Do you have a camera that’s laying
idle? Have you ever thought about starting a photography business legally
without a studio? Do you know you can generate a monthly profit of N300,000 by
taking photographs at weddings, special occasions, and religious activities?
One of the easiest ways to make
extra money is with a camera. People always need the services of a photographer
to keep the memories of special events. They always want to package the memory
of special events in their life in a photograph. They need you. You don’t have
to be a professional photographer before venturing into this small scale
business.
A Case Study – Ogheneworo Akara is a good example of a successful
Nigerian photo-preneur who left his banking job to become a professional
photographer with focus on wedding photography. Though, it was financially
tiring and challenging, he didn’t quit because he was no QUITTER.
- was determined to build connections and grow relationships.
- He had to endure the pain of having to stand for more than 8 hours at a stretch.
- He had to invest in books, attend lots of workshops and studied the world’s famous photographers…
Gradually, his small scale business:
“Akara Ogheneworo Photography” became popular, and has shot at several
BIG events and even weddings of Nollywood celebrities. Today, he
heavily pays six staffs, and generates millions of naira from his photography
business.
Are You Still Here?
Who says you can’t become a
Multi-millionaire photographer? If Akara Ogheneworo, a former banker with no
solid, background experience in photography could become a house-hold name in
Nigeria, you can too. All you need is to believe in yourself!
Now most people own cameras than
radios, and if you must know, photography is the probably fastest growing hobby
in the world. In fact, we all take shots every day just for the fun of it.
Yet, most people are ignorant of the
fact that their camera serve as a source of extra income. With a little
imagination, a flair for showmanship, and the hustling spirit of an
entrepreneur; an average man or woman or even teenager can easily make an extra
$300 weekly with his camera. You can become a professional photographer and
make money shooting pictures at weddings, parties, events or as a freelance.
You don’t need to have one of the
popular, more expensive cameras or a lot of high priced attachments and
equipment. In fact, a Polaroid or other “off the shelf” camera will suit
the purpose perfectly. The only special piece of extra equipment you may need
to invest in would be a tripod for mounting the camera in certain situations.
So if you are ready to learn how to make money with your camera, then read on.
How
to Start a Photography Business from Home With No Money
1. Hone your “shot taking”
skills
The first step to starting a
photography business from home is to hone your shot-taking skills. If you don’t
want to end up being a road side photographer, then you need to invest in
knowledge and photography equipments. Equipments like shutter speed, white
balance, photo editing and aperture.
To get some training, go learn from
a professional photographer or enroll in good photography school. You can also
invest in learning how to add creativity to pictures using graphic design
software. Here’s a guide on how to become a professional photographer.
2. Hone your entrepreneurial skills
You may be the best photographer in
the world but if you lack the ability to market yourself effectively, if you
lack entrepreneurial skills; you will achieve nothing. To succeed as a
photographer, you must know how to sell your skills and control your finances.
You must know how to negotiate
business deals and contract; and most importantly, you must have strong emotion
control. Running a photography business entails meeting different people with
different characters, so you must have people skills and know how to deal with
complaints.
3. Get the Needed Equipments to
Start a Standard Photo Studio
The equipments or tools needed to
start a standard photography business are
- Digital camera (nikon) , N80,000
- Studio lights=N40.000
- Photo editing softwares
- Flash soft box
- Reflectors
- Generator set
- Curtains and stools
- Memory card
- Card reader
- Aperture
- Shutter speeder
- Laptop (strictly for business)
- Studio lights
- Soft box
- Flash soft box
- Software photoshop, (Picasa,Corel draw, DG photo art)
- Printer Hifi
- 4 gig memory card
- External flash drive
4. Choose a Good
location for Your Photography Business
It is always advisable you go for an
open area because the location of your business determines how profitable your
business will be. When choosing a location, especially for those doing business
in Nigeria; you should try to get a store or rent a large office in an open
area like Ikotun, Onipan, Yaba, Bariga, and Surulere.
Your studio could be anywhere but
being by the roadside is the best. This will make it much easier for people to
locate your business; and you won’t have much stress getting customers
5. Create a Brand for your photo
studio
That’s where the real money is. The
reason why Coca-Cola Company still remains the largest beverage firm in the
world is because they have created a unique brand for their company. Don’t run your
photography business like a road side business. Handle it effectively.
Create a brand for your photo-shop. Make it REAL GOOD such that people walking
past by will want to stop in.
6. Plan for future expansion
Moving equipments here and there,
might be expensive and difficult, that’s why it’s advisable to rent a large
room or building that has room for expansion. So take your time when choosing a
location for your photography business. Here’s a sample photography business plan template you can use
for FREE.
You shouldn’t rush into choosing a
particular place because you may take a decision that might harm the future of
your business. That’s why you see so many road side photographers today with 1
shop, I camera, and a very old desktop. Think big but start small. Plan for
expansion. It’s important.
Source: Topbusinessidea