Course Outline: Beginner’s Guide to Photography as a Business
Duration: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (5 hours total)
Location: Andrew Koh Photography Wedding Studio
Address: 1, Lorong Chong Khoon Lin 4, Ukay Height 68000 Ampang Selangor
Partners: 3Dots Distribution(Aputure & Amaran) & YL Camera
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Welcome & Introduction
Icebreaker: Quick round of introductions
Overview of workshop goals
Andrew Koh's journey: Turning passion into a profession
Setting expectations: What you’ll walk away with
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Session 1: BEGIN – Building Your Foundation
Understanding your “why” as a photographer
Choosing your niche: Portraits, Events, Products, etc.
Essential gear for starting out (with Canon EOS system examples)
Basic pricing psychology – don't shoot for free forever
Activity: Fill-in-the-blank worksheet: Define your niche, goals, and style
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Session 2: BRAND – Creating Your Identity
Personal branding for photographers
Portfolio-building dos and don’ts (online and offline)
Social media strategy and Instagram tips
Choosing a memorable business name and logo
Importance of consistent visual tone
Activity: Brand audit: Review 3 photographer IGs & identify their strengths
Mini session: 3-minute pitch of your brand to a partner
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Break & Networking
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Session 3: BOOK – Getting Clients & Getting Paid
How to find your first 5 clients (friends, events, vendors, etc.)
Handling inquiries professionally (DMs, emails, forms)
Building client trust & managing expectations
Setting fair rates and packages
Contracts, deposits, and red flags
Activity: Roleplay: Client inquiry simulation and your response
Quick template: Draft a basic rate card & T&C
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Session 4: SHOOT – Workflow & Experience
Planning a shoot from inquiry to delivery
Lighting on a budget: Using Aputure Amaran
Client communication before/during/after the shoot
Simple editing workflow (Lightroom / basic retouching)
Demo: Live shoot setup using Canon EOS gear (hands-on participation encouraged)
How to guide posing & expressions confidently
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Session 5: GROW – Staying Consistent & Scaling Up
Tracking income, expenses & invoices (basic tools: Google Sheets, apps)
Seeking testimonials and referrals
When to upgrade gear or go full-time
Long-term vision: Studio, team, or solo?
Activity: 90-day action plan: What’s your next step after today?
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Q&A + Closing Remarks Final thoughts from Andrew Koh
Group photo session
Andrew Koh Photography Wedding Studio
1, Lorong Chong Khoon Lin 4, Ukay Height 68000 Ampang Selangor
Andrew’s first camera was a classic Canon camera with which he picked up most of his photography and technical skills. He has dabbled in many commercial works for renowned brands and is the founder of Number One Studio, a production company specialising in corporate and magazine shoots, with clients ranging from Nestle, Gap Malaysia, Samsung, to Adidas, EcoWorld, Yves Rocher and more. Known for his minimalist wedding and commercial ad campaigns, he values facial expressions in a natural setting that truly reflects the emotions and moment in time. Plain and simple best describes his style and his favourite genre is black and white photography.
