Build a Photography Business with a Full-Time Job

Going completely freelance in your field can be a terrifying prospect for many. You have to build up a steady client base, build your portfolio, market yourself and… just about everything else. That’s why many people start building their photography businesses while they have a full-time job. Being able to start building on something you love with a steady stream of income is a great way to transition into a passion career. Learn how you can start building your photography business with a full-time job.

Evenings and weekends

Working on your photography business on evenings and weekends is a great way to keep things moving while you have a full-time job. Shooting, editing, emailing and creating galleries can all take place at the end of the day or on weekends. Plus, shooting during the evenings will bring you the golden hour which is attractive to many clients. And of course, having availability on weekends will give you flexibility for bigger event jobs and a wider range of clients.

Remote work

Remote work is a great opportunity to have flexibility while still maintaining a full-time job. Make up for the hours that you may lose with the occasional daytime shoot with the flexibility of remote work. There are many remote positions out there, as it’s becoming a bigger trend in corporations to have remote employees. It’s a cost-efficient solution for companies, and can be more productive for employees.

Make local connections

Connect to local businesses and introduce yourself. Show them a bit of your work and offer them photography services to connect and build your local presence. Connecting on a local level introduces your work to those who are local to you and more likely to hire you. Headshots, social media content, web marketing photography and more are all important to local businesses. The most important step is making contact in the first place.

Balance your wellness

With anything in life, it’s important to remember to balance your wellness with your work. An unwell body or mind do not make for a productive day. Take care of your wellness and don’t overdo it when it comes to working and taking photos part time. It can be exciting if you are getting steady work to constantly be taking jobs on top of your full-time job, but that doesn’t always mean that you should. Make sure to make time for your personal life, your health, and your wellness.

You don’t have to be full-time to be successful

There are stigmas in creative communities sometimes around part-time photographers not being “professional“. This is an incorrect assumption. Part-time photographers are professionals, just as part-time employees of companies are professionals. We’re all trying our best to make it in a career that we’re passionate about. Being a part-time photographer while you have a full-time job is a totally valid and normal way to break into photography. If you never go full-time, it doesn’t matter! You’re still a photographer.