I’m breaking down the MUST-HAVE ITEMS that every photographer needs to be successful at the start of their career!
If you’ve been in this industry for a while as a professional and you’re missing some items from this list, this is a GREAT START to get your ducks in a row!!!
If you take amazing & beautiful photos, that doesn’t automatically mean you are going to have a successful photography business.. so what do you need?!
Here’s 5 things you need to have in order to have a professional photography business!!
1. You need to be legal!
If you are charging money, you need to be a registered business! This includes:
- Registering with your state
- Paying taxes
- Insurance (gear & liability)
- Having *legit* contracts!
These are the boring things in business but they can save you so many headaches in the long run! Our lawyer has created specific contracts that are legally sound but friendly language that sounds like me! You can get them HERE to have your butt covered!
2. Fast & Redundant Storage
I recommend having 2 solid state drives (1 TB minimum)! These are the ones I recommend!
3. Website
A website is a must for a pro photographer! You need a landing page for potential clients to get to know you, view your work and contact you! We recommend setting it up through Showit and using a template through Tonic!
4. & 5. Cloudspot
You need a legitimate way to accept payments, sign contracts, and send clients their galleries to order prints! The GREAT NEWS is that you can do all of this through Cloudspot! It is the best way to keep so many aspects of your business in one place!
Watch the full video below to hear more details about how I use these business resources and other ways to help your business be personal & professional!!
Also, if you like what you see, you can literally watch me photograph 100’s of wedding and portrait sessions by joining our KJ All Access membership for only $29/month!! Want a look at more? Try it HERE!
Have you seen some of our most popular youtube episodes?
We release brand new Youtube episodes every other week! They range from business topics, personal episodes, gear reviews, technical training and behind the scenes education! If you’ve never explored this part of our photography education, dive in now! It’s free!! Enjoy!
If you want to save this for later, Pin It!!
Thanks for reading!
— Katelyn
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This week, Michael is sitting down with me at the microphone to join me on the podcast! When we started our Acton Academy journey, we had big dreams and very little idea of the practical challenges that lay ahead. Today, in year three of running our own Acton Academy, Michael and I are thrilled to reflect on the incredible transformation we’ve seen in our learners, our community, and even our own perspectives on education.
Photography is an art that thrives on creativity and technique. If you don’t have the basics of lighting and posing down, this tip won’t work- but if you’re looking to elevate your style, this is for you!!
In this episode of “Doing Life Differently”, I sat down with my friend Catherine Guidry, a luxury wedding photographer and educator, to discuss the challenges and rewards of personal branding. Cat and I dug deep into how sharing more of ourselves—while still maintaining boundaries—can transform our businesses, relationships, and personal lives.
This is not a technical review filled with specs, but rather a practical perspective on how the R6 Mark II performs in everyday photography situations!
I had the pleasure of chatting with Erica and Jon, two incredibly talented photographers and educators who have redefined their business and life by embracing change. From leaving a corporate career to transforming their wedding photography business into a thriving brand photography venture, their story is full of inspiration for anyone looking to take bold steps and live life on their own terms.
Top Personal Posts
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"Being able to see behind-the-scenes of Katelyn interacting with her clients has been SO impactful!”
"SO worth it! It's amazing the amount of knowledge you get out of them!”
"I learned just as much in one All Access as I did in a whole course! SO GOOD!"
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