5 Photography Industry Lies That Are Keeping You Stuck In Your Photo Business
When I first started my photography business many years ago, I had some preconceived notions about what was possible and what wasn’t. In fact, if I were to be totally truthful, I believed a few downright lies about business that kept me stuck for quite some time.
And the more photographers I work with photographers inside The Booked Photographer Mentorship, the more I have realized that these “lies” are very, very common in our industry.
So today, I’d like to shed light on those common lies so you can break down the barriers that may be keeping you stuck in starting or growing your very own photography business.
So without further ado, let’s bust through these so you can overcome any obstacle in your way!
LIE #1: Shooting weddings are the only way to make money in photography.
I remember thinking (and being told multiple times by multiple people) that the only way to make a good living as a Photographer was to photograph weddings. I falsely believed that that was where all the money was at because weddings are the *only* genre that people spend thousands of dollars investing in (totally not true - and I have the receipts to back it up)!
But because I believed this lie, I spent a good few years running myself ragged photographing weddings when I knew deep down that weddings was not what I truly enjoyed. Don’t get me wrong, I worked with some amazing couples, but I got burnt out photographing 20+ weddings year after year and I got tired of not seeing my family on the weekends and missing out on my friends bridal and baby showers.
Four the last 4 years, I’ve primary focused on portraits….and you know what’s crazy? My high school seniors and brand clients invest more in their portraits than brides did on their weddings! Throw in the fact that photographing and editing a senior or brand session is way quicker than a wedding, I make way more per hour photographing portraits (and I can have Saturdays off to spend with my family)!
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be photographing weddings. They are fun and yes, they can be very lucrative, but photographing weddings is not the only way to have a profitable photography business.
LIE #2: I need to have a studio to make more money or to be seen as legit
Having a studio is great, I’m not knocking those at all. BUT, you can have a successful business BEFORE having your own studio.
Starting out, my office was actually in our storage room in our old house. You know, the room stacked floor to ceiling of boxes of things you never use and never take the time to go through, organize or throw away? It certainly wasn’t an acceptable place to have clients in! So I met with clients at their homes and at coffee shops. And you know what! So many of them were incredibly grateful that I came to them! It didn’t hurt my brand at all.
So the truth : You can still be seen as a PROFESSIONAL, and PROFITABLE photographer even without a studio space.
LIE #3: I have to photograph on the weekends to accommodate my clients.
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope (well...unless you want to photograph weddings). You are the CEO of your own business. You can build it anyway you want so build your dream photography business that works within the family lifestyle you desire, not one that takes away from it.
Sure, there will be clients who want to photograph on the weekends. But you can say no. I have one designated weekday for photoshoots. Very rarely will I photograph a portrait session on a Saturday. Why? Because I value my family time. I want to be able to take my boys on a picnic on a Saturday afternoon, or go to the winery with a friend or have a date night with my hubby. So I say no to photographing on the weekends. My clients respect that and like any other doctor or dentist appointment, they will rearrange their weekday schedule to be photographed by me.
And if you are not quite there yet, that’s OK. Choose to have an “off” weekend every month so you don't get burnt out, especially if you are a wedding photographer.
LIE #4: I need to upgrade my gear to make or charge more money.
Please hear me when I say this: the gear does not make the Photographer. Having reliable gear is essential, yes, but investing in the latest and greatest gear will not directly translate to more clients or more money in your bank account.
Back when I was primarily a wedding photographer, I had what felt like subpar gear. Multiple times at multiple weddings, guests would have nicer cameras and lens than I did. I’m not going to lie, my pride took a hit. But instead of buying more gear, I chose to invest my hard earned money into my business education and marketing. And that has paid off way more than having the latest and greatest gear.
LIE #5: I’m not good at marketing / talking to people / selling / *fill in the blank*.
Don’t know something? No problem! There are a million and one ways to learn what you need to start or take your business to the next level. And you, my friend, are capable of figuring it out!
Everything you need to succeed in business is a skill set and you can learn any skill set you need to have the success you want. All you got to do is find someone who has what you want and do what they do!
After all, the only difference between and amateur and a pro is their skill set. That’s it! The pro has spent more time, energy and money investing in herself to increase her skill set. When you increase your skill set, you increase your value in the marketplace. When you increase your value, you raise your income.
In reality, lie #5 all boils down to the “I’m not good enough” mindset and it will get you nowhere! So decide now that your dream photography business is POSSIBLE for you. And I’m here to help and equip you with the skills you need to create a profitable photography business that actually blesses your family (not takes you away from them).
In fact, if any one (or all) of these lies struck a chord with you, if you are done playing the business guessing game and are committed to your success, I’d love nothing more than to help you get there.
So much so that I wrote an entire ebook about how to go from a struggling photographer to a fully booked and profitable photographer. It’s called The Becoming Booked Method. You can grab your own copy for just $4.99 right here!
Always cheering you on!
Heather