How to start a photography business

How to start a photography business, step by step

1. 01

   Pick one niche to shoot weekly

   Families, newborns, weddings, headshots and products are five different businesses. Each has its own season, gear, turnaround and type of client. A wedding client books once, a year ahead, and expects a second shooter. A headshot client books this week and wants files by Friday. Choose the one you'd happily shoot every weekend.

   Write it as one line on your homepage: "Family photos at golden hour in [city] parks." A clear niche makes your portfolio look consistent, and it tells people who search for that exact shoot that you're the one to book.

2. 02

   Buy used gear for that niche

   You need one body, one fast prime lens, two batteries and two memory cards. Buying used saves hundreds: at MPB, a used Canon EOS R50 body sells for $599 to $669, and a used Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 lens for $154 to $169. That pairing covers portraits, families and headshots in good light.

   Weddings and events need a second body and a flash before you take the first booking, because a camera that fails mid-ceremony can't be reshot. Add editing software too: Adobe's Lightroom plan is $11.99 a month.

3. 03

   Shoot a portfolio before you charge

   The Bureau of Labor Statistics calls a portfolio the collection of work that shows your style, and it's the first thing clients check. Book five free or low-cost sessions with friends who fit your niche, and treat each one like a paid job: a planned location, a time, a shot list and edited images delivered on schedule.

   Ask each person to sign a simple model release so you can post the photos on your site and social accounts. Pick your best 20 to 30 images, all from the same niche, and leave out everything else.

4. 04

   Write packages and a contract

   Sell two or three packages, each with a session length, number of locations, number of edited images and a delivery date. Clients compare packages, not hourly rates, and a fixed image count stops the "can we have all 600 raw files?" conversation.

   Every booking needs a signed contract that covers the deposit, the reschedule and cancellation policy, the delivery timeline, who owns the copyright, and how the client may use the photos. HoneyBook's Starter plan, at $29 a month billed yearly, handles contracts and invoices if you don't want to build your own.

5. 05

   Deliver through client galleries

   Clients expect a private online gallery, not a zip file by email. Pixieset's free plan includes 3 GB of gallery storage, and the Basic plan with 10 GB costs $10 a month, or $8 a month billed annually. Paid plans add full-resolution downloads, and every plan can sell prints right from the gallery.

   Put your delivery time in the contract and beat it. A gallery that arrives early gets shared, and every share shows your work to the client's friends, who are the people most likely to book you next.

6. 06

   Insure yourself and your gear

   Liability insurance covers you if a client trips over your light stand. Full Frame Insurance sells an annual liability policy for $129 a year, or $347 a year with camera equipment coverage. If a venue or wedding planner asks for a certificate of insurance, you'll already have it.

   Get a free EIN from the IRS and open a separate bank account for shoot income. Keep receipts for every lens, card and software plan, since gear is the biggest thing you'll buy.

7. 07

   Put up a site that books shoots

   Your site needs your portfolio, your packages with prices, an about page with your face on it, reviews, and an inquiry form that asks for the shoot type, date and location. Replo builds that site from a description of your business or a link to one you like, and puts it live on your own domain.

   Replo doesn't book sessions or deliver galleries. Embed a Calendly or Cal.com calendar for booking, and keep galleries in Pixieset. Replo checkout can sell a fixed-price mini-session, a print or a booking deposit in USD.

What it costs to start a photography business

What it costs to start shooting portraits with used gear and a free gallery plan. Skip HoneyBook at first and use a contract template to spend less.

Your first 30 days

1. Week 1

   Choose a niche, buy gear

   • Write your niche as one line naming the shoot and the city.
   • Buy a used body, a prime lens, spare batteries and two cards.
   • Set up Lightroom with an export preset you'll use on every session.
   • Get your EIN and a liability insurance policy.

2. Week 2

   Shoot the portfolio

   • Run five free sessions with friends who fit your niche.
   • Have each person sign a model release before you shoot.
   • Deliver every set through a Pixieset gallery within your promised time.
   • Pick your best 20 to 30 images for the site.

3. Week 3

   Price it and launch

   • Write two or three packages with image counts and delivery dates.
   • Finish a contract covering deposits, cancellations, copyright and usage.
   • Launch your site with portfolio, packages, reviews and an inquiry form.
   • Offer your portfolio models a referral discount for friends who book.

4. Week 4

   Book and deliver

   • Answer every inquiry the same day with a package and a date.
   • Take a deposit before you hold any date on your calendar.
   • Deliver the first paid gallery early and ask for a review.

Build your photography site

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to start a photography business?

About $890 to $1,200 with used gear, based on our table: a used Canon body and 50mm lens from MPB, a year of liability insurance and a domain. Software adds $12 to $51 a month, depending on whether you pay for galleries and contracts.

Is AI replacing photographers?

Not the jobs where a person has to be in the room. The BLS projects photographer employment to decline 1 percent over its ten-year outlook, close to flat. Weddings, families and headshots still need someone who shows up, directs people and delivers on a date.

How much should I charge for a 2-hour photoshoot?

Work it out from your costs, not a competitor's number. Add your shooting time, two to three hours of editing per shooting hour, travel, gear and software, and taxes. Then check three local photographers in your niche and price where your portfolio honestly sits.

How much do beginner photographers make?

Less than the median at first. The BLS reports a median of $44,660 a year, or $21.47 an hour, for all photographers, so half earn less. Self-employed photographers set their own rates, and income grows with repeat clients and referrals.

How many photos should a client get from a 1-hour shoot?

Whatever your package promises, written in the contract. Pick a number you can edit well in your stated turnaround and deliver all of them in a gallery. A fixed count stops requests for every raw file and makes packages easy to compare.