Probably, every professional photographer was thinking about starting his own business, thereby turning his favorite occupation into a full-fledged source of income. And today many are interested: how to open a photo studio? What is needed for this? How profitable can such a job be?
How to open a photo studio? How difficult is it?
It should immediately be noted that creating and developing your own business is always difficult. After all, here you need to consider thousands of different things. And if you are going to open a photo studio - a business plan is required here.
You need to consider and evaluate the amount of work, draw up an action plan and, of course, prepare for the fact that from time to time you will be pursued by minor failures. Before the business system works, it will be necessary to invest a lot of time and energy into it. On the other hand, the result will be worth the cost.
The legal side of the business: what documents do you need to draw up?
Before starting your own business, you must legalize it - this is the first and important step that will help you protect yourself from all sorts of fines and other sanctions in the future. Most often, photo studios are opened either as an IP or as an LLC.
The status of an individual entrepreneur is suitable if you independently open a salon. Its design will cost you a little cheaper. But a limited liability company will be the best option if you create a business together with one or more partners.
Choice of premises
Of course, the choice of premises is an extremely important issue, from which it is worth starting. Remember that your future “office” should be large and spacious, because there should be a place not only for photo shoots, but also a corner for technical work, a small dressing room, possibly even a dressing room (depending on the range of services you offer).
It is desirable that the room has high ceilings, as this is important for a successful shooting. Make sure your rental office has Internet access and a telephone line. Uninterrupted supply of electricity is required, as well as heating.
It is worth asking about the size of the monthly rental of the building in different parts of the city - as a rule, in the center it is higher.
We make out a workplace
Naturally, ideally, the office rented (or acquired) by you should have at least 2-3 separate rooms. Spacious room is needed for photo shoots. If you have to make repairs, pay special attention to the color of the walls.
For example, their white color when shooting will help create the effect of "glow" in photographs. For greater convenience, try to equip the room so that the color can be quickly changed depending on the shooting conditions. For example, some photographers equip the walls with special draperies.
If you are interested in what you need to open a photo studio, do not forget about accessories for photo shoots. Vases, pots, flower baskets, antique pieces of furniture, antique gizmos - all this can serve as the basis for creating a very special, unique storyline. Do not forget that perfection is in the details.
It is advisable that the office has a small room for administration.Here they will receive customers, here they will be offered to get acquainted with the range of services, they will talk about the features of your salon, etc.
In the hallway, you should put a comfortable sofa or several chairs, as well as a hanger for outerwear - if visitors have to wait, then it will be as convenient as possible (you can even offer tea or coffee, which will help create a more trusting relationship).
Ideally, the photo salon should have a small dressing room with a mirror, as well as a dressing room, because before shooting, customers will probably want to comb their hair, make-up, etc.
When organizing a photo studio, do not forget that in the world of digital photography, a study (or at least a separate area of the room) is required. You need to place a computer, printer and other accessories that are simply necessary for work. By the way, do not forget about the software, as any experienced photographer needs special programs for correcting and cleaning photos.
Remember that the interior and atmosphere for a young photo studio is extremely important, so pay special attention to the design and style of decoration, as well as the manner of communication of the working staff.
Determining the clientele: list of possible services
There are many services that a photo studio can offer - it all depends on your preferences, capabilities and initial capital.
Naturally, you will be able to conduct photo shoots indoors, as for this you will have a specially equipped room. Some photo shops offer outdoor photography that customers like.
Do not forget about the holidays and significant dates. A photographer is simply necessary at weddings and other celebrations. School and student albums, graduation parties, interesting photos for children in kindergartens - all these are additional sources of income.
It is hardly possible to imagine a photo studio in which it is impossible to take photos on documents - this is the simplest, fastest and most demanded procedure. By the way, in some salons, men are offered to rent ties and jackets or “attach” the necessary elements of a dress on a computer.
Another opportunity is to collaborate with local newspapers, news agencies, or news sites in your city. Quite often, online stores order quality shooting of goods.
There are plenty of other features that your own photo studio will provide you. A business plan should consider each of them. Of course, if there are only 1-2 photographers in your office just open, then you are unlikely to be able to work in all directions at once. Therefore, you should first choose several specializations, and add new ones as the business develops.
Now that you have decided who you intend to work for, create a price list that indicates the range of services and the cost of each of them, so it will be easier for customers to familiarize themselves with it.
By the way, many people who are interested in the question of how to open a photo studio at this stage of drawing up a business plan are faced with the problem - what is the price? It is best to offer customers services at an average cost. Too high a price can scare away a customer, and too low is unlikely to be convenient for you.
How to choose employees?
If you are the only photographer in your studio, you can skip this item. If you are going to open a large salon with a huge range of services, then additional working hands are simply necessary for you.
So, who can’t you do without? Surely you will need several photographers.
It is desirable that an administrator is present in the studio, who will receive customers, explain to them the details of your work, answer calls, receive deliveries, place orders, draw up and monitor the schedule, etc.
In the future, you can hire a make-up artist who will help clients choose makeup and hide some facial flaws - it's no secret that successful and skillful use of cosmetics can work wonders.
Photo Studio: Equipment and Accessories
No photo studio can do without cameras. The modern selection of equipment is huge. Nevertheless, experienced photographers advise at the initial stages of creating a business to purchase only the most necessary, and then, as the number of visitors grows, replenish the assortment of equipment.
It is extremely important to choose a good camera model, as well as the necessary accessories, including tripods, memory cards, lenses, etc. Do not forget about other products for a photo studio - at least four light sources, curtains, umbrellas, exposure meters, racks, softboxes, backgrounds and mounts for them.
Do not forget about computer equipment, as it is necessary for high-quality processing of digital photos.
Photo Studio Advertising
Remember that the new showroom just needs advertising that will provide the initial flow of customers. The choice of advertising should be considered carefully.
For example, statistics show that posters, TV commercials, and radio ads are not very effective.
But you can offer your services at school or kindergarten (for example, show parents and children samples of work, suggest creating albums, etc.) Some photographers put up posters in beauty salons.
Do not forget about the Internet. It is advisable to create a website where you can place information about your salon, services, show visitors samples of work, provide contact details, inform about news, changes and promotions. You can order contextual advertising or agree on cooperation with other Internet resources in your city. You can distribute information about the photo salon using social networks.
You can make business cards, small brochures, etc.
Additional income from the photo salon
In fact, a photo studio is a space for imagination. And if earning from photo shoots is not enough for you, you can expand the field of your activity. What additional products and accessories for a photo studio can I choose? Yes, almost any.
Surely, you have seen more than once that photo shops offer services for printing and copying materials. It also sells discs, flash drives, batteries, memory cards, frames and albums for photographs, etc.
Not only shooting, but also training ... New opportunities for extra profit
Some photo shops organize training courses - this is a very profitable business, since it practically does not require material costs, but provides income. Your photographers can teach both beginners in this business, who are just beginning to get acquainted with the art of photography, and more experienced people who need to hone their skills. Classes can be held both in the office and in nature.
The main thing here is to create a really good, high-quality and interesting program for training, good reviews about which can fly around the city.
Photo printing is another source of income
In fact, many large photo studios include photo printing and other work with photography in their range of services. This is a great source of income. After all, you can print digital photos, correct, retouch, restore, create collages, etc.
Naturally, this requires certain knowledge, and you will have to buy special equipment (printers, scanners) and establish relationships with suppliers of paper, inks, and at the same time all other office supplies.
You can create personalized calendars, business cards, postcards. Some salons also offer the service of painting mugs, t-shirts, etc.
How much do photographers earn?
Perhaps the question of the payback of such a business is the most important and interesting.So how much do photographers earn? In fact, there is no definite answer to this question, since it all depends on the number of personnel, the influx of customers, the availability of additional services (selling souvenirs, photo printing, etc.) and even on the pricing policy in your city.
For example, the cost of a photo shoot can range from several tens to several hundred dollars. How many such sessions per month can be depends on your reputation and skill.
Nevertheless, the reviews of the owners of photo studios indicate that with quality work and an effective advertising strategy, a salon pays off on average after 1-2 years of operation.
Photo Studio as a Business: Some Recommendations
Creating your own business is always troublesome. In the first few months you will have to deal with paperwork, repairs, recruitment, advertising, etc. You should not count on the fact that there will be a full house on the very first day after opening - 1-3 people a day are considered normal.
By the way, remember that the first few months will be the most important. If you have at least one photo studio in the city, then you need to stand out, you need to strive to be better. Therefore, pay special attention to communication with customers.
The person who came to you to arrange a photo shoot or just take a photo on the documents should be comfortable and cozy. Create the most friendly and open atmosphere, and working hard, do your best - this will help create a reputation that will bring popularity and material wealth to your studio in the future.
Are you interested in how to open a photo studio and get a steady income? This article describes many ways to make money in a photo studio. But you should not start right away with everything. To get started, select several key areas (for example, photo on documents, photo shoots and the sale of small souvenirs), and as the business develops, add new services.
