Setting up business as a photographer

I have been doing a few jobs for people ie restaurants fitness centres and am trying now to expand. I am no natural salesman, any advice on how to go further.

Set up a website to showcase some of your work and to tell people what you offer, and use Google Adwords to channel people towards your website. You'll have to decide if you want to do wedding photography – that's where the work is to be found.

Alternatively sell your existing and new work on sites like istockphoto.

That is extremely sound advice! Also get out into Strassenfest, markets, etc. Showcase your work at galleries or find a few Cafe/Restaurants that always have revolving work showcased...they enjoy the ever changing free asthetics, you might get an interested party or two.

Get a decent website & business cards. Run some advertising here and on google. Print a few flyers. Don't need to be a salesman.

Your wife likes photography, aye, aye, nudge, nudge, wink?

My company is a competitor of istock. You could think about contributing photos to us. www.purestockx.com.

Depends on how far you want to go with photography, but you might want to try and get representation if you want to make a living from it.

You'll need a "Gewerbeschein" from the Behörde and to contact the Finanzamt.
Here in Hamburg there is some effort made to help people who are setting up a business.
Worth checking - but "die Uhr tikkt anders in Weissewürst Land" (or something
like that).
I've done proof reading and English teaching for years but now I find that a
"Gewerbeschein" is needed - not a big prob. - only EUR 20.

You're giving as a recommendation that you're a competitor of iStock?

It depends what your intentions are - are you wanting to sell your services as a photographer, or wanting to sell stock images? To sell your services, then a website is a good start, also try going round local businesses, especially new ones.

If you want to sell stock images, try an established library, of which there are lots.
Try CEPIC ( http://www.cepic.org/english/index.php ) the European assoc. of picture libraries - the "Look for Picture Agency" search is useful, put in the type of imagery you produce and see what agencies come up.
Also you could try looking on the BAPLA website (British assoc of picture libraries) http://www.bapla.org.uk/index.php?option=c...5&Itemid=44

Personally I do a bit of both, selling stock through agencies and selling from my own website, plus some contract work. If you want any specific info pm me.

Just stay clear of compnaies like the one above, they will sell your work for peanuts and not its true value.