Freelance photographers: Why choose coworking space?

As a freelance photographer, you have one chance to make a great first impression on potential clients. Due to the nature of the job, people tend to judge you through superficial means, such as how professional your premises look and the type of equipment you have.

Until you’ve completed work for them, they will have to base most of their decisions on aesthetic factors.

Considering most people take an average of just seven seconds to form a first impression, you don’t have long to sway them in your favour and attract their custom.

While there’s nothing wrong in principle in working from home as a self-employed photographer, it has certain disadvantages.

If clients come to your home, it can seem somewhat low budget and unprofessional. When a potential customer is considering hiring you for a big event such as their wedding, seeing you working from your lounge may not satisfy their need for a level of formality. They may be looking for a more professional set-up to confirm you’re an experienced photographer who can be trusted with their special day.

There are an estimated 86,800 photographers and video-makers in the UK, according to 2023 data from Statista, with a market size of £1.4 billion. In the face of such stiff competition, you need all the help you can get to show customers you’re the best.

Benefits of coworking spaces

One thing you’ll require is a website that’s professional and easy to navigate to attract clients. Once they contact you, they will normally expect you to be working from an office. This is where a coworking space comes in, as it can have many advantages for a freelance photographer.

How you use your workspace may vary, depending on the style of images in which you specialise: you can fine-tune it to match your needs, whether these are portrait, wedding, nature, architecture, press photography or just about any other style.

When it comes to business-related tasks such as invoicing, contacting clients, hosting meetings, updating your website and dealing with HMRC, a coworking space can be beneficial. It will also save your business money, compared with the expense of renting a traditional office.

Renting a studio just for meetings can prove costly and it isn’t feasible. A coworking space is specially designed for freelancers and creative professionals to provide them with everything they need to run their business – e.g. photo editing can take time, so having your own dedicated space to do this is important.

Networking opportunities

Coworking also provides plenty of networking opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be available.

A large part of any photographer’s work involves sitting at the computer, so it’s useful to have a desk where you’re surrounded by other professional people in creative sectors.

A melting pot of individuals with unique experience and skills, a coworking environment creates an abundance of networking opportunities. Entrepreneurs, freelancers, remote workers, small business owners and more are all working under one roof.

Your fellow coworkers could also recommend your services to their clients and friends, having worked alongside you and seen first-hand the high standard of your work.

If you’re coworking in the UK, this offers many opportunities for networking, both inside and outside the office. The capital is a thriving hub of business activity, with plenty of specific events helping you to meet the right people.

Networking for photographers offers many opportunities, whether you’re looking to connect with other photographers to learn from each other, improve your skills, expand your portfolio, or simply meet new people.

If you’re serious about your career as a professional photographer and you’re still working from a home office, it could be time to take the plunge into coworking to improve the overall vision and credibility of your business.

 

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