Freelance Photography: Is It Worth the Risk?

After the successful completion of your professional photography course, now you want to give a head start to your career! You want to be your own boss and so you have decided to become a freelance photographer! Well, then it is time that you learn about the pros and cons of freelance photography so that you can decide whether it worth the risk or not.

Pay Package: When it comes to freelance photography, the first and foremost thing that comes to your mind is obviously the pay package. Records and statistics prove that the annual income of a freelance photographer is much higher compared to photographers engaged with different organizations on salaried basis. Yet, one thing that is to be noted in this context is that the income may not be lucrative for the beginners. The income will increase as per skills of the photographers as well as the experience of the photographer. One should also note that a freelance photographer may not have works on regular basis. Thus, his earning may fluctuate. Yet, photographers who can establish their credibility in the market generally do not have to search much for jobs.

Working Hours: There is no hard and fast rule regarding the working hours of freelance photographers. You can select your own schedule for work. However, when you are working in a team, you may have to abide by the schedule of that team irrespective of being a freelance photographer. One thing that is to be noted in this context is, at times the working hours may stretch far beyond the usual hours. You should be prepared for it. Depending on the terms and conditions of your contract, you may receive extra payment for additional hours. However, that is not applicable for all cases.

Select Your Specialization: Whether you are a professional still photographer or you are into video photography, being a freelance photographer, you have the right to select your own specialization or niche. Depending on your choices as well as your skills, you can opt for fine arts photography, wedding photography, model photography or any other commercial photography. As you will be able to select the niche of your choice, you will be able to perform in a better way and the job will be really rewarding. If you have the interest in wildlife photography, you can also practice the same and gain a huge income as well as great experience.

Start Your Own Business: Once you gather some experience and some exposure in this field, you can surely start your own business by preparing your own working contracts. You can also ask for release permission, copyright and licenses for running a business successfully. Be careful about general administration part too and set a competitive price for your work, if you want to run the business successfully.

Though there are several pros and cons of being a freelance photographer. Yet, someone who is ambitious and at the same time can kick start a bright career in photography by being a freelancer.