How to Start a Photography Business
Pye Jirsa
Lessons
Class Introduction
13:12 2Common Myths & Unknown Truths
11:42 3The Road Ahead
13:03 4Find Your Passion
06:06 5The Lin & Jirsa Journey
13:54 6Part-time, Full-time, Employed, Partners?
03:51 7Stop Wasting Time & Money
06:07 8Your 12 Week Roadmap
04:33Great Plans Still Fail
06:01 10Strategy Vs. Planning
04:16 11Mind Mapping
07:25 12Select a Focus
14:16 13Competitor Research
09:34 14S.W.O.T. Analysis
13:54 15Strategy & Long Term Goals
03:50 16Values, Vision & Mission
27:49 17Effectively Managing Your Time
15:05 18Artistic Development
07:30 19Create Your Plan
13:12 20What's Your Product
10:51 21Luxury vs Consumer Products & Experiences
11:44 22Quick Break for Econ 101
16:31 23Your Target Market & Brand Message
21:25 24What's in a Name
09:20 25Your Client 'Why'
05:43 26Crafting the Why Experience
24:17 27Document the Client Experience
08:29 28Business Administration Basics
27:03 29Book Keeping Management
06:51 30Create the Logo & Branding
07:04 31Portfolio Design
15:11 32Design Your Services & Packages
18:51 33Pricing Fears & Myths
08:46 34Three Pricing Methods
25:39 35Package Pricing Psychology & Design
06:15 36Psychology of Numbers
07:29 37Pricing Q&A
23:51 38Grass Roots Marketing
09:36 39The Empty Party
07:03 40Friends & Family Test Shoots
16:28 41Join Groups
04:32 42Second Shooting Etiquette
07:44 43The Listing & Classified Hustle
14:10 44Make Instagram Simple
13:55 45Your Automated Pinterest Plan
08:01 46Facebook Because You Must
07:37 47Giveaway & Styled Shoots
12:17 48Content Marketing & SEO
08:12 49The Monster: SEO
07:26 50Selecting Your Keywords
05:45 51Testing Your Keywords
07:53 52Grouping Main & Niche Goals
12:39 53Your Content Road Map
11:47 54Content Marketing Q&A
10:45 55Inspiration to Keep Working
07:45 56How to Craft Your Content
15:03 57Internal Linking Basics
05:30 58Back Link Building Basics
04:55 59Link Value Factos
14:38 60Measuring Link Value
04:24 61Link Building Strategy & Plan
06:10 62Link Building Plan: Vendors & Guest Writing
06:45 63Link Building Plan: Features, Directories, Comments
03:11 64Link Building: Shortcuts & One Simple Tool
14:44 65What is Sales? Show Me!
12:58 66Your First Massive Failure
05:17 67The Sales Process
07:31 68Your Second Massive Failure
05:23 69Understand Buyer Psychology
10:00 70Step 0: Building Rapport & Trust
15:14 71Step 1: Identify Need or Want
15:39 72Cognitive Dissonance
12:01 73Steps 2 & 3: Value Proposition & The Solution
14:21 74Step 4 : Close, Make the Ask
04:32 75Step 5: Follow Up & Resolve Concerns
06:13 76Family Photography Hot Seat
12:06 77Business Example Hot Seat
15:52 78Boudoir Photography Hot Seat
16:09 79The Best Sales Person
07:45 80Your Mindset, Vibrations & Frequency
06:56 81Always Positive, Always Affirming
11:55 82The Second Money & Dual Process
07:39 83Chumming the Price Waters
03:57 84Creating Want or Scarcity
09:54 85Timeless Advice on Being Likable
11:53 86Selling Over The Phone
10:59 87Forbidden Words in Sales
11:40Class Description
The content and opinions expressed in this course are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem
Short on time? This class is available HERE as a Fast Class, exclusively for CreativeLive subscribers.
AFTER THIS CLASS YOU’LL BE ABLE TO:
- Start a photography business
- Develop the ideal business structure and business plan
- Research competitors and the market in your area
- Build a short-term and long-term strategy
- Create a marketing plan and marketing materials on a budget
- Confidently conduct an in-person or phone sales session
- Manage small business tasks from accounting to strategy
ABOUT PYE'S CLASS:
Professional photographers aren't just people with a knack for photography and a good camera -- because launching a small business on nothing but passion is a sure-fire way to fail spectacularly. Layer business savvy, marketing know-how, professional grit and more onto your existing passion and learn how to start a photography business. Take your hobby, vision, and creativity and build a career -- whether you are looking to run a full-time business or just a side gig.
Led by a photographer that's also a certified public accountant, Pye Jirsa, the class teaches the ins and outs of launching a photography business from the ground up. Along with three full days of instruction, Pye shares a 12-week plan to get your business up and running, a business expense calculator and more inside the class workbook. Understand what gear and skills you need before you launch and how to build a portfolio by photographing family members or organizing a stylized shoot.
Stop feeling overwhelmed by the monumental task and tackle one task a day in a 12-week plan. Brainstorm names for your business and learn the different types of business licenses available. Secure a domain name and build a website that's easily searchable. Develop a marketing plan with little investment. Master in-person sales and book your first session.
Whether you want to venture out in portrait photography, commercial work or any other client-based type of photography, learn the "business" in photography business with Pye Jirsa.
WHO THIS CLASS IS FOR:
- Photographers ready to launch a business
- New professional photographers looking to grow a young business
- Photographers interested in working in weddings, portraits, newborns, maternity, families, seniors, engagements or commercial photography
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
Pye Jirsa is a wedding photographer with Lin & Jirsa photography -- but besides running a successful photography business, he also has a background in accounting, creating the perfect blend for teaching the ins and outs of running a photography business. Along with working as a photographer and educator, Pye is also one of the founders of SLR Lounge, an online resource for photographers.
Learn from a founder of a photography business that photographs more than 300 weddings a year. Pye's Los Angeles and Orange County wedding photography business has been named among the top 100 wedding photographers by Brandsmash.
Summary (Generated from Transcript)
This class focuses on how to start a photography business. Students will learn about various aspects of starting and operating a photography business, including getting clients, developing their product, marketing effectively, and sales techniques. The class emphasizes the importance of focusing on one area of photography, but also notes that the content is applicable to all genres.
Summary: This class focuses on the foundations and strategies for starting a photography business. Students will learn about topics such as administration basics, bookkeeping management, branding and logo design, portfolio design, pricing, grass roots marketing, social media marketing (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest), search engine optimization (SEO), and content marketing. The class emphasizes the importance of creating a strong brand identity, building relationships with clients and vendors, and utilizing marketing tools to attract and retain clients.
Benefit: By learning about the topics in this class, students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully start and manage a photography business. They will learn how to effectively document the client experience, create standard operating procedures (SOPs), manage bookkeeping and finances, design a logo and brand, curate a portfolio, set pricing and packages, market their business using social media platforms, optimize their website for search engines, and create valuable content to attract and engage their target audience. These skills will help students establish a professional and profitable photography business.
Frequently Asked Questions about starting a photography business:
What are the important steps to take before starting a photography business?
Should I run the business on my own or with a team?
What aspects of business administration should I consider for a photography business?
Should I register copyrights for my photographs?
How can I protect my business and personal assets?
How do I transition from a sole proprietor to an LLC?
How do I pay myself a salary as a photographer?
What contracts and legal documents should I have to protect my business?
How can I obtain model releases for underage models?
How often should I review my company's financial statements?
How can I track time and revenue for employees?
How can I make informed business decisions using financial statements?
Should I do my own bookkeeping as a business owner?
How can I create an effective logo and brand for my photography business?
What format should my SOPs be in and where should I store them?
How frequently should I update my SOPs?
How can I build a strong online presence for my photography business?
How can I optimize my website for search engines (SEO)?
How can I use social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to market my photography business?
What should be included in a photography portfolio and how can I design it effectively?
What are some effective strategies to engage potential clients on my photography website?
How can I create scarcity in my photography business to generate more desire for my services?
What are some techniques to develop charisma and likability as a photographer?
How can I improve my phone communication skills when speaking with potential clients?
What are some forbidden words in sales and how can I replace them with more appropriate language?
How do I handle price objections from potential clients?
How can I encourage potential clients to respond to my phone calls if they don't recognize the number?
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Armstrong Su
This class and materials are to the point and eye-opening on the business side of photography. Pye Jirsa is an amazing and fun teacher as well! Most photographers need more business classes offered to bring us who love to create art back to reality for a more successful business that makes a living on it's own. This course will definately get you started in the right direction and so cheap too! Great investment! armstrong outdoor tv case outdoortvcase Pye Jirsa is one of the best instructors that I have the pleasure to learn from. He and his team have given me so much more than they'll ever realize. Knowledge, wisdom, training, friendship, mentoring, inspiration, joy... I cannot thank Pye enough for changing my life for the better. I owe them more than they'll ever realize. Thank you, Pye Jirsa!!!
Angela Sanchez
This class has been an eye opener for me; a point of change in my vision as photographer. Pye is and AMAZING, INSPIRING, GENEROUS instructor, with an, authentic desire to help people and to share with them the best of his knowledge. I will not have enough words to say thanks to Pye Jirsa, as a teacher and as a human being, and thanks to Creative Live who allows us to benefit from the experience of such a knowledgeable, educated, well-versed photographer and instructor. 1000% recommended!
Yenith LianTy
Been following this guy forever. Pye Jirsa may be well known in the wedding & portrait photography world and if there is something that this guy knows it is how to create a business, a sustainable one. The workbook he provided is comprehensive, and I honestly wish I had this when I first started out as a photographer! I love that he talks about his failures, keeping it real and honest for anyone starting out. He is definitely one of the best instructors around, super humble, down to earth and with a sense of humor to boot. The course is worth it! THE WORKBOOK is AMAZING! SUPER DETAILED!