Becoming Self Employed

I have been researching about what becoming Self Employed may entail. I have been using websites such as the GOV.UK and finding articles. I am hoping that in the future, after completing an MA in a city for example, I will be able to become a self employed events photographer. I am hoping that the current circumstances won't ruin my future, I know it is definitely going put pressure on my plans as it has become unknown as to when large events will proceed again. However if it comes to it I am prepared to face and overcome challenges along the way.

“If you start working for yourself, you’re classed as a sole trader. This means you’re self-employed - even if you haven’t yet told HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). ”https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself

A sole trader is a self employed person who runs their own business and owns it as an individual. A sole trader is responsible for their business and debts. https://www.informdirect.co.uk/business-management/what-is-a-sole-trader/

According to the GOV.UK website, you are considered self employed if you: 

• 'Sell Goods or services to make a profit' - so in my case if I were to be selling my images I would be classed as self employed as I would be making an income from it, there for I would have to declare my earnings to the government. 

• 'Run your business for yourself or take responsibility for its success or failure'

• 'Provide the main items of equipment to do your work' - in my case I would be provided my own equipment in the sense that I would have my camera, tripod, lights and anything else. 

• 'Have several customers at the same time' - If I had more than one event that I had photographed I would be considered as self employed. 

From this information I have a better understanding of some of the things that enable you to class yourself as self employed. 

To register as self employed you may need to set yourself up as a sole trader. It states on the GOV.UK website that you need to set up as a sole trader when you have earned more than £1,000 from self employment. 

The GOV.UK website also has a how to set up as a sole trader page, this will definitely be useful nearer to the time, after I have done my MA and had a gap year. 

I found a helpful step by step guide article about how to become a freelance photographer, it gave me an insight to some of the things which I may need to think about if I do end up becoming self employed. https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2018/08/how-to-become-a-freelance-photographer/

There are ten different steps on the article and they all appear to be beneficial tips and idea to think about. I have come up with my own ideas and answers to the questions involved on the article to give myself a rough idea of what may be involved in trying to become a self employed photographer in the future, this was I can reflect on this post in my blog and it will seem less daunting as I will have already began my research and a brief overview. (if it is possible to become an event photographer in the future) 

1. I would be specialising in events photography - I should ensure I am constantly on the look out for any advertised event photography jobs, I should talk to event managers and club owners to see if they want a photographer. 

2. I am always practicing taking photographs in events, It is what I love to do so I will find practicing very easy. 

3. I have already achieved a Distinction in my Foundation Degree in Photography and I am hoping I will pass my BA, with a lot of hard work and determination, I believe I will be ok. 

4. I already have most of the equipment I need, my camera and I purchase film on the internet, I get my film developed using Peak Imaging and when it comes to digital I have a camera, I would possibly need to think about investing in a printer which produces photographs at a high standard. 

The article states: "Startups.co.uk estimates the cost of a top-of-the-range professional camera to be somewhere in the region of £2,000. Add a telefocus lens and you’re looking at increasing your total by anything from £200 to £2,000. For a separate flash gun it’s £200-£400. A tripod will cost you £100, and it’s £50 for a remote trigger."

My original plan was to travel and work in a different country during my gap year, I am not sure what or where, I just want an adventure. If I am able to do so I will be able to save up and get my own equipment. 

5. The article states that: Startups.co.uk estimates the annual salary of a reasonably successful professional photographer to be around £20,000. And the National Careers Service gives an average range of photographer salaries between about £25,000 and £31,000. Although, that’s for employed rather than self-employed photographers.

Here are a few examples of how much you could earn as a freelance photographer. According to londonfreelance.org, you can expect to be paid the following day rates:

Magazine photography – from £300 for smaller publications, up to £800 for large glossy magazines. Press photography – from £100 for local newspapers, up to around £250 for national newspapers

Hitched.co.uk suggests that fees charged by reputable wedding photographers range from around £1,000 right up to more than £3,000. It can be a good idea to research what other photographers in your location (and specialism) are charging for their services, too.

I would say that photographers for events would probably be more of a commission based income. I would be happy with what ever I had because it is my passion, plus I would probably want a job in between to keep me stable.

6. As I now know how and when you should register with the HMRC, I feel I would be able to do so with ease if it came down to it. 

7. I will look into insurance companies closer to the time, there is no point getting ahead of myself. 

8. I would definitely use social media as a marketing platform, it is such a vast way of people communicating in our generation, id be a fool not to use it as a marketing tool. You can set up business pages on Facebook where you can pay to have adverts that come up on peoples news feeds. People are endlessly scrolling through social media day after day so I would use this. I would probably then also find someone who could help my business page look professional by creating logos. I have already learnt how to create business cards in last years course, I have a website which I can update and I have social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr. 

9. I would rather be on my own so I can travel around from festival to festival in the summers and I can be responsible for myself and my own earnings, I feel it would be a great sense of achievement to have such a big responsibility, obviously there would be risks but when are there not? 

10. I concider myself to have very good people skills as it is, I have grown up around people my whole life, I have travelled from festival to festival meeting hundreds of people along the way. I have also worked in the customer service field, working in a cafe in Bangor for nearly three years enabled me to gain confidence when it came to customers. 

Overall I feel that I would now be able to become self employed with a bit more ease now that it does not seem so frightening. I would obviously thoroughly research into this but I now know some of the ins and and outs of what it may consist of when trying to become self employed.