Starting a photography business with low start-up fund? Get these insights!

This shows a wooden product backdrop which was painted with color blue and white which was used to tint the blue for lighter form of the same blue.

One of the expensive to practice areas in design can be considered as PHOTOGRAPHY and this is not to generate any feeling of anxiety that draws anyone back on pursuing it but a determined mind is able to make it glow. The general public in this technological dispensation we are now has a lot to do with photography in trying to communicate or send messages from one point to another(To target audience). Despite the assertion or fact that photography can be expensive especially for beginners, you will be taken through a whole lot of tested and tried means of starting or maintaining a small business in this noble field and carrying it to the next level.

A lot of tools and equipments are necessary for proper work in photography but let us look at a few of the items on the list out of the many that a professional practitioner in this field might yearn for.

 Studio space

 Photography backdrops

 Tripod

 Camera

 Softboxes / umbrellas

 Light domes or beauty dish

 LED lights or strobes

 Camera lenses

 Memory cards/storage devices

 Reflectors

 Speed-lite

 Polarizing and ND filter

 Furniture 

 Carrying gear or bag

 Computers

 Printers

 Website/portfolio

 Photo editing softwares

• Studio space

A room well spaced or large enough is a good fit for a photography studio as it is a basic requirement for some kind of shoots if the need arises. Even if the room is not large enough, you just have to know the needs of customers and innovate a possible means to make the place clean and useful for your work. 

• Photography backdrop

This is what is seen behind the subject of an image or center of focus or attraction and it must be noted that for some shoots a professional or properly selected environment or backdrop is needed.

• Tripod

Tripod is a three legged equipment used to hold a camera to prevent the camera from shaking when shooting may be with very low shutter speeds which is also known as long exposure shooting and it prevents motion blur.

• Camera

Simply a box in which there is the absence of light but as light is allowed to enter, it captures an image of the exposed object onto a light sensitive film that is placed inside of it. There are a lot of types of cameras like point and shoot, DSLR(Digital Single Lens Reflex), SLR(Single Lens Reflex), bridge cameras among others but the paramount thing of importance is to know which one best solves the need at hand.

• Softboxes or umbrellas

These are portable structures that can be used both indoors and outdoors to provide additional sort of lighting for a subject. A softbox diffuses an artificial light put inside of it to create a pleasing light that helps to reduce shadows of models or subjects.

• Memory card or storage medium

One of the important requirements for even an amateur photographer is a very reliable source of storage device with enough storage space to store the images taken without any fear of losing them. For this one, more than two storage mediums will be appropriate and even purchasing a cloud storage can be a better option to also be an insurance against file loss.

• Reflectors

They are used to reflect or direct light from a source unto a subject to create a supplement of light in case the available light is not able to provide illumination as wanted. They come in different colors which also makes it pleasing to create some varying kinds of light color in a photograph.

• Polarizing filter

It is placed in front of a camera lens to darken skies, reduce flare or obstructive reflections or light rays and it in a way modifies the white balance of an image thereby keeping subjects properly exposed.

• Furniture

When taking pictures in a studio, it is required to make available some form of furniture so that it will be easy to pose the models creatively.

• Carrying gear or strap

This is a special bag that is used to house a camera to protect it and also enhance its easy movement of transportation and other accessories.

• Computers

Every dealer with pictures must acquire a computer that runs fast for editing the images.

• Printers

Some clients would want to get a hardcopy of their images hence the need for one but it isn't a must get item on the list before starting the business.

• Website/ portfolio

Every client wants to know his or her service provider has the skills before awarding a contract so a website to keep record of your images is very crucial if the business is to successfully thrive.

These tools and equipments discussed will indeed make and contribute to a very stunning studio for great photography experience and business but being decisive in creativity about ones ability is key. Beginning photographers for instance, might not have all that it takes to purchase or acquire all the earlier stated items but be of self courage to know what you want to grow the firm.

Starting photography as a beginner

Almost all walks of life now utilizes photography in one way or the other and this has contributed to making it one of the lucrative business ventures as well as a very competitive one. A major significance of this field which is to help keep memories is one thing that gives it so much value. Even as a beginner looking into starting a business like this, getting yourself acquainted with some useful necessities is very important.

Major requirements as a beginner

✅  Know the type of photography to pursue.

There are many kinds like street, food, wildlife, underwater, product, portrait, architectural, editorial photography, documentaries which are only  a few

·        ✅ Insight into needs of audience

Photographers work with diverse kinds of clients to help them achieve a particular goal and so someone starting new in this area can grow steadily or drastically progress to growing his or her business by understanding what the audience need.

·         ✅ Clear budget statement

A professional or well functional studio cannot be built just at the onset but careful planning to make use of available resources capable of making the business stand should form the core considerations of the initial preparations. Looking at the fact that even camera and its accessories are expensive, smartphone can be used as a start-up replacement a for a professional camera but the effectiveness of its use is what will bring the uniqueness. Many professionals are out there in this field making it big but being able to make unique decisions and implementations is a vital propeller to study growth in your venture of any photography kind.

 

Let’s say starting a portrait studio, this type is one that I would say many not be too expensive only if careful insight into the needs or taste of audience is prioritized and taken into decision making process.

Possible start-up tools and equipments can be:

Camera/smartphone

Studio

Backdrops

Furniture

Lighting kit

Storage devices

Computer

Backdrops as stated earlier can be of fabric, wood or just anything that gives a subject of a shoot background  for a specific need. For a portrait photography backdrop for instance, a clean white clothe of dimensions may be 7ft L x 5ft W can be gotten and painted with inspirations or scenery for the shoots. So, with this idea, a beginner considering this kind can design his or her own backdrops and then the stands can be purchased from a manufacturer for ease of work and it is a very prudent way of managing oneself and the business.

A studio space in this case is not supposed to meet a definite standard before you are sure of making great outputs but provision of good lighting also creates some effects of an illusion of enough space or small one.