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gemmasmythphotography-blog · 6 years

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My Photography Journey (Part2)

It took me another year after the charity event I did another photography work. Being a mother with no family around was always the problem with me. Until a client contacted to ask me if I do make up as well. In my big imagination, I thought it was possible to be a "One-man band”. I believe if I could do make up on people/clients, I would not need to pay a Make-up Artist. Once again, I enrolled myself in Belfast Metropolitan College-Titanic Quarter doing Level 2 NVQ in Nail Services, Beauty and Make-up. A year after I successfully gained my certificates and thought I was ready for the world. But unfortunately I was wrong, the money that a client paid me is enough for the time I did their make-up never mind doing the photoshoots after. And to be honest, it did put me off a little bit doing other photography work with make-up. After that, I decided to try assisting a well established photographer. I sent out a few applications but only one was interested and got back to me.

When I finally got to do it, I was totally disillusioned assisting other photographers and made up my mind that I need to be my own boss one way or another. This is when I started planning my next move which was doing freelance in Photography. I designed my own calling cards, flyers and bought photography equipment to make it happen. I was never disappointed and in fact it made me have more of a desire with photography.

I was doing okey but the reality of photography is like a nail technicians job you have to keep up with what is popular and what is in-demand. We have to reinvent ourselves to keep up with it. That is when I enrolled myself in Ulster University in Belfast to once again reinvent and discover my utmost potential in the Photography field. I’m excited to find out what the coming years can offer me in discovering what other hidden creativity I have. So far, we have amazing instructors who are willing to share their years of experience just for us to be equipped and competitive in the real world of today’s photography.

My Professional Practice

I am a visual type of person. When I’m reading an article I prefer to see photos to give me the real feel or understanding of what it is about. Before I decided to focus on Portrait Photography, I have given myself the chance to explore other types of photography like landscape, fine art, product(Commercial Photography), Architecture, Fashion and other things. But I keep going back to the Portrait Photography. Sample of my work as follows;

Landscape (The Giant Causeway)

Fine Art

I got my inspiration from Annie Leibovich “Fairies” on this. Probably as a mother I was drawn to this kind of work. It encourages me to learn more about Photoshop, I started from the CS5 to the CS6 and never looked back. In fact, it introduced me to use Actions, I purchased Florabella Actions which I love to use every time I do portraits.

Fashion

Event (Christening)

Product

I have a lot to be thankful for in my HND years. I learned so much that I was able to face people as I had confidence completing a photoshoot. I was also taught on how to make business plan and explore funding and Grants to start my Freelance journey. But since I didn't really need much funding as I got most of the equipment I needed, I did not go a head with any of the funding and grants that were available.

Business Planning ( From my HND instructor Gordon Ashbridge)

A business needs money for starting up

Equipment, workplace, marketing costs

Cash to pay bills & keep business going

Well prepared

How you intend to operate your businessfinancial forecast is a must

financial forecast is a must

*Your Own Money

You will need to use your own money for set-up or running costs

Even if you have finance from investors or banks

No worries over repaying your own investment or investors withdrawing support

DISADVANTAGES

Potential to LOSE a LOT... your house and personal possessions

Spending more than you really have...

NEED not WANT...

Personal Savings

Windfall

Cashing In

Wages (Part Time work)

*Finance from Family and Friends

This is common... looking to friends & family for support at start-up or additional funding exampole new equipment

Works well BUT..

Everyone involved needs to understand precisely what involved... esp the risks

short or long term, why you need it, how long you need it for

short term - tide the business over until a customer pays their bill

longer term - buying or leasing capital asset

PROs

more likely to spend time considering their involvement

lower interest rates

more flexibility

profits shared with family or friends

CONs

risk if business fails, relationships

may want a say in your business

Protecting Relationship (Finance from Family and Friends)

Honesty

Dichotomy of Business & Relationship

the Business Plan

Formalise the arrangements

*Borrow from a Bank

the Business Plan

How much? When? Purpose?

Repayment?

short or longer term loans

short term - Overdraft or Trade credit

medium term- 3-5yrs eg car or equipment

longer term- buying property

Borrow from a Bank (what the Bank will look for)

track record & credit history for you & the business

management

the Business Plan

Commitment

SECURITY - they want their money back

They will investigate the market

short and longer term loansshort term - Overdraft or Trade credit

medium term - 3-5yrs

eg car or equipment

longer term - buying property

Consider COMMERCIAL LENDERS

eg Insurance companies and building societies

May get a better deal, lower interest rates

Generally less restrictive eg poor credit

*Attract Outside Investors

selling shares in the business to...

BUSINESS ANGELS?

VENTURE CAPITALISTS - £3million +

(Business Angels)

private individuals who invest in start-ups and young companies...

in exchange for a share in the company's equity

investment range £10,000 - £750,000

free to make investment decisions quickly

no need for collateral ie personal assets

access to investor’s knowledge & contacts

better discipline dueto outside scrutiny

mentoring and skills from your angel

no repayments or interest

thresholds of invested money

takes longer to find a suitable investor

giving up a share of your business

*Qualify for a Grant or Government Support

very cheap financing

often comes with business advice or subsidised consultancy

There is a lot of competition for grant schemes

Check out government support for business

*Community Development Finance Institutions

Sustainable, indepentent organisations established to develop and create wealth within disadvantaged communities or markets, providing capital & support to the individual, micro enterprises and small businesses

*Check on the Community Development Finance Associations website

new business - may be eligible for tax breaks

eg lower tax or National Insurance contributions

HMRC-Benefits and Responsibility

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs

Working for yourself

If you start working for yourself, you’re classed as a sole trader. This means you’re self-employed - even if you haven’t yet told HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Running a business

You’re probably self-employed if you:

run your business for yourself and take responsibility for its success or failure

have several customers at the same time

can decide how, where and when you do your work

can hire other people at your own expense to help you or to do the work for you

provide the main items of equipment to do your work

are responsible for finishing any unsatisfactory work in your own time

charge an agreed fixed price for your work

sell goods or services to make a profit (including through websites or apps)

Many of these also apply if you own a limited company but you’re not classed as self-employed by HMRC. Instead you’re both an owner and employee of your company.

You can be both employed and self-employed at the same time, for example if you work for an employer during the day and run your own business in the evenings.

You can check whether you’re self-employed:

online

by phone

Selling goods or services

You could be classed as a trader if you sell goods or services. If you’re trading, you’re self-employed.

You’re likely to be trading if you:

sell regularly to make a profit

make items to sell for profit

sell online, at car boot sales or through classified adverts on a regular basis

earn commission from selling goods for other people

are paid for a service you provide

You’re probably not trading if you sell some unwanted items occasionally or you don’t plan to make a profit. You can’t use any losses you make as part of a hobby to reduce your tax bill.

Contact HMRC for advice if you’re not sure whether you’re trading.

You’ll need to register for Self Assessment if any of the following apply:

you earned more than £1,000 from self-employment between 6 April 2017 and 5 April 2018

you need to prove you’re self-employed, for example to claim Tax-Free Childcare

you want to make voluntary Class 2 National Insurance payments to help you qualify for benefits

You must also follow certain rules on running and naming your business.

If you don’t need to register, you can still make voluntary Class 2 National Insurance payments - for example to make sure you get the full State Pension.

Other ways to work for yourself

There are other business structures apart from being a sole trader. For example, you can:

become a partner in a business partnership

set up your own limited company

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