Deciding to make a living from your hobby is a daunting prospect but once you’ve taken the plunge it’s important to make sure you do make enough money to pay the bills.
As a novice in the industry, it can be tempting to take every job that comes anywhere near you to get some money coming in. Beware though that what starts out as a quick job for a relatively small sum can actually end up costing you money.
Challenging clients
The key is getting as much information from your clients up front as you can. That’s the only way you’ll be able to quote accurately. It is also much easier to see if the goal posts are moving, and when it is appropriate to explain to the client and ask for more money. If you can’t prove the boundaries have changed, you might end up doing a lot more and putting in much more time.
Having to spend additional effort for no more financial benefit is not only frustrating but it might mean you don’t have time for a more straightforward client, or time to spend on marketing to find the next one.
Sometimes something as simple as intuition will let you know that a client will cause problems, but in case troublesome customers aren’t so obvious up front, it will pay dividends to have all the information; clients won’t be able to take advantage of your good nature. Of course, sometimes they won’t even remember what they asked for!
Tuts + and Photocritic has more suggestions for how to price your photography.
Will clients like my work
Even experienced photographers like Az, wedding photographer in Hampshire with http://lemontree-photography.co.uk/, feel some nerves before a big day. Having the discussion notes from the word go will make a big difference here, too. There is no need to edit every single one of the photos you take. Invest your time in the ones you know your client will like.
Having a structured process will make things easier. Choose only the best and crop them before you look at aesthetics. Opt for consistency so they look part of the same suite.
Above all, remember now that you are a photographer, not just someone who takes photographs. You’re worth the money, so believe in yourself.
