For many, the appeal of a creative job like photography means being your own boss and finding your own clients – but the only way to make it lucrative is to go out there are find a constant amount of work. If you don’t want to work for a studio and you enjoy being out on your own, then a freelance career path might be the one for you. Working as a freelance photographer means you choose the clients you want to work with, you set the rates and you ultimately decide the fate of your company – whether that means to expand it later on or decide to take a different path. Starting up any business takes time and patience, but there are a few tips you can use along the way to make things a little less stressful. Here are a few factors in starting up a freelance photography business: 

Create a plan – No matter what type of business you want to start, a plan always creates a ‘roadmap’ for the direction you need to take. A plan helps you create goals, stick to them and identify what you need to do to expand. Within the plan, create a timetable in which you want to use to check off goals, determine your rates and even think about ways to advertise your freelance photography business.

Make it legal – Whether you live in Australia or not, you need to find out what you need in terms of starting a legitimate business. Check with the local government to determine how you go about registering your business name or designating a part of your property into a studio, if needed. You should also open up a separate banking account to use for your business – always separate your business from your personal life. Opening a separate account also helps you pay for things you need in relation to photography, and it makes bookkeeping much easier!

Network – The only way you are going to make it as a freelance photographer is to obtain clients. Network with other photography organizations and get your name out there – if you specialize in family photography and you meet a peer at an organization, you never know if they will refer a client to you because they don’t do family photography. Meeting other photographers helps you stay current and on trend with various techniques. Starting any business might feel daunting, but with a little preparation, you will make it. Spend time organizing your business, then go out and have fun with your venture!