What are the legalities of accepting payments as a freelance photographer?

Question

Someone I know has been into photography and has recently expressed interest in freelancing.

There are a lot of questions she has, but the most pressing one is how to get paid. I have advised her to not charge too low as her pictures are good (and I don't want her to diminish the value of local photogs).

The problem is how to accept payments and what are some gotcha legalities.

What about cash? Should she provide some sort of "invoice" to customers so there is a proper record? How about checks? She plans on using her name, so I don't think she needs a DBA (doing business as) but I may be mistaken, to operate so how would one make a check to her?

PayPal seems interesting too but would she need a separate "business" account? I've browsed photo.SE for the last few hours but didn't find anything specific to accepting payment.

Asked by viper1092

Answer

First research YOUR market! Go to your local City Hall (they will know everything, hopefully)! Register your business. Look for a lawyer (contracts, etc), Financial Adviser (set up Quickbooks or whatever), Register with local Chamber of Commerce, Ask established photographers to second shot, Network and make friends. And lastly BE AWESOME! and take great pictures.

MOST IMPORTANT: IMO, running photography business is 20% photography 80% business.

:)

What about cash? Should she provide some sort of "invoice" to customers so there is a proper record?

Never take cash. Write/sign a contract for EVERYTHING!

Answered by Alen

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