The other night, my father-in-law and I were talking about the finer points of starting a business.  As a freelance writer, I am self-employed, and he owned his own office cleaning company for 20 years, so both of us are familiar with the things that need to be done in order to start a business.

If you are interesting in starting a photography business, of course the first thing to do is to make sure you know how to take professional pictures.  Here is a tutorial, but if you should also consider taking classes.  While you may be able to learn photography on your own via years of study and practice, if you are looking to start a business you need to learn it NOW.

Keep your receipts for any expenses, as you can and should deduct your business expenses from your gross income.  This includes the cost of classes, your camera, film and developing or memory cards (depending on whether your camera is film or digital), and even your camera bag.

Marketing is also very important when starting a business.  You have to have clients in order to make money, and you have to have a way of marketing yourself in order to get clients.  A website with a resume and portfolio is a must.  You may also want to look for websites, local coffee shops, etc. where you can showcase your photography.

Starting a photography business is actually the easy part — the real test is whether you can keep it going.  That will take more than just skill at taking pictures — you will need a strong business sense, dedication, and the ability to manage your business finances!

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