Small business ownership in the photography industry represents the heart of creative entrepreneurship: it is where passionate professionals build their dreams one client at a time. Sometimes with a lot of hand holding and guidance and sometimes not much at all. When you choose a professional photography small business over a larger corporate chain studio you’re definitely making an investment that ripples through your entire community.
The Reality of Running a Photography Small Business
Being a small business owner is filled with stress and anxiety that many clients never see behind the camera. Cancellations often occur due to weather or illness, requiring rescheduling during already tight booking periods. This directly affects the bottom line, as shuffling dates becomes a finite puzzle—there are only so many calendar days available in both your schedule and your photographer’s. Throw in time for edits and needing to adhere to third party schedules (i.e.: professional photography labs and/or shipping schedules) and you can see how this definitely can cause a great amount of stress for you and your photographer.
Most owners of professional photographer small businesses love to make their clients happy, often going above and beyond industry standards. They’ll do everything they can to create a terrific client experience: from the initial booking consultation to final image delivery. Maybe it’s for more selfish reasons like continuing to do what they love and make a living doing it, but the result is personalized service you simply can’t get elsewhere.
Professional photographers run small businesses and because these are typically mom-and-pop operations they wear multiple hats daily: in one day they may go from being a creative director, an accountant, the marketing manager, a customer service representative, and technical expert. This flexibility in their abilities and their dedication to their craft and their clients is what makes small business ownership so special.
The Local Impact of Your Photography Investment
Here’s a gentle but important reminder: your money stays local when you shop a small business. It helps families keep the lights on and food on the table. When you hire a local professional photographer running their own small business, you’re not just getting a custom experience resulting in beautiful images…you’re also supporting:
• Local families and communities through direct employment and spending
• Creative professionals who reinvest in better equipment and continuing education
• Other small businesses that photographers work with: from small photography stores to small backdrop manufacturer or providers of software that supports photographers to small photo labs
• Economic growth in your area through the multiplier effect of local spending
Studies show that for every dollar spent at a local small business, approximately 68¢ stays in the local economy, compared to only 13¢ when spent at larger corporate chain businesses.
Holiday Season: When Small Photography Businesses Need You Most
The holiday season presents both opportunities and challenges for professional photographer small businesses. While demand for family portraits, holiday cards, and event photography increases, so does competition from discount chains and seasonal photographers as well as larger retailers not associated with photography or small business. It is literally an attention race for your dollar.
Small business ownership during the holidays means:
- Extended hours to accommodate busy family schedules
- Creative holiday packages tailored to individual client needs
- Personal attention to capture those once-a-year family moments
- Flexible scheduling around your holiday commitments
- Local availability for last-minute sessions or rush orders
When you book with a professional photographer small business during the holiday season, you’re often providing their lifeline to get through the traditionally slower winter months.
Beyond the Transaction: Building Relationships
Professional photographer small businesses thrive on relationships and are often not based in transactional relationships. Your local photographer remembers your family’s preferences, your children’s personalities, and your style preferences. They become invested in documenting your family’s growth over the years. In many cases you, a mere “client” become a member of their own family. I know that in my own circle my clients are cherished members of the extended family I have created over the years, my relationships with so many of my clients breach the usual small talk and span years of relationship history.
This personal connection is the essence of small business ownership and is the backbone of what so many have created with their own small businesses. The creation of lasting relationships that benefits both the client and the small business owner. This is something that larger chains cannot replicate. This is a whole other level of personal investment and care.
Making the Choice That Matters
Every time you choose a professional photographer small business, you’re voting for creativity, community, and personal service. You’re supporting someone’s dream of small business ownership while ensuring your own memories are captured with the utmost of care and attention they deserve.
Remember that behind every professional photographer small business is a passionate individual working to create something beautiful while building a life doing what they love. Your support makes that dream possible. Not just during the busier holiday season(s) but throughout the year. You are appreciated more than you can possibly know.
For Families:
Looking for a photographer? Start here:
• Why Choose Custom Photography?
• Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?
• Questions to Ask Your Photographer [there is a pdf download for you print up at this link]
• Photographer Evaluation Checklist
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This article is optimized to educate potential clients about the value of supporting small photography businesses, particularly during the competitive holiday season. You’re welcome to use any portion of this site on your blog, website, or social media pages!
Please credit any excerpts you use on your site or blog by copying and pasting the following on your site or social media page (with appropriate links enabled):
” This article was written by Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography www.marmaladephotography.com and can be found at the Professional Child Photography site at www.professionalchildphotographer.com “