Making Money in Photography

[Rogue86]

Derek Smith said:

He could produce some imaginative and artistic images, but they don't pay the bills.

While I do think you've given some sound advice in your field, I'm keen to stress that this is only in your field - editorial photography. I work in the commercial sector (full-time) and it's a mix of both artistic and plain/clear images that pay the bills - in fact it's the artistic stuff that pays the most.

As has been alluded to several times over, it's the "other" side of photography that will generate you business. What that "other" side constitutes is really up to you. I think photography is the same as anything else though when it comes to making money. Like Swiss Tony, I like to compare it to making love to a beautiful woman. When you do it as a hobby in your own time, it's fantastic - you can do it when you want and however you want to do it. But when you're doing it in situations you don't particularly enjoy for people you don't necessarily like, sometimes dropping your standards to pay the bills, it can be a very 'up-and-down' way to live. I've always found the good times far outweigh the bad and professional photography has allowed me to live a frankly absurd life that I wouldn't have experienced doing anything else. Not necessarily financially, but I've had experiences that you simply couldn't pay for. Personally I don't think you can put a price on that and I wouldn't change my profession for anything else in the World.

[Derek Smith]

Rogue86 said:

Derek Smith said:

He could produce some imaginative and artistic images, but they don't pay the bills.

While I do think you've given some sound advice in your field, I'm keen to stress that this is only in your field - editorial photography. I work in the commercial sector (full-time) and it's a mix of both artistic and plain/clear images that pay the bills - in fact it's the artistic stuff that pays the most.

As has been alluded to several times over, it's the "other" side of photography that will generate you business. What that "other" side constitutes is really up to you. I think photography is the same as anything else though when it comes to making money. Like Swiss Tony, I like to compare it to making love to a beautiful woman. When you do it as a hobby in your own time, it's fantastic - you can do it when you want and however you want to do it. But when you're doing it in situations you don't particularly enjoy for people you don't necessarily like, sometimes dropping your standards to pay the bills, it can be a very 'up-and-down' way to live. I've always found the good times far outweigh the bad and professional photography has allowed me to live a frankly absurd life that I wouldn't have experienced doing anything else. Not necessarily financially, but I've had experiences that you simply couldn't pay for. Personally I don't think you can put a price on that and I wouldn't change my profession for anything else in the World.

I only wanted to say what I knew about - change a few years of PH procedure there. The OP was, after all, after advice.

I used to Help a mate with wedding photography, back in the days of Mamiya 6x6 twin lens reflex and FP3 changing to FP4. He once had three weddings on one Saturday. We had a motorcyclist bring the first set of 240 rolls to me. I developed them, then got the next set and before the third, prepared the trays, chemicals and such. While he was printing, I developed the third lot, trying to get the film to run through the concentric grooves in the developing drum despite a certain dampness.

He won a competition in AP to take pictures of Shell refineries. His images convinced Shell to hire him for a few years (four I think) to go around the world taking pictures of their constructions. He went self employed then. I helped on occasion, but just bag carrying, loading backs, holding lenses, that sort of thing. No female models in lingerie though.

It was fun but long, long hours and in those days the fear of the negatives not coming out.

[Simpo Two]

RobDickinson said:

Perhaps if we had a thread entitled 'Not making money from photography' we could shift all this chat to there..

[GFWilliams]

If you want to earn good money don't aim to work for magazines.

[Bacardi]

http://www.redsharknews.com/business/item/2915-the...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuLr9HG2ASs

[RobbieKB]

I don't do work for free and haven't for a while now. I'd rather do without the 'exposure'.

GFWilliams said:

If you want to earn good money don't aim to work for magazines.

What makes you say that George? I'm not looking to go down the same road in photography that you have, but I've watched your career blossom over the years and I'd be interested in your advice.

[GFWilliams]

RobbieKB said:

What makes you say that George? I'm not looking to go down the same road in photography that you have, but I've watched your career blossom over the years and I'd be interested in your advice.

Magazine budgets aren't going up and although you can make a living working for them, you have to work a lot more days and a lot harder than if you were to aim for commercial work.

[Digitalize]

Magazine is a stepping stone IMO, there's a few exceptions but generally yeah need to aim higher as the budgets just aren't there.

[trackdemon]

Digitalize said:

Magazine is a stepping stone IMO, there's a few exceptions but generally yeah need to aim higher as the budgets just aren't there.

Yup; working for magazines is a great proving ground to learn and improve your skill, as well as being a great place to get recognition - which opens doors to more lucrative work, and interesting opportunities. But only if you're good enough.

[GFWilliams]

trackdemon said:

But only if you're good enough.

And there's the point that really matters

[WillAron]

trackdemon said:

Yup; working for magazines is a great proving ground to learn and improve your skill, as well as being a great place to get recognition - which opens doors to more lucrative work, and interesting opportunities. But only if you're good enough.

Working for magazines is definitely a nice thing to do, and a great way to learn new skills and methods.

[Pickled]

Its quite often said that to be a (financially?) successful photographer, you don't have to be the 'best' photographer - quite what defines best is too subjective (IMO) is it technical ability? possibly not, if you look at the amount of photos that are procured via sites such as Instagram.

In this day and age, it's more important to get your photos seen by the right people i.e. those that actually have the power to purchase or commission shots.

I sold my business a few years ago, and decided to invest a bit more in my photography (been a keen tog for 30 years) so built myself a 400 sq/ft studio in the garden, and started approaching companies that I wanted to work for, doing photography that interested me, I was, and still am, in the fortunate position of not needing to earn a wage from it, so I could be choosy.

Now I'll be the first to say I am far from the 'best' photographer out there, but I know how to follow a brief and work to budget, and most importantly deliver the pictures in the required timescale.

So nowadays I get to shoot stuff like this, all from the comfort of home -still pinch myself that I actually get paid to do it as well!



Reds are more vibrant in the original

[LongQ]

Pickled said:

I sold my business a few years ago, and decided to invest a bit more in my photography (been a keen tog for 30 years) so built myself a 400 sq/ft studio in the garden, and started approaching companies that I wanted to work for, doing photography that interested me, I was, and still am, in the fortunate position of not needing to earn a wage from it, so I could be choosy.

My apologies for what follows but there is an old joke that may not have filtered down to the modern age but seems pertinent here for anyone who may not have heard it before. (Although how likely that may be is open to debate.)

"How do you make a small fortune in the commodities market?"

"Start with a large fortune ....."


Reading what you wrote just seemed to fit so well - I had been looking for an excuse to use the joke in a vaguely suitable context within this topic.

APOLOGIES ALL.

We will now return you to normal programming.

[RobDickinson]

Whats the difference between a pizza and a photographer?

[Pickled]

LongQ said:

My apologies for what follows but there is an old joke that may not have filtered down to the modern age but seems pertinent here for anyone who may not have heard it before. (Although how likely that may be is open to debate.)

"How do you make a small fortune in the commodities market?"

"Start with a large fortune ....."


Reading what you wrote just seemed to fit so well - I had been looking for an excuse to use the joke in a vaguely suitable context within this topic.

APOLOGIES ALL.

We will now return you to normal programming.

I do get what your saying, but I already owned most of the gear, and the studio can always be changed into a summer house, plus I have the good fortune of not having to rely on it for any income at all.

[LongQ]

Pickled said:

LongQ said:

My apologies for what follows but there is an old joke that may not have filtered down to the modern age but seems pertinent here for anyone who may not have heard it before. (Although how likely that may be is open to debate.)

"How do you make a small fortune in the commodities market?"

"Start with a large fortune ....."


Reading what you wrote just seemed to fit so well - I had been looking for an excuse to use the joke in a vaguely suitable context within this topic.

APOLOGIES ALL.

We will now return you to normal programming.

I do get what your saying, but I already owned most of the gear, and the studio can always be changed into a summer house, plus I have the good fortune of not having to rely on it for any income at all.

I have to say that I think you may have a perfect second career and I'm not knocking that in any way.

The challenge for Robbie (the OP) is that of making an interest turn into a first career. Preferably one that makes money enough to live on (ref RobD's joke.) Indeed more than enough to live on, ideally.

How do you move on from a strong talent with an interest and dedication to be the new Mario Testosterino, megastar of the medium?

One option is to use social media and shoot selfies. Apparently there are a number of young people making millions like that, albeit most of them seem to be female when photography is involved.

One's advice to Robbiekb might therefore be to consider a change of gender for the purpose of career enhancement. Only he could confirm how acceptable such a change might be at a personal level.

Once one has made one's first fortune (in about 4 or 5 years?) the second career option might kick in.

[Derek Smith]

Pickled said:

Its quite often said that to be a (financially?) successful photographer, you don't have to be the 'best' photographer - quite what defines best is too subjective (IMO) is it technical ability? possibly not, if you look at the amount of photos that are procured via sites such as Instagram.

In this day and age, it's more important to get your photos seen by the right people i.e. those that actually have the power to purchase or commission shots.

I sold my business a few years ago, and decided to invest a bit more in my photography (been a keen tog for 30 years) so built myself a 400 sq/ft studio in the garden, and started approaching companies that I wanted to work for, doing photography that interested me, I was, and still am, in the fortunate position of not needing to earn a wage from it, so I could be choosy.

Now I'll be the first to say I am far from the 'best' photographer out there, but I know how to follow a brief and work to budget, and most importantly deliver the pictures in the required timescale.

So nowadays I get to shoot stuff like this, all from the comfort of home -still pinch myself that I actually get paid to do it as well!



Reds are more vibrant in the original

If you know how to follow a brief, work to budget and deliver the product to the deadline, you are the perfect photographer for those who pay the bills. Which is what the OP was asking perhpas?

Love the image.

[BlimeyCharlie]

I find Simpo Two makes some very valid points on here.

My thoughts are that I have a 'mate' who is a 'photographer'. He fails to take any of his expenses into account (literally) but seems to think earning £200 is brilliant. It is, but not when it costs £300 to earn.

He has all the gear, but no idea.

It doesn't help he trumpets his 'work' as brilliant, when it is the opposite. Let other people decide if it is brilliant.
Doing weddings is a great way of learning if new to photography as a business, or keeping sharp if not new.

Making money is simple, making a profit is harder.
Take good photos, be good with people, and charge the right amount. That is the only way.

[Simpo Two]

BlimeyCharlie said:

I find Simpo Two makes some very valid points on here.

Yay! (it's a route I've travelled, which helps)

BlimeyCharlie said:

My thoughts are that I have a 'mate' who is a 'photographer'. He fails to take any of his expenses into account (literally) but seems to think earning £200 is brilliant. It is, but not when it costs £300 to earn.

Assuming his gear is paid for, how does he spend £300 to earn £200?

[trackdemon]

BlimeyCharlie said:

It doesn't help he trumpets his 'work' as brilliant, when it is the opposite. Let other people decide if it is brilliant.

Sounds like someone I know. These folks often don't have to worry about reality, thanks to BoMaD.