How I’ve run my photography business

Running a business costs money in general. Running a photography business can cost a lot of money.

Why? The cost is mainly due to the expense of photography equipment. A professional photographer will not use a cheap camera. A professional photographer should use a full-frame lens rather than a crop-sensor lens, which basically means it’s a more expensive and professional-grade camera.

I have two camera bodies (not counting lenses) which cost about $3,500 each. A single lens can easily cost $1,000 or more, and most of mine have cost that much.

Lighting equipment is an additional cost of a few thousand.

I say all this to introduce the topic of my blog today: what have I invested in my business to help it grow.

Education

Good equipment is not the only cost of running a business. I have invested in continuing education as well. Photography changes through the years so I like to keep up with those changes. One way I do that is by attending online educational courses. I have watched courses on a variety of photography-related projects, including shooting, composition, lighting and editing.

Equipment

As I referred to above, equipment has been a huge expense. I have invested in quality camera bodies and lenses. One of the biggest improvements I have made in my business has been a change to Profoto lighting gear. This is much higher-quality lighting equipment and much faster and easier to use.

Editing software

I, like all other professional photographers, invest in the standard editing programs known as Lightroom and Photoshop. I have also purchased some editing filters that enhance photos in different ways. These filters have allowed me to edit faster and get the product to the client sooner than they expect.

Marketing

Marketing a business is a necessary expense in many cases, at least until you get well-known enough where you don’t need it. Even businesses that are well-known continue their marketing. I continually look for new and improved ways to market my business.

These are ways I have grown my photography business. I am proud of the way my business has evolved through the years and how my skills have improved with time.