Starting a photography business - what needs to be done?

Hi
I am thinking of starting a photography business, mainly for products, I think.
I was wondering how to go about it. I have some equipment, but not everything I would need and I was wondering if I should start with what I have, or take a loan and by the best equipment out there, in order to properly impress and gain the trust of customers.
Also, what needs to be done legally?

What equipment do you have currently? Photo equipment can get very expensive very quick when you are trying to impress people. The ironic thing is the more equipment you have the less likely you are to impress with your skills. Your pictures need to be what you concentrate on right now.

What types of products are you planning on working with? Right off hand I would suggest that you get a light tent, some tungsten lights, and something to use as a backdrop. The camera is not as crucial unless the clients will be wanting large prints. If this is for web work, even the low end point and shoots might be sufficient.

Give us some more detail about what exactly you are wanting to accomplish and what is your skill level (be honest please)?

Hi Gladys,

As Greg said, the equipment isn't what impresses the clients, it's the finished images. It's also the way in which you conduct yourself around the client and how you meet deadlines.

In product photography, postproduction skills are probably as important as photographic skills.

Sign up here for a regular membership, stick around and tell us more about what you've got in the way of equipment and facilities, who your clientele will likely be, where you're located, and what your experience is in photography and business. You'll get plenty of advice from a variety of people here.

commercial clients will expect hi-end images and fast turnaround, so work on technique and not fuss about equipment
u can look thru magazines with like products and take note on lighting & backgrounds

Gladys wrote:

Hi
I am thinking of starting a photography business, mainly for products, I think.
I was wondering how to go about it. I have some equipment, but not everything I would need and I was wondering if I should start with what I have, or take a loan and by the best equipment out there, in order to properly impress and gain the trust of customers.
Also, what needs to be done legally?

Often the best way to learn about such things is to work as an assistant to a commercial photographer. Perhaps it should be mentioned that this is an already-crowded field, with many photographers barely making ends meet, even those with great skills, many years of experience, and an established clientele. It seems appealing but the reality is a lot of hard work when you can get it, and you must spend a lot of time marketing yourself. Not everyone is willing to do what it takes to succeed.

If you want to succeed you need a lot of clients and you must be willing to go to great lengths to please them. The equipment is only a small part of the equation, probably the least important.

I agree with Gnarly, try experience. Then the rest will come once you learn how effective or ineffective what you have is.

H2OJunkie wrote:

I agree with Gnarly, try experience. Then the rest will come once you learn how effective or ineffective what you have is.

I just found out that a photographer for whom I used to work as an assistant died a few weeks ago. He was really good. We were the same age too.

I did want to add that good pro photographers are often specialists, sometimes multiple specialists.

I happened to see some of this fellow's work recently:
http://www.scottcunninghamphotography.com/Site/ Client_Portfolios/Client_Portfolios.html

He worked in New York for a while I'm told.

Then there's some interesting background on a partnership he was in, to show how the business side of this works. I don't know either of these men personally.
http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/2012/70/0/ Calling_it_splits.aspx

There's a lot to running a business besides equipment. Disability insurance for instance would have helped these gentlemen greatly. I have a feeling that they brushed off the solicitations for it that they received. Lots of people get into business without thinking these things through.