Usmani Rosena - Tucci and Usmanis the Business of Photography

A BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY

I was trained at Walt Disney World, and while I was employed there, my core business values were instilled in me. Essentially, everything is based on the Golden Rule, which dictates that we should treat people the way that we would like to be treated. Keep this in mind every time you deal with your clients, and youll reap the rewards of happier clients and repeat business. Keep this in mind as you read through the book and as you start work every day.

S o youve decided to be a photographer. You studied photography in college or went to art school, and youve come to the point of deciding that its time to hang out your shingle. Or maybe youre self-taught and everyone loves your work and says, Hey, you could make a living at this! Either way, youve decided to make a go at being a true professional photographer. Good for you! Its an exciting field, and nothing is more rewarding than being your own boss.

Be advised, though: like anything in life, being an entrepreneur has its pros and cons. It takes a certain personality to pull this off. Many of us are naturally leaders or followers, and the sheep will not stay in business long. Year after year, photography businesses open and close. It is easy to be vanquished by the many pitfalls that youll encounter. This book is a road map that will help you to navigate past the perils youll encounter on your road to success.

By now, youve honed your photography skills and developed an amazing style. If you want to succeed in this business, you must now master another artone they didnt teach you in school: the art of business.

I personally started my career working for Walt Disney World. I was employed there for ten years and was able to concentrate my efforts on my photography. When I opened my own place in 2000, I had to put my photography on hold and embrace Business 101. I had to turn my attention toward accounting, marketing, business plans, and bottom lines. I made several errors along the way. The purpose of this book is to help prevent you from making some of the same mistakes.

ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS YOULL NEED TO TAKE WHEN STARTING UP YOUR BUSINESS IS TO OBTAIN A LICENSE.

A ll too often, photographers start out working under the table. This may work for a while, but it is short sighted and can be costly in the end. At some point, youll want to spread your entrepreneurial wings and open your own business. Of course, youll want to follow some basic guidelines and rules.

Getting a License. One of the first steps youll need to take when starting up your business is to obtain a license.

The licensing requirements vary from one region to the next, and your best bet to determining what youll need to do before conducting business in your neck of the woods is to visit www.occupationallicense.com. Youll find information about incorporating your business on this site as well.

We live in downtown Orlando, Florida. In downtown Orlando, the first thing you need to do is to obtain occupational licenses. If you are within city limits, as we are, you will need both city and county licenses. These are easily obtained. The city license runs about $137 a year, and the county one is around $37. Occupational licenses are relatively easy to obtain and must be renewed annually.