thinking of going pro

[kns55]

My wife and I have been talking lately about her starting her own photography business on the side. She does not know a lot about the equipment, but she is very good at setting up protraits and is often requested by friends and family. I am trying to research how much start-up costs would be and right now all she has is a Canon rebel XT. Obviously, this is not the best camera, but is it adequate to start, or would we have to invest in something better. I figure we would need a backdrop/stand, but what about lighting? We had a photographer come to our house that had two remote strobes. Is this something that is a necessity? Any advice would be appreciated.

[brucep]

Welcome to Photozo, kns55! What should we call you?

For starters, you'll want to get a business license (if it's legal to run a business in your home) and a resale number so you can charge state sales tax.

One issue you'll face is liability. You're liable for any business client who comes into your home (does your homeowner's policy cover business clients?) and for any damage you do when you enter their home. When you offer to do a family portrait, for instance, and you photograph a family reunion and then when you see them on your computer (and everyone has flown home) that they're not sharp enough to print, you could be found liable for having to fly everyone back (that happened to at least one wedding photographer). So liability insurance is a must.

You won't be taken seriously unless you're in the AT&T Yellow Pages, so create an ad for the phone book.

Every piece of equipment you have has to have a backup because everything fails at one time or another. It pays to have your backups as identical to the original as possible. (My Canon 20D made a really poor backup for my 5D because the difference in sensor size changed all of my lens' focal lengths!)

For individuals and small portraits, I love using just two hot shoe flashes (in softboxes) combined with available light (using available light for fill and background light), but if you may get to a job and find those two flashes (and your backups) just aren't up to the job and that you'll need more powerful (studio) lights (plus a flash meter). Usually four lights is a standard portrait setup (main, fill, hair, background)... plus your backups.

You'll need light stands and booms for your lights (plus backups, remember), and bags/cases/carts to carry all of this gear, too.

You'll want to insure all of this gear, too. When you're a pro, your homeowner's policy won't cover it.

I'd strongly suggest that anyone turning pro join their local professional photography group (PPofA chapter in the U.S.). You'll be amazed at how much you'll learn in that organization!

Will you take credit cards? You nearly have to in order to be in business. You'll need to set that up.

Do you have a web site to show your work? These days every business needs one... it's a wonderful extension of your business cards.

You'll need a logo, business cards, letterheads, etc. in order to look professional, too.

These are just my first thoughts. Please use our Search button, above, and see what others have had to say about turning pro.

Post some of your work in your free Photozo gallery!

Again, welcome aboard.

[Delvcaem]

Excellent, Bruce. That really puts it into perspective too. You should have all that in a macro

Welcome and good luck to all kns55

[kns55]

Thanks for the warm welcome bruce. You can call me Nathan. You give a lot of good information. As far as backups, I would imagine that my wife would start out slow and as money picks up, she'll have to invest in back-ups. But until we know if she can be relatively successful at photography, I don't think buying duplicates of everything would be wise. What about the camera? Is the Canon Rebel XT sufficient, at least to start?

[brucep]

As long as you don't go to high ISO's, your current camera (even an older 350D... which would make a good backup) should work fine. It's the lenses which will make the difference. If you shoot through cheap lenses (and/or cheap filters), your work won't look its best when printed.

High quality zoom lenses (variable focal lengths) work well. For portraits, you're probably aware that mild telephotos with large maximum apertures are best. That focal length depicts a subject from about the same perspective as we're used to seeing them. The next time you're kissing your wife, open your eyes and you'll realize why we don't use wide angle lenses in portraiture. Her nose will seem HUGE in relation to her chin, etc. Large apertures, naturally, give a shallow depth of field, emphasizing the subject in relation to the blurred background.

For larger groups in cramped quarters, you'll want a wider lens, of course (I avoid it wherever possible, but sometimes you can't). Just make sure the heavier people aren't near the edges of the picture.

Remember, you're recording light. The better you can manipulate that light, the better your photos.

Buy a sturdy, compact stepladder 3-4 feet tall. Shooting from that height will remove any double chins.

Stick around here. Anyone who has, including myself, has seen their photography improve a lot because there are so many great people here willing to share their information and experiences.

________________________

Additional comment:

When I hire a plumber, I go to some effort to make sure someone's home and that there's nothing in his way, etc., and the reason I hire a pro is when he says he'll fix it, HE HAS TO. There's a thing in the law about a "reasonable expectation of service." (It's called something like that.) The same is true when a photographer is hired. The reason we hire a pro is that person will get the job done, NO MATTER WHAT. There are no excuses.

[kns55]

Bruce, thanks for all the info, you've been a great help. Is the lense that came with the camera (18-55mm) considered cheap?

[brucep]

I don't own that lens. I'm hoping others, maybe Glenn (Cadwell), our Lens Guru, will hop in here and give you a good answer.

[MIKEZILLA]

kns55, you should put some of your work in your gallery here. i'd love to see some of your images.

[brucep]

Here's a review of your kit lens from Bob Atkins on Photo.net:

The 18-55/3.5-5.6 is a very good lens for $100. It's weaknesses show up at the ends of its zoom range (18mm and 55mm), especially in the corners of the frame when used wide open where resolution and contrast can be rather poor. To get decent sharpness in the corners requires stopping to f8 at 18mm or f11 at 55mm...

That doesn't sound to me as if it will deliver professional quality images (since that's what we're speaking of) under a broad variety of lighting situations. At f/8 you're not going to have a very blurry background/foreground, and you're going to be using pretty slow shutter speeds if you're in open shade or (my favorite "available" portrait light) right after the sun has gone down.

[kns55]

I just found that review as well. I will be researching new lenses.

[Titus]

I don't know where you live in the USA but here in the midwest professional photographers are going bankrupt or quitting at an alarming rate. Just last week, a photographer friend of mine filed for bankruptcy which in and of itsef isn't all that earth shattering (unless it was you or me!) but this guy has been in business for about 35 years and has a list of photographic awards and credentials as long as your arm. He is a master craftsman and a master of electronic manipulation (Professional Photographer's of America designations) so he is not some "Johnny come lately" GWC who doesn't know what "take a meter reading" means. He has had at least two images in recent memory that scored 100 at national PPA judging and has taught Super Mondays for years! He was rated the "best photographer in the state" eight years in a row. He was the president of the same state's PPA affiliate several years ago.

Another friend who has been in business about 30 years says his business is off by about 75% in the past two years. He has listed his building with a realtor and is going to move his living room furniture around at home for any in studio type of shooting.

I'm not trying to be negative just informative.

Titus