The Business of Photography
Running a photography business: business models, planning and structure, cost of doing business and pricing, licensing and copyright, contracts, marketing, sales, stock and products, bookkeeping, GST/HST and taxes, insurance and risk, and hiring and growth.
PHOT-410 Year 4 3 credits 12 lessons · 5 h 33 min
Offered by HSM University · Photography
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Compare photography business models by customers, price basis, income predictability and scalability, and write a value proposition.
- Prepare a concise business plan with SWOT analysis and SMART goals, and choose an appropriate legal structure and registration steps for Canada or the United States.
- Calculate cost of doing business, break-even points and prices with target margins, and select suitable pricing models.
- Explain copyright ownership, registration and remedies in Canada and the United States, and price usage licences with multipliers.
- Design estimates and contracts with clear scope, deposits, cancellation schedules, payment terms, releases and consumer protection safeguards.
- Plan and measure marketing using positioning, funnel conversion, cost per lead and customer lifetime value, in compliance with email and review laws.
- Run an ethical sales process using consultations, tiered proposals, pipeline forecasts and customer relationship management, while protecting client privacy.
- Evaluate stock, licensing platforms, AI training licences, print sales and education products as income streams.
- Keep business records, forecast cash flow, and meet sales tax, income tax and self-employment contribution obligations.
- Manage equipment, depreciation, insurance, data backup and business risks using expected loss and risk matrices.
- Decide when and how to hire or outsource, apply worker status tests and calculate the cost of staff, associates and studio space.
- Present an integrated photography studio business plan with a pricing sheet, forecasts, sensitivity analysis, milestones and KPIs.
Course content
12 lessons · 5 h 33 min total · final exam
- 1 Photography business models 27 min · quiz
- 2 Business planning and structure 26 min · quiz
- 3 Cost of doing business and pricing strategy 32 min · quiz
- 4 Licensing, usage and copyright as a business asset 28 min · quiz
- 5 Estimates, contracts and terms 26 min · quiz
- 6 Marketing and branding 28 min · quiz
- 7 Sales and client relationships 26 min · quiz
- 8 Stock, licensing platforms and product income 28 min · quiz
- 9 Bookkeeping, GST/HST and taxes 28 min · quiz
- 10 Equipment, insurance and risk 28 min · quiz
- 11 Hiring, outsourcing and scaling 30 min · quiz
- 12 Capstone: a photography studio business plan 26 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
Running a photography business: business models, planning and structure, cost of doing business and pricing, licensing and copyright, contracts, marketing, sales, stock and products, bookkeeping, GST/HST and taxes, insurance and risk, and hiring and growth.
Part of the Film & Photography stream, typically taken in year 4.