Starting a Successful Photography Business

Hoover's Business Research estimates that photo studios and commercial photography is a $7 billion industry made up of 14,400 U.S.-owned businesses. The Sevan team hopes to stand above the crowd by holding consultations over tea or cocktails and offering gallery showings of bridal snapshots in lieu of photo albums. "We're trying to deliver value in ways no one's thought about before," Evans explains.

Fronting $5,000 of her own money, Washington, D.C. native Evans launched Sevan in 2005 and gradually purchased cameras, lenses, photo software, and web hosting. The digital photography studio charges about $175 an hour for events, $225 an hour for portrait sessions, and wedding packages start at $2,500. As the principal shooter, Evans often edits photos while traveling, whereas 26-year-old Coachman manages client meetings, handles bookkeeping, and manages an apprentice from her home. The pair work together virtually, using free online chat and voice over Internet programs (VOIP) and renting studio space when necessary.

Get your business mind right. Too often, Michal says, photographers think of themselves as artists first and entrepreneurs second. "You have to consider things like sales tax, equipment costs, bookkeeping, and the time it takes to sustain a business. At the end of the day, this is a business," she says.

The right equipment

Invest in the right equipment. Michal says outfitting a photography business is expensive and new gadgets come out every day. Only buy the best camera and lenses you can afford along with a professional photo editing program like Adobe Photoshop to get started, she advises.

The proof is in your (online) portfolio. The best way for clients to see your work is via an online portfolio. At the bare minimum, post your photos along with contact information to a blog or online photo album. "If you don't have an online portfolio, you don't have a business," says Michal.