The 5 Best Business Advice I Got Early On

…and why minimizing your success isn’t humble but damaging

1. You take photos, you are allowed to say you are a photographer

When I started out as a professional photographer, leaving my days as a hobbyist behind me, I still struggled with the words “I am a photographer.” When people asked me what I do for a living, I said “I take photos and sell my prints,” “I try to build my business in photography,” “I try to take my photography to the next level”.

I listen to a lot of business-related podcasts. It was one particular podcast that stuck with me early on. The photographer who was interviewed said, “You take photos? You take money for it? You’re a photographer. Push yourself to say it each time, out loud, when asked. Tell everyone you are a photographer.” It felt weird at first, but it was one of the game changers.

Takeaway: Embrace your identity as a photographer and confidently share it with others.

2. It’s 90% business and 10% photography

The moment you realize you want to make photography your full-time job, this may feel like a bit of a setback to hear because, after all, all we want to do is go out into the world (or a studio) and shoot. Aren’t our photos enough to convince everyone that we are the photographer to hire? So, is it really 90% business and 10% photography? The answer is: yes. You offer a service, a service that many others are offering, and, unfortunately, the world didn’t just wait for you to finally make that decision to take photos for money.

It can feel quite discouraging when you start out with all that enthusiasm and very soon realize it takes a lot more to get that new client than posting a few photos per week on social media. Which leads me to my next point.

Takeaway: Embrace the business side of photography to truly succeed.

3. It’s all about consistency

It can feel daunting and like a long process to get that business running and to get to where you envision yourself. However, what sets you apart from everyone else who starts out, or definitely should, is consistency. It’s easy to want to open a business; it’s very hard to keep working on it despite the setbacks. Be consistent and you’ll get there. Really, you will!

Takeaway: Stay consistent, even when it’s tough, to achieve long-term success.

4. Don’t compare yourself

True story here: I started out with photography long before Instagram became this inevitable reminder that there are tons of creatives out there—lots of creatives that are so incredibly good! When it was just me and photography, my photography classes, my ideas, I think I was a great photographer.

It was when I decided to take photography to the next level that I started using social media to help boost my business. I soon realized that there are fantastic photographers out there, and that is when the doubts kicked in. I was focusing on their compositions, on their ideas, and their creativity. It was a downward spiral – and this is when I knew this has got to stop.

I started to turn seeing other photographer’s work into something positive. Rather than comparing, I started to learn from their photographs. What is it that I liked about their compositions, their ideas? Special thanks to Brandon, an absolute genius in the photography world, who inspired me to see things from a different perspective.

Takeaway: Learn from others but stay focused on your unique journey and style.

5. You think it’s gear that’s holding you back, but it’s you

I’ve stumbled upon this many, many times. Let me be frank: it took a second for me to realize that this is true because we all know that some specific gear will do some specific job we want to be done in some specific way. However, a lot of times we stand in our own way and block what’s in front of us: the shot we would have taken if we had had the right gear. In my humble opinion it is about your 1) lighting and b) composition that will make all the difference. The great gear is just the bonus – a bonus that should not prevent us from taking that shot we envisioned.

Takeaway: Focus on improving your skills and creativity rather than relying solely on gear upgrades.