One of the juiciest, most popular questions photographers ask us is, “How do I start making money with photography?”
Our answer is… less juicy… and less popular.
That’s because if you’re a new photographer, we recommend shooting your first sessions… FOR FREE.
Probably not your favorite answer, right?
But hear us out.
We started the same way!
Here’s why:
At the beginning, experience (not money) is the most important thing.
We all need reps under our belts.
We all need practice in real-world situations.
Free shoots are the best way to do that, because they’re:
1. Low risk
Free shoots are low risk because if something doesn’t go quite right and you make a mistake, you don’t need to panic or beat yourself up since there isn’t any money on the line.
and
2. Easy to “sell”
Free shoots are easier to “sell” (aka get people to agree to one!) because It’s a lot easier to get people to say YES to something that’s FREE.
Side note: If anyone ever tells you that you should never shoot for free… ignore them!
Seriously.
There is so much value in shooting for free when you first start.
And when you think about it, this strategy doesn’t just apply to photographers.
It’s how almost everyone starts in almost every industry.
A few years ago, we had a friend who started woodworking on the side.
At first, while he was learning, he…
– Bought his own wood
– Started making random items out of wood for family and friends
– Posted about it on social media along the way
Today, he’s IN DEMAND.
He’s a full-time woodworker and is able to charge a ton for his custom dinner tables and other pieces of work.
But he didn’t start that way.
Doctors don’t get to operate on real patients without completing a residency, right?
Let’s think about all the celebrity chefs you see on TV.
Do you think they charged for the very first meal they ever made?
Their home kitchen was their test kitchen.
They probably burned and over-salted TONS of meals for the family before they ever offered to host a dinner party for friends.
Let the people you love (and those who love you) be your guinea pigs.
That’s exactly what we did.
Looking back, we’re SO thankful our family and friends let us “practice” on them.
We gained so many valuable “on-the-job” lessons that you can ONLY get when your boots are on the ground doing the thing.
Not only that, free shoots are a great way to get feedback and plant the first “word of mouth” seeds you’ll need to grow your business.
When you do a free shoot, ask for two things in return…
– If you like the photos and your experience with me, please post your photos, tag me and tell your family and friends!
– If you have any ideas or suggestions for how I can improve, let me know! It’s really important to me that I love and serve all of my clients well.
Remember, just because something is FREE doesn’t mean it isn’t VALUABLE.
This is an important step on your way to making money doing the thing you love, and that’s exciting!
We’re in your corner and cheering you on every step of the way!
Shooting & Editing Course
Your first sessions will feel A LOT better if you have a solid system to pick the best light, location and camera settings. That’s exactly why we created the Shooting and Editing Course! It’s exactly what we wish we knew from the beginning.
