How to start a successful UK photography business

Did you know that over two trillion photos were taken globally in 2025? Whether it’s for selfies, social posts, or high-end commercial work, the demand for visual content has never been higher.

If you’re always getting asked to bring your camera to weddings, birthdays, and even the odd pet portrait session, it’s a sign that you’ve got a valuable skill that people want and need.

Taking your skill directly to market can feel like a massive step, but don’t worry, starting a photography business in the UK isn’t as complicated as it seems. 

Many successful photographers begin with minimal overheads and build their brand gradually. We’re here to walk you through the essentials.

In this article:

• What types of photography businesses are there?
• What equipment do I need to start a photography business?
• How to start a photography business in 6 steps
• How much does it cost to start a photography business?
• How do I set my prices?
• What insurance do I need to start a photography business?
• Do I need a business licence?
• Tips for starting a photography business
• Should I start a photography business?

The great thing about the photography industry is that it’s hugely varied. There are many different niches, avenues to explore, and opportunities for creativity — from selling prints to shooting corporate headshots. 

Deciding on your specialism early is key because it influences what equipment you need to buy, your pricing, and even how you set up your business. Each type of photography business comes with different pricing expectations and packages. Let’s look at a few common options.

Wedding photography is a popular choice for many photographers — and for good reason. In 2025, the UK photography market is valued at approximately £1.9 billion. It’s a massive industry, with consistent growth and resilience. For budding photography business owners, it offers high demand and premium prices. 

Pros:

• High earning potential: Packages often start at £1,000–£2,000, with top photographers earning £5,000+
• Consistent demand: People are always getting married, providing a steady market
• Artistic freedom: You can bring your signature style and brand identity
• Networking opportunities: Great for meeting people and lots of word-of-mouth referrals

Cons:

• High pressure: You get one shot at critical moments, demanding backup gear and focus (you can’t reshoot the key events of the day!)
• Long hours: You can typically work 10–14 hours a day, often on weekends
• Big competition: The wedding market is saturated — you need a strong marketing plan to stand out

This involves creating images for businesses. From snapping menu items for a local restaurant to shooting products for an e-commerce brand, commercial and product photography is all about helping other businesses sell. This is often the most stable and financially rewarding sector for those setting up a photography business.

Pros:

• Stable income: Businesses need high-quality content regularly, which can lead to repeat corporate clients (who pay well)
• High day rates: You can charge a fixed day rate plus licensing fees
• 9-5 work: Most commercial shoots happen during standard business hours, so you generally won’t need to work weekends 

Cons:

• High technical demand: Requires knowledge of studio lighting, colour calibration, and how to set up shoot environments for  items that can be tricky to capture and work with, like hot food 
• Less creative freedom: You’ll usually follow your client’s photography style guidelines and shoot to a specification, not your artistic vision
• High investment: You may need to purchase expensive lighting, backdrops, and studio space

This includes family shoots, newborn photography, professional headshots, and general lifestyle content. 

This business area often appeals to those who want to start a part-time photography business or start a photography business from home, as you can often set your own hours — giving you the flexibility to work when you want.

Pros:

• Flexible hours: These photography sessions are often short (1–2 hours) and can be scheduled around your life
• Low barrier to entry: You often don’t need a dedicated studio — sometimes just a bright room or even a local park works well
• Emotional rewards: You’re capturing special personal moments for families and individuals — a very fulfilling way to make a living

Cons: 

• Seasonal and inconsistent income: Demand for lifestyle shoots can fluctuate heavily around holidays and school terms
• High post-production: The many different environments, faces and briefs can mean extensive editing and retouching work

It might be tempting to blow your budget on the latest camera and equipment to look the part, but you don’t need to go overboard to get started.

Focus on the core essentials and look for reliable equipment that has good reviews. You don’t necessarily need the latest (and most expensive) items on the market.

The core essentials
Ultimately, your minimum viable kit needs to be capable of producing high-resolution, professional-grade images.

• Camera: A good-quality, modern DSLR or mirrorless camera is essential. It needs to handle high ISOs well and deliver excellent overall image quality

• Lenses: You don’t need a dozen lenses to start. A great, versatile lens is a 50mm prime or a sharp, general-purpose zoom at 24-70mm. Quality lenses are often a better investment than a second camera body
• External flash and lighting: You can’t rely on natural light, unfortunately! A reliable external speedlight (with flash) and a basic diffuser can dramatically improve your indoor and low-light work
• Backup and storage: This is probably your most important investment — losing your work just isn’t an option. Get multiple memory cards and a reliable external hard drive, and always back up your files immediately. both locally and to the cloud, after every shoot
• Editing software: Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are the industry standards. They do involve a monthly subscription, but they’re essential tools for professional editing and file management

Once you’ve decided what type of photography you want to start, the path to getting your new venture off the ground is pretty straightforward.

Just follow these six steps:

As we mentioned earlier, pick a lane. Make sure you choose a photography style that excites you the most. Whether that’s gritty street style or polished studio portraits, you should build your brand around it.

Choosing a niche allows you to:

• Become the go-to expert: Clients are likely to pay more for specialist photographers 
• Target your marketing: Find out where your ideal client spends their time online — is it TikTok, Instagram, or a local directory?
• Build your portfolio: Showcase your work, sell your services and demonstrate your skills in your chosen area

If you’re unsure, think about the kind of photography you already do best — and what kind of work you genuinely enjoy doing every day.

Every dream needs a plan. Creating a business plan might seem big and formal, but in reality, it’s a simple roadmap that outlines how to turn your passion into a commercial success. 

A well-considered business plan helps you focus on the money side of things, which is why you’re starting the business, after all. Here are a few key questions to help you get started:

• Who is your ideal client? Try to be as specific as possible here — for example, small, independent e-commerce businesses selling handmade arts and crafts 
• How much revenue do you want to make in year one? Consider any initial startup costs and expenses before working out a figure that reflects your type of work and the amount of time you want to put into the business 
• What are your pricing packages? Do some research and find out what similar businesses charge
• How will you find and market to your clients? Research your audience and find out as much as you can about what they’re looking for

This is the more formal part of the process. But don’t worry, it’s just deciding how you’ll legally trade as a photography business. 

To start a full-time or freelance photography business, you essentially have two business structure options to choose from: 

• Sole trader: This is the simplest option. You and your business are treated as one single entity for tax and legal purposes. It’s incredibly quick to set up — you just need to register with HMRC to let them know you’re self-employed. But being a sole trader means you’re personally responsible for any business debts
• Limited company: When you register a limited company, it makes you and your business separate legal entities. The limited company structure offers limited liability, which means that your personal assets (like your home and your car) are protected if your business runs into financial difficulties. Think of it as a protective wall between your business finances and your personal savings — it’s a big advantage for many first-time founders

Once you’ve chosen what kind of photography business you’d like to set up, you can focus on the specific tools you need to get the job done. 

Time to finalise your gear. Let’s recap on what you might need: 

• If you’re shooting weddings, remember to invest in a reliable dual memory card and a backup camera (just in case) 
• If you’re shooting product photography, you need dedicated, reliable studio lighting and a set of backdrops
• Beyond the camera, set up your workspace: make sure your computer is powerful enough for editing, and purchase your editing software subscriptions

Registering your photography business transforms you from a hobbyist into a business owner.

If you decide to set up as a sole trader, you just need to register for self-assessment with HMRC. This lets HMRC know that you’re operating a business and that you’ll be filing your own tax returns. 

If you decide to form a limited company, you need to:

1. Make sure your preferred company name is available using a company name availability checker
2. Register your company with Companies House, the UK’s official company register, via an online application 
3. You can register your company with Companies House yourself (this comes with a £50 fee) or you can choose to register through a company formation agent like Countingup. Our company registration service is quick and easy — we’ll handle the application for you, and you’ll be ready to trade within 24 hours

In 2025, your website is your shopfront. It’s the first place clients will look to check your style and credibility. Building a website might seem daunting but these days it’s quite accessible. You absolutely don’t need to be a web designer or a coder to build a fully functioning and good-looking website. 

There are a lot of template-based website builders to choose from (for example, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace). These often come with web hosting and a domain name. 

It’s worth spending a little time researching what’s out there, spotting any good deals, and potentially starting off with a free trial before converting into a fully paying customer. 

You can find out more about what you need to build a professional site in our guide on how to create a photography portfolio website.

The answer to this depends on your starting point. If you already own a professional camera and some of the other core essentials, your startup costs will be surprisingly low.

It also depends on your budget and how much you’re willing to spend. Photography is the type of business where you could easily spend a small fortune if you wanted. 

Here are some typical ballpark costs for starting up a photography business:

Expense category	Average cost	Details
Essential equipment	£1500 – £3000	Good quality DSLR/mirrorless camera with a single high-quality lens, basic flash, and memory Tip: If you’re keeping costs low, buy used or older models
Editing software	£12 – £20 per month	Subscription for Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop
Insurance	£80 – £200 annual	Consider professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Website & domain	£100 – £300 per year	Hosting costs for popular platforms like Squarespace or WordPress
Marketing (launch)	£50 – £200	Business cards, portfolio prints, and some social media advertising. This figure is really a minimum — you can spend as much on marketing as you want
Total (if buying equipment)	£2,000 – £4,000+	This gives you a strong, professional foundation to build from

If you’re looking to start a photography business from home and you already have the essential equipment, your initial costs could be well under £500 — mainly covering insurance and a website subscription.

Pricing up your photography services shouldn’t just include your time shooting, but also your editing time, equipment wear-and-tear, insurance, and tax. 

This is your cost of doing business. It’s important to consider the whole picture so you don’t overcharge and get priced out of the market, or undercharge and experience stress and burnout. 

When setting your rates, you need to bear three things in mind:

In the UK, the average price of photography is £150 per hour or between £250 – £600 per project. Your day rate should reflect your expertise, experience and location. Here is a simple way to calculate a rate that covers your costs and pays you what you’re worth:

Step 1: Determine your target annual income
Decide how much you want to pay yourself in a year (e.g. £40,000).

Step 2: Calculate your billable days
You won’t work every day. You need to account for holidays, sick days, marketing and admin.

• Start with the total working days in a year (approx. 250)
• Assume you spend 60–80% of that time on paid client work (e.g. 250 x 70% = 175 billable days).

Step 3: Find your minimum viable day rate
Divide your target annual income (Step 1) by your billable days (Step 2) to get your minimum daily earnings target, for example: 

• Minimum day rate:  £40,000 / 175 days = £228 per day

This £228 covers your salary and basic overheads. To reach your final day rate, you then add on project-specific expenses like equipment wear-and-tear, travel, or licensing fees and a clear profit margin (usually 10-15%).

Knowing what others in your market (e.g wedding photography or lifestyle photography) charge is incredibly useful because it tells you about perceived value.

Perceived value is the price people will pay for quality and service when they believe a brand is worth more. In your case, perceived value is connected to your experience, expertise, and ultimately how you present these things on your website and portfolio. 

It’s a good idea to create three different categories of photographers with similar businesses:

• Those who charge less than you 
• Those who charge about the same as you
• Those who charge more than you 

Consider what service or quality difference justifies the higher price. Understanding this helps you position yourself accurately — and it might even help you make some changes to your business so you create a better perceived value. 

You may find that a lot of clients prefer fixed pricing rather than hourly rates, as it gives them more clarity: they’ll know exactly what to expect when your invoice arrives. 

Let’s look at the common package structures for different photography businesses: 

Wedding photography
Here, you can create tiered packages (for example, gold, silver, bronze) that clearly define coverage hours, number of photos, and extras like a second photographer, if needed.

Average price: Between £1,400 and £1,700 per wedding

Commercial photography
When working with businesses, it’s a good idea to charge a fixed day rate (e.g. £500–£800 per day) plus a photo licensing fee based on where, how long, and in what capacity the client intends to use your images. Basic licensing fees start from £50 and can reach a few hundred pounds when used in advertising.

Average price: £500–£1,000+ per day

Portrait photography
It’s best to charge for portrait and other lifestyle photography per session fee (which covers your time) and then sell any print packages or digital files separately. You can choose what those sessions look like — for example, simple headshots may take a couple of hours, but you could also offer full-day portrait sessions for families.

Average price: Portraits and headshots £100 – £300 per session, or £500-£800 per full-day session 

Remember, if you can justify the quality, value, and professionalism you offer, the right clients will pay it. Don’t undersell yourself — you’re worth it!

Imagine tripping over a guest at a wedding or dropping your new and expensive camera lens in a river. It happens, and if you’ve got insurance, the only thing you need to really worry about is having rather soggy shoes.

Insurance is every professional photographer’s safety net. Just like you wouldn’t drive a car without insurance, it’s not advisable to run a photography business without it. Let’s look at some of the essential coverage first:

• Professional indemnity insurance: This protects you if a client claims your advice or work was negligent. For a photographer, this could be if a client claims you didn’t do the job properly — for example, they say you lost the photos
• Public liability insurance: This covers you if a third party (like a client or a member of the public) is injured or has their property damaged because of your business activities. For example, if a client trips over your lighting wires at a venue, this insurance steps in
• Equipment insurance: This covers the cost of repair or replacement if your equipment is stolen or damaged, ensuring you can get back to work quickly

Other recommended coverage:

• Employers’ liability insurance: This is a legal requirement if you decide to hire any staff, even if they’re part-time or temporary assistants or second-shooters at a wedding

No, you generally don’t need a specific licence to start a photography business in the UK.

However, you do have a few responsibilities. As mentioned a little earlier, if you set up as a sole trader, you need to register with HMRC for tax purposes. If you set up a limited company, you do have a few extra responsibilities to complete, like paying corporation tax and submitting annual accounts to Companies House. 

Beyond that, you must follow specific permissions related to where you shoot:

• Private property: If you shoot at a hotel, museum, or private venue, you need their permission, and they will likely need you to have public liability insurance
• Public parks and landmarks: Some local councils or specific sites (like Royal Parks) expect commercial photographers to hold a permit or pay a fee to shoot there. Always check the rules before you go 

Remember, if you use commercial music in highlight videos (like wedding showreels), you’ll need a separate music licence, which you can apply for via TheMusicLicence. Or if you use a drone for commercial work, you must register with the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA). 

If you’re looking for ways to start, run, and grow your photography business, you’re in the right place. Here are some top tips to turn your great photos into a profitable business.

It might seem overly formal for smaller jobs — but a simple contract covering scope of work, fees, image usage rights (who can use the photo and where), and cancellation policies helps you avoid challenging conversations down the line.

It’s tempting to try and master Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and SEO all at once — but realistically, you probably won’t have time. 

Instead, pick the one channel where your ideal client spends their time and focus all your effort there. Create content, build your brand and engage with your audience until you see a consistent, reliable stream of leads. 

If you set up a limited company, it’s a legal requirement to keep your personal and business finances separate. However, if you’re a sole trader, it’s a good idea to do it anyway. 

A dedicated business current account can help you track income and expenses, which makes preparing your tax returns a lot easier. It also helps you look more professional to clients, and it can help you with financial reporting, so you can better plan for the future.

We get it: when you’re starting up a photography business, it’s hard to turn down work, but saying yes to every job can lead to burnout. Try to focus on jobs that are in your niche (this will help to build your portfolio) and say no to clients who aren’t happy to pay your rate or who are offering work that won’t build your brand. 

Two cameras. Two memory cards. Two hard drives. This is not a drill, we repeat, this is not a drill. 

You already know you’re a strong photographer, but the real question is: are you ready to be a business owner?

Starting a photography business can be one of the most rewarding decisions you’ll ever make. It’s a career that offers freedom, creativity, and the chance to be part of people’s most important life moments. 

If you’re ready to call (and take) the shots but are unsure about the financial admin, we’ve got your back. Our business current account app is built for small limited companies. It simplifies tax preparation and invoicing, making the lives of photography business owners a lot easier.

Best of luck! We’re cheering you on every step of the way.

Yes, you do. This is a legal requirement. If you choose to be a sole trader, you must register for Self Assessment with HMRC. If you choose a limited company structure, you must register it with Companies House.

You can technically start a photography business with no experience if you have the gear and skills, but it will be very difficult to attract high-paying clients without a strong, professional portfolio and testimonials. Clients pay for confidence and proven results.

The hardest part is the business side — finding clients, marketing, and pricing yourself correctly. The actual admin of starting a photography business in the UK (registration and getting insured) is quite straightforward, especially with a service like ours to help you register and handle your finances.

Technically, yes, if you already own professional-grade equipment, you can start a photography business with no money, as the main costs are gear, insurance, and a website. However, you must still budget for annual essential costs like insurance (£80–£200) and web hosting to operate professionally.