How to become a professional freelance photographer

It's not easy to define the profession of photographer: there are a multitude of photographers working on a wide variety of assignments. But they all have one thing in common: their job is to take pictures. The photographer is responsible for setting the scene, making technical adjustments (framing, focusing, lighting, etc.) and taking the shot.

The qualification of a photographer depends above all on the subject being photographed: being a food or fashion photographer is nothing like being a photojournalist. Many photographers, whether newcomers to the market or former employees, decide to set up on their own.

Working as a freelancer allows you to choose your assignments and clients freely, and to control the organization of your days. It's a solution often preferred to guarantee a good balance between personal and professional life. Would you like to start your own business?

You've come to the right place!

Do I need a diploma to become a photographer?

The profession of photographer is not regulated by the State, andno diploma is required to practice it. However, various training courses are highly recommended to achieve a recognized level of competence. The most common are :

• Baccalaureate level: Professional Baccalaureate in Photography
• BAC +2 level: BTM Photography, BTS Photography
• Higher level: DNSEP, L'École de l'image Les Gobelins, l'École nationale supérieure de photographie d'Arles, l'École nationale supérieure Louis Lumière et l'ENSAD

There are also recognized private schools offering diploma courses, depending on the type of photography you wish to practice.

How to choose and purchase photography equipment?

To get started, a professional photographer needs to invest in equipment.

When it comes to cameras, whether SLRs or hybrids, sensor quality is essential. There's no need to buy a wide range of lenses from the outset. The purchase of versatile zooms (16-35mm focal length), a 24-70mm or 24-105mm lens will do the trick.

Buying a flash is useful if you're shooting for professionals. They are useful for illuminating a room or breaking up a backlight.

For post-production and image retouching, it's essential to invest in image storage and processing software.

How do you choose your legal status?

To become a freelance photographer, we recommend that you choose one of the following legal forms:

• EIRL (Entreprise individuelle à responsabilité limitée). As the name suggests, the entrepreneur is only liable for the amount of capital he or she has contributed to the company. His or her personal assets are protected in the event of bad business, and cannot be used to recover any debts.
• EURL (Entreprise universelle à responsabilité limitée). It offers the same advantages as the EIRL, but its manager is considered a self-employed worker. It benefits from a specific social protection scheme, less effective than that of salaried employees.
• The SASU (Société par actions simplifiée unipersonnelle) is particularly flexible. Its day-to-day operation is set out in the articles of association. The Chairman of the SASU is covered by the general social security system.
• The micro-entrepreneur status status is particularly easy to set up, manage and wind up. Your social security contributions are calculated on the basis of your gross sales. This is capped at €176,200 for sales activities and €72,500 for services.

How do you build up your customer portfolio?

Developing your customer portfolio is a priority, to ensure the success of your launch. There are a few best practices to consider carefully:

• List your business in all professional directories and online databases (Google My Business, Yellow Pages, etc.).
• Don't forget social networks, especially Instagram, which should become a real showcase for your day-to-day work.
• Publish your photos on an image bank, to which you grant a license. Among the best-known image banks, Getty Images, Shutter Stock, iStock, 500px and Stockbsy are very popular with freelance photographers.

Finally, there's one detail that's all too often overlooked when it comes to the success of your project: displaying a prestigious head office address. In an "image" sector, it's important to display a prestigious address that inspires confidence!

Domiciliation companies provide their customers with a registered office as well as a postal, business and administrative address.

They enable you to benefit from a head office address located in the most sought-after areas of France's major metropolises at the lowest possible cost!

Much more than just a mailbox, they also offer a wide range of services designed to lighten your day-to-day work load: switchboard, legal and administrative assistance, meeting room hire, etc.! Corporate domiciliation lets you focus on the tasks that add the most value: those that make your business a success!

With SeDomicilier, you can obtain your certificate of domiciliation in less than 5 minutes, in a 100% online process. What's more, all your services are then available in a personalized, secure virtual office!