How To Become A Freelance Photographer (& Start Making Money)

Becoming a freelance photographer can be an excellent way to make some money while enjoying your photography passion. But if you’ve never dabbled in the world of self-employment before, you might be wondering what it takes to start a freelance photography career.

Below, I’ll go into detail on all of the steps and provide some additional tips and tricks. I’ll also talk about some of the challenges of becoming a freelance photographer, and what you can expect to earn.

What Is A Freelance Photographer?

Freelance photographers are self-employed entrepreneurs who offer their services to a wide range of clients, including other individuals, businesses, and organizations. They have the flexibility to choose their niche or specialization, whether it’s portrait photography, wedding photography, fashion photography, wildlife photography, or any other area of interest.

You also need to handle the business aspects of your career. This includes marketing, client communication, invoicing, and financial management. While it’s not without its challenges (more on them later), for those who are passionate about photography and willing to put in the effort, freelance photography can be a fulfilling and profitable career path.

The 8 Steps To Becoming A Freelance Photographer

1. Nail Down Your Photography Skills

Becoming a freelance photographer begins with a strong foundation in photography skills. Whether you’re an amateur enthusiast or a seasoned hobbyist, honing your craft is crucial. The beauty of freelance photography lies in the freedom to express yourself through your lens. But to do so effectively, you need to be confident in your abilities!

Books, online courses, and workshops can be great tools for refining your techniques. Take the time to understand the fundamentals of aspects like exposure, composition, lighting, and post-processing.

But nothing beats the real thing. So practice consistently to build your skills.

Tip: For help with the freelancing side of it (rather than the photography fundamentals), check out our list of the best books for freelancers.

2. Invest In The Right Gear

While you don’t need the most expensive camera on the market, having equipment that suits your chosen photography style is essential. Consider factors like camera type, lenses, and accessories. You probably don’t need to invest in all that much in the beginning.

Plus, if you’re thinking of taking it up as a career, you likely already have some photography equipment on hand. But if you want to really turn it into a profitable business, you might need to pick up extra things depending on the kind of photography you plan to sell (see below).

3. Choose Your Style/Niche

Photography is a huge field with lots of styles and niches to explore. Finding your unique niche is key if you want to stand out from the crowd. Your chosen niche will define your brand, and some are much more competitive than others.

To pick a niche, start by reflecting on your passion and interests. What subjects or themes do you find most captivating? Whether it’s portrait, landscape, wildlife, fashion, or any other style, your niche should align with your passion.

Remember: you’ll be spending a significant amount of time capturing and editing photos in this niche. So choose something that genuinely excites you!

Once you’ve identified your niche, research the market to understand its demand and competition. You don’t want to niche down too far to the point that there’s nobody to purchase your services!

4. Create A Website And Portfolio

Building a professional website and portfolio is essential for showcasing your work and attracting potential clients. This is true for becoming a freelancer in any niche. But photography is such a visual thing that you will heavily rely on your portfolio, especially in the beginning.

You can find platforms that’ll create one for you, and you could even operate out of an Instagram account. Like Cameron McGarvey:

But having your own website won’t just make you look more professional. It’ll also unlock a wealth of customization options.

To create one, choose a freelancer-friendly website builder and design a clean, visually appealing site that reflects your brand and photography style.

Include an “About Me” page to introduce yourself and your journey as a photographer (this will also help provide credibility for potential clients). Like this about page, from food photographer Elle Haramis:

Select your best work to feature on your website. And organize your portfolio into categories or projects to make it easy for visitors (i.e., potential clients) to navigate and explore your photography.

Also bear in mind that many potential clients will view your work on their smartphones or tablets. So a seamless mobile experience is crucial.

5. Build Out Your Online Presence

Your online presence extends far beyond your website (or other portfolio platform). You should also use visual-focused social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, to showcase your work and connect with a broader audience.

TikTok can also be a great choice thanks to its short-form video format that allows you to quickly show off some of your top work. And engaging behind-the-scenes content. Like Nancy Kim does:

Consistency is key—regularly post high-quality photos that align with your niche and style.

Part of the aim here is to build your brand as well as to connect with potential clients. Using platforms like Instagram and TikTok are great ways to get exposure, but don’t neglect the likes of LinkedIn for connecting with potential clients.

6. Set Your Freelance Rates

Determining your freelance rates can be a challenging task, but you need to establish a pricing structure that reflects your skills and the value you provide to clients. Consider the following factors when setting your rates:

Your Experience Level

Your level of experience plays a significant role in pricing your services. As a beginner, you’ll likely need to charge lower than you’d ideally like. It’s the same with every role—people will usually pay a premium for more experienced freelancers.

Your Business Expenses

Calculate your business expenses, including equipment maintenance, software subscriptions, transportation, and insurance. Ensure your rates cover these costs while still allowing you to generate a profit.

Note: It’s easy to forget that, when you offer freelance photography services, you’re offering a lot more than just your time. Access to the equipment alone can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars per session. Don’t forget to factor this into your pricing.

What Others Charge

Finally, research the pricing of other freelance photographers in your niche. This will give you a benchmark to determine where your rates should fall.

And consider asking in forums. Like the photography subreddit:

But make sure you factor in their experience level too. Don’t try and charge the same as someone with 20 years of experience in the business when you’re just starting!

7. Market Your Freelance Photography Services

Effective marketing is essential to reach potential clients and grow your freelance photography business. It might sound scary, but you’ll need to be able to sell yourself if you want to make any money!

Start by developing a comprehensive marketing plan that outlines your target audience and how you plan to reach them. Think about your ideal clients:

• Who are they?
• What do they need from a freelance photographer?
• How can you offer them what they need better than anyone else?

Also improve your website’s visibility by implementing search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. Use relevant keywords (like “freelance photographer in [your location]”), optimize your images, and ensure your website loads quickly.

High search engine rankings can help potential clients find you organically (i.e., without paid ads). It takes time, but SEO can be a very cost-effective way to grow your website.

What Do Freelance Photographers Make?

Freelance photographers can make anywhere from $15 per hour to more than $100,000 per year. I know that’s a massive range that’s not all that helpful, but that’s the nature of estimating freelance earnings—they vary a lot!

In the USA, the average yearly earnings for a freelance photographer sit at around $77,000. In the UK, it’s closer to £39,000 per year. Some of the most important factors that contribute to such a wide range in earning potential include:

Experience & Skill Level

Beginner freelance photographers typically start with lower rates as they build their portfolios and gain expertise. With time and a strong body of work, you can command higher fees. Of course it also depends on how much work you do.

Location

In major cities with higher living costs and greater demand for photography services, photographers typically charge higher rates than in smaller towns or more remote areas. Freelance photography isn’t a digital profession—you need to physically be there to take the pictures. So, location can play a bigger role than for the likes of a freelance copywriter.

Niche & Specialization

Certain niches, like wedding photography, commercial photography, and fashion photography, often offer higher earning potential due to the specific skills and expertise required in these areas.

Marketing & Networking

Finally, how well you sell yourself will also affect your earning potential. Building a strong online presence, making good use of social media, and networking within the industry can help you attract more clients and lead to higher-paying opportunities.

How Much Work You Do

As I mentioned above, you also need to think about how much work you do as a freelance photographer. Some photographers use freelance work as a part-time side gig, while others build full-time careers earning substantial incomes. So, you need to consider whether you’ll be diving in to freelance full-time or alongside something else.

The Challenges Of Freelance Photography

Before I finish up, let’s outline some of the key challenges you’ll face as a freelance photographer. I don’t list these to put you off the career path. I simply want to illustrate that it’s not always going to be easy. But if you can deal with these challenges, you can have a very lucrative career ahead of you:

1. Income Variability: Income unpredictability can make financial planning and budgeting challenging, for any kind of freelancer
2. Self-Employment: As independent contractors, freelance photographers are responsible for paying self-employment taxes
3. Competition: With the accessibility of decent budget cameras and editing software, more people are always entering the field, leading to increased competition for clients
4. Client Acquisition: Successfully marketing yourself requires time and effort in building an online presence, networking, and promoting your work
5. Pricing Pressure: There is always pressure on photographers to balance competitive pricing with maintaining a sustainable income
6. Equipment & Maintenance Costs: Photography equipment can be expensive, and you need to maintain it too
7. Administrative Tasks: Freelance photographers are responsible for various administrative tasks, including invoicing, contracts, client communication, and bookkeeping
8. Unpredictable Work Hours: Freelancers often have to work irregular hours to accommodate clients’ schedules, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, which can affect your work-life balance and potentially lead to freelancer burnout
9. Isolation: Freelancers often work independently, which means they can miss out on the camaraderie and collaboration that can be found in a traditional workplace
10. Client Management: Dealing with different clients, each with their unique expectations and demands, can be challenging, and you need to be a great communicator to handle difficult clients

Is Freelance Photography Right For You?

Whether freelance photography is right for you will depend on how you feel after reading this article.

Are you fired up and excited to face the challenges of making money doing what you love?

Or does the lack of income security and prospect of selling yourself sound like more hassle than it’s worth?

I won’t sit here and tell you which decision is the right one for you—only you can know that. It requires patience, hard work, and a lot of persistence. But I can say from my own experience as a freelance writer and content creator that freelancing can be an incredibly rewarding career that is very much worth it!

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