I have been photographing smiles since 2013. That’s ten years. Which is absolutely crazy! I am almost 29 years old and have a photography business. The younger, 10-year-old version of me would find that wild. There are a lot of things that I have learned over the years while running my own business. I hope to share some of those tips with you today, so if you’re looking to dive into the community, keep some things in mind.

10 – Stop Buying Everything Because You Think You Need It

Stop buying this because you think you need it. You don’t need to constantly upgrade your gear and never have a dime in your bank account. You don’t need to buy every preset because you see everyone is using it. After doing my taxes, for one year, I spent well over $3,000 on overlays, presets, and guides for all sorts of photography. Guess what I never used? Yeah, pretty much all of it except for the occasional overlay. It was a waste because that’s what I thought I needed to do. Everyone else was doing it…

I was told later in my career to save $10,000 before I started spending. It doesn’t have to be exactly 10K, but save a good chunk of change before you go crazy with equipment. Learn your camera so you know it like the back of your hand before your upgrade. Knowing how everything works and still not being able to get the results you want is when it’s time to upgrade. Like when I upgraded from my Nikon D750 and D610 to my previous D780 and Z6II. It was a rapid change (worth it), but I had my 750 for years before I knew it was time to upgrade. Now I have two Nikon Z6IIs, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

For the record, I started my business with a Nikon 5100 (Saved up all summer for it). Then I upgraded to the 7200 (thanks Mom & Dad), and held onto that until late 2018, when I finally got myself a full-frame D750. My backup was a D650 until the 780, and Z6ii came out.

9 – Defining your style comes with education

When starting your photography business, explore what you want your style to be. It doesn’t have to be dark and moody or light and airy. just because that is what is trendy.

People always ask in community groups, “How do you find your style?” I found images I liked, saw what they had in common, and started learning from educators with those styles. I learned from light and airy photographers, and my editing game changed dramatically. Knowing what I know about shooting for my style, I don’t shoot dark and moody. It’s a different mindset. It’s a different kind of lighting than I’ve trained myself for. So instead of spending more and more money on things I would never end up using, I did my research, educated myself, and was able to make smarter purchases for my business.

I consider myself a bright and bold photographer (kind of like Hope Taylor) because after analyzing my work, I realized what I loved and didn’t love. I wanted my style to match my personality by sticking true to my light & airy side (bright), while also touching on my moodier traits (bold).

8 – You Can Have Your Muggle Job and Side Hustle, Too

When I started my business, I was a sophomore in college. My friend Maggie asked me to do her senior headshots. And soon after, a few of my other friends asked, too. I got my first official full-time job at AccuWeather as a Video Producer in 2016 and worked there for 5 years. I still traveled and showed up for weddings. For some people, starting a photography business is a way to explore their creative side while also making additional income. For others, they are working their way to being a full-time photographer.

You can make a full-time income with a part-time business, too. Many people do that. For a long time, that was my goal. After working at WeightWatchers for a few years as an Associate Video Producer, my goals changed. Now as a full-time photographer, I can set my own schedule and freelance as a production coordinator. Some things really work out for the best.

My point is you do not have to have a full-time business if that’s not what you want. When I first started, I wished someone had told me that so I could have structured my business differently and adjusted my cost of doing business.

7 – Getting More Experience As A Wedding Photographer

I didn’t start shooting weddings until 2015 when I was a senior at Penn State. It was my first wedding, and there was so much I didn’t know. What I learned about the wedding photographer experience about 3 years into my journey was being a second shooter or a third shooter/assistant. I didn’t second shoot my first wedding until August 30, 2019. I did all of my own weddings up until that point by myself and without a lot of experience, even knowing how the day was supposed to go. Every time I second shoot, I learn so much from the lead, their clients, and the experience as a whole.

I wish I was able to second shoot and third shoot for people earlier on. Not only is it good practice for my portfolio, but every wedding is different, and I would have been prepared for so many more things. If you want to be a wedding photographer, before you start, try being an assistant for the day, helping with gear and observing the photographers.

Assisting the very talented Rebekah Emily many years ago, and that was a game-changer. I was able to observe her and her second shooter and ask her questions during the downtime. I carried bags and held lenses, and that is how I ended up falling in love with Magmod and Godox, the lightning equipment I use today.

When I first-second shot for AMM Photography, instead of having us separate and have me capture the grooms like typical second shooters, I followed her around all day so we were in the same place for the entire wedding. I highly recommend this method of second shooting when you’re first starting out. I captured 4 weddings with her in the fall of 2019, and they were the kind of clients I wanted. She got extra images without worrying about missing anything, plus I didn’t have to direct anyone. I accelerated my skillset so much.

6 – You Do Not Have To Have A Niche, But You Don’t Have To Do It All Either

As I mentioned above, I started as a senior photographer. While I don’t offer senior sessions nowadays, in addition to weddings, I do couples, headshots/portraits, sometimes families, and even some product shots on occasion.

Some photographers I know do maternity, birth, and newborn photography. Some people only do families. There are photographers that only do elopements and not full-length weddings.

There are a lot of people out there who say you HAVE to niche. And that really does work well for some. But being a jack of all trades can work, too. After you do your client’s engagement and wedding photos, they can come to you for maternity, newborn, and family portraits. That’s super cool.

When I began my journey, I really did think I had to do everything. So I bought newborn and family education and a whole bunch of things I never used (let alone opened.) I spent so much time trying to do everything that I was lacking in my technical skills thinking that I had to shoot every kind of client there was. I even ventured into burlesque and boudoir.

A photographer I know stopped doing weddings altogether because they are too much for her and her young family. Now she primarily captures seniors.

Do what feels right to you.

5 – Always Use A Contract, Even If It’s Free

Rachel Brenke from The Law Tog can tell you exactly why you need a contract and a model release. I will be honest; I didn’t start using one until about 2014 after several people had canceled on me. Why was it a big deal? I was a junior in college, and I worked part-time, mostly on weekends. So I requested off for different Saturdays, and I was canceled on at the last minute. No contract, no retainer, and no paycheck from my job.

Never again was I going to lose out on income for fair-weather clients. I got myself a contract and required it for every shoot from then on. Needless to say, contracts not only protect you but also your client. Model releases give you permission promote their image publicly. That is so important. Everything about a contract is important. Even if you aren’t being paid for a session, have them sign a contract. You will never, ever regret having a client sign a contract, but you will absolutely regret NOT having them sign one.

4 – It’s Okay To Ask For Help

For so long in my business, I thought that I had to do everything myself. Just because I am a small business and I started this company myself does not mean I have to run it alone.

Seriously. I’m going to say it again a little louder for the people in the back. It is okay to ask for help. Maybe you need help with copywriting your blogs because you find it absolutely dreadful. Or perhaps you’re looking for an editor to help you reach your gallery delivery deadlines when you’re booking non-stop. Whatever it is you need help with, there are so many amazing people out there who can help you.

When you start a photography business, there will be a lot of hustling to get the gears moving. Once you do start to get a feel for things, start delegating. You don’t have to have a full-time employee either. Maybe for the month of September, you are deep into the fall wedding season, that you need a social media manager to help keep up with a workload. Perhaps you only hire a private photo editor for big weddings and do the small sessions yourself. Just know that you do not have to do it alone. It’s your business.

3 – You can say no to people; it’s a complete sentence

As a people pleaser, I wish someone told me this sooner. In the beginning, you’re trying to get as much for your portfolio as you can. I definitely understand. I used to have friends model for me all the time for free. Or if someone had a fun crazy idea, I would say, “Sure let’s try it.” Most of the photos went unused because they didn’t fit with my brand or what I wanted to keep capturing.

Not every person is a potential client. Again, not every person is a potential client. There will be some people that you just don’t vibe with, or their vision isn’t something that you can deliver. Maybe they liked your prices but asked you to edit a completely different style. Or maybe someone is trying to take advantage of your kindness and get more out of you for free. No is a complete sentence.

Set boundaries for yourself and your business, and most importantly, stick to them. If you don’t offer discounts, don’t cave and give one so you can add to your portfolio. You are worth your price, your time, and you deserve to be treated with respect.

2 – Community Over Competition

Let’s be honest, the wedding photography community (and the community as a whole) is oversaturated with amazing photographers and wedding vendors alike. That doesn’t mean they are your enemy! Being friends with the “competition” has been so rewarding. Sometimes, I get to work with them as their second or vice-versa. Occasionally, if my friends are booked, whether we have similar styles or not, they will send their referrals my way, and I do the same! I have photog friends that I can go to for advice or questions, and sometimes we exchange branding or headshot sessions. I love having a network of people that I can rely on.

Quick story, way back when I was still renting a second camera before I owned one, something terrible happened and my rental never came. It was the night before a wedding and I reached out to one of my amazing local photographer friends. She let me borrow her spare camera and it saved me so much.

Befriend your fellow wedding vendors! DJs, videographers, wedding planners, venues, florists, etc. They are all your friends. I am now a preferred vendor at three venues (The Barn at Boone’s Dam, Northampton Country Club, and Green Valley Country Club) because I had an amazing time with their staff and I asked. It helped that they had space available on their list, but I asked and they said yes. Now I can shoot at some of my favorite venues with my ideal couples.

1 – Progress, Not Perfection

This one stings. I am a perfectionist with anxiety and ADHD. It took me 28 years to learn progress, not perfection. Every time I doubt myself or struggle with imposter syndrome, I have to keep that phrase at the top of my mind. No one is going to have their very first session or wedding come out like a magazine. No matter how much education you’ve consumed when you actually put the skills to the test, there is a learning curve.

I am a goal-oriented person, so I say, YAY, GOALS! Have those goals, dreams, and aspirations. Shoot for the freaking moon! (I say moon because when I graduated high school, my parents got me an engraved snow globe that said shoot for the moon because you’re already a star) But you must know that reaching your goal comes in baby steps. It also means accepting failure, challenges, and setbacks. Ouch, the perfectionist in me is struggling with even typing that.

Again for the people in the back, failure is okay! Make mistakes; that is how we learn! Even if you have a million sessions in a row, it’s okay that the million and first session isn’t your favorite. Some people’s progress looks like a straight line, and others are more wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey, or Jeremy Bearimy.

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Take it all one step at a time, and you’ll get where you want to be when you need to get there.

TM Grey Photo is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer, as well as a Private Editor in the New Jersey area. TM Grey Photo focuses on bright and bold stories and genuine smiles. Check out more weddings, portraits, and engagements in the gallery. Want TM Grey Photo to tell your story? Let’s chat.