The prevalence and importance of social media in the present-day means that high-quality photographs are more important than ever. And while anyone with a smartphone can claim to be a photographer and freelance, the reality is that photography is a skill that people are willing to pay good money for.
So, if you have an eye for snapping stunning photographs and want to turn your hobby into freelancing success, here are seven ways to start earning money as a freelance photographer.
Decide on Your Specialism
Photography is an extremely broad industry to operate in, with so many niches that you can opt for. For instance, you might market yourself and your talents in some of the following ways:
- Abstract photography of landscapes, cityscapes, and various other mediums
- Portrait photography services
- Event photography – weddings, parties, etc.
- Industry-specific photography – travel, food, arts, sports, etc.
While it’s perfectly fine to crossover between various niches, it’s important to know how to position and market yourself, as this will help you find and connect with clients. If you cast your net too broadly, it will be difficult to attract clients from any particular section of the market.
Get the Right Equipment
While it’s perfectly possible to curate a stunning Instagram profile with little more than the latest iPhone, if you’re serious about developing a career as a freelance photographer, you need to invest in some professional equipment. Naturally, you will need to buy a high-quality camera that serves the needs of your specialism, but it’s also important to subscribe to an editing platform like Adobe Photoshop so you can personalize and edit the photos that you take for your clients.
Develop a Portfolio
Once you’ve decided on what you want to photograph, you need to set about developing a portfolio that consists of relevant images to entice your clients. In the early days of your career as a freelance photographer, consider approaching family and friends and asking them to hire you for free or at a significantly reduced rate. This will allow you to get some experience in the field, and you can then upload the snaps to your portfolio.
It’s entirely up to you how you manage and market your portfolio, but we would recommend building a website and then promoting your images via Instagram, as we explain below.
Create a Profile on Instagram
Even if you already have a personal Instagram account, we’d recommend setting up one that is specifically for your photography. This is important for developing your brand, and it will ensure your clients can see examples of your work without having to look through your personal photos. And while other social media platforms can help you promote your work as a photographer, Instagram is undoubtedly the best. Just make sure that you keep your personal and professional accounts separate and update them regularly to impress your followers.
Connect with Your Audience
Once you’ve set up your website and started sharing your work via social media, it’s time to connect with your audience. How you do this is entirely up to you, but ensuring you develop a strategy to connect with potential clients is super important. For instance, you could try the following techniques to engage with your Instagram followers:
- Develop a social media strategy that combines informative and promotional posts, so your followers know what photography service you offer.
- Consider offering limited-time discounts to new clients that you sporadically promote via Instagram.
- Utilize the various tools on Instagram – like highlights, stories, and reels – to promote different aspects of your photography business.
- Schedule a giveaway or competition that will see you provide the winner with something relating to your business for free.
Connecting with your audience and followers on social media is an excellent way of expanding your potential client base and will enable you to grow your business organically, so be sure to develop a suitable strategy.
Sell Your Images
To become a successful freelance photographer, you will need to decide how to sell your images. Fortunately, there are so many platforms that you can use to promote and sell your work, including:
As a freelance photographer, you can sell your images on multiple platforms. And while you won’t make a fortune on these sites, it will get your name out there and will help you find clients in different places.
Launch Your Profile on RadialHub
RadialHub is the perfect platform on which to find clients as a freelance photographer. Regardless of your specialism, you will find people who are willing to pay for your photography service. Before you set up your profile, be sure to conduct some research into what other freelancers charge within your niche so that your prices are competitive and appropriately positioned.
The bottom line is that if you have a talent with a camera in your hand, then you can absolutely turn your passion into a career. We hope you now have the inspiration you need to start your career as a freelance photographer and can begin earning money by doing something that you truly love.
