by Cskoyles

Created on: March 27, 2009

The chances are that anyone who has ever picked up a camera and enjoyed snapping a few good shots has, at some point, thought about freelance photography as a viable and rewarding career.

And why wouldn't they? Just imagine yourself, armed with a camera and a few business cards, breaking free from the shackles of employment and going it alone; shooting all kinds of weird and wonderful subjects, meeting a host of interesting people and getting paid for the privilege.

Yes, the life of a freelance photographer can be enormous fun, but it can also be a lot of hard to earn a good living from it and you'll probably need more than just your camera and business cards to succeed.

Here then, are a few things you might need to know before embarking on your journey into the fantastic world of freelance photography, some boringly practical, some much more interesting.

*Have a Back-Up Plan

Far be it for anyone to discourage you from pursuing your ideal career, it is worth point out that becoming established in any form of freelancing or self-employment can take some time.

If you're planning to pack in your full-time job to concentrate all your efforts on freelancing, it is a good idea to make sure that, before you do, you've saved up enough money to take care of the bills for the first few months, just until you're making enough money from your photography to cover everything.

Obviously, if freelance photography is something you're planning to do on top of your day job, then this isn't as important. Even still, you'll need to make sure got enough money to cover your expenses.

*Tell the Tax Man

Another wonderfully boring but ultimately useful tip here. Don't forget to tell the government that you're self-employed, even if you're only freelancing on the side. They like to tax you on your earnings and you could end up in bother if you don't let them!

With that all taken care of, it's time to move on to the photography.

*Get your portfolio sorted

Next to your camera, your portfolio is your most important tool when it comes to working as a freelance photographer. You don't have to include every shot you ever took. Instead, pick your absolute best work, the shots you think really show off your skills, and include them.

Make a hard copy for those occasions when you may meet potential clients face-to-face, but also get your portfolio online. Speaking of which...

*Get a website

In this web-savvy world, websites are invaluable marketing tools. You'll need yours to act as a show window to your skills

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>