What It Takes To Make It As A Professional

It takes many skills to make a living with portraiture, however, Paul Wilkinson says ‘great photography’, is not the number one skill…

- Paul Wilkinson

One day, very early on in my career as a professional photographer, my wife Sarah asked me how the business was going.

“Oh, it’s going really well,” I told her, “I’m pleased with the images I captured; I’ve sent them off to all the clients and they’re delighted!”

“That’s great,” she said, “and have you invoiced them yet?” “Er, no, not yet.” No wonder the clients were so happy – they hadn’t paid a penny yet. And left unchallenged by Sarah, I probably wouldn’t have sent those invoices any time soon. Not until the money in the bank started to run out…

I was too busy interacting with clients, creating photographs and perfecting them in Photoshop. Those were the three things I pictured myself doing as a full-time photographer, after all. I was focused on the art and the creativity and the people, not the business.

But I know what comes first. I’ve met some average photographers who run a profitable business. And I know many amazing photographers who live like starving artists. They believe that elegant images are enough – that’s only part of it.

In the end, their money runs out completely and the dream gets swapped for a job with a regular income. Poor cash flow is the epitaph of almost all failed businesses, be it big or small.