# What are the proper steps in becoming a legitimate (legal) photographer?



## STiZzle2010

I have a passion for photography and would love nothing more than to do this full time however, I realize that I need to set reasonable expectations to start. Considering a have a family to support and a full time job, I'm interested in providing portraits as a part time gig. I reside and work in Rhode Island and I'm not sure where to begin. What exactly is required to obtain the proper licensing and documentation? Do I need insurance and/or a lawyer? I'm trying to get an idea of costs to do this as well. Any help and direction is greatly appreciated!


----------



## JacaRanda

Google Some of the sites will help you get started.


----------



## The_Traveler

STiZzle2010 said:


> I have been shooting since March of this year




Do you have the skills necessary to provide a service for which people will pay?


----------



## unpopular

1) Don't use your camera for anything illegal, this includes voyeurism (well. maybe a little)

-legit!-


----------



## STiZzle2010

The_Traveler said:


> STiZzle2010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have been shooting since March of this year
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have the skills necessary to provide a service for which people will pay?
Click to expand...


That is a fair question. Well let me give you a little background as I have not been on here very long. 

I've been interested into photography for a long time however, it has been with just point and shoot. I'm a family man, on a sole provider of 5 type of budget and getting a camera that allowed me to go into full manual with the option to interchange lenses,wasn't something I could readily get. It took me a while to save and during the wait I look tons of pictures with my point and shoot, mostly on my cell phone due to convenience. I also researched as much online as I could. I spent time learning exposure, what each value represented, and I learned as much as I could until I got my hands on experience.

I now have a Nikon D5500 that came with a 18-140mm 3.5-5.6 kits lens, and I purchased a Nikkor 50mm 1.8G (mostly used). I've never shot in auto as I went into full manual from day 1. I also have Adobe's Creative Cloud with Photoshop and Lightroom (I use this 95% of the time) and I've got a pretty good grasp. By no means am I a pro with pre and post processing and I am always looking to improve. To be honest, I use Facebook quite a bit and I have been apart of a group called "Photography for Beginners" for quite some time. I post in this group pretty frequently and I get pretty good feedback. Even though there are a few members who are more advanced than others, I have started to explore what other's thoughts are (one of the reason why I recently joined this forum). I started posting more and more pictures on my personal Facebook page and I started getting more positive feedback from my photos. I started to have people ask me some surprising questions...things like, "Are you ready for a career change" or "You should start doing photography". The one that got me though was, "Would you take pictures of my family and how much would it be"? I never thought about charging anyone and to be perfectly honest, I didn't think I was experienced enough. With the encouragement of my wife, I offered to start doing free shoots to gain some experience. The catch, is that they had to sign a model release allowing me to use the images for promotional purchases as well as to post online and in return, I would provide them with a digital copy and print release. I've continued to research online while gaining experience in "the field" by read blogs, watching videos, and I've chatted with other photographers. I'm eager to learn as much as I can! Results from these shoots have generated great reviews from my clients, as well as my posts to Facebook. It has given me confidence and I started thinking about doing some paid shoots on the side. I know that I still need to get some "upgrades" to generate better results and I'm in the process of researching for a new lens and some form of lighting. I was initially thinking of a 70-200mm 2.8 but due to my crop sensor, I'm thinking of a 50-150mm 2.8 instead (this could be a whole other conversation I'm sure)...

With all that being said (sorry so long winded), I've attached a few shots of some of my more recent shoots, (back to school time). All of these photos were taken with my D5500 and 50mm, in natural light, and, in and around the golden hour. I'm open to CC and I would love any feedback if you think I'm ready to start making a few extra bucks. I'm not looking to make a killing, I would probably charge $150 for a 1 hour session with unlimited people and shots. I basically would get in as many as I can in the allotted time frame (these would continue to be watermarked digital copies with print release). What do you think?


----------



## tirediron

The only requirement to becoming a legitimate photographer is to own a camera.  If you want to become a professional (as in "paid", no reference to skill), then you need a few things.  You absolutely, positively MUST have insurance.  It only takes one child to trip over your camera bag, knock out a tooth, and you're in the poorhouse.  You also need to ensure you have the required licenses and taxation permits.  You should have all of your contracts, agreements and licenses reviewed by a competent attorney practicing IP law.
Don't pay attention to comments such as, "You should be a pro" when they come from friends and family.  They're meaningless unless they're professional photographers themselves.  You should become a professional photographer if it's your passion and you want to do it full time.  Bear in mind however that the business of photography is, in reality, very little about photography and very much about business.  If you don't have a business background, your first step should be to learn all you can about business and entrepreneurship. 
With respect to your images, they're not bad at all.  You're clearly thinking about each shot, and you're already not making many common 'beginner' mistakes such as horribly distracting backgrounds, excessive DoF, and unpleasant shadows.  I do see room for improvement in your posing, and while not bad by any stretch, there are some less than desirable elements in them.
Spend some time learning lighting and refining your posing, and get all the business stuff sorted. 
Good luck!


----------



## Vtec44

Do you want to become a legitimate photographer or/and have a legitimate photography business?


----------



## Designer

They're not bad, but not great either.  

Are you sure you want to try to do this professionally?

Making this (now hobby) a business involves quite a bit more planning, business acumen, regulatory hoops, than most neophytes imagine.  

Meanwhile, you could continue to gain skill and things like lights, etc. while doing what you love.


----------



## STiZzle2010

tirediron said:


> The only requirement to becoming a legitimate photographer is to own a camera.  If you want to become a professional (as in "paid", no reference to skill), then you need a few things.  You absolutely, positively MUST have insurance.  It only takes one child to trip over your camera bag, knock out a tooth, and you're in the poorhouse.  You also need to ensure you have the required licenses and taxation permits.  You should have all of your contracts, agreements and licenses reviewed by a competent attorney practicing IP law.
> Don't pay attention to comments such as, "You should be a pro" when they come from friends and family.  They're meaningless unless they're professional photographers themselves.  You should become a professional photographer if it's your passion and you want to do it full time.  Bear in mind however that the business of photography is, in reality, very little about photography and very much about business.  If you don't have a business background, your first step should be to learn all you can about business and entrepreneurship.
> With respect to your images, they're not bad at all.  You're clearly thinking about each shot, and you're already not making many common 'beginner' mistakes such as horribly distracting backgrounds, excessive DoF, and unpleasant shadows.  I do see room for improvement in your posing, and while not bad by any stretch, there are some less than desirable elements in them.
> Spend some time learning lighting and refining your posing, and get all the business stuff sorted.
> Good luck!



Thank you! This is great advice and absolutely makes sense. I see you noticed my poor posing. This in the one thing that I've been the least confident in and is something that I know I absolutely need to work on. 

Would you care to elaborate on the less desirable elements you mentioned? I would love to get some critique so that I know how I can get better!




Vtec44 said:


> Do you want to become a legitimate photographer or/and have a legitimate photography business?



Right now I have a full time job and this is something that I want to do on the side as I could use the extra cash so, I'm not quite sure what category this falls in. Imo, having a legitimate photography business is the legal way to generate any income whether it is full time or part time but, you can correct me if I am wrong.


----------



## Vtec44

STiZzle2010 said:


> Right now I have a full time job and this is something that I want to do on the side as I could use the extra cash so, I'm not quite sure what category this falls in. Imo, having a legitimate photography business is the legal way to generate any income whether it is full time or part time but, you can correct me if I am wrong.



IMHO, you don't have to have a business to generate and report income.  May of my 2nd shooters don't have a business, but they receive payments from me, fill out the right paperwork, and I claim their payments at the end of the year.  They in turn suppose report that income and file taxes.  Whether they do it or not then it is up to them.


----------



## STiZzle2010

Vtec44 said:


> STiZzle2010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Right now I have a full time job and this is something that I want to do on the side as I could use the extra cash so, I'm not quite sure what category this falls in. Imo, having a legitimate photography business is the legal way to generate any income whether it is full time or part time but, you can correct me if I am wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMHO, you don't have to have a business to generate and report income.  May of my 2nd shooters don't have a business, but they receive payments from me, fill out the right paperwork, and I claim their payments at the end of the year.  They in turn suppose report that income and file taxes.  Whether they do it or not then it is up to them.
Click to expand...


Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?


----------



## tirediron

Quick critique, per req:

1.  The rock wall creates a bit a dividing line; not fatal, but not ideal IMO.  I would also like to see her hands posed differently; as-is, it appears that she has none, simply upper arms which disappear into the grass.

2.  While not quite as cliche as a brick wall, a tree comes close.  The main issue here is the fact that you've bisected her arm.  If you must crop limbs, do it boldly, and never at/near/through a joint, and NEVER along the limb.  In this case there's a couple of bright spots just above what I assume is a gravel path; while nicely defocused, this could easily be made to disappear with a careful application of the clone tool.

3.  I'm rarely a fan fo flare (purely a personal thing; I understand it's popular right now) and to me, the falre here is just annoying; not strong enough to be artistic, but too strong to ignore.  The line cutting through his head is a bit of a distraction.  On the up side, excellent job of controlling light here.

4.  There is almost never a time when it's good to pose someone square to the camera (referred to as "football shoulders") unless they are a football player, and never, ever a female.  Again, your tight composition has resulted in a laterally bisected upper arm.  Another good job of light control!

5.  Pretty much exactly as per #4.

Overall, these aren't bad at all and I've seen people pay money for far inferior products.  That said, while you're doing a good job of controlling ambient light, almost every one of these could have been improved with some strobed light.  Do NOT get caught up in the mindset that using a flash is 'hard' or that using only ambient light makes you a more 'pure' photographer.  The fact is that once you get over the initial learning hump with strobed light, life becomes much, much easier (also more expensive, but that's another story!).  Photography is all about control of light, and try as I might, after 30+ years, I've yet to find a rheostat to let me adjust the sun, but strobes?  They have controls built right in!


----------



## STiZzle2010

tirediron said:


> Quick critique, per req:
> 
> 1.  The rock wall creates a bit a dividing line; not fatal, but not ideal IMO.  I would also like to see her hands posed differently; as-is, it appears that she has none, simply upper arms which disappear into the grass.
> 
> 2.  While not quite as cliche as a brick wall, a tree comes close.  The main issue here is the fact that you've bisected her arm.  If you must crop limbs, do it boldly, and never at/near/through a joint, and NEVER along the limb.  In this case there's a couple of bright spots just above what I assume is a gravel path; while nicely defocused, this could easily be made to disappear with a careful application of the clone tool.
> 
> 3.  I'm rarely a fan fo flare (purely a personal thing; I understand it's popular right now) and to me, the falre here is just annoying; not strong enough to be artistic, but too strong to ignore.  The line cutting through his head is a bit of a distraction.  On the up side, excellent job of controlling light here.
> 
> 4.  There is almost never a time when it's good to pose someone square to the camera (referred to as "football shoulders") unless they are a football player, and never, ever a female.  Again, your tight composition has resulted in a laterally bisected upper arm.  Another good job of light control!
> 
> 5.  Pretty much exactly as per #4.
> 
> Overall, these aren't bad at all and I've seen people pay money for far inferior products.  That said, while you're doing a good job of controlling ambient light, almost every one of these could have been improved with some strobed light.  Do NOT get caught up in the mindset that using a flash is 'hard' or that using only ambient light makes you a more 'pure' photographer.  The fact is that once you get over the initial learning hump with strobed light, life becomes much, much easier (also more expensive, but that's another story!).  Photography is all about control of light, and try as I might, after 30+ years, I've yet to find a rheostat to let me adjust the sun, but strobes?  They have controls built right in!




This is excellent feedback and thank you very much! I see exactly what you mean about cropping off limbs in the wrong places and I will absolutely work on that. I really want to take care of my lighting issue next. I do not have someone available to hold a reflector for me and I fell like getting one with a stand is just too much work, especially on a windy day lol. I've never used the "on board" flash as I've never been a fan of the harsh results. What would you recommend I use (provide a link if possible)?


----------



## tirediron

In my opinion, a kit like this (assuming you are in the US) would be an ideal starter. While it's by no means professional-grade, Adorama's Flashpoint line is regarded as one of the better 'bang-for-buck' lines available.  You would likely want to add a set of radio triggers to that, and battery packs such as these will make it completely portable and suitable for field use when mains power is not available.  

You can certainly get far cheaper gear, but lines such as Cowboy Studio and similar are of a quality that gives honest junk a bad name, and buying cheap gear gets to be VERY expensive very quickly.  Your built-in flash and even on-camera speedlights will do in a pinch, but it takes some experience to get decent results from them, and even then, their power is limited.  A kit such as I've linked to might look intimidating, but with with two hours of instruction, you could be using it very effectively.  It really isn't hard!


----------



## The_Traveler

I won't repeat what others have said but there are some very important issues that are failing here.
Yes, these are sharp and reasonbly well exposed but the camera is doing most of that.

Posing is essentially absent.
The subjects are flat to the camera or leaning against something.  There is nothing in the poses that adds to the subjects; they are just there.

You aren't looking closely at the subjects or the photos.
Each of these is really deficient in a way that will show a lot in a print.

His head is off in one corner and there is a distinct greenish tinge to everything.
Assuming the color tint can be fixed, this needs to be sharpened or it will print flat.



the tree others mentioned
look at the distinct greenish tinge on the left side of her mouth





that full on face is totally wrong for a young person with some baby fat.
If you pose her better, get a bit higher and work with her chin a bit, that chin bulge will disappear.
The right side of her face has a green tinge that will show in a print.

And what's that white thing running down the side?





Look at the yellow discoloration below his chin and working up into his skin particularly on his right side.
See that little peak of hair on top of his head, maybe it doesn't bother you but his mother will wonder why that's there in an expensive print.


----------



## vfotog

You have a lot of mouths to feed, so you have expenses to consider, and photography can be expensive. You do want to do it legally, which means researching the laws in your country, state, city....   running a business can be complicated and  understanding the rules of setting up one is just the beginning. Honestly, looking at these images, you're not ready yet. When people pay, they expect professional classes. Practice shoot a lot, take some classes, and get your skill set down. 

Read your intro post. Thank you for your service.


----------



## STiZzle2010

The_Traveler said:


> I won't repeat what others have said but there are some very important issues that are failing here.
> Yes, these are sharp and reasonbly well exposed but the camera is doing most of that.
> 
> Posing is essentially absent.
> The subjects are flat to the camera or leaning against something.  There is nothing in the poses that adds to the subjects; they are just there.
> 
> You aren't looking closely at the subjects or the photos.
> Each of these is really deficient in a way that will show a lot in a print.
> 
> His head is off in one corner and there is a distinct greenish tinge to everything.
> Assuming the color tint can be fixed, this needs to be sharpened or it will print flat.View attachment 107478
> 
> the tree others mentioned
> look at the distinct greenish tinge on the left side of her mouth
> 
> View attachment 107480
> 
> that full on face is totally wrong for a young person with some baby fat.
> If you pose her better, get a bit higher and work with her chin a bit, that chin bulge will disappear.
> The right side of her face has a green tinge that will show in a print.
> 
> And what's that white thing running down the side?
> 
> View attachment 107477
> 
> Look at the yellow discoloration below his chin and working up into his skin particularly on his right side.
> See that little peak of hair on top of his head, maybe it doesn't bother you but his mother will wonder why that's there in an expensive print.
> 
> View attachment 107476



I see what you mean and I appreciate your feedback. How did you adjust the skin tones in the first photo like that? Did you use a brush on the skin and adjust color temp from there or for the entire image?


----------



## STiZzle2010

Thank you and your welcome. I'm happy to have the feedback especially from those who do this daily. As I mentioned this is a hobby for me that I'm hoping to expand one day and critique as well as practice is what will make me better. I hope that I'm on the right track at least...


----------



## jsecordphoto

Cheers to you for taking critique so well, it can be hard to do without getting defensive. I would just learn as much as you can and worry about the business end much later down the road


----------



## Trever1t

To be totally honest and indeed very frank in my opinion, you are not ready to charge for photography. 

That said at least you have come here and asked questions before proceeding. With time and determination it's possible your skills level will be where you want it. Truly, it's not really required to be a good photographer to charge and if people will pay, well more power to you.


----------



## Designer

STiZzle2010 said:


> Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?


As was already mentioned; you need to construct your business legally, but to simply file another page onto your income tax return is about as simple as it gets.  You list your income and subtract the expenses, and pay tax on the positive difference, which gets entered on the 1040.  

Small Businesses & Self Employed


----------



## STiZzle2010

jsecordphoto said:


> Cheers to you for taking critique so well, it can be hard to do without getting defensive. I would just learn as much as you can and worry about the business end much later down the road



Haha I appreciate that. Sure some critique isn't always what you want to hear but you cannot expect to get any better with sugar coated responses. I see so many people in my photography group on Facebook asking for gentle CC. Really, wtf is that?! Don't worry, I've been in much more stressful environments and I have extremely thick skin. I can take it lol. 



Trever1t said:


> To be totally honest and indeed very frank in my opinion, you are not ready to charge for photography.
> 
> That said at least you have come here and asked questions before proceeding. With time and determination it's possible your skills level will be where you want it. Truly, it's not really required to be a good photographer to charge and if people will pay, well more power to you.



Im happy to be here and I'm eager to learn. Anything that you or anyone else thinks I can improve on, I'm all ears. This is something that I truly love to do and I want to do the best that I can whether it is for me or someone else!


----------



## STiZzle2010

Designer said:


> STiZzle2010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?
> 
> 
> 
> As was already mentioned; you need to construct your business legally, but to simply file another page onto your income tax return is about as simple as it gets.  You list your income and subtract the expenses, and pay tax on the positive difference, which gets entered on the 1040.
> 
> Small Businesses & Self Employed
Click to expand...



Awesome, thank you!


----------



## Vtec44

STiZzle2010 said:


> Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?



For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out.  Then they get a 1099 from my CPA.  You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.


----------



## vfotog

Vtec44 said:


> STiZzle2010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out.  Then they get a 1099 from my CPA.  You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.
Click to expand...


I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you _as a_ _business _are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold.  If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.


----------



## Vtec44

vfotog said:


> I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you _as a_ _business _are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold.  If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.




The information provided was for my situation, so take it for what it's worth.  I'm not going to sit here and waste my time to debate and knit pick.  I will leave that for the people that have nothing else better to do with their time.  Way too many Internet experts.... lol


----------



## vfotog

Vtec44 said:


> vfotog said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you _as a_ _business _are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold.  If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The information provided was for my situation, so take it for what it's worth.  I'm not going to sit here and waste my time to debate and knit pick.  I will leave that for the people that have nothing else better to do with their time.  Way too many Internet experts.... lol
Click to expand...


he was asking for advice for HIS situation; your situation isn't remotely the same or relevant.  It's not nitpicking; when you are dealing with the IRS, you want to get it right because they are particular. Definitely not warm and fuzzy.   As for the "Internet expert" dig, well, anyone that knows anything about accounting would know that my advice was spot on and extremely accurate. I have substantial experience in the field and I was trying to be helpful to the OP by correcting the misinformation and giving him some free Professional advice.


----------



## STiZzle2010

vfotog said:


> Vtec44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> STiZzle2010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out.  Then they get a 1099 from my CPA.  You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you _as a_ _business _are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold.  If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.
Click to expand...


You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I am only looking to do portraiture on a very small scale right now and I am not looking to make very much money. Most of my business would be from family, friends, and acquaintances. To do a shoot a couple of times a month is all I really expect and I just want to make sure that I can legally collect money for doing this as I do not need anyone knocking on my door. Should I just keep track of any income I make and give it to my tax guy at the end of the year or do I absolutely need to get licensed from the state, have insurance, and contracts?


----------



## Vtec44

vfotog said:


> he was asking for advice for HIS situation; your situation isn't remotely the same or relevant.  It's not nitpicking; when you are dealing with the IRS, you want to get it right because they are particular. Definitely not warm and fuzzy.



The example from me is pretty standard which is applicable and relevant, from a business stand point.  




> As for the "Internet expert" dig, well, anyone that knows anything about accounting would know that my advice was spot on and extremely accurate. I have substantial experience in the field and I was trying to be helpful to the OP by correcting the misinformation and giving him some free Professional advice.



The only mis-information I see is from you, but ignorance is bliss.  I'm not going to knit pick and I will let you continue on rambling lol


----------



## Designer

Vtec44 said:


> The information provided was for my situation, so take it for what it's worth.  I'm not going to sit here and waste my time to debate and knit pick.  I will leave that for the people that have nothing else better to do with their time.  Way too many Internet experts.... lol


You couldn't just simply answer his question?  If you're not going to answer his question, then why post anything?


----------



## The_Traveler

Come on, cut out that passive aggressive crap for just a while.


----------



## tirediron

As with legal & contractual matters, seek the advice of a local professional.  Spend the $100-200 for a 30 minute consultation with a tax accountant/CPA who works in your area and can give you the advice you need for both your situation and your area.


----------



## STiZzle2010

tirediron said:


> As with legal & contractual matters, seek the advice of a local professional.  Spend the $100-200 for a 30 minute consultation with a tax accountant/CPA who works in your area and can give you the advice you need for both your situation and your area.



I think that this is my best bet as well. Thank you so much!


----------



## BananaRepublic

Collect 25 tokens from the back of Kellogg's boxs.


----------



## vfotog

STiZzle2010 said:


> vfotog said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Vtec44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> STiZzle2010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Valid point. What paperwork do I need to file for something like this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For me, it's the W9 form they have to fill out.  Then they get a 1099 from my CPA.  You probably want to discuss this with a CPA or someone who's well versed with the tax code.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I think that even mentioning W9s and 1099s is just adding unnecessary confusion to the situation. Vtec44, you _as a_ _business _are issuing 1099s to people working for you who are not actual employees. I assume they are earning enough from you to meet the $600+ annual reporting threshold.  If the OP doesn't follow the majority opinion here and goes ahead and starts charging, this is something he's not likely to be involved in. It sounds like he wants to do portraiture on a small scale, so the majority of his customers won't be businesses. Personal payments are not reportable. If he does some work for a business, they should ask him for a W9 at the outset and if over the course of the year he meets the threshold, they must issue him a 1099. OTOH, the lady next door who wants pics of her kids, if she were to be actually paying over $600, isn't going to ask for a W9 and then in January issue him a 1099. However, whether he receives any 1099s or not, he needs to include all the income on his tax return.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I am only looking to do portraiture on a very small scale right now and I am not looking to make very much money. Most of my business would be from family, friends, and acquaintances. To do a shoot a couple of times a month is all I really expect and I just want to make sure that I can legally collect money for doing this as I do not need anyone knocking on my door. Should I just keep track of any income I make and give it to my tax guy at the end of the year or do I absolutely need to get licensed from the state, have insurance, and contracts?
Click to expand...


For licensing, various locales are different. You can research online for your own state and city, and of course get local professional advice on that. Insurance is something you should have, especially with kids and their parents in the picture. And yes, contracts are important; you want your agreements on paper.


----------



## KmH

For Rhode Island business info see:
Office of the Secretary of State: Nellie M. Gorbea: Business Services

If you plan on selling anything, the state expects you to register with them and require you to collect and forward sales taxes to them.

Your town may have registration requirements  in addition to state requirements. To be legal you're likely going to be required to have business liability insurance and it's a good idea (may be required) to keep business and personal money in separate accounts.

Over the years I have seen many photographers run afoul of state sales taxes, by the photographers not registering with their state, not collecting and forwarding state sales taxes and then being seriously financially burdened with a big tax bill that includes fines and monetary penalties.

When a photographer that got caught doing business 'under the table' does not have good financial records the state guesses how much tax they are due. They rarely guess low.


----------



## STiZzle2010

Thank you very much for this information! I will make sure I take all of the necessary steps before I start charging.


----------



## imagemaker46

You need a camera and people that will pay you. That's about it these days. Do a good job and more people will ask you, pocket the money and keep your day job.


----------

