportunity, whether it’s paid or not.

Please don’t make that mistake. Exposure is a technical term you learn in photography, not something that pays the bills.

Having said that, there’s free work, and then there’s working without getting paid but with a strategy in place. Up until about two years ago, I would have advised against doing free work at all. But, Chris Do, master of all things creative, has opened my mind to different possibilities.
Seriously, find him online; his teachings will help you grow as a creative and as a business person.

You should only work for free under two circumstances:

  1. When it’s a project or cause that is close to your heart and you want to give your services as a gift, expecting nothing in return.
  2. When your client has the ability and willingness to connect you with your ideal clients. Trade your services for the client making a personal recommendation to three of his connections that you’d like to work with.

You can also request a written or video testimonial if the client is happy with your services. All this must be negotiated upfront and supported by a written agreement so that everyone knows where they stand and what is expected of them.

This isn’t free work; it’s a strategic move to use word of mouth to your advantage. The agreement must also allow you to use the work in your portfolio. Once you’ve been personally recommended by your client, offer your services to these prospects at full price. Everybody wins!

2. Get paid on time

Getting paid seems to be an obstacle for many self-employed people. I struggled with this for years. The only way to combat this is to set expectations upfront and to have a signed contract in place. You could require full payment upfront, or a 50% deposit with payment upon delivery. Don’t do any work if you haven’t received a minimum of a 50% deposit. If a client drags their feet paying the deposit, see this as a huge red flag and reconsider working with them.

You don’t need a logo when you’re starting out.
You don’t need a website when you’re starting out.
You don’t need a brand identity when you’re starting out.
But you do need a contract that’s been drafted by a lawyer.

Even better if it’s a lawyer that has experience working with creative professionals. Once you have that in place, do not do any work until that contract is signed. No negotiation, no way around it. No signed contract, no work. No Skippy, no school (Google it if you’re too young to know what it means). 

As you progress in your career, make notes when difficult situations occur in your client relationships. Discuss these with your lawyer and add preventative clauses into your contract so that you don’t keep butting your head against the same walls.

There are two caveats to this. I have a few old clients who haven’t signed a contract with me. These are clients who always pay on time. I prefer not to rock the boat, but I also won’t do this if there’s a significant amount of money on the line.

Secondly, my clients are mostly corporate companies that have firm rules and payment processes in place, and their payment terms are normally 30 days from delivery. I only allow multinational companies this leeway, not smaller businesses.

Protecting your income and cash flow should be the most important thing in your business. Otherwise, it’s a hobby, not a profession.

3. Rent equipment before buying it

Renting equipment allows you to experiment with different lenses and camera bodies. When you’re ready to buy, you’ll have a good idea of what’s available and which equipment suits your needs. In the beginning, it’s often not necessary to own a full kit yourself and having that kit might be a bigger financial burden than renting, at least for the first couple of years.

4. Ask for reviews upfront

Reviews are social proof and a great way for prospective clients to see what it’s like working with you. The best time to ask a client for a review is before the shoot. Mention that you’d love a positive review if they’re happy with your work. Then, once you deliver the work and get positive feedback from your client, send them the link to your reviews page on Google My Business or Facebook. Don’t delay sending the link; you’re much more likely to get a glowing review when the client is still excited about their photos.

If you find the upfront approach intimidating, leave out that step and ask them after the shoot.

It helps to let the client know that you’re asking for a review so that prospective clients will know what it’s like to work with you. People love helping, and this is one way they can do that.

5. Learn online

I did a couple of in-person photography courses back in the day. At the risk of giving away my age, that was the only way you could learn. Nowadays, you can learn anything you need to know on YouTube. All you need is time and an internet connection. You can do it for free, although you might find that there won’t be any structure and learning from various sources may feel disjointed. There are many excellent paid courses available that aren’t expensive but are well laid out and that will teach you all the basics. Learning photography is not just a theoretical exercise. You need to pick up your camera and make mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the faster you’ll learn.

What I did right:

1. I learned from a mentor

I assisted a wedding photographer for a long time before having the skills and confidence to shoot weddings myself. He paid me next to nothing, but he was willing to teach, and I was willing to learn. Looking back, I wouldn’t have grown as a photographer if it wasn’t for him. I offered someone a similar opportunity recently. The difference is, I was prepared to pay him a fair rate to assist me on shoots while also teaching him. He turned me down. He said he would rather be paid full price as a photographer than be paid assistant rates. I’ve seen his work. That foolish young man is going to struggle for years to learn what I could have taught him in a short period of time.

Being a self-employed photographer is not just a matter of having the technical skills. You need to know how to talk to clients, how to deliver consistent results, and how to get your clients to keep coming back. There’s no better way to learn that than as an assistant or an apprentice.

2. I started wide and then specialised

I stopped shooting weddings more than 10 years ago, but wedding photography taught me to think on my feet and to adapt to varying lighting conditions under pressure. I’m not suggesting that you use a client’s wedding as a way to learn when you’re not skilled enough to deliver excellent photos, but you can always add to that skill level, and weddings are one of the best ways to do that.

The only way to find out what kind of photography you like is to try your hand at everything. Somewhere along the way, you’ll figure out what you enjoy shooting. Then it’s up to you to determine whether it’s a solid business idea so that you don’t end up shooting for the love of it, but not making any money.

3. I hired an accountant

It’s wise to know when you’re out of your depth, and your accounting isn’t something to mess around with. About two years ago, I crossed paths with Bruce from The Numbers Guru when I signed up for one of his courses. Bruce is an excellent teacher, and he never makes me feel stupid for asking basic questions. Shortly after finishing the course, I hired him as my accountant.

When looking for an accountant, make sure you hire someone who will take full responsibility for getting and keeping you tax compliant. It helps to understand the basics, so go with someone who is patient and willing to explain concepts again and again if necessary.

4. I built solid client relationships

You don’t have a business if you don’t have clients who are willing and able to pay you for your services. Somehow, I’ve managed to build long-standing relationships with good clients. Many of my clients have been with me for over 10 years, some even longer. I’d like to think that it’s because I keep delivering consistent quality and that they like working with me. At least, that’s what my clients have said in Google reviews. People work with those they know, like, and trust. I try to be that for my clients.

Here are a couple of non-negotiable basics:

  • Be early. If you’re on time, you’re late.
  • Dress appropriately. It’s okay to wear a neat pair of jeans to a corporate fun walk, but not to a gala event.
  • Deliver consistent quality.
  • Have a quick turnaround time.
  • Supply images in high and low resolution so that your client doesn’t have to resize them for social media.
  • Be easy to work with. Be nice. It doesn’t take much, but it sets you apart from the prima donna photographer whose work might be excellent but is a nightmare to work with.
  • Always be professional.

Starting a photography business today comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Reflecting on my journey, there are many things I would do differently, but the core principles of hard work, strategic planning, and building strong client relationships remain timeless. Keep learning, stay focused, be persistent, and always strive to improve both your craft and your business skills.

Want to know more? You’re welcome to reach out to me at marinda@heatwaveagency.co.za