The Business of Portrait Photography (Photography for All Levels: Advanced) [Paperback]

Tom Mcdonald (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0817436154 | ISBN-13: 978-0817436155 | Publication Date: July 1, 2002 | Edition: Revised

This manual on taking portrait photographs aims to provide all the tools, techniques and tactics to open a successful portrait studio or make a current studio all the more profitable. Professional portrait photographer Tom McDonald discusses the business strategies and provides photographic tips for surviving and thriving in this competitive field. There is advice on: selecting equipment; constructing a camera room; planning a promotion campaign; taking bridal and children's portraits; designing a price list; serving clients; creating vignettes; and more. This edition is revised and updated to include information on digital photography and its impact on the portrait business. It also contains the photographs and real-life case histories of 30 well-known portrait photographers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tom McDonald is a successful portrait photographer and business owner. He lives in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books; Revised edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817436154
• ISBN-13: 978-0817436155
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,460,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Insight..., November 3, 1998

By 

Jp Monahan Jr. "FleetwoodNH" (Nashua, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Business of Portrait Photography: A Professional's Guide to Marketing and Managing a Successful Studio, with Profiles of 300 Top Portrait Photogra (Amphoto's Business of Photography) (Hardcover)

The Business of Portrait Photography offers excellent insight for people considering entry into this exciting line of work. I am in the beginning stages of opening my own portrait photograhy business, and found the information in Mr.McDonald's book quite helpful and well-written. It is not easy to find photographers willing to share their experience with newcomers, and this book does exactly that. If you are curious about this field, I highly recommend this book.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an indispensable book on running a portrait business, October 23, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Business of Portrait Photography: A Professional's Guide to Marketing and Managing a Successful Studio, with Profiles of 300 Top Portrait Photogra (Amphoto's Business of Photography) (Hardcover)

This is easily the most helpful and practical book I have every read on operating a photography business.It doesn't just cover the "big picture", although it does that well, going into different philosophies, styles and approaches to business of different photograpers. It covers every practical aspect of the business, going into details other books don't bother mentioning. I wish I had read this book when I started my business it would have saved me a lot of time and money.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To the point! Filled with information, informative, September 21, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Business of Portrait Photography: A Professional's Guide to Marketing and Managing a Successful Studio, with Profiles of 300 Top Portrait Photogra (Amphoto's Business of Photography) (Hardcover)

Extremely enlightening. This book offerd much information for me. I'm not a beginner, yet not quite a professional, a book like this is capable of filling in the space between the two. The author also utilize the expertise of fellow professional photographers, making it a well rounded book. I must repeat this is definately an Excellent book, easy to read and understand, yet it offered a professioal perspective that did not try to "write over your head" definately a creation of love!