What I Wish I Knew About Going Full Time as a Photographer

The path to becoming a full-time photographer can be a winding one if you don’t know the steps to take to get there.

Dreaming of going full time as a successful photographer? Many photographers spend years guessing their way, spinning their wheels hoping that they’ll gain some traction. 

This was me 5 years ago, after I decided to go all-in on my photography business. I was taking any clients who would pay me, and was desperate to fill my calendar and pay my bills. I felt like I tried literally everything to grow my business: watched all the youtube videos, googled furiously during my free time, and stalked other photographers on Instagram. It wasn’t until I hired a mentor who had successfully done what I was envisioning that I saw real growth in my business! I’ve since hired many mentors and coaches and refined my system to full time photography success that has proven to work for other photographers too! 

Fast forward to the current day, I am a thriving full-time photographer averaging $2k for each portrait session and working with my dream clients. I’ve compiled some of the most important insights I wish I had known about being a full-time photographer!

Your photos aren’t the reason you’re not booking clients.

I wish someone told me that the success of my business isn’t directly related to my skills as a photographer. If you’re not booking clients, it’s likely not because you lack talent or skill.

There are two main reasons why photography skills alone aren’t indicative of business success: 

1. There are so many talented hobbyist and professional photographers in this world, and most people have either a dslr or iPhone camera at their disposal. In our current day, most people can take beautiful photos with the click of a button. So, your photography business isn’t just about the photos you take or your photography skills, but rather about the unique experience you offer.
   
   
2. Even with the most gorgeous photos, tasteful editing, and the best camera skills, without effective marketing strategies, ideal clients may never see your work. In order to reach potential clients, you have to look beyond photography mastery and develop strong business systems. Marketing allows your work to be viewed by a larger audience, which builds awareness of your brand. A solid sales system helps you to bring them from that initial awareness to booking a session with you. The reason you aren’t booking clients may have little to do with your photos, and more to do with needing to develop these systems!

You are the CEO of your business.

In order to grow a successful business, you need to think like a business owner. You’ll need to expand beyond your creative skills, and shift your mindset from thinking and acting like a “small business photographer” to making strategic decisions like a CEO of a big company. 

As creatives, it’s easy to fall into the role of artist, so it’s important to make a conscious effort to shift your mindset to boss-mode! When you make this mindset shift, your behaviors will follow, and your business will start running like a successful company.

Having a successful photography business means being a professional salesperson.

The reality is that as a photographer (or really any business) offering both services and products, being skilled in the art of selling is important. The goal of a photography business is to book photography gigs to make an income, which is essentially selling clients your photography service and photos. Photographers need to get good at selling in a few areas in business: booking clients and closing the deal, and selling artwork or products. This didn’t click for me until a few years into my business, but when I started practicing and excelling in these two areas of sales, my business grew exponentially (and so did my confidence)! 

Now, you may be thinking “salespeople are sleazy and bad…I didn’t start my business to sell things to people, I did it to create art for people,” and I totally get it! The idea of selling often has a negative connotation. In reality, selling is a neutral construct. You are exchanging a good or service for money. If you’re getting paid for your services, you’re already doing it! Getting really good at selling is only going to allow you to create and serve even more people! I challenge you to work on neutralizing this concept, so you can step into your potential as a successful full-time photography business owner.

There is no substitution for hard work. (Thomas Edison)

In a time when most people want instant gratification, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that success can come instantaneously. Everyday on social media we’re seeing people selling this fairytale of effortless transformation, and I’m sorry to be the one to say that there is no magic pill for long-term success. When you understand that the path to full time photography takes hard work, and you’re willing to invest time, energy, and resources into your business, you will create the right atmosphere and conditions for growth. I’m not saying success can’t come quickly, because by investing your resources in the right places, you’ll have yourself a whole lot more time and energy spent. However, real, long-lasting growth takes time. I strive to help photographers lay a strong foundation to build a fortress of a business, not just a house of cards that is going to blow over with the slightest breeze. 

Going full-time in your photography business is an achievable reality!

When I first started my business, I remember feeling discouraged, wondering if full time photography success was even possible. In fact, for most photographers, the odds of success are not favorable – 60% of photographers close doors within 1 year, and 85% within 3 years.

However, with the right strategies and tools, it is possible to create a fulfilling and successful full time photography business! I am living proof, and I’ve helped other incredible photographers achieve their full time income goals as well. If you want to beat the odds, my biggest piece of advice is to keep going, invest in the right tools and knowledge, and be willing to work hard for your dream!

My name is Taylor White, a newborn and family photographer based in Spokane, Washington. When I’m not helping my clients with a full service luxury experience, I am helping photographers reach their full time business goals and book dream clients through my proven client attraction system.

After over five years in the industry, I’ve come to know that full-time photography success comes down to a combination of seven main components: 

Mastering all seven areas of business helps to skyrocket photographers into full time photography success. Going full time in your photography business is more than possible with the right tools and skills, and the freedom that comes with it is rewarding! 

The Full-Time Photography Blueprint

If you’re a photographer who wants to scale your business to $60k or more per year, I share all my proven systems that I used to go full time and serve dream clients in my photography business in my signature program: the Full-Time Photography Blueprint! 

If you have been wanting to create a life of freedom, passion, and joy by finally stepping into your photography business full time, this was made for you!

If you found this helpful, I would love to connect with you on the ‘gram, where I share useful tips and strategies for going full time in photography. 

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