How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Photography Business - With Companion CD - ROM [Paperback]

Bryan Rose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Virtually anyone of any age in any location of the United States can start a highly successful photography business. Today the level of investment to get started is much less, thanks to the digital camera revolution. Armed with the right camera equipment, skills, and the necessary business knowledge, you can be in business, marketing your photography services in no time with the information in this extensive manual. With modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras, you do not even need a darkroom. You need only a fast computer and a photo-editing program. The best part is that you can start it quickly, earn a high income with a low investment, and even work from home if you prefer. This new book is a comprehensive and detailed study of the business side of establishing and running a photography business. Keep in mind it looks easy, but as with any business, looks can be deceiving. To avoid pitfalls, use this complete manual to arm yourself with everything you need including sample business forms, contracts, worksheets, and checklists for planning, starting, and running day-to-day operations. You will find dozens of other valuable, timesaving tools of the trade that every entrepreneur should have. While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a business name that will bring success, learning how to draw up a winning business plan (the Companion CD-ROM has the actual business plan you can use in MS Word TM), and selling and marketing your photographs and photography services on the Internet as well as locally. You will learn about copyrights, sales tax, cost control systems, a Web site, stock photo outlets to sell your work, and pricing issues. You will avoid trial by error when setting up equipment layouts, meeting legal and IRS requirements, and tapping into the best sales and marketing techniques. This book will even help you set up computer systems to save time and money and teach you how to hire and keep a qualified professional staff (if needed). If you enjoy meeting people, this may be the perfect business for you. You will learn how to do your own sales planning, customer service, track your competition, keep your own books, compile monthly profit and loss statements, and prepare taxes. You will become adept at media planning, pricing, and public relations. You will be able to work with models, market for weddings, birthdays, and corporate events; generate high profile public relations and publicity; and learn low cost marketing ideas and low cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales. You will learn how to keep bringing customers back and getting referrals the secret of continued success. This manual delivers literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to operate and streamline your business. Learn new ways to make your operation run smoother and increase performance, shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits. In addition, you will appreciate the valuable CD-ROM resource in your daily activities as a source of ready-to-use forms, templates, worksheets, business plan, surveys, letters, Web site resources, everything you will need to get up and running.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601380186
• ISBN-13: 978-1601380180
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,560,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good "decision-maker" book, June 9, 2011

By 

Irene Watson (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Photography Business - With Companion CD - ROM (Paperback)

Although this book specifically targets a photography business I found it most useful for other businesses as well. Whatever business one sets up there are certain principles and steps that must be taken. For example: writing a business plan, determining start-up equipment and costs, building the vision, setting up the business, and marketing. The gem in this book is that the first two sections discuss the life of a photographer and questions on why to start the photography business.

Both authors are photographers themselves so come from experience in the trade. Their writing is concise, simple, and valuable. It is written to a beginner with much understanding. I would recommend this book to anyone contemplating going on their own in the photography business. I believe the content of this book will either solidify the intent or convince the reader to move on to something else. Thumbs up on this one!

2.0 out of 5 stars A 20,000 ft view... and not a whole lot more., June 5, 2011

By 

Greg C. (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Photography Business - With Companion CD - ROM (Paperback)

I almost bought this book, but ended up getting it from the library. I'm glad I didn't buy it. It's really only good for a very high level overview. You can start your research with this book, but expect to be digging for details in a number of other places. This book is very light on specifics.

The files on the CD are very generic, just like the book. I was hoping to see a real example of a photography start-up business plan. Instead, what you get is a Word document with a bunch of placeholders... a template basically. There's also a sample invoice, which is also basically a template... like I haven't seen a generic invoice before.

The book is punctuated with "case studies" of successful photographers that read more like advertisements for the contributors than tips for success. Most of the "case studies" are not really relevant to the text they accompany. Why are they even in there?

In summary, my advice would be to save your money and look elsewhere. If you want to read this book for a high level overview, check your local library or thumb through it at a bookstore. This book is just not worth the money.

5.0 out of 5 stars Motivational, May 11, 2011

By 

D. Slay - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Photography Business - With Companion CD - ROM (Paperback)

The business plan and forms are a good foundation for starting and running a successful business. I have been an amateur photographer for a number of years, but didn't have the knowledge to make my hobby into a business. With this book, I found the resources available and the steps necessary to start a business.

The internet is such an important part of a successful business and I found the instructions and examples to be very helpful in that part of getting a business started. This book gives you the information you need and saves time and money in trying to research this information on your own. I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to start their own photography business.