How to Become a Professional Photographer: A Quick Step-by-step Guide

Are you new tophotography andlooking toturn your passion into abusiness. Ormaybe you’re anestablished photographer looking toenhance your existing business? Seeing photographers online getting rich andfamous while you struggle toscore asingle gig inweeks can bestressful. Weunderstand itcan behard toknow where tostart orhow topromote your work.

This iswhy we’ve put together this quick guide tohelp you get your first client andfind theright answers toyour ܱپDz⁠ĔhǷ tobecome aprofessional photographer.

Inthis guide, we’ll cover thefollowing (and more!):

  1. How tostart acareer inphotography
  2. What isacreative style?
  3. What isaphotography portfolio website?
  4. How tocreate aphotography portfolio?
  5. Examples ofprofessional photography portfolios
  6. How much does aportfolio website cost?
  7. How tocreate aphotography portfolio using
  8. How much tocharge fortime andwork

Let’s dive right inandfind out how you can start your own photography business today andstart taking new clients!

How tosell online
Tips from e-commerce experts forsmall business owners andaspiring entrepreneurs.
Please enter avalid email address

How toStart aCareer inPhotography

You enjoy telling visual stories through theart ofphotography. You’ve already bought aDSLR andspent your share oftime watching andediting YouTube videos. But how doyou start areal-life career inphotography?

Although many professional photographers out there have taken university-level training toacquire thenecessary skills tobecome great intheart oftaking photographs, this isnot always thenorm. There are hundreds ofgreat photographers that have never earned adegree inphotography, andwho were able todevelop great skills andabilities through thehelp ofonline courses orreliable mentors.

Acquiring theright skills andtaking enough time topractice are usually thefirst steps tobecoming aprofessional photographer. After thenecessary training andexperience, then comes finding your focus area andcreative style asyou build andcreate your website oronline portfolio.

Getting started andfinding your creative style

Regardless ofyour training andbackground, it’s now easier than ever tostart your own photography business andpromote your work online. While itcan bedifficult tobelieve that you can not only land your first photography gig but also start acareer with it, we’re here toremind you that this isquite possible. Everyone has aunique experience becoming aphotographer, but ultimately, your goal before landing aclient should befinding your focus area andforming your creative style.

Sohow doyou find your area offocus andform acreative style?

Click, click, click! Your work will get better andyou will figure out what you like. Don’t beafraid totry out new shots andediting styles. Eventually, you’ll figure out which angles, light settings, andediting styles work foryou!

With this inmind, let’s find out more about figuring out your creative style andbuilding your online portfolio.

What IsaCreative Style?

Simply put, acreative style isyour way ofviewing theworld around you. Itisunique andpersonal. Thanks totherapidly evolving andaccepting creative world that welive in, itiseasier than ever tofind your own style andown it.

Asaphotographer, you may bemore inclined toward certain light settings, color palettes, andphotography styles. Itisimportant toreflect your creative style, not only inyour photography but also inyour photography portfolio website.

How toCreate aPortfolio

Before charging foryour services, you should have asolid portfolio. Itcan bedone bydoing acouple offree photoshoots forfriends &family. This will not only enhance your skills but also help you gather photographs todisplay onyour newly updated portfolio.

What isaphotography portfolio?

Aphotography portfolio isauser-friendly website that showcases your work topotential clients. Agood portfolio website must have asimple &minimalist look, beup-to-date, andresonate with your creative style.

Itshould have thefollowing components:

  1. Your Biography
  2. Your projects
  3. Your rates
  4. Booking/Contact Information

Examples ofprofessional photography portfolios

Here are some examples ofprofessional photography portfolios andwhat welove about them:

  1. : Her best work isdisplayed right there forclients tolove. Her website also has aminimalist photography store which you can create with aswell.
  2. : While his website isotherwise slightly complex, this page isawonderful example ofauser-friendly portfolio page.
  3. : His portfolio issimple &user-friendly. His website, like his style, isconsistent.
  4. : Awonderful example ofacomplex andunique portrayal ofcreative style.
  5. : Their website includes their packages aswell asaFAQ page.

How Much Does aPhotography Portfolio Cost?

Itistrue, professional portfolios can beexpensive.

Asaphotographer wanting toupyour game, you might not have anycoding experience. This means you will need tohire adeveloper who typically charges $70-80per hour. Agood alternative would beusing ane-commerce site.

Most sites offer free plans with very little customizability orentry-level $15/month plans. So, ifyou are not ready tospend money onyour website yet want tocreate afree, professional website with high customizability, isthebest option foryou!

After signing up, you get clear step-by-step instructions toabeautiful, fully hosting &secure website. You can add all ofyour photographs with just afew clicks, andbeready topromote your work innotime.

How toCreate aPhotography Portfolio Using

First, you need to foryour free site. The instructions are quick andsimple. Once you’ve entered your details, you’ll beable toedit thewebsite using theWebsite Settings. This takes you tothesite blocks.

Familiarise yourself with this page byclicking oneach block. You will beable tosee thehigh level ofcustomizability instantly.

So, you’ve already decided onyour creative style, now, it’s time tostart making changes tothewebsite. Some things toremember while working onyour website are:

Your creative style isconstantly evolving. And sowill your website. Don’t fret ifyou feel theneed tomake changes toyour website after ashift inyour creative style. Consider this anessential step tofurther advance your career andportfolio.

Stay minimal. Aminimalist website iseasy tomaintain &navigate especially ifyou are anew photographer inbusiness andpeople are yet tosee how fantastic your work is.

Put your best photography onyour homepage. Your best work should bethefirst thing onyour website whether itisasample portrait ofanabstract photograph waiting tobesold inprint.

Use images consistent with your style. Aportfolio not only shows aclient that you are acompetent photographer but also helps them see ifyour styles align. Ifyou have aphotograph with excellent exposure &composition but doesn’t gowith your usual style, don’t include it.

Make iteasy tocontact you. Once aclient knows they want you fortheir next photoshoot, itshould beeasy forthem tocontact you. Your portfolio’s menu should include acontact page.

Don’t beafraid toexperiment. Asacreative, you should consider your website your creative child &should not beafraid togroom it. Keep experimenting tofind your perfect website style!

How Much DoPhotographers Charge?

Alright, soyou now have awebsite andportfolio inplace andyou’ve been contacted byyour first client. How much doyou charge asabeginner photographer? Wewould recommend following thebeginner photographer ladder.

Inthefirst few gigs, you should have flat rates ranging from $25-$70. While itisgood tokeep rates low inthebeginning, don’t exploit yourself. After afew photoshoots, you will want tostart charging per hour. Consider using use thefollowing 2-steps pricing calculation:

  1. Cost ofmaterial +Cost oflabor +overhead =total cost
  2. Total cost +Desired profit (e.g. 15%) =final sale price

However, most beginning photographers start off bycharging $15-80per hour.

Ready toStart Your Journey asaProfessional Photographer?

Nomatter where you start asaphotographer, remember that this world has aplace foryour art. Your website will remain unique toyou ifyou remember tobeyourself. Join today forfree andstart promoting your work asyou get ready totake onnew clients. Tell usinthecomments below ifthis article was helpful andhow you plan toget rolling!

About The Author
Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

Start selling on your website