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How To Make Money As A Freelance Photographer
Tips for freelancers based on my decades of experience

You probably know the old joke about real estate -- what are the most important three things? The answer: Location, location, location. And while this is a joke, it is also true.

The same could be said for freelance photography. Assuming that you know your f/stops from your ISOs, the three most important requirements for a photography freelancer are: reliability, reliablity, reliability.

Surprised? Thought you'd need suitcases of equipment or top prizes in major contests? Wrong.

Assuming you can shoot professional quality work -- then your ability to deliver what you promised on time and on budget is what counts. What this means is that you might do better self employed than other photographers who you believe are more talented or more experienced.

Therefore, work on building a reputation for being reliable with your home business.
This means that:
== when you promise to deliver the goods in 30 days, you deliver the goods in 29 days
== when you say the cost will be $1000, you present a bill for $1000 (unless, of course, new things were added that were not in the original agreement)
== when new potential clients call, you respond immediately and follow up quickly -- and when you do a job you stay in touch and let them know where you are with the project
== you build a client list and referrals that testifies to your reliability and professionalism
== you post your updated resume and jobs completed on your website with web links

This also means that besides photographic skills you will need communication skills and business skills
== it means that you know how to communicate in a clear and business like fashion with clients; you spell out exactly what you can and cannot do. When you decide on a price and a schedule, you have these specifications clearly understood -- and when any changes are made (which there will be) you make clear what you can and cannot do based on your original understanding and cost
== it means that you know how to avoid 'mission creep' where you agree to do one thing -- but find you are doing much more than you initially agreed
== it means taking responsibility for your mistakes and not playing the blame game

TIP: Understand the difference between an 'estimate' and a 'quote'.
An estimate is a very rough idea of cost and time -- usually expressed in a range such as: This project could cost from $4000 - $8000 and take about two months depending on the requirements. No one can hold you to an estimate.
A quote is a specific price that you have agreed to and where you have also spelled out the specifics. Once you agree to a quote, then you are locked in, unless the buyer wants to change the specifications that the quote was based on.

CHARGE MORE FOR QUICK WORK:
The sooner a client wants the work, the more you should charge. Don't be Mr. Nice Guy because then they will come back to you again and again with an emergency that they could have foreseen and planned for -- fast turn around should get 50% more -- very fast turn around should get 100% more.

TIP: You might do the first quick-turn-around job at a reasonable price, just to get acquainted with a new client. But let the client know that in the future, there will be a charge.

JOKE:
Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency for me.

INTERNET WORK:
In the age of the Internet there are more job opportunities than ever. There is also more competition that ever and more people with cameras than ever.
I strongly suggest that to market your business you have your own dedicated top level website with your work and domain name. It does not have to be fancy or expensive. I see no reason it should cost you more than $100 a year -- but having your own site makes you stand out and indicates that you are serious. (More about websites and how to get your photos found in another article.) Of course you should have a Facebook page and have your profile on other sites, but a top level domain that you control is a must.
Internet Advantages: There are so many advantages to the Internet it is hard to list them all, but for starters: you can reach a worldwide audience via websites and social networking, you can attach your photos to emails and send them anywhere in the world, you can keep in touch via email with your clients, you can backup your photos on the web.
Internet Disadvantages: In a word: lots of competition. So you will need to stand out -- and establishing that you are reliable and a person of your word is crucial. Also remember, that if you get a bad reputation, people will find out about it on the web -- so your reputation is critical.

DO YOU HAVE TO MEET PEOPLE FACE TO FACE?
Quite simply, no, you do not. This means that you can now have clients all over the world. I have written six books that have been published with major publishers (Random House, Sterling Publishing) and have never met my agent or my editors in person. All correspondence has been done over the phone or via email.
BUT you do need to go the extra mile, when you don't meet people face to face. This means keeping in regular touch, resolving problems quickly, never leaving your clients guessing or in the dark.

UNDERSTANDING EMAIL VS. PHONE CALLS
As a freelancer you need to understand how to communicate with your clients. I have found that some people prefer email almost exclusively. Others like mostly phone calls. And still other like a mix -- which is my preferred method, if I have a choice. Emails are great for simple questions and establishing a paper trail -- i.e., spelling out what you have agreed to. Phone calls are much better when there is a problem that needs to be worked out or when you need to brain storm. In any case, I recommend you always use the phone at least in the beginning, because the human voice gives your client a much better sense of who you are and gives you a better sense of who they are. I have had very few problems with jobs when I had an extended conversation with a client at the beginning, then followed up with emails as the job went along.

HAVE MORE SKILLS
The more skills you have, the more jobs you can attract. If you can take photographs and design web pages, then you can land more jobs. If you can take photographs and write good articles, you can get more work. If you are a seasoned traveler and can fly quickly to other parts of the country of the world and get the job done, you will be more valuable. If you can teach workshops that can help.

THE PORTFOLIO METHOD OF GENERATING INCOME
In the stock market a portfolio of diversified stocks helps reduce risk, as some stocks will be up some years while others are down and vice-versa. I have found that the same principle works with freelance work and a diverse number of clients and types of jobs. As you build a client list and a reputation for various kinds of work, some areas will do better some years and some other years. But with a variety of jobs that you can do, the income will often even out -- one year freelance photo shoots will be in demand, another year workshops will be more in demand, for example. So the more you can diversify, the better your chances for survival.

BTW: If you have a short temper, have a lack of patience, like to tell people just what you think of them -- forget about freelancing. It requires tact, patience and people skills -- it is a people business and generally speaking the customer is always right. Toward the end of a job when everyone just wants the project to be over, tempers often flare. Just make sure that your temper is not one of them. The 'end game' of finishing every last detail -- crossing the t's and dotting the i's to the client's satisfaction -- comes with the territory. As President Harry Truman used to say "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

NOTE:See a list of my other articles here at PIXIQ. www.pixiq.com/contributors/rick-doble

For more about my approach to photography see my book: Experimental Digital Photography.

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