Photographer

By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

Annual salary: £31,336 (Glassdoor)

What do I need? Camera, tripod, lighting, photo printer, lenses, memory cards, editing software, external flash

Photography has the air of an idyllic job where you meet people, spend time in nature and capture a magical shot several times a day. There are a lot of different areas you can explore within photography: nature, portraits, weddings, sports, fashion.

The overarching issue with a photography is that it’s a hugely competitive market. Again, social media is beneficial here. A wider range of people can see your work and hopefully commission you. Having a back catalogue of your work on Instagram so other photographers and people browsing Instagram can see them all in one place will do wonders for your reputation.

It could help to start off with local wedding and child portrait photos and build your portfolio and word of mouth from there. You might also want to do a photography course to build up your skills and knowledge while having a qualification to prove your worth and may allow you to charge more.

Photographers normally charge a day rate which goes into the hundreds of pounds, depending on production charges and expenses. It’s no surprise, looking at the equipment list above.

Some of the other business ideas can be done with little outlay which isn’t necessarily the case for photography, unless you already have the kit. A good DSLR camera alone could set you back £1,500. That’s before you even factor in the insurance costs. Take a look at What types of insurance does a photography business need? to find out more.

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