I started my photography business 25 years ago, with borrowed gear. Did I know how to take a pretty photo? Mostly, but I wasn’t sure I could do so consistently, which led to a lot of anxiety. Did I know how to market my business? Sort of, but I was also learning on the fly, through trial and error.
I would have LOVED for there to be a source of all-in-one education for starting a photography business. Learn technical skills, then marketing skills, and at the end of it have proof that I know what I’m doing?? Sign me up?
While there are no official requirements for certification for professional photographers, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hold value.
Can I be a photographer without a degree?
Yes, you can be a photographer without a degree. While it’s challenging to find statistics on the number of professional photographers with a photographer degree, a large percentage of family and newborn photographers are self-taught.
Wondering if you need certification if you already have a photography degree though? Check out Laura’s experience in the Sandra Coan Certification program here.
Do you need certification to be a professional photographer?
You do not officially need certification or a license to be a professional photographer. Anyone with a camera can start a professional photography business.
But what does this mean in reality?
- You can hear a voice in your head asking, “Is this actually your job, or just a hobby?”
- You feel like an imposter, without any proof to show that you’ve mastered your technical skills.
- You are charging less than what you need to for a profitable business, because you don’t feel like your work is “worth” the higher prices.
- You have no idea how to market your business.
- You have areas of your photography business that you don’t feel confident in, but you don’t know how to fix it.
- You don’t have anyone to mentor you, or reliably answer your questions about running a photography business.
- You feel like it’s taking FOREVER to get your business off the ground, because you’re having to learn everything from scratch.
- You frequently take new posing, lighting, and marketing classes, because you can’t find education that is actually helpful and covers all the aspects of running a photography business.
So while certification isn’t required to start a photography business, it can be extremely challenging to run a profitable business without training in marketing, technical skills, and mindset.
(Wondering about my Sandra Coan Certification program? Keep reading! But if you can’t wait, CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS)
What qualifications do you need to be a photographer?
To be a successful professional photographer, you need photography skills, people skills, as well as business and marketing skills.
That includes:
- Technical photography skills. You need to understand how to use your equipment, lighting, how to compose an image, and editing.
- People skills. First and foremost, professional photography is a service based industry. You will need the ability to direct your clients into poses, communicate with them about their session, and help them feel comfortable in front of the camera.
- Business and marketing skills. You can be the most technically skilled photographer ever, but if no one knows about your business, you won’t last long!
What is the Sandra Coan Certification program?
I’ve been in the photography industry for 25 years. During that time, I’ve launched (and maintained!) a successful family and newborn studio photography business, as well as become an industry-backed educator for lighting and business.
And in that 25 years, I’ve watched too many fantastic photographers fail.
Why? Because they didn’t have the confidence to market themselves. They didn’t know how to price their services for a profitable business, leading to burn out. There wasn’t a community to turn to when things weren’t going the way they needed them to. They didn’t have a mentor to tell them, “It’s okay you’re struggling right now, here’s what you can do next.” They took class after class, hoping this was the one that would answer all their questions.
This is why I started the Sandra Coan Certification program. It covers:
- How to use strobes and flash to create natural looking light.
- Figuring out what *your* ideal light is, and how to consistently produce beautiful images, whether inside or out.
- Posing fundamentals for family, maternity, and newborn clients.
- How to run an efficient photo session, and get consistent results.
- Editing for consistency.
- Client-focused website design.
In addition to the self-paced course classes, the Certification program also includes:
- One-on-one portfolio reviews
- Access to our members-only retreats and workshops
- Lifetime access to course materials and members only group
- Listing on our international referral database
- The confidence knowing you’ve worked hard and have earned a professional certification!
Why is the Sandra Coan Certification program helpful?
Mindset really can make a difference when it comes to owning a business, especially in a creative field. And if you’re able to consistently show up for your clients with a confident, can do attitude, that’s going to make a huge difference in your business (and life!).
The Sandra Coan Certification has already made such a difference in the lives of so many family and newborn photographers!
“I had a profitable photography business, photography work that was beautiful and consistent, but I was still absolutely terrified of using strobes and flash. One year later? I’m now a Sandra Coan Certified Photographer, and I am a completely different person than when I started this program. Do I still use natural light in the vast majority of my sessions? Yes! But can I walk into any room, with zero notice, and confidently get my strobe set up to get the images I want. I can mix natural and artificial light in my work – even in the same session – without missing a beat.” – Liz
A professional certification is something that everyone understands. It lets your clients know that you’ve been trained and tested, and they can feel confident that they will receive professional level work.
Ready to take the plunge?? Apply to the Sandra Coan Certification program today!
