Are you passionate about photography? Do you practice as an amateur, have just completed a photography course, and want to start your own business? You will have to show unfailing motivation and a strong taste for contact with customers.
If making a living from photography is not easy, taking a chance is worth it. So making your food can be more satisfying than a passion for your job?
Discover in this article the steps to take to become a freelance photographer: from market research to the search for financing, including the choice of concept and positioning, the selection of legal status, and the development of the marketing and business plan.
The market for photographers in France
A market hard hit by the advent of digital photography.
The digital revolution has greatly disrupted the professional photography sector, which has hit the business hard, with many implications.
It has become easier to take quality photos. Individuals, therefore, have less recourse to professional photographers, especially since they have at their disposal general public retouching software, free or not, allowing them to improve their photos.
The strong trend is towards "all photographers": photography is now within everyone's reach, thanks in particular to smartphones.
The world of images is approached today more playful and friendly way. And image-related applications that allow you to store, share, edit, print, and create videos from the smartphone that has become the main camera, are the big winners of this upheaval in the world of photography. In 2017, they weighed more than 50 billion euros worldwide.
Individuals no longer need to have their photos developed, as was the case with film. Instead, home printing solutions, automatic printing terminals, or specialized websites at attractive prices offer individuals many ways to build their photos quickly and efficiently.
All these competitive pressures strongly penalize the levels of profitability and threaten the maintenance of the activity of many independent photographers.
The digital revolution is also an opportunity for the professional photography sector.
However, the digital revolution has also brought beneficial changes for photographers. In addition, the development of the digital economy has created new needs.
All companies, from large multinationals to small startups, need attractive and quality visuals to feed their accounts on social networks and to present their products on their websites and e-shops. It isn't easy, for example, for a restaurant owner not to post pictures of his dishes on his website, Facebook, or Instagram account.
The profession of professional photographers is therefore changing rapidly and considerably. They must indeed develop the sales of products with high added value, which require the advice of a specialist. In BtoC, on the one hand, that is to say, individuals who wish to use the services of a photographer for a wedding, a birth, or any other family event. In BtoB, on the other hand, companies want to have beautiful shots of their teams, their products, or a particular event.
But the digital revolution is also the development of platforms like Fotolia or Shutterstock on which professional photographers can sell their photos anywhere in the world. They are then directly competing with traditional agencies and breaking their business model.
Therefore, photography summarizes what the digital revolution has generated: businesses die, and others are born.
Typology of the professional photographer
The profession of a professional photographer has been expanding over the past 15 years (+37%) (Study on The Profession of Photographer, May 2015, commissioned by the Ministry of Culture).
Three-quarters of photographers mainly work on commission. They position themselves overwhelmingly across the entire production chain, taking charge of both shooting (100%), production (69%), and post-production (85%). 20% use film, while 80% work with digital tools.
Also note: over the last three years, more than half of photographers say their income has "somewhat" or "a lot" decreased. Therefore, it is better to be passionate and know that revenues, relatively low at the start, are falling.
Carrying out your freelance professional photography market study: the information to gather
The information provided above is only a small part of the data you will need to collect to conduct market research. You will need to have a good knowledge of the sector, in general, to anticipate and understand the habits and wishes of the customers you will need to attract.
It will also be necessary to know how many professional photographers are on the list in France, where they practice, in what field, what is their income, what type of structure they have built, how many people do employ, and how many contracts do they sign each year, for what amounts, from whom, etc.
Also, do some in-depth research on photographers in your area. Identify which ones are most in-demand and which ones are struggling. What are their characteristics? What works best needs to be replicated; what does not work is, therefore, to be avoided.
Positioning yourself in the market of freelance photographers
Once you have conducted the market study of professional photographers, you will have to choose your field and position.
Several specializations are possible: wedding photographer, concerts, family portraits, animal photographer, packshot photographer (of objects and products), culinary photographer, architectural photographer (especially with luxury real estate agencies).
Some sectors are more buoyant than others. For example, the photo market for real estate agencies is booming and tending to develop. It must be said that "the good quality of the images and their diversity constitute strong commercial arguments. We sell seven times faster than with amateur photos", underlines Thomas Renaud, co-founder of Meero.fr, a site specializing in the production of videos and photos for real estate agents in the newspaper Les Echos' columns.
Choose the field you will practice based on your market research, tastes, and skills.
Where to set up your activity as a freelance photographer
As with any commercial activity, it is best to set up a professional photo studio in the city center, preferably on a busy street that will be visible to your potential customers. But it all depends on your business. For example, suppose you are a photographer specializing in packshots. In that case, it may be appropriate to set up near a startup incubator, coworking space, or even open a photo studio in a business area.
However, it is not necessary to own premises to carry out your activity as a freelance photographer. You can very well domicile your business at home. Be careful to anticipate that your equipment could embarrass you somewhat: cameras, lenses, tripods, reflectors. It takes up a little space.
It is advisable, especially when one does not have premises, to make sure that one has a good site on the Web and that search engines will reference one. For this, no secret, you will need to create a welcoming place, easy to understand, which details your services and offers a sufficiently extensive portfolio of achievements to make your visitors want to become customers.
What legal structure to become a photographer?
The status of a professional photographer is particularly framed in France, and one cannot choose a legal structure by considering only the administrative, fiscal, and social aspects.
A freelance photographer in France can be an author-photographer or a craftsman photographer.
The photographer author
The author-photographer does author photography: his income is associated with the sale of prints and the transfer of rights to the use of his images. This is most often called "artistic" photography. The author-photographer exhibits in galleries and offers creativity in visual communication, advertising, events, and even fashion.
He then comes under AGESSA and has the same social cover as an employee. It is exempt from business tax, pays low social contributions, benefits from a reduced rate of 7% for VAT, and is taxable under the BNC (Non-Commercial Profits) regime.
The craftsman photographer
The artisan photographer does commission photography, that is to say, wedding photography, social photography (pregnant women, newborns), or involving technical services such as the printing of negatives and the sale of albums or photographic equipment. This is more of a commercial photograph. Artisan photographers must hold a CAP/BEP or an equivalent diploma in the profession concerned.
A craftsman-photographer can practice his profession within the framework of a sole proprietorship: Sole Proprietorship (EI) or Sole Proprietorship with Limited Liability (EIRL). He can also create a company: Single-Person Limited Liability Company (EURL) or Limited Liability Company (SARL). In the first case, it is taxable under the Industrial and Commercial Profits (BIC) regime. The company is subject to the second case's corporate tax system (IS).
Another possibility: the status of micro-entrepreneur (ex-auto-entrepreneur) cannot allow you to exercise an artistic activity. However, it is ideal, in addition, for an author-photographer who will be able to invoice for training courses or commissioned photography services which, according to the legislation, are not considered to be works of the mind and therefore do not come under the intellectual property code.
Select the legal status most appropriate for your desire to become a professional photographer, and consult our guide to legal levels.
The human and material needs to become a freelance photographer.
To determine your rates, establish your financial forecast and provide figures in your business plan, you should take stock of the human and material needs necessary to launch your activity as a professional photographer.
The material needs of the professional photographer
We think first of all of the equipment, which is often expensive. You will indeed need to acquire professional photo equipment, and it is recommended to have two boxes and two flashes to prepare for any eventuality. What could be more annoying than equipment that does not work when needed. You would not get paid and certainly not rehired by your client, who probably will not recommend you and even advise against you to those around him. Then, of course, you will have to add your lenses (those essential to take the best photos in your field), tripods, reflectors, carrying bags, etc. Finally, don't forget photo paper, printers and cartridges, and office supplies.
To this, we must also add the vehicle that will be used to transport all your equipment to the place of delivery (car, van, two-wheelers). Also, consider wear and tear, fuel, maintenance, etc.
Your premises, if you have one, must also be taken into account, as well as electricity, telephone and internet subscription, your computer workstation, and your professional telephone.
Additional services to take into account to become a professional photographer.
You will need to ensure your professional activity with civil liability insurance, possibly your equipment with a specific insurance, the amount of which will depend on the value of your equipment.
You will have to consider in your financial forecast this item of expenditure and all the ancillary services essential to the smooth running of your activity. You can indeed choose to call on a management firm to take care of the administrative and accounting tasks or take care of them yourself. The same is true for all aspects of marketing and communication. It's up to you to see if you want/can take on this part of your activity or if you're going to delegate it to a communication agency or one (or more) freelancer.
The freelance photographer's marketing plan
To acquire and retain your customers, you will need to put in place an effective marketing plan. Even before launching your activity, you should have thought about a series of actions allowing you to publicize your training and thus build up a clientele.
In particular, you will have to put the package on your online presence: your website and social networks will constitute the basis of your business, whether or not you have professional premises.
Your website should showcase your work. Publish a portfolio that will show your technical know-how, and choose photos to reach your target. This is an artistic craft, so you must touch the brain and the heart. Your site will also have to present your services with possibly their price.
Last but not least, be extremely attentive to SEO to appear in the first lines of search engines. It should indeed be particularly visible and easy to find.
Social networks and the prominent place they give to the image should also be your playground. It's a great showcase for your shots and a far from an anecdotal way to make yourself known.
You will also need to set up other marketing and communication actions, especially in the early stages. Why not, for example, offer a reduction on a service or organize a large sponsorship operation beneficial to the sponsor and the sponsored.
Whatever actions you are considering, write them down in your marketing plan and try to assess the cost and potential impact. This measure should allow you to implement the most beneficial and profitable actions.
The business plan of a freelance photographer
Once you have completed all the above steps, developing your freelance photographer business plan will be time.
The business plan of a photographer's activity is eminently strategic because it serves, on the one hand, to frame your project and assess its financial viability properly and present your activity to your financial partners. It must therefore give clear, precise, and realistic figures. However, on the flip side, it also possesses banks that want to support your project.
Therefore, we understand that the business plan must be particularly relevant and professional, both in substance and form.
If you have never made a business plan and are a little afraid of starting this type of exercise on your own, you can use online business plan software.
Using specialized software to create a photographer's business plan has several major advantages:
- You'll get direction step by step in drafting instructions and examples for each part of the plan.
- You will easily make your financial forecast, leaving the software to take care of the calculations and accounting aspects.
- You will have access to business plan templates already written.
- In the end, you will obtain a professional document formatted and ready to be sent to your bank.
If you are interested in this type of solution, you can try our software for free by registering here.
Finding funding to start as a freelance photographer
The initial investment to become a professional photographer is quite limited. Nevertheless, the acquisition of the equipment, the vehicle, and the creation of the website necessary to launch your activity represents a certain cost if you do not already have it.
Fortunately, there are several solutions to raise the required amount to start your business.
Equity is, of course, the first option. However, even if they do not cover everything, they should be considered, evaluated, and communicated to your financial partners, who will appreciate your investment (literally and figuratively), demonstrating your involvement in your project.
You can also take out a bank loan. It will then be a professional loan contracted by your company. Remember to contact several banks to obtain the most advantageous rate.
Do not hesitate to use crowdfunding donations. Individuals give you money in exchange for services or reductions: photo sessions offered or carried out at a preferential price, for example.
Finally, do not forget the many aids intended for business creators, which will allow you to have recourse to zero-interest loans, will make you benefit from total or partial exemption from charges, or will provide you with assistance for administrative aspects.
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