Business photos and content: decide what to show first

How do I start offering photos for a small business?

Choose something you know how to make: a product photo, a detail image or a short demonstration clip. Explain what it will show, which edits are included and what files you will deliver. That tells someone more than saying you're good at social media.

Make a sample with your own object, somewhere you have permission to photograph. Label personal practice clearly rather than suggesting a business commissioned it. Check behind the product too: documents, open screens and people can end up in the frame when you didn't mean to include them.

What belongs in a photography or short-video brief?

Ask what matters about the product, who the content is for and where it will appear. Agree on how many images or clips are needed, the file format and which edits are included. Use a short shot list to check you have the agreed views before packing away.

Ask separately about permission to photograph people, use supplied material and show the finished work in your portfolio. Making content for a business doesn't automatically cover every later use. The guide to photos and content for small businesses covers samples, permissions and handing over files. You can make content without access to the business's accounts.