Portrait Photography Business - Starting A Home Studio

If you want to make a part time job or career out of photography, it's easier that you might think. Portrait photography is in high demand in almost every city in the nation and it doesn't take much to build a working studio in your home. The best thing about starting with portrait photography is that you don't have to buy a lot of equipment at first- you can instead add equipment as your business grows. Here's how to take the first steps:

Set Up the Studio
There are a few things that you should pick up before attempting professional portrait photography. Obviously you will need a camera (preferably digital as it's easier for inexpensive photo editing) but you will also need a tripod, a basic light setup and some sort of light reflector. Most of this equipment is available at entry-level quality for a low cost, or can be improvised if you're short on cash (for instance, white poster board can work as a light reflector). It would also be helpful if you can get a laptop with some photo editing software as the portability of a laptop will come in handy.

Additionally, you'll need some working space. An extra room, garage, or living room can usually fit everything you need. White walls will act as natural reflectors, windows can provide natural light, and backgrounds can be provided by different colors of bed sheets.

Setting Up the Business
If you are really serious about starting a portrait photography business, you'll need to treat it as a serious business. You should consider getting some basic small business accounting software like Quickbooks for invoicing and tracking payments before your first client. It is essential that you track your income so you can identify possible problems with your pricing and plan for paying taxes on your services.

It's also a great idea to build a website for your new business with an online portfolio. With so many people using the internet to locate professional services, an online presence is a powerful way to bring in new business. You can either build a simple site yourself or hire it out inexpensively at websites like Elance. Just make sure you have your contact information listed!

Finally, think of ways to set your portrait photography studio apart from the rest. If you want to get a competitive edge, try focusing on a specific photography niche. For example, some people are more willing to pay for pictures of their pets or children and often with specializing you have a little less competition.

Once you have the studio set up, the cash flow handled, and a strategy for the business, you should be ready to take the plunge into professional portrait photography. With a few advertisements in local papers and good word of mouth, there's no measuring the potential your small studio might have. And remember, if you give your clients excellent photographs, no one will remember that you used bed sheets as backdrops!