How to Turn Your Photography Hobby into a Thriving Business

If you have a hobby that you are passionate about and are sick of the corporate grind then you’re in luck. These days it is so easy to turn your passion into a full-time business if you so desire.

For instance, a photographer now has an incredible number of outlets in which he or she can make money that over time can substitute their regular salary. If you love photography and have a good portfolio already then you can take some steps that will start paying you in real money.

In this article, I will go over several ways that you can start a business through your love of photography.

Operate a franchise

One of the fastest ways to get going in a business is to own a franchise. There are many franchise opportunities for photographers so this is a good place to start looking for a business.

If you’re unsure of how franchises work, the idea is that you pay for a ready-made business with support from the main office. In return for the franchise fee, you get a business model complete with training and marketing material. Branding is important in any small business so having a recognizable brand as a franchisee is what will get the ball rolling for you.

It does take a sizable upfront cost but it pays for itself in gaining quick access to clients so you are making money faster. The entire business is set up for you so you are ready to hit the ground running. Rather than open a studio from scratch, you should think about a franchise opportunity.

Become a freelancer

For some, the idea of operating a studio is exactly what they don’t want. They feel stifled creatively in the confines of a studio setting and want to make money using their artistic talents.

In this case, you can put yourself out there as a photog for hire. It will take a lot of work, a lot of networking, and a steely determination to be able to make a living this way.

The most common way to work as a freelancer is to find clients that need some photography done for their project. For instance, a town may need a photographer to take pictures for their events to post on their social media accounts. Or, a local newspaper could use a freelancer rather than a hired person to take pictures for a particular story.

Find your niche and then market yourself within that niche and you could find yourself doing fashion photoshoots, or at the racetrack for a team. This will separate you from the competition if you were to try to be a general photographer.

Market yourself

The key to making money with art is to have a solid marketing strategy. This involves using social media to brand yourself and generate interest by showing off your work. Staying consistent with your message and style will inevitably lead to people looking to either buy your work or hire you to do bespoke photographs for them.

Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels