Becoming a Freelance Photographer: The Beginner’s Guide

To be a freelance photographer , the first thing you will have to do is  register  with the  IAE (Economic Activities Tax) , a rate that is levied on the exercise of professional activity. This procedure is carried out at the Tax Agency and with it a code is established with which the different business and professional activities are classified. Depending on the activity, the code will be different.

At the Tax Agency you will also have to fill  in form 036 which specifies the tax regime and the professional activity to be carried out.

Another procedure is registration with the  RETA (Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers) . It is done in the Social Security and, from there, you can start billing the work you do for your clients and pay the so-called  freelance fee  (344.71 euros / month for a minimum base of 1152.90 euros / month ). But, rest assured, you will be able to benefit from the famous flat rate, which varies as follows:

• First 6 months: 50 euros / month.
• Months 7 to 12: 50% reduction during the second semester. 137.50 euros / month.
• Months 13 to 18: 30% reduction during the following semester. That is, 192.50 euros / month.
• Months 19 to 30: the 30% reduction is maintained. 192.50 euros / month.

In addition to the obligations with Social Security, you will also have your own with the Treasury, derived from the taxation of the self-employed (personal income tax, VAT, income…).

In summary:

• Today, a photographer must be  versatile and entrepreneurial . Not only does he take photos, but he also takes care of image editing, marketing, social media, managing your website, making contacts …
• The degrees are not mandatory, but you do have to train. You can learn on your own with tutorials  on the Internet for free or contact your favorite photographer for  specialized training .
• The photographer’s equipment includes both photographic and computer equipment  to be able to edit images without the computer crashing …
• To sell better, the photographer must  specialize ! And indicate your specialization in social media and your website.
• Finally, you must decide how to practice the profession of photographer: freelance , employee … Becoming a Freelance Photographer: The Beginner’s Guide