In this post, we’ll be talking about what a photography Niche is and how to choose the right one for your business.
If you are looking to dive into the world of photography and are trying to figure out how to start your business, then you are in the right place.
Exploring the Photography Niche
What even is a photography niche? A niche is a segment of a larger market that has its own unique needs, pain points, and identity. An example of a Photography niche is Newborn Photography.
I am primarily a Newborn Photographer so on my website I make that clear by saying Freebird Photography, specializing in Newborn Photography. This also helps google to know to display my page when someone searches for a Newborn Photographer!
30 types of Photography Niches:
- Portrait
- Landscape
- Street
- Headshot
- Still Life
- Food
- Sports
- Wildlife
- Macro
- Event
- Fashion
- Newborn
- Photojournalism
- Stock
- Documentary
- Weather
- Night
- Architectural
- Astrophotography
- Wedding Photography
- Travel
- Underwater
- Aerial
- Boudoir
- Lifestyle
- Pet
- Commercial
- Automotive
- Concert
- Cityscape
This list was created by imaginated.com if you’d like to explore it in more depth I’ve included the link.
Understanding the Importance of Finding Your Photography Niche
There are some great reasons to find your photography niche. It allows you to invest your focus into one genre so that you can study and improve your skills while focusing on just one area of photography. This should help you grow as a specialized photographer faster than if you have several niches.
The importance of a niche also extends to your audience. They will be a more contained audience that will easily connect to your content. Over time they will be able to easily recognize your work.
The most important part of finding your niche is finding a niche you love! You should be passionate about it and enjoy it. I don’t believe that you can have a successful business or life if you don’t love what you do.
If you are not trying to get too deep into the photography world then it’s okay not to pick a niche. If you are less business and more hobbyist feel free to keep your options open and to explore.
Assessing Your Interests and Passions
If you are struggling to decide on a niche refer to your interests and passions. Do you love newborns but hate weddings? Do you like to be indoors working or outdoors? Do you prefer color or black and white or both? Do you prefer animals or landscapes instead of people? That’s okay too!!!!
Might be worth your time to sit down and just make a list of likes and dislikes to see what your niche might be pointing toward.
Researching Market Demand and Trends
It’s important to research the current competition and demand for your specific niche of photography in your area. To find the current competition within your area you can go to Google and type in the niche of photography near me or a specific location.
For instance I might type Newborn photography near me or Newborn Photography in town, SD.
Once you have done that, take note of the businesses that are ranking on Google and showing up in the Google My Business Map.
It is important to take note of how competitors might be branding themselves so you can gain insight into your possible profitability and success. You can also do some market research on their pricing, but we will get into that in a different post.
When researching the potential competitor’s webpages you’ll want to do a little market research and take note of their average price for clients and then work out the math on how many clients it takes per month to make what you want to make etc. It will give you a good starting point of where you’ll need to be. Again, we will go into this pricing thing more because there is a lot to go over on that topic, but right now we are just deciding if a niche is the right fit for us.
Experimenting with Various Photography Styles
When I first started my business I never thought about specializing in a Niche, I thought I had to do it all. I did weddings, headshots, real estate, newborns, milestones, baby plans, maternity, and family, I even took pictures of doll clothes that someone was selling, etc.
Turns out I didn’t enjoy most of those and realized that I was having to say no to newborns because my schedule was too booked. I decided to change that and cut most of the things from my list and now only do newborn and milestones the whole year and then I do a few family sessions in the fall. I also occasionally take headshots. I keep my branding mostly geared toward newborns with a little bit of family mixed in.
If you aren’t sure what you want to shoot, there’s no issue with exploring different photography styles. A good time to do this would be during your portfolio building, then you can get a good idea of what you like or don’t like.
Identifying Your Unique Strengths and Skills
Evaluating your current photography skillset is a must. If you decide you want to do wedding photography but have never shot a wedding you won’t want to jump right into that. The problem is that is someone’s special day and you can’t jump in blind to something you can’t reshoot! You may want to consider shooting portrait photography to sharpen those people skills and try different settings – inside with low light, outside with harsh light, etc.
You want to be honest with yourself about your unique strengths and photography skillset. Knowing your current strengths and weaknesses as a photographer will allow you to see what areas you need to focus on before heading into a particular niche.
Seeking Inspiration from Other Photographers
You might consider reaching out to established photographers in your niche to seek guidance. You can ask to be a second shooter for a wedding or if your niche is newborn photography ask if you can assist a twin newborn session, as we are always looking for extra hands for those!
You could also look into workshops. Online workshops are great but there’s just something about mentoring with a real person in a live session. It gives you a perspective you can’t get from an online class. I would recommend to at least taking one of those!
Testing and Refining Your Photography Niche
When you decide on a niche or when you are trying to decide you should offer a few free model shoots. Now what I mean by this, is you need to reach out to some people you know or people you find and ask if you could do a free shoot in exchange for their time. Photographers in the industry frown upon photographers being too cheap or giving away their services, Turn your ears off for now and ignore all of that. You need to get out there and explore and experiment in this phase and you cannot charge the prices you need to charge until you have a portfolio, website, and brand identity.
When I first started I did a few free sessions and then I moved to $50 sessions with some files or prints included. Do this for a very short time to build your skills and portfolio and then start charging like a business should. Baby steps!!
Building Your Brand Around Your Photography Niche
What is a Brand? “A photography brand is a set of associations that people make when they encounter a photography business, service, or portfolio. These associations are shaped by a photographer’s style, vision, expertise, and the quality of their work, as well as their business name, logo, website, social media presence, customer service, and marketing materials. A strong photography brand is one that has a clear and consistent identity that resonates with its target audience. When people encounter a strong photography brand, they should be able to recognize it easily, understand what it stands for, and feel confident in its quality and reliability.”
quoted source: https://www.nationsphotolab.com/blogs/blog/build-photography-brand-from-scratch
What is the style and aesthetic you want to be known for?
Which photos represent my unique perspective and vision?
What is my niche or specialty I want to highlight?
Curating your brand involves being honest about what you feel best about. It means removing any photos that don’t fit the look you want your brand to be associated with. This process helps reinforce your brand identity. You can guide clients to understand your unique style without showing every possible photo. Being selective in what you show ensures your work consistently reflects your skills and brand. Focus on developing a portfolio of your best work in your niche. Your brand identity will be obvious to potential clients – who will then seek you out.
Evaluating Your Photography Niche Over Time
As a photographer, evaluating your niche over time is a crucial aspect of your professional growth. When you choose your niche you set the direction for your photography business. Still, it’s just as important to regularly make assessments and adapt your niche to align with your evolving skills and market trends. Niche evaluation allows you to reflect on your journey, identify areas of strength, and explore new growth opportunities.
One main aspect of evaluating your niche is assigning your photography growth and progress within your chosen specialization. Take time to review your portfolio, client feedback, and the impact of your work within your niche. Reflect on the work that has resonated most with you and consider the aspects of your niche that light a fire to your passions and creativity. By recognizing patterns of success and areas of improvement, you can refine your niche and tailor your photography offerings to meet the needs of your target audience.
Keep on top of emerging trends, technology, and shifts in consumer preferences within your photography niche. Continue with education – attend workshops, network with fellow photographers, and seek mentorship opportunities to gain fresh perspectives and insights into your niche specialization. You will thrive in a competitive market if you continue to learn and adapt.
In Conclusion
In this post, we’ve learned about photography niches and explored how to choose the right one for your business. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your niche, understanding the significance of your chosen specialization is key to your success, but also don’t fret if you haven’t decided yet, time will tell!
Selecting a photography niche is more than just picking a category; it’s about defining your brand identity, honing your skills, and connecting with your target audience. Your niche sets the tone for your entire business, influencing your approach, style, and marketability in the photography industry.
As you embark on your journey to find your photography niche, remember the importance of passion, research, and experimentation. Assess your interests, seek inspiration, and stay attuned to market trends to ensure your niche aligns with your strengths and aspirations.
Evaluating your niche over time is an essential component of your professional growth. Regular assessments allow you to refine your specialization, adapt to industry shifts, and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Stay curious, and never stop learning.
By cultivating a clear niche and creating a strong brand identity, you’ll position yourself as a sought-after photographer, ready to make your presence known in the ever-evolving world of photography.
To next article: Naming Your Photography Business
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