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They say “With great power comes great responsibility,” and being a photographer really is a great power. You have the power to capture life’s greatest moments and present them to clients who will hang on to them for the rest of their lives. A photo really is worth a thousand words and is there any better way to express that?

With the power to take professional photographs for your beloved clients, you take on a few key responsibilities. Are you carrying the right gear? Have you thought through your marketing? What about the proper photography insurance? Do you have it? 

These are questions even the most seasoned photographers ask themselves while conducting business. And, for beginners, these are the questions you’ll want to get answers for before starting your photography business. 

So, today we’re going to go over a few responsibilities that every photographer takes on while in business. We’ll also discuss one of the most important tools a photographer can carry: photography business insurance.  

Ready to go over the top responsibilities of a photography business owner? Cause we are.  

Responsibility #1: Carrying the Right Gear

Before you can even begin booking photography sessions, you are responsible for ensuring you carry the right gear for your events.  

This will, of course, differ for photographers in different industries. If you’re primarily in a studio shooting portraits then you’ll be working with more stationary equipment as opposed to a wedding photographer who needs access to as much portable gear as possible. 

You’ll need to be sure you’re carrying the right camera bodies and lenses if you plan to switch between various cameras while doing your thing. If you’re in the market for a new DSLR, or if you’re a beginner looking to buy your very first one, check out these guides for deciding on the best camera for you and the best lens for your work. 

Responsibility #2: Marketing Yourself

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The only way people will know who you are is by getting your name out in the world. Whether you do this through social media channels or by word of mouth through your family and friends, here are some helpful tips for making the most out of marketing yourself. 

• Have a Website
  • You’ll need somewhere to display your portfolio and give people a chance to see what you can do. Choose a website platform that gives you the option to customize things at your own will. 
• Create New Social Media Profiles
  • Unless you’re okay with using your personal profiles as your business profiles, you’ll want to create new social media profiles on the platforms you’d like to use to market your business. 
  • This will most likely include creating business profiles on Instagram and Facebook using their business profile settings. 
• Attend Networking Events
  • We know there is no right answer as to exactly where to network but we suggest you start with some basics like local artist hangouts, your city's chamber of commerce, and any local small business owner group meetings. If these don't bring results you could refine your efforts to more specific groups depending on your expertise like hiking groups (landscape photography), wedding planning groups (wedding), etc. There many options out there and you need to just jump in to get started! 

Responsibility #3: Using Customer-Oriented Tools 

When we say customer-oriented tools, we really mean you’re responsible for ensuring your customers have access to what they need upon utilizing your services. 

This means…

• Having a website that allows easy booking or an easy-to-access contact form where potential clients can inquire about your services and your price range. 
• Using a payment platform that is easy for clients to use; maybe you want to take card payments using Square or you want to be completely digital and only accept payments via PayPal and Zelle. Whatever you choose, make sure it works well on both ends. 

Responsibility #4: Insuring Yourself

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With the great power of being a photographer and fulfilling your clients’ needs comes your own need and responsibility to insure your business. Full Frame Insurance offers robust photography business insurance that gives you the coverage you need to protect your business against third-party claims arising out of your business operations.

This means that if someone were injured while you were conducting a photo shoot, i.e., someone tripping and spraining a wrist or ankle as a result of your posing advice or someone slipping in your studio causing them to concuss their head on the floor, you could be protected against a resulting lawsuit. 

With Full Frame Insurance, you have the option of purchasing either an annual insurance policy or an event insurance policy. Assuming you are moving away from being a hobbyist to being a full-time photography business owner, you’ll definitely want to look into an annual insurance policy.

By purchasing insurance from Full Frame, you get…

• A No Quote Process
• 24/7 Access to Policy Documents
• Printable Proof of Coverage 
• Robust, Quality Coverage Scaled to Your Business
• Instant Coverage
• No Deductible on Liability Claims
• Option to Add Camera Equipment Insurance
• And More! 

Tackle the responsibilities of being a professional photographer by purchasing photography business insurance and putting the proper safeguards in place. You are in the process of making your dreams a reality and you need to make sure things are properly protected. Learn more about photography business insurance today!