1. Invest in a good camera 

Investing in a quality camera is key if you want to work as a professional photographer. There are many camera brands to choose from, but when you are looking to sell your photography, you want a camera with high ISO capability and the ability to shoot high-resolution files so the images can be printed to a high quality.

Budget is, of course, a factor but consider buying from a trusted second-hand camera seller such as MPB. If you are unsure which brand to purchase and which lenses you should be considering, join local camera clubs or Facebook communities and ask about options before you invest. (You are welcome to join my FB community here if you want some advice).

I shoot on a mirrorless Sony A7iii having recently upgraded from the Canon 5d mark iii.

2. Learn the photography jargon

The shutter speed, aperture, and focal length are all good places to start when understanding the fundamentals of camera jargon. This will help you to understand the exposure triangle and will significantly improve how well you use your camera.

 What is aperture?

The aperture is the hole in the lens through which light enters the camera body. F/stop is another name for the aperture settings. A smaller f/stop number corresponds to a wider or bigger aperture, letting in more light and creating that lovely background blur. A smaller opening or smaller aperture has a larger f-stop number.

What is Shutter Speed?

The shutter’s open length is referred to as the shutter speed. It matters because more light can enter the camera when the shutter is open for longer. It’s measured in the whole or parts of a second

What is ISO?

ISO describes how sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light. The higher the ISO, the better your camera can see in the dark.

4. Build your photography portfolio

When you first start out, gaining experience can be a real challenge. One strategy is to speak to local photographers and ask if you can shadow or shoot alongside them, but please try not to be offended if they say no! Many professional photographers will want experienced second shooters with them rather than those still learning, especially wedding photographers.

If you cannot find local photographers to work alongside, you can run casting calls for subjects to photograph. It is usual for photographers to supply some or all of the images in exchange for the subject modelling for them, and this is a great way to build your confidence and also experiment with new techniques.

One tip is to ensure that you are clear with the model, where and how the images will be used and what they will receive as a thank you. Ideally, you also want a model release form, which can be purchased from Harmony & Blue. 

You can use code NM2514 to get £25 off any of their photography contracts. 

6. Always carry your camera with you 

Practice, practice , practice! They key to gaining confidenc in your photography skills is to pick the camera up as much as possible. 

You won’t be able to use what you’ve learned if you don’t practise it as much as you can, regardless of how many classes you take, photo groups you join, or online courses you take.

Try and make it a habit to carry a small camera wherever you go and set aside time to hone your skills. You never know when the perfect opportunity to catch the moment may come up, and you might even get to take some fantastic photos. 

You will also find your confidence grows as you learn to see the light better and understand how to create the best image from any given circumstance. I often take my camera on dog walks and trips into big cities to keep working on my core camera skills. 

8. Work out your photography pricing 

Calculating what to charge your clients when you start can seem very daunting, especially if you are still learning your craft and portfolio building. 

A good place to begin is defining your target salary – you can then work backwards to see how many shoots you could take in a week/month and, therefore, what you need to charge to hit this target. I suggest you allocate 1 day to editing and marketing for every day you plan to shoot. You also need to consider when you first start that you will be building your client base, so you may not have as many shoots booked as you would in 1-2 years.  

You also need to factor in other fixed and variable costs as this will come off your bottom line profit – this will include camera equipment, training, subscriptions (such as a trade membership, photoshop, an online gallery system) and insurance.  

If you would like any support building your photography business plan, I offer 1-2-1 mentoring, and details can be found here 

10. Work with a professional print lab  

My final piece of advice is to start working with a professional print lab once you have clients. Professional quality prints are frames are very different to printing online and in a supermarket in regard to paper quality and colour reproduction. 

There are lots of great labs in the UK that will often offer samples of prints (and sample sales of frames and albums) and I choose to work with Digitalab who are based up in Newcastle.  I know the team down to the guys who actually produce and check the frames and they offer superb advice on what are the right products for my photography. 

Maggie Robinson from the Tog Academy 

Do you want to master in-person sales? Maggie runs a successful photography studio and trains photographers to grow their product sales

Dog Photography training

Jessica McGovern from that Tog Spot

A master at all things dog photography related Jess runs an online membership to help grow your photography and your business