How to start a photography business
Last reviewed . General information, not legal or tax advice.
To start a photography business, register the business and get any local licenses, decide in writing who owns the photos you take for clients, since copyright usually belongs to the photographer, register your best work with the U.S. Copyright Office, get an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate before flying a drone for pay, and set aside money for self-employment tax.
Is photography a good business to start on your own?
Most photographers already work for themselves. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says photographers use their technical expertise and creativity to produce and preserve images of people, landscapes, merchandise and other subjects, that 67% of photographers were self-employed, and that the median annual wage was $44,660 in May 2025 (BLS: Photographers).
Running the business is part of the job. The BLS notes that photographers must plan marketing or advertising strategies, reach out to prospective clients and anticipate seasonal work. Choose a niche, such as weddings, portraits, products or real estate, and price each session from your time, travel, editing and equipment; our guide on how to price a product or service shows how.
Who owns the copyright in photos I take for a client?
Usually you do. The U.S. Copyright Office says the author and initial copyright owner of a photograph is generally the person who shoots or takes it (Copyright Office Circular 42), and your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form (Copyright Office FAQ).
The exception is a work made for hire. If a work is made for hire, the employer or the party that commissioned it is the author. That covers photos an employee takes as part of their job; for a commissioned photo, there must be a written agreement and the work must fall within one of nine categories eligible to be commissioned as works made for hire (Copyright Office Circular 30). Outside those cases, a client does not get the copyright just by paying for a shoot, so put in writing how the client may use the images: where, for how long and whether they may edit them.
Should I register my photos with the Copyright Office?
Registration is voluntary, but it matters when someone copies your work. You will have to register before you can bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. And when registration is made before the infringement, or within three months after the work is first published, a copyright owner can claim statutory damages, attorneys' fees and costs (Copyright Office Circular 1).
Photographers have a cheaper route than one application per image: group registration of unpublished or published photographs lets you register multiple photographs with one submission, up to 750 photographs in a group.
Do I need a license to fly a drone for photography?
Yes, if it is for work. The FAA says you can fly a small drone, under 55 pounds, for work or business by following its Part 107 rules, and you must register the drone in FAADroneZone (FAA: Certificated Remote Pilots). To get a Remote Pilot Certificate you must be at least 16 and pass a knowledge test, and you keep it current with online recurrent training every 24 calendar months (FAA: Become a Certificated Remote Pilot).
Taxes for a self-employed photographer
As a self-employed photographer you owe self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare on your net earnings, on top of income tax (IRS: Self-employed individuals tax center). Keep receipts for gear and software, and see our guide to self-employment and estimated taxes and the general guide on how to start a service business.
Frequently asked questions
Does the client own the photos if they paid for the shoot?
Not automatically. The Copyright Office says the person who takes a photograph is generally its author and first copyright owner. A client owns the copyright only if it is a work made for hire, such as an employee's work, or a commissioned work in one of the eligible categories with a written agreement.
Do I have to register my photos to own the copyright?
No. Copyright protects your photos from the moment you take them, and registration is voluntary. But you must register before suing for infringement of a U.S. work, and registering before an infringement, or within three months of publication, lets you claim statutory damages and attorneys' fees. Group registration covers up to 750 photographs.
Can I use a drone for real estate or wedding photos?
Yes, once you follow the FAA's rules for flying for work. That means flying under Part 107 with a Remote Pilot Certificate, which requires being at least 16 and passing a knowledge test, registering the drone in FAADroneZone, and completing online recurrent training every 24 calendar months to keep the certificate current.
Sources
- Photographers (Occupational Outlook Handbook), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/photographers.htm
- Circular 42: Copyright Registration of Photographs, U.S. Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ42.pdf
- Circular 30: Works Made for Hire, U.S. Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ09.pdf
- Copyright in General (FAQ), U.S. Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html
- Circular 1: Copyright Basics, U.S. Copyright Office. https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf
- Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators, Federal Aviation Administration. https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators
- Become a Certificated Remote Pilot, Federal Aviation Administration. https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/become_a_drone_pilot
- Self-employed individuals tax center, Internal Revenue Service. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employed-individuals-tax-center
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules differ by state and city and change over time, so confirm the details with the official sources above or a licensed professional.