Lens Craft: A Word of Warning about Insurance

I got my settlement check the other day. The camera was not covered because in their eyes I am a professional. Take head of this story. The insurance companies will use everything in their power not to make good on a claim. to the insurance company I am a professional photographer even though I do not have a business license, I do not depreciate my camera gear as a business expense, and I have never been paid to shoot a picture.

It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that they will do this but it’s pushing it to say because he had used his photographs on a couple of cafepress t-shirts that he was now a professional. How many insurance companies would even take the time to look at a customers website? How could they be sure that the customer and the website operator were the same person even if their names check out (my insurance company doesn’t even have my email address).

camera, insurance, photography, tips

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I do think it is worth pointing out that “salary” and “Income” to a self-employed person or to a company are not always equal (or declared), plus how many of these people who earn less than £5k a year are doing it on a part-time basis? What is the definition of “photographer”? Someone who has sold the rights to one image on Alamy could call themselves a “Pro Photographer”, someone who snaps the odd wedding could do the same.

The main reason for average low income is the same as any freelance industry where there is a low barrier to entry therefore a glut of low-experience people entering. It creates a buyers market and drives down fees for all but the top 2%.

Having said that it wouldn’t take too much for a determined person to earn a healthy side income, I have been thinking about it myself. For example a couple or few paid wedding gigs would put you over National Geo’s bottom end. The main factors are similar to any business:

• How are you different? The top photographers differentiate by style, portfolio, reputation, contacts,  clientele …
• Specialism or generic? You might not make a big splash by being “another photographer” but perhaps a real estate photography specialist would get noticed?
• How do you advertise? Word of mouth is obviously the best route, so many are in yellow pages etc already, but how do you start that word of mouth trend?
• Etc

None of these are unique to photography, you could see the same problems facing any freelancer or small business.

Technorati Tags: photography, business, income

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