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Interior photo studio as a business. We are opening a photo studio from scratch. Do you need employees for a photo studio?

It may seem that a photo studio or photo salon is a business idea only for professional photographers. In fact, any enterprising person can open it. Renting out a room ready for photography is very profitable. This business is characterized quick payback and relatively small investments. We’ll talk in detail about how to open a photo studio in this article.

  • Opening a photo studio from scratch
  • Deciding on the format of the photo studio
  • Choosing a room for a photo studio
  • What equipment do you need to open a photography studio?
  • How much money do you need to open your own photography studio?
  • Step-by-step plan for opening a photo studio
  • How much money do you need to open a photo studio?
  • How to choose equipment for a photo studio

Opening a photo studio from scratch

First of all, you need to figure out how such an establishment differs from a photo salon. There really is a difference. In the photo studio you can take creative, artistic photographs, change images and scenery. Ideas here are born in a creative stop. In addition, the photographer not only takes pictures of people and objects, he can also do computer processing of them. In a photo salon, the choice of services is much more modest. There, clients are rarely offered on-site photo shoots, album or book design, although anyone can do this with their own hands creative person. The photo studio offers clients a full range of services, a creative approach and always high quality.

The art of photography is developing at a rapid pace today. First of all, this is due to the emergence of new technology, and, therefore, new opportunities. The equipment is always selected only professional. In addition to equipment, the studio should have several interior options. Ideas for its arrangement should be fresh and exclusive. Creative people can do it with their own hands. There may be several decoration options. Usually they are made for generally accepted holidays. Often people cannot pay for full rent of a premises. In order to attract customers, promotions and mass thematic photo sessions are held. For example, you can invite several couples for photos on Valentine’s Day, arrange a costume shoot for Ivan Kupala, and so on.

Here are some types of services that should be offered to clients:

In addition, you can organize master classes to teach photography to beginners. Typically, any photographer can rent a professional studio. If the equipment in it is at the proper level, then there will always be people interested. For document photographs, a small room is usually allocated indoors.

Deciding on the format of the photo studio

Now a little about what ideas there might be for a photo studio. One of the most common themes is love. The scenery for wedding photo sessions or love stories can be very different: from Chicago of the 30s of the last century, to cute angels and clouds. Most accessories can be made by hand. If you don’t have the time or ability for this, then handmade masters will always offer not only original things to decorate the room, but also accessories for the shooting itself: three-dimensional letters, pictures, etc.

Another business format is a children's photo studio. You need to create the appropriate environment. For example, you can build equipment for a children's photo studio with your own hands. These are various swings, slides, decorations with “cartoon characters”. Here you can also offer parents several costumes to rent.

Some photographers, to reduce costs, equip their own work space right in their home. If the area is limited, then the maximum that can be done is portrait photographs and photographs for documents. Another option on how to set up a photo studio at home is to always work on the road, and at home in your office just finalize your masterpieces.

The times when the clients of photo studios were only models who wanted to add to their portfolio are long gone. Today similar establishments arouse increased interest among the general public. To verify this, just study several profiles in social networks– Amateur photographs are increasingly replacing professional work.

Today, not only a professional photographer, but also an entrepreneur can open a photo salon to make a profit. This business requires quite a large investment, but with the right marketing strategy it will pay for itself quickly.

Choosing the direction of development

The average studio makes profit from three areas of work:

  • studio photography (for portfolios, for advertising companies);
  • reportage shooting (outside the studio);
  • rental of equipment or premises.

Stages of building a business

To open a photo studio you need (step by step instructions):

  1. choose a room;
  2. enter into a long-term lease agreement;
  3. choose a legal form and register a business;
  4. think over the design, make repairs;
  5. buy equipment;
  6. hire staff;
  7. conduct an advertising campaign.

Video - Studio photography. First steps:

Concept development

People turn to professional photographers for various reasons - some want to capture valuable moments in their lives, others want to take a family portrait. There may be many demands, but the main task is to move them into a comfortable environment and show the result they expect. To do this, you need to think through every little detail - from the design of the room and furnishings to paraphernalia and lighting.

According to experts, on modern market Quite tough competition is forming, while demand is growing in the following areas:

  • advertising photos for booklets, magazines, catalogues, posters and more;
  • photo for documents;
  • works for exhibitions and competitions (may not bring income and new clients, but will make the studio more famous);
  • shooting various events, celebrations - weddings, anniversaries, graduations, corporate events;
  • thematic shooting in the studio - Love Story, children's and family photo sessions, pictures for expectant mothers and other creative ideas;
  • subject frames – photographs of objects, united by a common concept (advertising photographs).

In addition, you can provide a number of additional services - makeup, henna painting, photo printing and more.
Video - Creating an interior photo studio:

Financial calculations:

The cost of opening a photo studio from scratch on a professional level is 800-1200 thousand rubles. To provide truly high-quality services from specialists in this field, investments in premises design, advertising, and equipment are required.

Photo studio business plan with calculations:

  • carrying out repair work, developing the design of the premises - 200 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of equipment – ​​750 thousand rubles;
  • advertising, website creation – 80 thousand rubles;
  • business registration and other expenses – 60 thousand rubles.

Total – 1090 thousand rubles.

Monthly expenses will remain:

  • rent – ​​50 thousand rubles;
  • salary for staff (photographer + administrator) – 70 thousand rubles;
  • advertising – 20 thousand rubles;
  • purchase of consumables – 10 thousand rubles;
  • other expenses (payment of taxes, utility bills, etc.) – 30 thousand rubles.

You need to pay about 180 thousand rubles per month.

Let's calculate the approximate payback period of the project:

  • average bill – 3500 rubles;
  • orders per day – 4 hours (photographer’s workload 50%);
  • daily revenue – 14,000 rubles;
  • monthly income (with one day off per week, 24 working days) – 336,000 rubles;
  • profit - 156,000 rubles. (336000 – 180000).

With this mode of operation and the number of orders, it is possible to recoup the initial investment in 7 months. According to reviews from entrepreneurs, the first months of work are spent building a client base; the photographer’s workload does not exceed 30%. Some days there are no orders at all. But in the future, the workload level can reach up to 80%; on holidays it exceeds the norm and the photographer works overtime. Many photo studio owners say that they managed to recoup their initial investment in a year.
Video - How to make money with a camera:

Business registration

No licenses or certificates are needed to operate a photo studio. But registration with government agencies is mandatory. Where to start preparing documents? Contact the tax office at your place of registration and register as individual entrepreneurs or limited liability company, choosing the appropriate one tax regime. After this, you need to go to the Pension Fund and a number of related authorities (when registering with the tax specialist, they will be indicated). Updated OKVED code, according to which studios operate - 74.20 “Activities in the field of photography”.

Premises requirements

The profitability of the business idea will largely depend on the size and location of the premises. Basic requirements:

  1. You should not locate studios in remote areas, since not every potential client is willing to spend time traveling and will choose a competing organization that will be located in a more convenient location;
  2. the area should not be less than 60 m², of which 50 m² is allocated to the studio itself, the rest can be used for a dressing room - dressing room or waiting room;
  3. to accommodate professional equipment, the ceiling height should not be less than 3 meters;
  4. in order for photographers to be able to work not only with artificial lighting, but also with natural light, 1-2 large windows are needed;
  5. There should be natural light in the dressing room so that the makeup artist can choose the right color scheme.


Equipment, inventory

What equipment do you need for a photo studio? Let's look at the standard list:

  • professional camera;
  • interchangeable lenses;
  • reflectors;
  • softboxes;
  • reflector;
  • color filters;
  • exposure meter;
  • honeycomb nozzle;
  • backgrounds for pictures;
  • furniture for the studio (desks, reception desk).


What costs are needed for this article? The cost of equipment and inventory depends on the format of the establishment and its scale. On average, such a kit costs 650-1000 thousand rubles.
Video - Mobile photo studio equipment:

Staff

To get started you need to hire:

  • photographer;
  • administrator;
  • makeup artist (as a freelance unit that will work depending on the availability of orders with an hourly wage).

The work of a photographer is the key to the success of an organization. Be careful when choosing it. Experienced players of this market They recommend choosing among talented, creative young photographers and experienced professionals. When making a decision, rely on the provided portfolio and reviews.

An administrator at the entry level, in addition to his direct responsibilities (recording and meeting clients), must keep records, post information about the studio online, help the photographer (change backgrounds, install equipment) and maintain cleanliness.

The photographer’s salary, which is included in the financial plan, is 40 thousand rubles, the administrator’s salary is 30 thousand rubles.

Advertising

The main goal of the studio is to create a positive image. To form a client base, it is recommended to use all kinds of advertising methods. They could be:

  • website creation, online promotion;
  • outdoor advertising;
  • advertising on the “final” product - photo books, calendars, glossy publications, photo albums, etc.;
  • availability of discounts for regular customers, introduction of a discount program;
  • distribution of flyers and leaflets;

According to experts, best advertising in this industry, that means satisfied customers. They bring 80% of the studio's clients.
Video - Million dollar business: photo salon:

Risks

The photography business is affected by seasonality, entrepreneurs say. For example, a photo for documents is in demand in warm weather, when families go on vacation, and they order it for a visa. Thematic pictures are relevant for the holidays. Young couples book photo shoots on Valentine's Day, wedding orders come in in early fall, and school graduation times are always full.

Therefore, the segment when there are few orders needs to be filled with related services. You can offer printing on mugs, T-shirts, and digitizing photographs. Just by showing your strengths the organization can get rid of the pressure of competitors.

Also significant risks that young entrepreneurs need to take into account include:

  • high customer requirements (sometimes impossible), which take a lot of time to finalize;
  • competition;
  • danger of damage to expensive equipment when renting out.

Video - Ideal photography business model:

Availability of franchises

If organizational issues seem too complicated and time-consuming, you can open a franchise photo studio. The Cheese photo studio operates in Russia, which offers cooperation under franchising terms. The level of investment that an entrepreneur must have is about 50 thousand dollars.

There are also a large number of photography-related franchises that allow you to organize a more mobile project in this area:

  • Fotomatik – a photo booth, a prototype of a mobile stand for taking instant pictures of an entertaining nature;
  • Photobook – production and sale of graduation albums;
  • “Photoengraving” is a mall that offers photoengraving services.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

We solve the problem of how to open an interior photography studio from scratch. Given: a creative person who wants to realize the abilities of a decorator Conditions: 700 thousand rubles. Find: profitable business opportunity.

Today photographs are an integral part of our lives. So familiar that it’s hard to imagine how people lived without the ability to capture memorable events in photographs. Now everyone has a smartphone with a camera at their fingertips, with which they take pictures every day. However, most of us still want quality and beautiful photos taken by a professional photographer in a beautiful setting.

Therefore, it is quite natural that currently opening a photo studio is a promising business idea. Renting a space ready for photography is very profitable. This business requires relatively small investments and can quickly pay for itself. Another plus is its creative focus. After all, thanks to such a project you can realize your creative abilities and prove yourself as a designer.

The photography studio market has undergone enormous changes. Do you remember what photo studios looked like before? A white canvas against which you pose with simple props. Now the interior of photo studios can be considered a work of art. Typically, studios offer several interiors to choose from for shooting. Each interior is clearly thought out, full of interesting locations and details that can be used in shooting. Whether a person wants to come to the studio for a photo shoot depends on the originality of the design. The interior is the main component of success for a photo studio.

However, in addition to the creative component, the photography business has many organizational aspects that need to be understood in order to open your own photo studio.


How to define a photo studio concept

Planning your photo studio needs to start with clear positioning. What type of service will you provide? There can be two options: you either provide interior space for photographers who shoot there; or organize photo sessions, providing a whole range of services - from providing a studio to makeup and, directly, filming. The first option is less expensive. Here the business owner is focused on creating the interior. The second option is more complex because it requires a whole team of professionals (photographer, makeup artist, costume designer or stylist, administrator), and is more expensive. If the entrepreneur is a photographer, then it is more rational for him to choose the second option. But according to the terms of the task, the entrepreneur - creative personality, who intends to independently design the interior of a photo studio. Therefore, the essence of the project is to provide an interior studio for rent for photo shoots.

How to analyze the photography business market

To analyze the market, it is not necessary to conduct a large-scale marketing research. Just find out how many photo studios operate in your city and study them sample list services. Your main assistant is the Internet. Today, almost all photo studios have their own website or social media account. Look at what interiors are presented there, how much it costs to rent a photo studio, determine their territorial location (Yandex.Maps will help, Google Maps or 2GIS). Based on the collected data, you will be able to plan your business more thoughtfully and create competitive advantages.


To attract clients, you will have to offer something that other photo studios have not yet offered. For fresh ideas and inspiration, look at what's on the market in other regions. You should also understand that your ideas should appeal primarily to your audience. Therefore, we advise you to find out what topic is relevant among the city’s population, what is the demand for existing services. This information will help you avoid unnecessary expenses.

How to calculate how much money you need to open a photo studio

The required investment is one of the most important elements of any business planning. In order to open your own photo studio, you will need from 700 thousand to 3 million rubles. It all depends on the scale of the business, the complexity of the interior, the idea, the city and the premises. For example, if you want to buy the premises in which the studio will be located, the amount will exceed 3 million. But 700 thousand rubles is enough to open a photo studio. You can save on the premises itself - rent it; for staff – limit yourself to studio rental services; interior – carefully consider locations that can be compactly placed in the rented area, and wisely select decorative elements, choosing budget options. You can also save on room renovation costs by choosing a room in good condition. By the way, this will save not only money, but also time, allowing you to launch the project faster.

We will return to the money issue later when we plan to fill the photo studio. We are still getting used to the idea that we need about 700 thousand rubles.


How to choose a room for a photo studio

If your studio is located in the city center, this is an ideal option. But achieving this ideal is not so easy: firstly, there are many requirements for the photo studio premises that are not so easy to fulfill; secondly, renting premises in the center is not a cheap pleasure. Therefore, you can consider options located in the city center, but on less traveled streets. Going far, to industrial zones, which will take a couple of hours to get to, is not the best option. Photo studio in residential area You can’t place it either, because it doesn’t provide essential services to attract residents of nearby houses. You need to attract people from all over the city, so the most logical choice is the center.

Now let's move on to meeting all the requirements for the photo studio premises itself:

    high ceilings - from 3 meters;

    studio length is at least 8-10 m;

    the required repairs must be cosmetic, otherwise you will spend a lot of money and time on remodeling;

    the space should not be divided by vertical beams;

    When choosing a floor covering, you should give preference to dark color and high wear resistance. Otherwise, the floor will quickly lose its attractive appearance.

On average, the cost of an 80 sq.m. premises rented in the city center is 50 thousand rubles.

Once the room has been chosen, you can think about the layout. The room needs to be divided into several zones, each of which will house a location for shooting. A good photography studio should have at least three locations. Also, do not forget that in addition to the workspace, you should provide an area for receiving visitors and a toilet.

How to choose the interior of a photo studio

So we come to the main thing - planning the interior of a photo studio. The main character who determines the interior of the studio is the entrepreneur himself. Here he can realize all his creative ideas, give free rein to your imagination and get creative.

It should be noted that, no matter how sophisticated the designers, the most popular are the following location themes:

    romantic - they are designed for clients who buy family photo sessions or love stories. Such a location should be of medium size to accommodate a family. Typically, romantic locations are made in light colors, with floral motifs;

    stylish locations that are popular among younger audiences. The design style is close to loft or modern and is most often decorated in dark colors;

    the third room is usually called the "chameleon" because its interior changes for seasonal filming. Here you will have to change the environment frequently, which will allow you to re-attract clients and invite new clients on the eve of various events. Typically, locations are based on the theme of the seasons.

For inspiration, we have collected several interesting interior concepts for decorating a photo studio.


Ready ideas for your business

You can support the romantic style with a chic hanging bed decorated with a canopy and flowers. It looks very beautiful and gentle. Miniature swings will also look interesting, which will help create lively shots in motion. But a romantic interior does not have to be in light colors. A country style location - a hayloft, a romantic inscription on a wooden wall and a mini-picnic - will look stylish and unconventional. Why not romance?


Within the walls of a photo studio you can imitate the space of the street. For example, equip a cozy courtyard with a beautiful door, a veranda or a fence covered with grapes, a bench and a bicycle left near it.


To maintain a stylish loft, you can make a brick wall or a gradient background that imitates plaster. A chalk board will be an interesting addition - inscriptions and drawings on it can set the mood of the photo; designs made from light bulbs that look good in the frame; stylish armchairs and step-ladder racks.


You can provide creative details that make the interior special. Attach a bicycle to a brick wall, decorate a window in an unusual way and turn it, for example, into a porthole, “grow” a magic tree in the studio, cover one wall with different wallpapers, creating several backgrounds for photographs. It is also important that the interior contains many interesting details that customers can interact with (books, pillows, musical instruments, three-dimensional letters, etc.).

How to equip a photo studio

There will be a minimum of lyrical digressions here - only dry numbers.

Renovation of the photo studio premises - 150 thousand rubles.

Equipment - 150 thousand rubles, approximate list of equipment: light sources (from 4 pieces), umbrellas for transmission and reflection, curtains, attachments for reflectors, synchronizers, mounting installations, stands, herons, tripods. If you are scared by unclear names, you can contact companies that provide ready-made sets of equipment for photo studios. To choose the right equipment, you can consult a professional photographer.

Decorations – 250 thousand rubles.

Business registration – 20 thousand rubles.

Rent of premises – 50 thousand rubles.

Total: 650 thousand rubles.

How to legalize a photo studio

While our studio is being renovated and decorated, we can take care of organizational issues. First, you should register your business. For a photo studio, the LLC or individual entrepreneur format is suitable - it all depends on your personal plans. It is safer to register an LLC, but registering an individual entrepreneur is much easier. As an individual entrepreneur, you will be able to conduct basic accounting and choose a simplified tax regime. As for the registration of activities according to OKVED, code 74.2 (Activities in the field of photography) is suitable for a photo studio - it includes several subsections.

To operate a photo studio you do not need to obtain any licenses, a standard package is enough registration documents. But it is required to obtain permission from the fire inspectorate to open a photo studio in the selected premises.

Ready ideas for your business

It is also worth mentioning inspections, which sometimes frighten entrepreneurs. Photo studios do not belong to the category of the consumer market that inspectors are closely interested in. Therefore, there should be no difficulties with the control authorities. The main thing is to keep the premises clean and tidy and provide high-quality services.

One more important issue is the search for personnel. A photo studio requires at least 2 people for the position of administrator who will work in shifts. If you want to save money, you can become one of the administrators, reducing labor costs. The average salary of one administrator is 25 thousand rubles. You will also need to hire a cleaner who will monitor the cleanliness of the premises. It does not have to be included in the staff.


How to advertise a photo studio

Promotion of a photo studio is usually carried out via the Internet. Beginning entrepreneurs place special hopes on social networks. And for good reason. Practice shows that Instagram gives the greatest return when managing your account properly. After all, the photo studio business is based on high-quality photographs, so this resource is best suited for promotion.

First, you need to photograph the studio locations yourself, and in the future you can ask photographers to use their work to demonstrate the locations. Contacts, examples of work, decoration options, information about promotions, and reviews should be posted on social networks.

You can promote your studio through collaboration with photographers. And the now fashionable word “collaboration” would be appropriate here. What is their logic? You independently invite photographers to shoot in your studio, in exchange for providing the location, he undertakes to post information about you in his account. Essentially, this is an association for the purpose of mutual benefit: the photographer gets to shoot in beautiful interior, and you receive advertising for your photo studio.

You can also attract customers with profitable promotions and offers. Organize a drawing for a certificate for a photo shoot in your studio; provide a discount in certain days; Organize a promotion to support family photo sessions at a discount. All these actions will have a positive impact on the promotion of your studio.

When planning a business, most entrepreneurs focus on two parameters: required investments and profit. It's time to ask the question - how much can a photo studio earn?

To give a specific answer, you need to determine the cost of services. To do this, we look at the prices that competitors set. Each city has a different price level. But on average, 1 hour of renting a photo studio will cost 1,300 rubles. You can count on 120 hours of rented filming per month (that is, approximately 4 hours of filming per day). In this case, the revenue will be 156 thousand rubles. Then the net profit will vary in the amount of 70-80 thousand rubles. During weddings and New Year's holidays this amount may increase significantly due to increased demand. With an average monthly profit level of 100 thousand rubles, you can recoup the investment after 10-12 months of work.


How to assess the risks of a photo studio

Any business involves risk. You should take into account all possible difficulties that may arise when opening and operating a photo studio. This will allow you to quickly respond to threats or avoid them altogether.

The first risk is outdated props. The specifics of the work of a photo studio require constant updating of locations and props. Irrelevant, out-of-fashion props are unlikely to decorate the photo and interest the client. Therefore, the owner of a photo studio should always be on trend - monitor trends and change the content of the studio in a timely manner.

Ready ideas for your business

The next type of risk is increased competition in the market. To reduce the impact of this risk, it is necessary to regularly invest money in marketing, improve the level of service, conduct competent work with clients, and create unique offers on the market.

Another risk is the seasonality of business. In the summer months there is a decrease in demand, but the most active months for photo studios are November, December, February and March. To minimize the risk, during low sales, organize competitions for free photo shoots and distribute gift certificates. You can also expand the list of services. For example, rent out a room for holding any events (birthdays, master classes, etc.).

Thus, you can determine the main advantages and disadvantages of opening your own photography studio. After weighing all the pros and cons, you can make a final decision about opening this business.


Table 1. Pros and cons of opening a photo studio


It is quite possible to organize a photo studio by spending no more than 700 thousand rubles. To consolidate the material, we offer a checklist for opening a photo studio from scratch.

Checklist for opening a photo studio:

    Demand analysis

    Competitor analysis

    Studio concept development

    Search for rental options

    Premises assessment

    Conclusion of a lease agreement

    Measuring a room for a design project

    Creation of a design project for each location

IN lately interest in the services of photo studios and professional photographers has increased greatly - this is the main success factor for a person who is going to open a professional photo studio. Of course, such a business will be most relevant for someone who is interested in and engaged in photography. However, if you do not have such skills, you can hire appropriate specialists. The main investments will be aimed at purchasing the necessary equipment, as well as equipping the site.

First of all, you need to understand: what is a photo studio? This is a room with a large area, which is professionally equipped with various interior zones, which allows photographers and their clients to implement a variety of thematic photo sessions. In the last few years one can observe significant development of the represented business segment: people are showing more and more interest in the process and want to acquire high-quality photographs. This is due, among other things, to the advantages of professional photography.

  1. Professional equipment and facilities. The ability to use high-quality equipment, set the light correctly, and use additional devices and objects allows you to get truly high-quality and beautiful photographs.
  2. Independence from weather conditions and seasons. An important advantage of a photo studio is that you can walk in and immediately start shooting, which is impossible when shooting outdoors. Besides, modern equipment allows you to easily recreate all the necessary natural effects, such as wind, bright light and even snow.
  3. A large amount of decor, interior areas, props and other things. All additional equipment is an opportunity to realize an endless number of ideas. In a photo studio, you can change several images in one shooting day.

Any photo studio, especially with high-quality equipment, operates in two directions at once, which can significantly increase profits: the implementation of filming with its own photographer and the rental of areas and equipment. In the first case, the establishment's income will be greater. However, the second service is in great demand, so you should not refuse it. Remember that if you are going to provide both designated services, this will need to be indicated in the documentation when registering the company.

The activities of any photography studio are based on providing the end consumer with professional photography in the studio’s interiors. The main advantage is the use of additional equipment and professionally installed lighting. A studio photo shoot provides clients with ample opportunities in terms of creative work. So, in a short period of time a person receives a large number of professional photographs in several images.

The standard cost of renting a photo studio varies from 1000 to 3000 rubles per hour. What will the final amount depend on? The more interior areas, additional equipment and props you are willing to offer for work, the higher the rental amount will be. The quality of the equipment directly affects the cost of the service. However, it is important to understand that at the initial stage it will not be advisable to invest a lot of money in interior furnishings. It will be better if you gradually begin to improve the establishment, gradually purchasing more equipment and props: this will help reduce the initial investment burden.

A business plan for opening a photo studio with calculations involves indicating the main genres in which specialists will work. This:

  • portrait photography;
  • staged artistic photography;
  • subject photography;
  • shooting nudes (nude).

These are the main genres in which photographers work, however, you can expand the range of services. Remember that for each type of shooting you will need appropriate props and equipment, details that will help create the necessary atmosphere.

Market and competitor analysis

The main clients of the photo studio are both photographers and the end consumers of the service, that is, the customers of the shooting. The latter can be divided into companies and individuals. Private clients often order portrait photo sessions, family photography, and children's photography. Companies focus on professional product photography for catalogs and online stores.

Read also: Business plan for a bathhouse (sauna) with calculations for 2019

Before you start working, it is very important to define your target audience in order to target them. First of all, this will be reflected in the design of your photo studio.

  • If you plan to target young people, an effective move would be to decorate a loft, vintage or chic interior. The details will be appropriate.
  • In case you want to target a more mature age category, prepare interiors for family photo shoots. This can be an interior in a classic or Scandinavian style, with a soft area, a sofa and a fireplace.
  • Several zones should be decorated with a simple plain background.

The ideal option for any photo studio is a variety in the design of the premises, so you can reach the potential audience as widely as possible. Optimal choice- this is the design in different styles from 5 to 8 zones. Each zone must be designed in the appropriate color scheme using props.

Most often, the services of photo studios are used by girls under 30 years old - they account for about 60% of all clients. The shooting is ordered for posting photos on social networks. Thematic photo shoots are popular, but most often girls order shoots with several changes of images and plans.

Before opening your own photo studio, you will need to study your competitors and the conditions in which they offer to work. This will allow you to create a unique selling proposition, as well as evaluate the level of service and quality of the equipment offered. After analyzing them, you can understand what is best to offer your client. Not all photo studio creators are ready to invest cash into unusual props, as well as into the setting of a large number of zones. Use it.

Also take into account the competitive advantages of a photo studio:

  1. Quality of service. Very often this is forgotten, especially in related areas that are not fully related to the service sector. However, clients really appreciate hospitality, help with equipment and choosing areas, the opportunity to relax during the shooting process, as well as drink coffee and a snack.
  2. Possibility of not only ordering a photo shoot, but also renting a photo studio and equipment. Many clients prefer to work with their own photographer.
  3. High quality equipment. This includes both props, lighting and equipment for filming. This is the main factor in getting very good professional photos.
  4. Possibility of conducting subject surveys. This will give you a large number of client companies with whom you can work comfortably and quickly.
  5. Availability of additional equipment to obtain non-standard effects. This could be, for example, a smoke generator, LEDs or even a fan.
  6. Equipment of at least five interior zones with unique, interesting props. Give preference to solutions that are not available in other studios.

These factors will help you not only loudly express yourself, but also quickly start making a profit.

Registration of business in government agencies

In order to start working, you will not need to obtain licenses or certificates - this is another advantage of opening a photo studio. However, you will still need to register with government agencies. It would be optimal for a photo studio to register an individual entrepreneur with a simplified taxation system. The following are indicated OKVED codes:

70.20.2 “Renting out your own non-residential real estate»

74.81 “Activities in the field of photography.”

Selection of premises, equipment and personnel

An important stage of the business plan for opening a photography studio with calculations will be the selection of suitable premises. Remember that the profitability of your business will greatly depend on the location and size of the premises. Therefore, focus on the following factors:

  • You should not locate a photo studio in a remote area - not every client will be willing to waste his time getting to a remote studio; most likely, he will choose a competing organization, but in a convenient location. Therefore, make sure that the premises are close to the center and have convenient transport links;
  • Each interior area is allocated about 10 square meters, so choose a room with an area of ​​at least 60 square meters. This is enough to design 5 zones and arrange a reception hall or dressing room;
  • Ceiling height is very important. In order to work comfortably with all equipment, you will need a ceiling height of at least 3 square meters;
  • It's great if you buy quality studio lighting, but you can't underestimate the effect that natural light can have. The room should have two or three large windows that let in plenty of natural light;
  • There should also be natural light in the dressing room so that the makeup artist can choose the right makeup based on the texture of the face.

Read also: Car wash business plan with calculations 2019

The next issue to consider is the equipment you will need for your photography studio. If you are not a professional photographer, it would be better to further consult with a specialist on this issue. He will help you select the necessary equipment based on what types of shooting will be carried out. This is very important because equipment is the most expensive item. Below is a standard list:

  • professional camera;
  • set of interchangeable lenses for various types filming;
  • softboxes;
  • reflectors;
  • color filters;
  • reflectors;
  • backgrounds;
  • exposure meter;
  • furniture for interior areas.

Be prepared for equipment costs to range from half a million to a million rubles.

At the initial stage, you can hire just a few employees who will perform basic tasks for the photo studio. This:

  • photographer;
  • administrator.

You can find a makeup artist who will be paid by the hour and will only come out on days when their services are needed. The main key to the success of your company is a professional and qualified photographer. If you choose a specialist wisely, you will get an employee who will not only cope with his tasks, but will also advise you on basic issues. Therefore, approach this choice with special care. Look not only at the work in the portfolio, but also at the review of the person.

In addition to his immediate responsibilities, the administrator can maintain the company’s website and do advertising. It can also keep rooms clean.

What services will the photo studio provide?

Despite the fact that we have already dwelled on this point in the initial part of the photo studio business plan with calculations, we will consider it in more detail and detail. In order to correctly formulate the range of services, it is necessary to consider those areas that are most popular:

  1. Subject photography, design of advertising booklets, corporate calendars, postcards, posters, publications for magazines.
  2. Work at presentations, competitions, events, high-quality photography of celebrations - weddings, anniversaries, birthdays.
  3. Portrait photography for documents: passports, foreign passports, driver's licenses.
  4. Thematic shooting: family, children's, for lovers, photo sessions for expectant mothers.

The ability to add additional services, such as professional makeup, design of collages, calendars, photo books - all this will significantly increase the number of your clients and, accordingly, your profit.

Marketing plan for promoting a photography studio

The first thing any expert in the segment will advise you to do is to develop your own corporate identity for your company. After this, you can begin to design various promotional materials, that is, business cards, booklets, signs. The studio's advertising campaign should be carried out in several directions:

  1. Internet. Create your own website and pages on social networks. This will allow you to present your own services. Be sure to post high-quality photographs of interiors on the sites - this will be the main attractive factor. Can be used various ways promotion on the Internet, but one of the most effective is placement in city catalogs.
  2. Print advertising. If you are planning to hold promotions, then a good option would be to distribute leaflets, as well as place advertising materials in places where your potential customers are. These are beauty salons, fitness rooms, etc.
  3. Advertising in the media. As advertising in the media, you can use a variety of magazines that publish news about social life cities. The advantage of such publications is that you can offer them barter instead of paying for services - for example, some kind of filming.

A photo salon is a great idea for a business. On the one hand, such a business does not require any special financial expenses at the start, and the business owner himself can work in the salon. On the other hand, a photo salon can become a starting point for creativity, and over time turn into a famous photo studio. How to open a photo salon and what you need to know about the specifics of photographs for documents?

A little about document photos

Everyone will agree that every person takes photographs for documents from time to time. Such photographs are needed when applying for a job, when entering any educational institution, when applying for internal and foreign passports, passes, badges, medical certificates, identity cards, student cards and other things. This means that there will always be work in a photo salon. But, of course, this also has its own specifics: for example, the main influx of clients, as a rule, occurs in the summer and autumn months. The main contingent at this time is applicants and vacationers. But a decline in demand usually occurs around the New Year. It is then that additional services that must be offered to clients provide income.

Do you need to be a professional photographer to work in such a salon? Technically, anyone can take a photo for documents (even those who don’t know the basics of photography). You just need to invite a specialist to set the light correctly and prepare the equipment. This can be done once a month, and the rest of the time you can use the equipment according to the set parameters. But if you plan to develop your business, then it’s easier to complete courses for beginning photographers and learn the technical basics, as well as the rules of working in special programs for image processing.

Regulatory framework

Many people are interested in the question: how can a beginner open a photo salon? I must say that it doesn’t really matter here whether you are a beginner or not, since anyone can handle simple photographic equipment. But if you plan to provide ID photography services to citizens, you will have to study the legal requirements on this issue.

The thing is that a passport photo, for example, has certain requirements that must be met. You can get acquainted with them by studying the order of the Federal Migration Service of December 7, 2009 N 339, as amended in 2011, and the orders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 785, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs N14133, the FSB N461 of October 6, 2006.

Business registration

So, have you finally decided to open a photo salon? Then you need to draw up a business plan for a photo salon and start registering your own business.

  • Buy or rent a room suitable for a photo studio.
  • Pass state registration V tax authority(you can also, but at first an individual entrepreneur will be easier and more profitable).
  • Choose a tax system (simple or patent).
  • Decide on OKVED codes: 74.81 - activities in the field of photography, 74.8 - provision of various types of services. And if you plan to sell accessories or photocopying as additional services, then it would be correct to also choose 52.4 - other retail V specialized stores and 22.22 - printing activities not included in other groups.
  • Then you should register with Pension Fund and other organizations.
  • Make repairs and bring the premises into compliance with fire regulations.
  • Purchase strict reporting forms or a cash register.

Choosing a room: looking for a “bread” place

Particular attention should be paid to finding suitable premises. Of course, ideally it should be located where hundreds of potential customers pass through every day, e.g. shopping mall, transport interchange in the city or district center, business center next to the passport office, travel agency, educational institutions. Naturally, the rent in such places is not the lowest, but a photo studio will require a maximum of 12 square meters, so do not be afraid of high rental rates - it will be covered by good demand for photographic services in such places.

Repair and furniture

After concluding a lease agreement, the premises need to be put in order, repairs made and prepared for work. This means that you should install a hanger for visitors’ clothes, a couple of soft chairs, and an administrator’s desk where the computer, printer and other office equipment will be located. A mandatory attribute of such an establishment should be a mirror. In addition, you can keep a “duty” jacket and tie for clients. This will help out in cases where the client urgently needs to take a photo for documents, but he is not ready for this.

Necessary professional equipment and software

The photo studio will also require consumables: glossy and matte photo paper (for document photos its density should be 170 grams per square meter, and for reproductions it is better to take A4 and A5 formats with a density of 230 grams per square meter), ink for the printer, consumables for the laminator , replacement cartridges for copier.

The question deserves separate discussion software. To work, you will need a couple of programs that will help you quickly and efficiently process photos and take pictures of the desired format: for example, a program for document photos from AMS Software with formats for all types of documents and Adobe Photoshop, which is useful for processing the finished image and eliminating existing defects (of course , it is safer to purchase licensed programs).

Additional services: we increase the chances of a decent income

As for additional services, they are simply mandatory for a photo salon. This is necessary to increase the efficiency of the business and not be left completely without income at a time when the number of people wanting to take photographs for documents decreases. What additional services can you provide? It all depends on what equipment and skills you have. If you are a beginner photographer and are still unsure of working in graphic editors, then you can provide simple but very popular services:

  • photocopying;
  • recording photos to external sources of information;
  • scanning;
  • printing photos from electronic media on photo paper;
  • printing of publications, articles, dissertations, coursework and other things;
  • sale of various accessories and photographic equipment (accumulators, batteries, albums, frames, etc.).

Well, if you have been working for a long time and have certain professional skills, then you can engage in photo retouching, creating retro photographs, printing photographic pictures, restoring old photographs, making booklets, business cards, inserts, wall posters, collages, photos for mugs, keychains, T-shirts.

Advertising

Certainly, great value there is a salon location, but the business definitely needs advertising. In addition to bright signs, you should make announcements and posters that can be posted on nearby streets, and business cards that are best placed in the mailboxes of residential buildings. You can also leave information about the salon in nearby establishments, which will refer their clients to you.

Staff

When starting a business, there is no point in hiring additional labor for the work, since photographing and photocopying itself will not require much time and one business owner can easily cope with organizing the work process. But as soon as the business begins to gain momentum and there are more clients, it makes sense to hire a smart employee, since it will be difficult for the owner to cope with the performance of work duties, the provision of additional services, and reporting and documentation.

If you decide to hire a photographer, it is better to choose someone with skills in special programs and knowledgeable in photo design. Then you will not only free yourself from unnecessary work in the salon, but will also be able to significantly expand the list of your additional services.

Initial Investment

Let's calculate how much money will be required to open your own photo salon, taking into account that the area of ​​the premises is 12 square meters, and the rental cost is 3000 meters per square meter per month.

If we talk about the payback period for a business, it is on average six months or a year. It all depends on the rental price and client flow. But with the constant expansion of the range of services and high quality work, you can quickly return all the initial investments and earn good money.