So you love photography and you want to turn your hobby into something more but you might be asking yourself — can you really make money with a family photography business?!?
Let’s talk about one of the bigger questions that inevitably will come to mind when it comes to your photography business — let’s talk about money!
As a family photographer, the motivation that drives many of us is usually the love for photography. We are passionate about capturing beautiful moments and delivering them to our clients. However, just because this is a hobby doesn’t mean we can’t make money doing something we love.
Should you start a photography business? When should you transition to to full-time? How can you invest in growing your business?
These are some of the questions that will come up in your photography business journey. You might find yourself in one of these two scenarios:
1 | You are just beginning to dabble in taking photos for others and questioning if you could turn your hobby into something more. You might be wondering, how much money could you really make?
2 | You have an established photography business that you run as a side business. You might be considering the jump to full-time and you are wondering if you can really make money doing family photography.
Whatever brought you here and are motivating your questions, the answer to all of the above is yes! Yes, you can make money with a family photography business!
No one really ever wants to talk about money but it’s undeniably one of the biggest factors when making decisions about your photography business. This article is dedicated to answering your questions about what you can expect and what is possible with your family photography business.
Question 1 | Can you really make money with a family photography business?
Yes – you can absolutely make money with a family photography business! Many family photographers will doubt their growth capabilities when comparing themselves to wedding or studio photographers. Without those high ticket events, or security of year-round sessions, it can feel impossible to make a steady and healthy income. But this isn’t true.
When I first started I had the misconception that because photography was a hobby for me, there wasn’t any way to really make money. Let me tell you this now — I was wrong!
Families are valuing their family and newborn photos more than ever and are willing to pay for them. If you price your services appropriately, you can absolutely make money. The beauty of family photography is you don’t need to be gone every weekend or working 8+ hours for weddings. You also don’t have the overhead of a studio.
Question 2 | Is it possible to replace my full-time income?
This was a question that haunted me when I first started my business. Although I loved photography and the appeal of doing something I loved, I could never imagine my photography business measuring up to my full-time salary after 15 years in the corporate world. After a little bit of courage and a lot of faith, I made the leap just a little over 6 months after starting my business. My decision was based on a mix of reasons to be at home more with my two kiddos and I also had a nagging feeling that I could really make my business into something more if I had more time.
What I found as a result was exactly what I hoped. Yes, it is possible to replace your income with your family photography business. When you can invest the time into building a solid business and healthy client-base, it is possible to make a lot of money.
Now I’m not advocating for you to quit your job today. You need to have a strong business foundation built, a healthy client base, a positive outlook and the stability to allow your business the time it needs to grow.
Question 3 | How long does it take to build a business?
That’s a loaded question that will vary in so many ways. The honest answer is — it all depends. It depends on how much time, money and resources you are willing to invest! If you take the time to set up your business completely from the start, you are much more likely to see success earlier. If you are go “all in” and not just dip your toes, you will see results quicker.
The beauty of owning your own business is the ability to control the pace at which you build your business.
Question 4 | What are the keys to being profitable?
Photography businesses that are profitable are the ones that are built with a plan and a purpose. You need to have a strong foundation built for your business and after that, these are the keys that will ensure profitability:
- Charge appropriate and fair prices for your services.
- Keep your expenses low. This one is obvious but worth mentioning!
- Build a strong client base that is comfortable paying your prices and will happily refer you to others.
- Be willing to invest time in building your business.
- Invest in resources that will help grow your business.
All of these factors contribute to the speed at which you carve your path in your business.
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These are many of the questions photographers will ask themselves at one point or another in their business journey. “Making money” is a relative term in a sense but just know that yes, there is the opportunity for making a healthy amount of money doing family photography. The market for family photography is healthier than ever and there is plenty of opportunities to grow a photography business you love.
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