Eyes Ahead, Win the Bread

“I’m starting a business” These are words which can so seamlessly roll off the tongue, however, the reality of this venture requires an astronomical work load. What does take to start a business?

The qualities I’ve learned are necessary to start any business are: tenacity, strategy and passion. Using Gibbs Model of Reflection I will discuss how my business started, the intricacies and challenges involved in starting your own business and how I overcome them.

What happened?

After deciding to go part-time for my final year in university I wanted to use my time wisely. I spontaneously started an Instagram for my photography and shortly after got recruited to be a featured extra playing a princess on Netflix’s upcoming film School for Good and Evil for five months with Laurence Fishburne, Kerry Washington and Charlize Theron. After posting photos casually on instagram, I had many enquiries from people working on the film to take photographs for them.

Investment and using what you have

I invested in a MacBook Pro which helped post-production as Mac’s are renowned for a breathtaking retina display which improves colour accuracy essential for editing images. Working in TV and film helped to introuduce me to the photography/filmography world and I learned from being on film sets. I saw how imperative it is to get involved to get in various areas of the industry and related industries you want to become involved in to build your network and skills.

I also invested in new editing software called Lightroom. I became comfortable using lightroom during this time. In the process of editing photos I avoid photoshopping and focus on changing the colours, contrast, highlights, exposure to create the look I wanted. The new tools introduced for me a dramatic change in the quality of my photography editing. Hence, taking my work seriously at the freelancing stage helped me to understand the responsibility and skill involved when choosing that I wanted to become self-employed.

Orenstein discusses that photography requires the ability to quickly form and intimate connection with someone (24). As a person who likes to converse with anyone, likes to invite friends into my home to cook for them and to make people feel comfortable my personality suits what is required for the job. Being photographed can feel vulnerable and many women I’ve spoke to don’t feel as comfortable with a male photographer. Therefore, being a person who loves to be around people and make them feel comfortable, I know how make clients feel at ease when being photographed; a quality essential to get the best photos.

 Freelance to fully-fledged

Freelancing during part-time university and working with Netflix was a great introduction to what it would be like to start my own business. Barringer denotes that starting a business part-time and freelancing before self-employment is one of the best ways to decide whether or not you want to commit to that path (11). I realised how much preparation I would have to do prior to a shoot, the experience having the shoot and working in post-production with editing. It requires immense organisation. Many of my first shoots were portrait and graduation shoots (featured below).

A home-studio space can be the best way to get started when you are just starting out with photography (Oberrecht and Delucco-Alpert 19). I set up my own home studio space using studio lights, a backdrop stand and backdrop in addition to my camera equipment and accessories. This space has been used for several of my shoots including the final graduation shot below of aspiring beautician, Megan Muldoon.

Feelings

Upon starting my business venture, I was excited about working with clients. I enjoyed the banter you have during the shoot, the excitement of editing images and passing them over to clients who are very grateful for your work! It produces a feeling of empowerment; as a successful shoot demonstrates your potential, creativity and ability to work with others which can serve to encourage and build confidence in your client. It is wonderful watch the transformation of a shy client at the beginning of a shoot and then watch them blossom. They always walk out of the studio standing taller and smiling brighter. Furthermore, satisfied clients leads you to be recommended to others.

One of the toughest parts of running your own business is having a distinctive work/life balance. The glowing pro we all know comes with being a business owner is setting your own working hours. However, transferring from a job as an employee to being self-employed generally comes from working set hours of 9-5 to working 24/7. 

As a business owner your business is constantly on your mind. You have to think about organising finances, social media management, pricing, buying equipment, paying bills while needing to invest in your business, sometimes difficult client, client record, expanding skills, networking, business events and so much more! This is why tenacity, strategy and passion is necessary.

Tenacity is necessary to withstand the challenges, strategy is necessary to plan and organise while passion is necessary to drive you forward and help you to enjoy the journey despite its challenges. Attached below are some photographs on my phone I took during a spontaneous shoot with my friend, Christy. Shooting for fun outside of working is essential to maintain passion for the craft. It also shows how the equipment is not the only thing that makes the photographer, but the skill which you should be committed to constantly improving.

Evaluation & Analysis

After recognising that I would be working from morning to night between university and 12 hour days with as a film/tv extra on top of constantly working on my business and doing shoots, I became burnt out and over exhausted. I learned that if I was going to build this business, I was going to need all the help and support I can. I grew to understand there are so many intricate processes to running a business that without the right guidance and support, you will constantly be overwhelmed.

As a consequence of this realisation, I contacted as many organisations as possible who I new could help me when I decided that I wanted to develop my freelance work into a business to self-employed status. I have been in touch with Go For It, The Princes Trust, Enterprise SU, Women In Business and Business Enterprise Academy. In the meantime I have developed a business plan, social media strategy, a financial plan, received some funding and I am currently creating a website and getting business cards.

The Importance of Networking

I evaluated my approach to work and recognised that overworking was making me exhausted and actually decreasing my productivity and enjoyment in the work overtime. I decided that instead of working non-stop I would rest in the evening and only do lighter tasks on the weekend. Furthermore, I decided to join in with a community of people who understand and can relate to my experience. This has enhanced my confidence and helped me to support the business’ of others as they support mine. The environment has been incredibly encouraging and has helped me to remain motivated in my work.

Bennet expressed that networking is “one of the most crucial aspects of success” (62). Connections within the industry are some of the biggest building blocks you will have in order to create more work for yourself. Some of the other projects I have been involved in within the film/tv industry has included the ‘We Are Here’ documentary, being photographer for Neo-soul artist Tomike‘s new music video, working regularly with Extras NI on various film/tv shows and featuring in an advertisement. My personal experience fortifies Bennet’s claim as all of the connections I’ve made around my business has expanded my network, experience and skills which has led to more clients, connections and opportunity!

Conclusion & Action Plan

In conclusion, I think that I could have looked for mentoring from other organisations sooner. I believe this would have better prepared me for the challenges I would face in the running of a business. As I look forward, I plan to continue utilising the mentoring and support I am already receiving and choosing to rest when I need to. I will not take on too many shoots and projects in the one month to ensure I can put my energy into making the ones I have the best that I can. Additionally, I will continue to have times in which I do photography for my own pleasure and enjoyment. I plan to release a photography book documenting my upcoming and previous trips to Kenya which will feature the various aspects of life and quotes from the stories and lives of Kenyan people. It will seek to challenge the single stories of African life I understand people have when they ask me questions about Kenya. Also, it will challenged what I see portrayed in the media of poverty, corruption or beaches and safari parks at golden hour. It will document rural life and city life, the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the pain and the laughter.

I plan to continue growing my business, being passionate about photography and letting growth and time see where that will lead me.

Bibliography

Barringer, Bruce. The truth about starting a business. FT Press, 2008.

Bennett, James, et al. “Workplace impact of social networking.” Property Management (2010).

Orenstein, Vik. The Photographer’s Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business. Penguin, 2010.

Oberrecht, Kenn. How to Start a Home-Based Photography Business. Rowman & Littlefield, 2010.