# ABOUT TO OPEN A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO



## seagranny (May 15, 2012)

Hi Everyone!
   I will be starting my business in a few months and would appreciate any assistance and guidance you are willing to share! I love taking pictures and have been an amateur photographer for about 4 years. I'm currently church photographer for my church.  I'm an aim and shoot girl, and I know I need to know more about my camera, currently a Sony.  I do plan on investing in a Canon as soon as possible.  

I plan on enrolling in a digital photography certification course this fall but want to start my business before then....HELP!!!:mrgreen:


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## rexbobcat (May 15, 2012)

OP, I just want to say that you're opening Pandora's Box with your post...

On a more constructive note; what is it you need help with? Your cry for help is a bit vague.


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## gsgary (May 15, 2012)

Time to start praying for divine intervention


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## Judobreaker (May 15, 2012)




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## pgriz (May 15, 2012)

If you take the time to go to the "business" section, you'll find some stickies that relate to starting a business.  That should give you at least a basis for thinking about this.

If you use the search function on this forum, you'll find many threads where people asked almost exactly the same question as you, and were given a lot of useful information.

There are several posters on this forum who have set up their own studios, and detailed the steps they took.  At least one has given a blow-by-blow account of how that went.

There are two aspects to being a "professional":  making money and being good at the profession.  From your post, it appears that you are not yet at the "being good at the profession", if you are still not fully knowledgeable about your camera and its functions.  As well, especially in a studio setting, there is a whole new world of lighting that needs to be understood and mastered, posing skills that need to be acquired, and post-processing skills that require equipment, software, training and practice.

You have not given us a hint as to your age, and if you are planning to do this for some extra money, or as a full-time job.  That too will influence what kind of advice we can give you.


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## Bitter Jeweler (May 15, 2012)

...and awaaaaay we go!


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## Village Idiot (May 15, 2012)

A STUDIO TAKES MORE THAN POINTING AND SHOOTING AND I'M HOPING YOU AT LEAST HAVE A DSLR. YOU'LL NEED A SET OF LIGHTS. THIS IS NOT AN OPTION REALLY UNLESS YOU HAVE A STUDIO WITH PLENTY OF OPEN WINDOWS AND BILL YOURSELF AS A NATURAL LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER; EVEN THEN YOU'RE LIMITING YOURSELF TO THE TIMES OF DAY THAT YOU CAN SHOOT AND THE CONDITIONS YOU CAN SHOOT IN. YOU _NEED_ TO LEARN ABOUT COMPOSITION AND HOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE FLASHES. IF YOU'RE SAYING TO YOURSELF RIGHT NOW, "SELF, I DON'T LIKE THE WAY FLASHES LOOK" THEN YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THEM AND HOW TO USE THEM. A GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A GOOD SET OF LIGHTS CAN MAKE A PHOTO LOOK LIKE IT WAS TAKEN WITH NATURAL LIGHT WHEN USING FLASHES.

ALSO, LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT RUNNING A BUSINESS YOU MIGHT AS WELL NOT EVEN OPEN AS YOU'LL BE SHUT DOWN WITHIN A MONTH. THAT MEANS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ADVERTISING, NETWORKING, TAXES, CUSTOMER SERVICE, ETC... OR HAVE SOMEONE RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS THAT DOES.


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## 2WheelPhoto (May 15, 2012)

These threads are too familiar, too similar, and coming in too fast. Is there a troll running around registering and posting about every day?  This one is written to inline with the photoshop service thread and the plethora of others.

I mean....not that its getting so obvious =)


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## Phil_G (May 15, 2012)

Get away from point and shoot. Good luck and I wish you the best!


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## ecphoto (May 15, 2012)

gsgary said:


> Time to start praying for divine intervention


 
Better pray to more than one deity on this one.

Sent from my mobile


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## KmH (May 15, 2012)

You could start with the links in this thread - http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-forum/267492-info-those-new-photography.html

You need to have a well researched business and marketing plan.

So you should also take advantage of these resources - Starting & Managing a Business | SBA.gov

www.score.org

You might also note your thread got moved out of the Beginner's forum.


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## imagemaker46 (May 15, 2012)

Some people on this forum are just so nice at offering helpful advice to people that obviously have no clue about what's involved in starting a business.  I unfortunately am not one of those nice people, so having said that, I will not comment on anymore of these clueless posts.  I will offer advice to people that have honestly put in the time to do the homework, put in the time to learn photography, put in the time to save up to buy the right gear, and honestly have a game plan laid out, but may have some intelligent questions, and not just uneducated statements.

These are the people that deserve input from professionals, not the "I'm a church photographer at a church"  "I have a good eye, blind in the other one though" "I have been told I have a unique talent with a camera"  "My mother says I'm really good, so I'm a pro now"  " My uncle's brother's sister's third cousin wants me to shoot her best friends wedding, so now I'm changing my title to  "Don'tknowhowtoshootweddingsbutamgettingpaidphotography.com"


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## 2WheelPhoto (May 15, 2012)

imagemaker46 said:


> Some people on this forum are just so nice at offering helpful advice to people that obviously have no clue about what's involved in starting a business.  I unfortunately am not one of those nice people, so having said that, I will not comment on anymore of these clueless posts.  I will offer advice to people that have honestly put in the time to do the homework, put in the time to learn photography, put in the time to save up to buy the right gear, and honestly have a game plan laid out, but may have some intelligent questions, and not just uneducated statements.
> 
> These are the people that deserve input from professionals, not the "I'm a church photographer at a church"  "I have a good eye, blind in the other one though" "I have been told I have a unique talent with a camera"  "My mother says I'm really good, so I'm a pro now"  " My uncle's brother's sister's third cousin wants me to shoot her best friends wedding, so now I'm changing my title to  "Don'tknowhowtoshootweddingsbutamgettingpaidphotography.com"



*Like*

You forgot "FB likes" though


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## Trever1t (May 15, 2012)

Impossible I know but the best help for those that are originating threads like this is to toally ignore them! I mean really, if you can't take 5 minutes and read the 20 or 30 current other threads that are basically the same...then god be with you!


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## 2WheelPhoto (May 15, 2012)

^^^^^^^^^that


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## KmH (May 15, 2012)

This is what happens when someone shouts out using an ALL CAPS title.


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## orljustin (May 15, 2012)

Congrats on being the third "I'm a real professional photographer, although I know nothing about being a real professional photographer" post this week.


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## 2WheelPhoto (May 15, 2012)

orljustin said:


> Congrats on being the third "I'm a real professional photographer, although I know nothing about being a real professional photographer" post this week.



Some of us smell a troll


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## CCericola (May 15, 2012)




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## orljustin (May 15, 2012)

Troll or not, they still qualify  .


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## KmH (May 15, 2012)

If the OP ever returns, they can start a new thread.


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