2 Photo Editing Business Success Stories [2025]
Photo editing businesses edit and retouch existing photos for their clients. The service ranges from cleaning up image blemishes and lighting issues. The photo editing business can be a fun and rewarding venture. The profit margin largely depends on your target customers and your set rate.
If starting a photo editing business, conduct market research and ensure competitive rates to keep attracting customers.
In this list, you'll find real-world photo editing business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a photo editing business that makes money.
1. PhotoUp ($2.64M/year)
Devon Higgins joined PhotoUp in 2013 after meeting the founders at a Grand Rapids coworking space. Within a decade, Higgins helped scale the company from 10 to over 260 global employees and expects to close in on $3 million in revenue this year.
How much money it makes: $2.64M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 200
Case Study: PhotoUp is a real estate photo editing company that has gone from a team of 10 to over 200 employees in the Philippines, with over 60 contractors around the world and expects to close in on $3,000,000 in revenue this year.
2. CandidShutters ($329K/year)
Pranjal, the co-founder of CandidShutters, came up with the idea for the business after realizing that couples and their families longed for a tangible keepsake of their wedding moments. With a passion for photography and filmmaking, Pranjal saw the opportunity to create custom-designed handcrafted photo albums that would bring these memories to life. Since launching in 2018, CandidShutters has become known for its personalized albums, catering to over a hundred customers monthly through a strong organic presence and word of mouth.
How much money it makes: $329K/year
How many people on the team: 22
CandidShutters co-founder Pranjal started an online-only, profitable business in 2018 creating custom-designed handcrafted photo albums that currently averages over 100 albums per month, serving couples and families seeking to create memorable keepsakes.
