money in photography?

[Hock]

So I have realized the high cost of Photography. So I would like to try and earn some money with the pictures i take. Nothing like a career or a get rich quick plan, but just to help afford some of the nice lenses. Among my research... I found a few sites that will "buy" (per download) stock photos, such as "http://submit.shutterstock.com/" is this a good way to get started in getting some money back? is there a better option?
-H

[Jaszek]

I already learned with stock photography that you have to have really good pictures. And I mean really good. I've put up three photos but they denied all of them. Try putting them on Deviant Art. That's what I did but nobody bought any yet :/

[chrisburke]

yea, stock photos can make you a lot of money.. but you have to be REALLLLY good.. i've got one friend who makes about 500 bucks a month in stock photography, and he's really good.. but i have another friend who makes his living at stock photography (6 figure a year salary)

[Hock]

Are there any suggestions or recommendations on how to make a little bit of money for those who are still learning?

[Jaszek]

Take a friend and take portraits of him/her and not charge them, or if you do charge them little. Then they will se the pictures and tell other people you take great portraits. They ask you to shoot them, you charge some more, then they tell other people and so on and so forth.

[chrisburke]

yea, i have to agree with Jaszek on this one... best way to make some money is in photo gigs... do some portraits for friends for free.. and spread them around... get your friend to tell friends (provided that they turn out good) don't forget the old saying though "you have to spend money to make money" you will want a decent backdrop, and some strobes or studio lighting to get quality that people will want to pay for

[LuckySo-n-So]

I've got a couple people who want me to photograph them based solely on them seeing my camera: "Oh, wow...nice camera. You must have paid $300 for that!() Maybe you can take some pictures of me/family."

Me: Sure. Give me a while to learn how to use this "professional"() $300 camera.

I'll do it for free, for sure. Put the pics on a disc for them--let them get prints. Maybe ask them to buy me a memory card or something.

This is just for fun.

[blash]

If you want money, take your friends pictures for free, give them prints for free, and let them know that word-of-mouth advertising is a wonderful thing. Include a satisfaction-guaranteed clause while you're starting out to get the ball rolling, remember this is a part-time thing. With any luck you might start earning a couple hundred dollars a month on the side.

Also consider investing in film, which can give a lot more detail and much better colors than digital, but it's rather complex to say the least. Do your research, start here: Why We Love Film

[Jaszek]

aaa did I have to click that Ken Rockwell link? lol. A tip for him next time he compares Film to Digital for IQ he should use the same lens. He used 24-700 2.8 for digital and 50mm for film. I think the 50 is sharper lol.

[goodoneian]

take pictures of girls. assuming they like them and put them on their myspace or whatever, they're friends will probably ask who took them etc. that's worked out pretty well for me so far in the recent months. i haven't made too much money from it but nonetheless it's good experience/ fun and a good way to get your pictures out there

[Sw1tchFX]

Product photography can be pretty lucrative if you know what you're doing.


Main thing though is just meeting the right people, that's really all it boils down to.

[Shankyrhodes]

Now this is a system that I for one hadn't looked at before, I have always put my stock photographs on with the large agencies and they make good money but not that often and the competition is fierce. have over 3,500,000 images on their files. How do you compete?
http://www.dirtystreetadvertising.com
info@dirtystreetadvertising.com
0800 4118 752

[LarissaPhotography]

Taking portraits of people can definitely make you money once you get some practice, but I'd say that if your only motivation is the cash, then you're probably in it for the wrong reasons.

[manaheim]

I think most photogs will tell you giving away your work is no way to get a business going.

I've heard of some photogs doing a free sitting (no fee) and then the person pays for the prints, and that seems to work fairly well. Allows someone who isn't sure of your skills to try before you buy, without actually giving them anything for free in the end.

[chrisburke]

Quote: Originally Posted by manaheim

I think most photogs will tell you giving away your work is no way to get a business going.

I've heard of some photogs doing a free sitting (no fee) and then the person pays for the prints, and that seems to work fairly well. Allows someone who isn't sure of your skills to try before you buy, without actually giving them anything for free in the end.

for sure.. this is what i did when starting out.. and i still do it every now and then for friends.. in fact i have a shoot coming up this weekend in an old abandoned warehouse for a musician friend... agreement is, he can use them online at no cost, provided that he gives me photo cred, but if he ends up using them for a cd or something, then he has to pay me.. and if he wants copies printed, then he pays that as well...