Another starving artist... NO! | Make a living from your portrait photography

[@shirleycove456]

I think choosing/identifying your target market is huge. I'm never going to make money from my current target market, they just dont have it to spend. With the other resources we have available with membership in the Vault I will be reconsidering my target market and next year run a profitable business...at the same time continuing to support charity work. I know my success or failure is entirely within my control but without "That Tog Spot and the Vault" I wouldn't have a chance knowing where to start. Thanks Jess and the support of each and every member in the vault.

[@KidneyMush]

I’d like to see you talk about how your began charging for your work when you started out, because in the position you are now, you’re able to charge hundreds and hundreds of pounds. Most people starting out aren’t gonna be able to do that, and so end up charging little money to get the experience and the portfolio etc….how you transition from that to charging big money is what I’d like to know.

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

I believe this has already been discussed on this channel and in our business courses too, but when I first switched to IPS in the early 2010s, my sales jumped and sat reliably in the hundreds, rather than the previously unreliable income from galleries (IMO my work wasn't "worth" any more than that (or even that much!)). Over time with refinement to processes and pricing, I sit comfortably in 4 figures for average sales now but the biggest jump was at IPS implementation and then specific refinement points over the years. It's important to note that the "standard of work" isn't important aside from basic technical skill, but the business acumen/skills are. To take it off being about me personally, many members have started their businesses in 2024 and have already achieved 4 figure sales as part of their 2024 goal-setting work 🥳 It is doable for anyone who is willing to learn the processes and then put in the work to implement it all 💪

[@PixelSplash999]

I don't think people realise how much time and effort is needed to produce amazing images for them. I love my photography as a hobby, it is my happy place behind the camera. I tried to explain to someone once about how much work, the hours and days that get put into creating the images. The comment I had once was, you just push a button......job done.....that was an epic eye roll moment.

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

Hope this video was helpful for you.

[@theoutdoordogphotographer]

I think a lot of this is that most people who are just starting out do undervalue themselves but thats because they are trying to build a portfolio. Getting your name out there and being trusted is difficult to start with. I was that guy, my prices were low, way to low, but fortunatly my life dosen't depend on the photography. Only now, after 2 years am I starting to increase my prices. It's a fine line between getting clients that will increase your portfolio, making some cash or over charging, having no clients and not increasing your portfolio.

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

Building a portfolio and building a business are two very different things - please don't mistake one for the other. A portfolio can be built in a month, but a good business will take a couple of years, and for none of the second part should you work for free 😊

[@theoutdoordogphotographer]

@@ThatPhotographySpot I don't disagree, I've learnt that the hard way, but I think the question I asked myself was "If I put my prices high and people don't know me or my work then the bussiness will likely fail bue to lack of bussiness. But equally my bussiness could fail because I'm not charging enough on the clients that I do get" I was only confident enough to raise my prices a. when I kinda knew waht I was doing (still working on that) and b. when I thought that people knew enough about me. It was almost a chicken and egg scenario, how do I achive one without first doing the other.

[@TheOlandex]

Great advice and as a part time working photographer I hear and see a lot of myself in your comments. I have made, and continue to make many of those mistakes, although I have also incorporated several of the corrections. Interestingly I keep getting jobs that I didn't really set out to do - family portrait sessions and events are the main ones that seem to keep coming to me. I recently did a shoot of a family with their dog who has cancer and they wanted to capture some memories before loosing their furry family member. I was honored to do that job. I charge what I'd call a moderate price for my market area and am happy to not take a job if the client thinks the price is too high. I also do a lot of charity work, which is fulfilling, but when it comes to the work, I have to make it worth my time or I'd rather not do the job. I just need to sharpen those business skills.

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

Glad you found the video resonated with you. Keep going - and know your value! 😃

[@ferretapocalypse]

Everyone is broke. No one has the luxury cash for professional photography

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

This simply isn’t true, sorry. Many markets are squeezed, yes, but many photographers are still working with the same averages as they always have 👍

[@rosscameron4219]

Can I ask, what was your initial client base? I’m finding that the clients I attract are happy to pay the session fee but very rarely purchase additional digital files and when we talk about prints they want to use someone like Tesco.

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

It sounds like you're appealing to a market that can't support your business model and pricing. Start with who you want to attract and work everything backwards from there. To answer your Q, my initial client base at the very start was anyone who wanted a photoshoot, it is now highly niched and very, very specific. Marketing and appealing to a very specific type of human is considerably easier 🤓

[@Purple_Lace]

Now just to find some customers 😆🤣

[@ThatPhotographySpot]

Directed marketing effort will find them 🤓