Making money with photography

[R1chy11]

I'm only just starting out in photography but i would say my work is quite good considering. I'm a student so not looking to break the bank, just earn a bit of extra cash. I considered selling prints online but it doesnt seem to be a popular area. Obviously i'd like to get into automotive/events/commercial photography but experience is key and i'd like to be able to make some cash gaining it.

I've emailed estate agents offering services for their properties with no luck and i'm considering local businesses.

Any ideas or advice would be a great help,

Rich

[jamesuk28]

sell on stock photography sites, not big bucks but a steady flow.

fotolia.co.uk
istockphoto.com

lots more, google stock photography

[R1chy11]

how well do these actually sell? any advice on what subjects sell best?

Thanks

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Hi,

I'd recommend you go along to somewhere like www.ephotozine.com and read their articles - there's some of the country's top photographers on there who have written articles for them and made much money from their work. When it comes to stock, volume is key, and it's often the stuff you don't expect to sell that actually sells.

They did have a sister site FPME that did a mag for freelancers, one of the issues covered stock, worth asking them about a back copy of it - I think they are only 50p at the minute.

Thanks,

[StevieBee]

There are generally two ways to make money as a photographer. One is selling your photography as a bit of art (i.e, you take what you want then sell the image), the other is commercial photography (you are commissioned, usually by an ad agency or magazine to take photos of what they want).

Some photographers do both but its the commercial side that earns them a living.

Simpo is your man on this!

[ginettag27]

Take a look here : http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/forum.asp?h=0&a...

and also here : http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[siscar]

It's a very hard business to make any money in. The cost of entry is really low, there are many people who think they are good at it and many amateurs willing to do it for nothing.

That's not to say that you can't make a career out of it but you need to get a good portfolio together and work really hard to become known in an area.