Accounting Basics for Freelance and Self-Employed Photographers
with Jenny Bagert
This crash course will discuss answers to some of the most frequently asked tax questions by freelance and self-employed photographers. The conversation will include:
• Business structures: sole proprietorships, LLCs, etc.
• Best accounting practices: income, expenses, income statements, software
• Use of a home office and other deductions.
• Basic tax forms (W-9, 1099, 1040, etc)
• Contract labor and staff: how to pay them and when to issue a 1099
• Sales tax and sales tax exemptions: who, what, when, where, why?
• Q&A
Jenny Bagert has been deeply rooted in every facet of fine art photography over a remarkable 20-year career. From galleries and collections to artists and archives, and from the earliest 19th century photographs to the digital present, Bagert has navigated tremendous changes in photography and has established herself as an expert in the field.
In 1996, Bagert accepted a position as the assistant to legendary jazz photographer Herman Leonard, who captured iconic portraits of such luminaries as Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and Albert Einstein. Over the course of a ten-year employment that saw her grow from assistant to apprentice to manager, working with Leonard gifted invaluable experience into all facets of a photography business and set Jenny on a path that she has not wavered from since.
With a deep understanding of the particular business needs of the photography community, Bagert formed Jenny Bagert Consulting in 2006. Based in her beloved hometown of New Orleans, the business serves artists, galleries, and collectors with a national reach. Offering business and project management with a signature touch, the business has tackled innumerous ventures both large and small – from archiving collections of vast historical importance to the minute daily tasks that keep a business running smoothly. Since striking out on her own, Jenny has used the skills she has acquired in a whirlwind career to build an impressive client base, and is always seeking to share her knowledge with up-and-coming artists.