I used to work as a graphic artist/marketing writer for a small consulting firm. Within that small company of 50ish people (I think, I can’t quite recall the exact number), there was a President, a team of consultants, a business office, a marketing department, a maintenance team, a web team, a receptionist, and a whole host of other departments and speciality positions.
Each of those departments held regular meetings. The company also held company-wide meetings.
Each of those departments had a job to do. And each of the individuals within the departments had multiple jobs to do.
Everyone was busy.
I quit and became a professional photographer. And I did what most photographers do: I started taking pictures …
and taking pictures,
and taking pictures,
and working on my picture-taking skills,
and then taking more pictures.
It made sense to me because, after all, I was a photographer now!
Years went by with me taking pictures and wanting people to come find me and support my BUSINESS. They trickled in, but my BUSINESS wasn’t succeeding. And by succeeding, I mean my BUSINESS wasn’t allowing for me to have the life I want to live.
It took a while, but one day, it dawned on me that my business was a one-department business. I thought about the company I used to work for and the different areas of the main office. I thought of the accountants, the schedulers, the web designers, the consultants, the secretaries, the assistants — and it suddenly dawned on me that until I treated my photography business like a BUSINESS — it wasn’t going to be as successful as it could be.
Yes, I’m a photographer. Yes, I LOVE taking pictures. But I run a BUSINESS.
Once I started focusing on all the other “departments” besides just “shooting” in my business, things started to change for the better.
If you’re looking to change your photography business for the better, a good place to start is by an analysis of your “departments”. Are some being neglected? Do you need to outsource one or more of them? Do you need training? The library and Amazon are both full of books that can help us all become better entrepreneurs.
So, yes, keep shooting. And shooting. And shooting! But remember, your photography business is a business. And the business side of things needs your attention, too!
Kate Callahan is an on-location child and family photographer based out of Hyde Park, NY. Her greatest passion is laughing along with little people and capturing their hearts with her camera. Kate worked as a graphic artist for a decade before finally discovering her passion for portrait photography. She’s spent the last eight years working full-time as a photographer while helping others find the courage and inspiration needed to build their own successful businesses.
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