How To Be A Freelance Photographer Philippines

How To Be A Freelance Photographer In The Philippines: Photography is not only a pleasurable pastime, but it can also be a very profitable business in the Philippines with the right strategy. So a common question you may think to ask yourself is how to be a freelance photographer in the Philippines as a beginner? In this article, we will explore the very process of photography in the Philippines.

Table of Contents

How To Be A Freelance Photographer In The Philippines

1. Decide On The Type Of Photographer You Want To Be

One of the great things about being a freelance photographer in the Philippines is that you get to choose exactly the type of photography that you wish to do. But, of course, if you are looking to make as much money as possible as a freelance photographer, you will need to analyze the current market and demand. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of opportunities.

In other words, the first stage on how to be a freelance photographer in the Philippines is deciding on the type of photography you wish to do and how this will work with your life and other commitments.

Business photography is extremely profitable, but now more and more businesses are looking for freelance photographers to increase content for their photography platform. Please take a look at our full guide on how to sell photos online in the Philippines for some extra information.

Additionally, you may wish to create a business plan including a photography growth strategy at this stage. Feel free to download our free business and financial templates by clicking on the tools tab at the top of this page.

2. Purchase The Essential Equipment

To take the best photos, you will need to ensure that you have the best equipment. For example, suppose you wish to be a freelance photographer in the Philippines but are a beginner at photography. In that case, there are some fantastic starter packs and equipment that can be purchased cheaply on platforms such as Lazada.

Additionally, if you are looking to purchase in bulk or get your hands on some extremely cheap photography equipment, you may wish to purchase from overseas, specifically China. If you are looking to purchase in bulk, Alibaba is a great website, but AliExpress is the best website to purchase cheaply from China.

In addition, to enhance your photography, you may wish to download online software such as Photoshop. Finally, if you find yourself an expert in editing, there are several opportunities to make money from editing photos online.

3. Create Your Photographer Portfolio

If you are working with a company locally or overseas, one of the first things they will look for is a personal portfolio of your previous work. Therefore, creating a website is a great idea to highlight your experience and previous work history.

Starting a free website on platforms such as Wix is a great option; however, a professional website on WordPress is recommended if you wish to stand out from the crowd. You can also take a look at the cheapest and fastest web hosting services for the Philippines if you decide to start a word press website.

Having a website is also a great option when building your overall sales funnel. Most businesses will have a long list to choose from when looking for photographers. You need to stand out of the crowd and gain attention. Therefore, creating a modern but simple website highlighting your overall portfolio is a great option.

4. Offer Services For Small Businesses

The next step on how to be a freelance photographer in the Philippines will call for the entrepreneur inside of you. This is where you take your services to small businesses.

Several businesses have created new products or sold existing products to the market in today’s modern world. One thing they need more than anything is photography of their products.

This type of business photography can take the form of photographing a physical product itself or a model wearing the product. Whatever the scenario is, this is the stage where you offer your services to small businesses in your area. This is also a great opportunity for networking as a freelance photographer.

However, working with small businesses is not the only way how to earn money as a freelance photographer in the Philippines. The next three stages will cover additional options to earn money as a photographer in the Philippines for beginners.

5. Start Online Photographer Services On Fiverr

There are plenty of different opportunities for photographers on platforms such as Fiverr. For example, we recently comprised a list of over 200 opportunities for freelancers in the Philippines to make money on the Fiverr platform!

Additionally, there are other platforms available such as TaskRabbit, Upwork, PeoplePerHour, etc.; as mentioned earlier, if you have editing skills, there is also an opportunity to earn money as a freelancer in the Philippines from editing.

If offering your services on a freelancing platform is not what you are looking for, another option we have discussed below is selling your photos directly to an online photo business.

6. Sell Your Photos To Online Photo Businesses

Previously we have explored how to sell your photos online in the Philippines, where we compared how much money you can make. Most photo businesses have a subscription service for their customers say they are always in need of photos, especially photos of remote areas in the Philippines.

Some businesses will pay you per download, while others will have a standard fee. If you earn per download, it’s recommended to create unique photos in high demand but not available on the platform. For example, remote and breathtaking photos of the Philippines often do very well.

Take a look at Canva and type in “the Philippines” to see a full list of examples. Alternatively, we have a bonus option for those who wish to earn money as a freelance photographer in the Philippines, and that is through events.

Bonus: Get Hired For Events

Photographers are essential to any big event, whether a wedding or a ceremony of some kind. Word of mouth and reputation is key with this type of career path.

Networking with businesses, the community, friends, and family is often wise if you want to earn money as a freelance photographer in the Philippines. It’s also recommended to set yourself up on social media and advertise locally on Facebook.

The great thing about using marketing with social media such as Facebook is that it can be very targeted. For example, you can place your advertisement in front of people celebrating an anniversary or about to get married, which is a unique marketing opportunity for freelance photographers in the Philippines.

How To Earn Money As A Freelance Photographer In The Philippines

There are several ways to earn money as a freelance photographer in the Philippines. The most common method is to work directly with national and overseas businesses. Additionally, selling photos online and product photography is also a fantastic way to earn money as a freelance photographer in the Philippines.

How Much Do Freelance Photographers In The Philippines Earn

According to multiple online sources, a freelance photographer in the Philippines earns approximately 400 Pesos per hour. However, the total salary of a freelancer varies depending on the individual. Therefore freelance photographers can earn higher or lower depending on the project.

If a photographer is working on a high-profile product, perhaps for a company overseas, the average salary of a freelance photographer in the Philippines will be much higher. However, if they are selling photos locally, the average salary of a photographer in the Philippines is often much less.

Nevertheless, you can negotiate and decide on your final price as a freelance photographer. Sometimes it’s important to remind your clients just how important photography is in this world of digital images. The right picture at the right time can be worth thousands.

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