Quit The Photography Business Now While You Can
#5: They can make big things look small, and small things look big…
Summary: "Quit The Photography Business Now While You Can"
Running a professional photography business is not meant to be easy, otherwise everyone would be doing it. Perseverance is the key to success.
There’s a saying that I’m sure everyone knows, that’s as true today as it was when it was first said, and that sits quietly at the very foundation of what we do every day as professional photographers (or any other business for that matter):
This is supposed to be difficult – if it wasn’t then everyone would do it…
Do you find running a photography business difficult? Do you have days when you think you really can’t carry on much longer? Are you constantly frustrated because clients don’t show up as expected? Do you wonder if the phone company has routed your calls to a remote Siberian outpost? Are your special offers so special that no one wants them?
If you answered “yes” to any or all of the above then congratulations, you’re probably on the right track, as hard as that might be to believe.
Difficulty, hardship and strife are a necessary part of running a business; they come with the territory. That’s not to say that we can’t have good days or great days when things just seem to slot into place; simply that we have to expect that things aren’t going to be easy. If you disagree with this statement then you’re either extremely fortunate, or maybe you should find a more challenging career such as quantum physics and developing time travel.
The good news is that you aren’t alone in your suffering – I guarantee that most of the photographers reading this blog have gone through periods of intense struggle, some worse than others. Many have sacrificed more than could be considered wise in order to be successful, and more than a few have felt like throwing in the towel at times.
But, I believe very strongly that if we take the time and effort to learn, to invest in our own minds, to work smarter instead of harder, that success can be attained. It’s worth spending that extra hour a day studying, planning & thinking about your future in the photography business. If you don’t think so, then perhaps you should do what the title of this post suggests…
Just hang in there, you’re in good company…
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I could not agree more with what you say. With digital cameras getting better and cheaper, we now really have to show our creative skills and professionalism more. Show all the hard work we have done is not wasted. We can survive and prove we are better. Trevor from Ireland
Thank you, Trevor, for your comment – one thing I’ve also noticed is that as we improve, as we get closer to our goals, things just get even harder. We need to keep strong and know that we can reach the summit if we just keep going. All the best to you in your business, too, and thanks for reading.
Photography seems to be a very simple business at first. Simply buy a great camera … and you will make great pictures? Wrong! To run a successful photography business you need to know about cameras, lenses, lighting, posing, workflow, retouching, marketing, sales, accounting, legal issues, contracts… There is, shall I say, a learning curve (LOL). It is very time consuming, all consuming, and very expensive. On a positive side I have learned so much in the last two years and have matured and moved up one step, from an employee mindset to an entrepreneur mentality. I found this pattern to be true: Unsurmontable obstacles occur, but solutions are found over time, but sometimes it may take a year to find that solution. I think one has to be patient, must average his high/low feelings and continue to press forward.