How to Grow a Profitable Photography Business

Written By Aliyah Dastour

It’s the beginning of the year and you probably have renewed hopes and dreams that 2022 will be the year you FINALLY turn a good profit in your business.

You have been watching all of the YouTube videos, and you have outlined a refreshed business plan on how you’re going to make it all happen.

In this post, I want to share a bit about five core pieces of your photography business you want to ensure you have thought through so that you don’t go through the next twelve months and feel like you’re in the same spot you’re in right now.

1). Do you have a specific Niche/Genre?

It’s tempting to want to do it all —especially as a creative, but now is NOT the time to be a jack of all trades. Remember, you can add more genres to your photography offerings later, but right now, it’s time to show off what you are truly an expert in (even if you can do a lot of genres really well).

You can choose from:

  • wedding photography

  • commercial photography

  • headshot photography

  • family photography

  • pet photography

  • boudoir photography

  • high school senior photography

  • baby photography

Any of these niche’s can work — but you should certainly start with one and later on you can add more “products” aka specialties in later.

2). Legally Set up Your Business

If you haven’t set up an LLC or sole propietorship, opened a separate bank account, purchased business insurance and XXX, I’d recommend you doing that now so that when you need these items later — you will be protected. Plus it allows you to stay focused on continue pushing forward knowing you’re taking it serious and operating as an established business.

3). Build an Experience for your Clients

Think through how you want your clients to experience your brand from the second they find you online/look you up to months after the session. You want to optimize for the best possible interaction —online and in person. A few things to consider:

  • your website

  • your email/text messaging

  • your printed preparation materials

  • your customer journey roadmap

  • your pricing/scheduling setup

  • your delivery system

  • how you ask for referrals

4). Website Framework

You want the very first touchpoint to be one that positions you properly. While they might find you through social media, they will usually go to your website to get that first true impression of what it would look like to interact with you as a client. You want to make sure that your website includes:

  • Expert Positioning

  • local keywords & where you’re located

  • samples of your work (no more than 20 - 30 images)

  • niched genre

  • blogs for seo (updated weekly)

  • Calls to Action

  • Pricing (at least a minimum investment or an overview of your structure).

  • FAQ section addressing the common concerns

  • What to expect

5). Market & Build Your Business

There are hundreds of ways to bring business in — even as a new professional photographer. Social media is a popular suggested option, but I truly believe in person networking is the fastest way to get someone in front of you. When you build a relationship with another human face to face, it’s easier to see how you can help solve the problems they are facing.

I’ve also included a bonus in this video below on what to do if you decide on doing free photoshoots and what NOT to do so that it helps you grow your business.

I hope these tips were helpful and I am so excited for you to create a profitable photography business in 2022.

Aliyah Dastour
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