5 Mistakes Photographers Make When Setting Out - And How To Avoid Them

As with any business, starting out as a photographer can be tricky. You’re learning how to interact with clients, navigating the administrative side, perfecting your technique and persuading people to hire you - it’s a lot to juggle!

Here are five common pitfalls - and suggestions on how you can avoid them, so you can start your own photography career as smoothly as possible:

Mistake 1: experimenting on every client

How to avoid this: try to develop your own format, so that clients can get an idea of what to expect if they book you. Once you’ve taken your signature shots, let your creativity loose and try out some new ideas.

Mistake 2: publishing lots of different kinds of photography on your website

How to avoid this: take lots of different photographs which will help you find your style, but only post a consistent set of images on your website. Clients tend to prefer a specialist photographer, so if your goal is to photograph families, avoid also posting travel photographs.

Mistake 3: waiting for clients to come to you

How to avoid this: spread the word amongst your friends and family, make use of local social media groups, set up a website, get on social media, print flyers to leave in local cafes and on noticeboards.

Mistake 4: designing packages for you, not for your clients

How to avoid this: research local photographers and see what works in your area. Price according to your skill and experience, not what you’d be prepared to pay yourself.

Mistake 5: paying for advertising

How to avoid this: Personal recommendations go a long way, and much further than paid advertising. Invest your time instead of hard cash - make sure that every client has a wonderful experience and that they have nothing but good things to say about you and your photography.

With time, hard work and lots of repeat bookings, along with some great photography, you’ll find that a trickle of bookings becomes a steady stream and you’ll be on your way to becoming an established photographer.