You can spend years working on perfecting your technique and developing your creative voice, and while those are crucial to finding success as a professional, they are not all you need. Understanding the ins and outs of running a business is a requirement of being a professional photographer, and this great video tutorial will run you through some of the things you need to know.
Coming to you from Signature Edits, this excellent video tutorial shares some important advice for creating and running a photography business. The sad truth is that a lot of very talented photographers do not find professional success because they do not understand the difference between being a competent creative and running a good business. A lot of the most successful professionals approach things from the perspective of being a businessperson whose service happens to be photography, which is why one of the best things you can do for yourself is to take a business class, talk to an accountant, etc. I have seen many successful professionals whose photography might not be the most noteworthy, but who run their businesses efficiently and properly and who market themselves well. Check out the video above for the full rundown.
if i may point out 2 negatives for the author of the video :
1. microphone using half the foreground is extremely distracting and not a good composition when you're meant to be the point of focus.
2. 40mins video is way too long.
please don't take this in a bad way. maybe some people really like it and maybe it's just not the right content for me.
cheers
I'd recommend starting out seeking advice locally. There are numerous local, state and federal organizations and agencies that can guide you through this process. One advantage is that they can make you aware of and guide you through any local, state and federal statutes and requirements when establishing your business.