Did you know that more than one in four Americans have a side hustle?
These days, having a full-time job doesn’t always cut it. While taking on a part-time job can be stressful and leave you with little room in your schedule, there are more flexible options such as becoming a freelance photographer.
Has photography always been one of your passions and you’re hoping to use it to make some extra cash?
Let’s take a look at how to become a freelance photographer.
The First Step of How to Become a Freelance Photographer: Purchase Your Equipment
If you’re planning on becoming a photographer, you’ll want to invest in some good equipment. To start, you’ll definitely need a camera, lenses, and a flash, as well as editing software. Depending on your niche (real estate, portrait, etc.) you might want to prioritize a few other pieces of equipment like diffusers, reflectors, and lights.
Learn the Basics
If you want to know how to become a professional photographer, you’re going to want to learn more than the basic point and shoot. Consider taking photography for beginners class online or at a local school. Mastering the editing software is also an important step in the process.
Want to make sure that your photography isn’t stolen and used by other people? You can read more here about art licensing.
Set Up Your Website
Once you’ve got the basics down, you’ll want to build a website. Online marketing will be an important part of how you land photography jobs, and your website is the hub of your internet presence.
Build Your Portfolio
You’ll need a strong portfolio in order to get some clients. It’s a good idea to do some work for free when you’re first starting out, as this can help you build your portfolio.
Get Your First Clients
Finally, it’s time to get some clients. It’s a good idea to start writing a blog to help boost your SEO and to help you attract new clients. Consider learning the basics of digital marketing so that you can make sure people can find you in the crowded world of the internet.
Becoming a Photographer: Is It the Right Move For You?
If you’re wondering how to become a freelance photographer, it’s a good idea to consider what it means to work for yourself. While there are a lot of freeing aspects to not having a set schedule, there are also some unique challenges.
You will need to hustle to find clients and make sure that you are delivering to them a product that they are happy with. This can be a great side gig at first because you can do it in your free time and determine whether or not it’s the right path for you. If you end up building up a big client base and are booking plenty of gigs, you might even be able to quit your day job!
Did you find this article on becoming a photographer helpful? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more awesome content!
