Shoot portraits part-time
Portraits are a great way to earn money from your photography – we help you get started
If you enjoy shooting subjects that talk back, maybe it’s time you started making cash from your portraits. You don’t need much equipment if you start by taking outdoor portraits in natural light.
Any Canon DSLR will be up to the job, although the higher resolution of the latest models will give you the option of producing larger prints than some of the older models.
You also need to think about your lenses. While a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens that typically comes with crop-sensor Canons can produce great results, a wider-aperture standard zoom, such as the 17-55mm f/2.8, will allow you to achieve shallower depth of field than the f/5.6 maximum aperture at the longest end of most standard zooms. Another lens worth investing in is a 50mm f/1.8, as this will give you even shallower depth of field and allow you to shoot in low light without having to increase the ISO.
Stepping up to full-frame, again any Canon is capable of professional results with the right lens. The high-resolution models will give the option of huge prints, but even shots from an older camera, such as the original 5D, will print up to A3. When it comes to lenses the 50mm is a good starting point, but the focal length is a little too short for head-andshoulders shots. An 85mm f/1.8 gives more flattering results, or if you can live with the smaller maximum aperture, a 24-70mm f/2.8 or 70-200mm f/2.8 are versatile (if pricey) options.
People skills
Along with your photographic skills, taking successful portraits relies on your ability to get the best from the people you are shooting. There are many ways to do this, from cracking jokes to simply chatting with the subject to find out what their interests are. But the key skill is being able to put subjects at ease at the same time as you are shooting amazing images. This means that you need to be completely confident in your photographic technique, so you can concentrate on the person and not have to think about your composition or camera settings.
This ability comes naturally to some, but if your people skills don’t quite match your photographic ones then you’ll need to spend plenty of time practising this on any willing subjects (try friends or family) if you’re going to make it as a portrait photographer.
Getting the best out of your subject is only part of your job, though. If you’re going it alone as a portrait photographer you’ll also need to be able to sell yourself and your services before you can get the work and, depending on your business model, you may also need to sell the prints to the customer after the shoot in order to make money.
Find a style
From using available light and wide apertures to give a soft,
dream-like appearance, to underexposing the background and using off-camera flash to light the subject for a harsher, highcontrast look, the style of your images will have a huge influence on the success or failure of your business. Take a look at the images by many successful portrait photographers and you’ll notice that they will often have a particular style of shooting that is immediately recognizable. This recognizable style helps them attract clients who want that ‘look’, and also makes their images stand out from those of other portrait photographers. So look at your images and see if they share any particular style or technique, and try to make this a feature of your portfolio and business.
Identifying your style of portrait photography will also help you market and promote your services to the right type of customer. The light, informal look of shooting into the light and using flare, for example, won’t suit a customer looking for a more serious, business-style portrait, while the strong look of overpowering daylight with off-camera flash won’t appeal to many families or those looking for a brighter, lighter portrait to hang up at home.
Marketing matters
You’ve got the photography skills, and you’re great at getting the best from your models, but these alone won’t turn your portrait photography into a business if nobody knows about you. So you’ll also need to spend plenty of time promoting and marketing your services to make it successful. You can start by word of mouth, as even in this digital age there’s nothing like a personal recommendation to help get you clients. Then there are the traditional marketing tools such as business cards and leaflets. Although these aren’t as essential as they used to be it’s still worth having some made, particularly cards, as they are a great way of getting your name and details into the hands of potential customers.
These traditional methods can work well, but they will work much better if they are backed up with a professionallooking website and presence on social media. When it comes to using social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, if you already have a personal account then it’s possible to use this. But if this account is full of unprofessional images and comments you’ll need to set up separate accounts specifically for your business.
Pet photography
Along with traditional portrait photography, there’s also a
You need to be completely confident in your photographic technique, so you can concentrate on the person and not have to think about your settings
growing market for pet portraits, from cats and dogs to larger beasts such as horses. Along with a love for photographing animals, you’ll also need similar people skills to shooting normal portraits when dealing with the owner of the pet. This can often take a lot of patience, as you’ll have to be ready to deal with both a potentially unwilling subject and their owner!
How to charge
There are two typical business models when it comes to charging for portrait shoots. You can either charge a set rate for the sitting, which will include a set number of prints and digital files, depending on how long it will take, or you can charge a small (or zero) fee for the sitting and then charge extra for prints or digital files afterwards.
The single-fee model is best for those who like a consistent income from each portrait shoot. You’ll know beforehand how much money you will make, approximately how much time it will take, and don’t have to spend as much time ‘selling’ the prints to the client afterwards. You should have an agreement with the client about how many prints or digital images they would get for this fee, with an option to buy more on top of the basic fee. This approach is much simpler if you’re more interested in photography than selling, particularly if you are a ‘one-man band’.
The lower (or zero) fee plus charging for prints option is ideal if you are prepared to do a bit more selling to your customers. With this approach you’ll need to be confident of selling enough prints to make up the value of the time that you take for the shoot and any post-production. Not having to pay up front will appeal to many potential customers, so it’s a good way to get this type of client. But this can be time-consuming and not every photographer is happy with this more ‘high street’ approach to selling their images and time.
How much time will it take?
Setting up the initial elements of a portrait photography business will only take a few weeks in your spare time, but building it up to become genuinely successful and profitable will take much longer. It will usually take anywhere between six months and a year to get all of the elements in place to get regular bookings and for your marketing to have time to reach a good range of people.
Once you start taking bookings, most portrait shoots will take between two and four hours, plus travelling time if you go to them rather than having your own studio. On top of the shoot you’ll also need to factor in around the same time to sort through and process the images, and then finally some time to produce prints and package them. So, remember to take this extra time into account when you decide on your pricing structure, as for a simple two-hour shoot you could easily end up working an extra half a day or more.
How much can you make?
The prices charged for portrait photography can vary hugely, so you will need to assess your market, skills and expectations when deciding on a reasonable rate. If you are charging for your time, rather than just the prints, then you should be able to charge around £100 to £150 for a half-day at the lower end of the market. If you target higher-end customers then you’ll be able to charge more like £200 and upwards for a half-day rate.
There’s a similar range of prices when it comes to charging for prints, rather than a higher up-front fee. To cover your costs you should be looking at making at least 100 per cent on top of the material costs, so for a high quality 10x8-inch print you could charge around the £40 to £60 mark.