Idea PlannerStarting photography and video: what to find out
Questions to answer and numbers to collect before you put money in.
No earnings or costs are stated here, because they depend on your place and on you. This page lists what to find out.
Who might buy
Families with functions, small shops needing photos, students and graduates.
What you usually need to start
a camera or phone, lenses, lights, a computer and editing software, storage, transport. Get quotes for each before you decide.
Rules to ask about
Ask the authority about whether you need a registration, and what rights you have over the photos you take. This site does not state the rules.
The main risks
Work comes in seasons, equipment is costly and wears out, and clients may delay payment.
A small first test
Shoot a few small jobs at low or no price to build a portfolio, and time how long editing takes.
Numbers to collect from the test
Jobs a month, hours of editing per job, advance taken, equipment cost per job. Put them into the monthly profit worksheet and the start-up cost worksheet.
Also read questions to ask customers and how to find out what you need.
Keep going
This site states no profit figure, start-up cost, licence requirement or loan scheme: you type your own numbers, and the idea pages list questions to ask and things to measure. Interest rates in the worksheets are typed by you. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Checked 14 November 2026.