Start up a photography business

This is the side of our photography where we lack a little knowledge. As you have worked in this industry as a freelance photographer for many years Steve perhaps you'll be willing to give us a business lecture one Saturday morning and share your knowledge with tips and tricks of setting up a photography business

I found this site on the Internet which has given me loads of business advice and information to help me to start up my own business

http://www.startaphotographybusiness.co.uk

Photographer's Insurance

When setting up a photography business one of the very first and most important things to put into place is photographer's insurance 

When setting up in business, there are a number of potentially unforeseen costs that can crop up. These will obviously vary depending on the nature of the business involved and the work that will be undertaken.However, if you are setting up a photography business you will almost certainly need some sort of business insurance.

Photographer Insurance

Business insurance comes in many different forms; again, the most suitable type for you will depend on your individual business model. However, when running a photography business there are a number of elements that should be considered from the outset.

In the first instance, basic photographer’s insurance is a must. You will need to at least insure your equipment; if this is lost, stolen or damaged, not only will you lose the value of the equipment itself, but your business will no longer be able to function. As such, equipment insurance is something that you must be prepared to pay for.

There are a number of companies offering specialist photographer insurance; reputable commercial insurers will either provide standard packages that will be suitable, or they will be able to tailor insurance to suit you.

You should remember that there will be limits on the value of equipment that they will insure; a standard sum is around £15,000. If you require insurance of a higher value you must be prepared to pay higher premiums. You should also note that some companies will not insure photographers that perform more dangerous disciplines such as underwater photography.

Public Liability Insurance

Aside from insuring your equipment, you may also require more specialised business insurance. If your business has any sort of public-facing element, you will require public liability insurance. This type of business insurance protects you from claims made by third parties. These parties might include customers, other members of the public, sub-contractors and so on.

A good policy will cover you against claims made by these parties for injury or damage to their property. There are a number of companies offering public liability insurance tailored specifically to photography businesses, many of which will cover you for claims made against you up to a value of £5 million.

Depending on the nature of your photography business, there may be a minimum sum for which you must be insured; this will depend on your individual circumstances.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Photography businesses should also consider professional indemnity insurance. This type of policy will cover you against claims made against your business as a result of a professional dispute. Instances in which professional indemnity insurance might be useful include a portrait session, after which you accidentally erase the images from your storage.

Any compensation claim made against you, or the costs of additional studio time, should be covered by your professional indemnity business insurance. It is important to note, however, that this type of insurance normally comes with a number of significant exclusions; you will not, for example, be covered against loss or corruption of data unless this has occurred as a result of your negligence.

As has been mentioned, the types of insurance required by your photography business will depend on your individual business model. You may wish to seek advice from insurers, and you should certainly shop around to make sure that you are getting the best deal.

http://www.startaphotographybusiness.co.uk/insurance-requirements-photography-industry.html

How To Start & Run a Business in Photography...

How To Start & Run a Business in Photography...

Many people are passionate about photography. It is an art form full of possibilities, and there is a wealth of information available for those who wish to pursue it as a hobby. But what about those who want to take it further? StartAPhotographyBusiness was founded with those people in mind.

This is a link to a very useful website whch gives a wealth of information articles tips and tricks for the photographer wishing to startup in business

Canon Connect Emails

As a Canon user I receive regular monthly emails and news letters from the company. The emails have numerous links and articles on all aspects of photography which are very educational and this month was no exception.This month gives a profile of wedding photographer Jeff Ascough which outlines some of his tip's and techniques that he uses during a typical wedding shoot Canon Ambassadors: Jeff Ascough Canon Europe's Ambassador Programme is a partnership with some of the world's greatest photographers, who are masters of their craft and who share Canon’s desire to convey a passion for powerful pictures. Jeff Ascough’s approach to wedding photography was born out of a frustration with existing styles. He has clearly struck a chord; amongst many awards he was voted one of the 10 best wedding photographers in the world by American Photo magazine. How did you get started in wedding photography? I was introduced to photography by my father who had a photography business. I was asked by a portrait client in August 1989 if I would shoot her wedding which I did and on the back of that wedding I got asked to do others. How would you describe your style? I would describe my style as being more street or documentary than wedding photography. I have a passion for photojournalism and documentary work and I guess I just transfered my love of those disciplines to the wedding day. Who are your influences? My main influences have always come from the great street photographers and photojournalists; Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Don McCullin. I also love the work of Antonin Kratochvil, Alex Webb and James Nachtwey. Is there an image that couples always ask for? Not really. My clients understand that I don’t shoot to a formula and they leave pretty much everything in my hands. I always explain that in order to get the best from me, they have to let me do my own thing. How do you deal with clients who are looking for more traditional photos? I’m happy to do five or six traditional groups or posed images for my clients, but if they want any more than that I would usually refer them to another photographer that specialises in the more traditional style of work. However it is incredibly rare for my clients to ask for lots of traditional pictures and if they do it’s usually because of pressure from their families. © Jeff Ascough. Canon Ambassador Shot on EOS 5D Mark II; EF50mm f/1.2L USM, Exposure 1/1250, f/3.5, ISO 800 What is the background to this photo? This was a November wedding and was taken as the bride arrived at church with her bridesmaids. I wanted an image that was more graphic than a traditional arrival picture, so I looked for something to make the picture more dynamic and I found that in the window of the car she arrived in. Shooting the reflection added the graphic elements I wanted and I went for a semi-silhouette to add more drama to the sky. Why do you use black & white for many of your photos? I prefer black & white. It is what I grew up with and it is the medium for which I have the most respect. I use a lot of compositional elements in my pictures and these are always emphasised with black & white. I actually see the images in terms of lines and shapes rather than colours and tones, so I think it is quite natural for me to carry this forward into black & white. How many of your photos are planned? Nothing is ever planned. I will often see a potential shot and explore it and that may mean adjusting camera angles to emphasise different parts of the composition. I won’t ever go into a wedding with any preconceptions as to what I will shoot or how I will shoot it. If I did I would probably be left quite disappointed. © Jeff Ascough. Canon Ambassador Shot on EOS 5D Mark II; EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM, Exposure 1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 800 What was the story behind this shot? The bridesmaids were arriving at church and I wanted to show this, the car they used and the weather. I noticed this picture as the bridesmaid picked her dress up to walk on the wet road. It was the shoe that attracted me to the shot, and so it was just a question of including the car and I had my picture. How does the weather affect your work? It doesn’t. I am totally happy and at ease working in any conditions - I love the variety we get in the UK. It would be incredibly boring if every weekend I had exactly the same weather. Rain, snow, hail, sunshine, cloud - it doesn’t matter at all. How have increased ISO ranges in the cameras changed how you shoot? The cameras allow me to use slower lenses which has been a massive bonus for me. In the past I would use really fast apertures for a lot of my low light work, which was always really limiting - I don’t want to see every image shot wide open at f/1.4! I prefer to work around the f/2.8 – f/5.6 range to give me some depth in the picture. The latest cameras allow me to do this. Also the fast lenses are usually bigger and heavier, whereas I prefer to use something smaller and lighter to lessen the intrusion into the coverage. People react differently to small lenses. What equipment would you take for a wedding? Two main bodies (EOS 5D Mark III) and a spare which stays in the car (EOS 5D Mark II) and lenses which can overlap in case there is an issue with any one of them. So I use the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM and EF 135mm f/2L USM. I also have a EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM as a spare and a couple of unusual optics like the EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM and TS-E 45mm f/2.8 tilt-and-shift which I may use depending on whether I get time to experiment which doesn’t happen often. Which lenses do you use most? I shoot 90% of the weddings with the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM and they are what I have with me at all times. I really prefer to work with just the two bodies and those three lenses. I think that too many lens choices can lead to confusion, and you lose a lot of intuition. Fewer lenses just make everything clearer for me to the point where the lenses are secondary to the picture. I don’t even think about lens choice any more as it has become so natural for me to work this way. Have you been tempted to go into other photographic areas professionally? Not really. I love shooting landscapes and street photography, but realistically there isn’t enough work for me in these areas. I make a very good living from weddings and I see that as my profession. I also think that making it my main area of expertise has helped me stay focused as a photographer and business owner for the past 24 years. Learn more about Jeff Ascough’s work as a Canon Ambassador.

Photography Styles Explained

 

I have oulined here the most common forms of wedding photography


Contemporary - the contemporary style uses lots of the posing techniques associated with traditional photography but throws in a dramatic background or unusual angle or both. Contemporary wedding photographers will often use a combination of approaches to photograph different aspects of the day. They may shoot the ceremony in a reportage style, then switch to a more controlled and formal style for the group shots. The bride and groom shots will generally be quite heavily posed but with your attention focused on each other rather than looking at the photographer. The finished results can look like pages from a glossy bridal magazine.

Traditional - Although slightly outdated there are still lots of photographers that offer this kind of photography and indeed many couples whom seek this style out. Traditional wedding photographers generally shoot staged and very formal images. Each shot will be carefully arranged and the results may be stiff and have that ‘seen it a thousand times’ look about it. The older generation will be used to this kind of photography and may even expect it. This style of photography is fast being replaced by more fluid forms of photography like reportage and contemporary.

Reportage - Also known as documentary photography, this style takes a ‘fly on the wall’ approach, documenting things as they happen rather than setting up staged moments through the day. Many reportage photographerswill still arrange group shots and a few couple shot but the main emphasis will be on candid, informal photography. The results from a good documentary wedding photographer are natural expressions and real emotions and each tell a story in their own right. This style is often adopted by photographs that are new to the industry because they can just hang around all day taking pictures and their inexperience in arranging groups and posing techniques would not be exposed. Done right reportage photography can be a fantastic and natural reflection of your special day.

Photo Critique

How good is our photography? (Live Webinar)

Its important to let other people and fellow photographers view, critique and comment  our works, otherwise how do we know at what level our photography stands

We all have a one sided view of our own photography and it's very educational to hear differing views and opinions of the images we produce from external sources

I subscribe to a online Photography video training provider named "Phototraining4U"a company run by one of the country's best photographers " Mark Cleghorn"

When you subscribe to this site you gain access to over 1300 photography video's, the subjects range on all aspects of photography which are very educational to all levels of photography

Included in the subscription are live online webinars which you can view and take part in. Tonight there was a live webinar on"critiquing images",photographers sent in their own images for Mark to assess and show live on the webinar. This is a good way of finding out how good a photographer you really are and to ascertain what level you are at. Your work is judged by a top rated photographer and is marked from 5 different levels of standard

This is a great way to check out your progress as a photographer and to learn and amend some of the mistakes we are all constantly making

Shown here are some of the entries posted to the webinar by the keen photographers wanting their work scrutinised

These grabs are all taken from my mac when the webinar is in full swing, you can ask questions live to the photographer by posting your comments on the right hand side of the screen as shown here

Shown here are some of the my screen dumps of images that made the top 5 in this critique during the webinar. The image shown here was voted the best of the top 5