Do you like taking photos? Do you think you have the talent for being a professional photographer? If yes, how about you start a photography business? Turning your passion into your job is the best thing that can happen to a human. However, you have to keep in mind that the photography business risk comes with a set of risks. Do you think you can take those risks?
There is no business without risk. But in the case of photography, the risks are more prominent. In today’s article, we will talk about the most common risks a photographer has to face while running his business. If you are eager to know more about them, dive into the article already.
Top 8 Photography Business Risks to Watch Out For
Clicking photos with a camera seems pretty easy. But it is difficult to take it as a profession. The path of a commercial photographer is never smooth. Instead, it is filled with risks that are waiting for him at every step. Let’s take a look at those risks that come as a bonus, along with the photography business.
1. Inconsistent Workload
Everyone likes to enjoy the beauty of an image. They may sometimes praise the photographer for giving them a masterpiece. However, no one really pays attention to how much trouble a photographer has to go through for clicking that awesome photo.
A commercial photographer has an inconsistent workload that he can not ignore if you want to get paid. A commercial photographer has to arrange the props, set the frame, fix the lighting, edit the images, and so on. Nowadays, there are many photo editing companies, for instance, Clipping Path CA, who share the workload of a photographer and edit the images for him at a fair price. But other than that, a photographer has to do all the work himself.
2. No Fixed Clients
In the photography business, there is no such thing as repeated customers like in other businesses. You may see some clients only once in this lifetime; for example- clients who hire a photographer to cover a wedding ceremony or special occasion.
A photographer has to always look for new clients. There are times when a photographer may get numerous projects in a single week. But on the other hand, there may be times when a photographer doesn’t have a single project in hand for weeks.
3. Equipment Damage
The photography business requires multiple equipment and gear. They are not something cheap at all. As a photographer needs to travel from here and there along with that equipment, the chances of those items being damaged become higher. Even when a photographer shoots at his studio, unwanted accidents may occur, and a piece of expensive equipment may get shattered. This is a massive loss for photographers.
In order to avoid such unwanted situations, it is better to have insurance issued for all the expensive equipment and gear.
4. Property Damage
Accidents may happen anytime, anywhere. But if by any chance, it happens on the property where you are doing the photo shoot, you have to take responsibility for that. You may get sued if you can’t pay for the damages. It may even happen in your own studio. No matter where ever it is, the loss you will face is nothing small. That’s why it is wise to get property insurance and business insurance as soon as you start the business. These insurances will cover the losses for you.
5. Legal Liability
There can be so many legal issues in a photography business. For example- your client is trying to cheat you with the contract. What to do now? Or what if your client is unsatisfied with the quality of your work and is trying to sue you for cheating him? How will you handle that situation? Or even worse, what if there is property damage during a photoshoot? All of the situations force you to face huge losses.
However, if you have legal liability insurance, you can have those problems under control.
6. Variable Income
As I mentioned earlier, a photographer doesn’t have a fixed job. The same goes for his income. A photographer’s income depends on how many projects he can complete. During some specific seasons, he may get a lot of projects. But at regular times of the year, the income of a photographer is so uncertain. He may earn handsomely, or he may earn nothing at all.
With such a variable Income, it is difficult for a photographer to plan ahead. He is most likely to live according to his income.
7. Copyright Issues
Many people don’t know, but images also have copyright. Photographers earn royalties from the photos they click. However, sometimes the hard work of a photographer is stolen. By stolen, we mean that his images are used in different places without paying him any royalty. It decreases a photographer’s income and sometimes affects his ongoing projects.
Sometimes, photographers sell their image copyrights to their clients at a lower price. This is not something wise to do. He loses sort of his income in this way.
8. Health Hazards
Clicking photos for a long time can bring hazards to a photographer’s health. If he is an indoor photographer, the risks are low. But in case, he is a traveling photographer who has to move from here and there all the time with those heavy gear. It ultimately causes back pain, muscle pain, bone degradation, high blood pressure, etc.
Sometimes, the psychological health of a photographer deteriorates because of the never-ending worries and pressures. If you are choosing photography as your career, keep this in mind.
Final Verdict
All businesses have their own sets of risks. The photography business is nothing different. If you want to take it as a career option, you have to embrace the risks that come with it. Unless you have a strong determination and are ready to accept the risks, it is better to stay away from this profession. Our today’s article’s motto was to make people aware of the risks for a photographer and photography. Hopefully, you can prepare yourself well after reading this article before entering this field.
