It's something that many photographers don't like to hear, but photography is a business like any other. As long as you do something a n charge a certain amount of money for it, it's a business.

With that said, there are a lot of photographers out there who are new to the business side of things, and make mistakes that can cost them dearly.

One of the most common is related to pricing. First of all, it is a very competitive market. There are plenty of photographers everywhere you look, and they all have to make a living somehow and do so by various means. Some improve quality each year, others give more for less money and some cut down prices to a limit where their business barely survives.

We all know that one of the most difficult things about starting a business like this is putting a price on your work. It is a bit confusing because you have to charge people for something you love to create.

This puts a lot of photographers in difficulty. What do you do when people ask you how much you charge for a photo shoot or a wedding?

Making your client agree on the price is one of the most important parts of the deal and it's also a point where many start to panic.

There is nothing wrong with justifying the cost of your services. It's just that so many fall into the trap of complaining rather than justifying.

You have probably stumbled upon viral lists of reasons why it's hard to be a photographer or run a photography business. Well, many have taken it too far and have started sharing items from those lists with clients. So when asked why a photo shoot costs as much as it does, they begin arguing about expensive gear, insurance, studio rent and so on.

(Success Tip: How to sell more photos of people with less effort.)

Put yourself in the client's shoes. Do you really care about all that? Those are business expenses that every business has to deal with. When you have dinner at a restaurant, you don't hear anyone talking about how much the rent costs each month or how expensive the raw ingredients are. Why should you share your expenses?

Hiding behind them to justify your worth is not a solution. You should be aware of your value as a photographer and if even if you aren't right now, you will be as time passes and your business grows.

One of the vital things is your confidence and self esteem. Work on them as much as possible because ultimately they are what will help people have faith in your skills.

(Suucess tip #2: This simple deck of cards can improve your photography skills!)

I know it's all easier said than done but again, try to imagine that you are the client talking to the photographer.

It's much better to meet someone who inspires confidence than someone else who is complaining about expenses and how bad business is going.