Photography Business and Reference Books

The Photo Proventure Bookshelf

The Photo Proventure BookshelfPhotography Business and Reference Books

The Business and Reference section of The Bookshelf contains the books that I’ve read that have helped me develop my business. They provide new ways of looking at what you can do to make a living (or side income) in photography or give you actual examples of the systems, processes and administration needed to run a successful business.

You can purchase the books below by following the links to the Book Depository. These links are affiliate links whereby I get a small commission if you purchase a book while you get the same great price you would anyway. The commissions help to give me the ability to improve this site. Win-win if you ask me!

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Business & Reference | Purple Cow - Seth Godin

Purple Cow

by Seth Godin

TYPE: Big Picture, Marketing

Seth’s most famous book is a quick read that provides an alternate view of marketing your product and/or business. How do you create an experience or image that stops people in their tracks? Perhaps this book will give you some ideas.

I’m a huge fan of Seth’s writing and can wholeheartedly suggest that you follow his blog even if you don’t buy this book.

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Core Library| Highly Recommended | Photography Books

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Business and Reference | The Personal MBA - Josh Kaufman

The Personal MBA

by Josh Kaufman

TYPE: Business, Marketing, Processes

I don’t know if I’ve leaned so much about business from any other book. Although quite thick, the concepts in this book are presented in easily understandable chunks. It covers over 200 concepts that cover value creation, marketing, sales, value delivery, finance, the human mind, working with yourself, working with others, understanding systems, analyzing systems, and improving systems.

It’s a real powerhouse of business knowledge.

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Core Library| Highly Recommended | Photography Books

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Reference & Business | Professional Business Practices in Photography - ASMP

Professional Business Practices in Photography

by the American Society of Media Photographers

TYPE: Business, Reference, Documentation

This reference book covers a whole of the basics and the nitty-gritty of the industry. Starting out with copyright, it then delves into the differences between assignment and stock photography. It then covers the paperwork and releases you may need before going into marketing, negotiating and customer service.

It is a really great reference book but I can’t imagine reading the whole thing in one go.

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Recommended Book

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Reference and Business | Best Business Practices for Photographers - John Harrington

Best Business Practices for Photographers

by John Harrington

TYPE: Business, Reference, Documentation

Another excellent reference book that covers all of the different aspects of running a photography business and being paid for your work. From planning, staffing, pricing, insurance, accounting, contracts, negotiating, and all sorts of legal stuff, this book has it all.

That said, it is mammoth and I can’t imagine reading it from front to back. I generally use it as a reference when wanting more information about a certain aspect of the business.

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Recommended Book

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Business and Reference | Fast Track Photographer - Dane Sanders

Fast Track Photographer

by Dane Sanders

TYPE: Business, Reference

This book is on my shelf after the recommendation of a number of websites. Unfortunately I have not yet read this book, and therefore cannot make a recommendation in this case yet.

However, if this sounds like something you need, it is worth checking out.

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Reference and Business | The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan - Dane Sanders

The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan

by Dane Sanders

TYPE: Business, Reference, Documentation

This is the companion to the Fast Track Photographer above. Just like that book, This one is on my shelf after the recommendation of a number of websites. Unfortunately I have not yet read this book, and therefore cannot make a recommendation in this case yet.

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Business & Reference | The One Minute Manage - Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson

The One Minute Manager

by Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson

TYPE: Business, Management, Teamwork

This super fast read is for photographer who have to manage teams. Whether it be a full time employee or someone who’s on set for just a day, it’s always nice to have quick ways of dealing with issues and getting things done.

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Highly Recommended Book

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Business and Reference | The E-Myth Revisited - Michael Gerber

The E Myth Revisited

by Michael E. Gerber

TYPE: Business, Entrepreneurship

If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between a freelancer and an entrepreneur, here’s a great place to start. This book delves into the differences and shows a path to building a business that is bigger than one person (if that’s the direction you want to go).

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Recommended Book

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Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Business & Reference | The Goal

The Goal

by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

TYPE: Business, Entrepreneurship, Process Improvement

This book takes a fictional approach in explaining the “Theory of Constraints”. If you apply the lessons in this book to your own photography business, you’re likely to be able to identify and mitigate the things that slow you down and prevent you from reaching your goals.

Even since reading this book, I’m always on the look out for bottlenecks.

Photo Proventure | The Bookshelf | Highly Recommended Book

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