The last two decades have seen a drastic change in the photographer scene. In times past people had to depend only on photographers to capture precious moments. As photography evolved people began taking pictures themselves with mobile phones. Technology evolved even more to the point where phones can take high-resolution pictures. At a point, the future of photographers began to look bleak. It seemed as though everyone could take a picture for themselves and thus did not need the help of photographers.

Luckily though, photographers did not have to worry for long. The advancements in technology brought about even more demand for better-quality pictures. While everyone has a device that can take good pictures, photographs are needed to take even better pictures which require a great deal of skill and knowledge of photography. The photography business has grown to include and cater for the demand for birthday shoots, pre-wedding shoots, modelling shoots and the like which were not so much of a big deal 10 to 15 years ago. What all of this simply means is that there is an existing demand for professional photographers and this makes it a profitable venture to go into.

How can you start a photography business?

• Choose an area of specialization. You can decide to delve into event photography, product photography or documentary photography. Before deciding, take into consideration the environment in which you find yourself.

• Feasibility study. Conduct research to find out what the reality is for photographers.

• Having identified your niche, draw up a business plan. The goal of the business is to make a profit. Thus, your business plan should give a clear roadmap of how you can make a reasonable profit from the business. Here's how you can write an effective business plan. https://smartsmssolutions.com/blog/122-sms-marketing/sales-and-marketing/1524-how-to-write-an-effective-business-plan

• Location. Your studio should be located in an environment that puts you in the public eye as much as possible. The question of locating it in a middle or high-class environment depends on how much you can afford for rent and studio equipment. If you choose to locate an average studio in a high-class part of your city, you are likely to suffer from low patronage as you would find it difficult to keep up with your competitors.

• Register your business. Choose a name that is fitting for what you do and what your business stands for. After having done this, proceed to register your business with the corporate affairs commission. Find here tips and tools for generating great business names. https://smartsmssolutions.com/blog/118-sms-marketing/small-business/1736-tips-and-tools-for-great-business-names

• Purchase the necessary equipment. Camera, lenses, lighting equipment, a device for editing and storing photos etc are all a part of what you would need to start up. If you have all of this in place then you are good to go.

Marketing strategy and customer acquisition

The first step to being able to market yourself is to build a portfolio that showcases your skills and style.

Another way to promote what you do is to maximize the use of social media for your business. Post your work online, that is where the majority of your customers are.

Something else you can do is to stay up to date in the industry. Photography is constantly evolving, and to stay relevant, you need to keep abreast with new trends in the business. Here's how you can promote your business online. https://smartsmssolutions.com/blog/83-updates/1780-how-to-promote-your-business-online

One great thing about photography is that you do not need a studio to start. Outdoor photography is a big deal in many parts of Nigeria. Outdoor photography plus event photography would fetch you good income. You might occasionally need to rent a studio for a few hours especially if you need certain kinds of equipment. So if the cost of renting a studio space and getting equipment is too much for you at the moment, consider this alternative. Remember though that you can not do without a laptop or a device that lets you edit photos nicely.

SmartSMSSolutions-how we come in

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