Whats an easy way to earn small quick cash in photography?

[danman281]

I have a canon 40d with the essentials: flash, batteries, tripod, umbrella, stand. What are some gigs or good ways to earn some money? I just want to be able to buy more equipment and upgrade as I go. I don't have a consistent schedule because of school so I can't apply for an hourly wage. I was thinking about weddings... but I never done one before so I would feel uncomfortable.

 

[Dionysus]

i would start out with doing some free portraits for people, and making sure they come out really good. word of mouth spreads faster than you think...and just make sure you tell the people you gave free shots to, to tell the people that show interest in you that the shots cost them a cheap (insert dollar amount here)...

Soon, you will have people who'll want portraits done, and slowly you can charge people a little bit more every time, as you get comfortable.

I'm making some beer money on the side doing portraits I hate doing it, as portraits are my least favorite side of photography,but its quick easy money. I put forth as much effort as I can and try to give the best product i am able, but honestly, it does not take a lot to "wow" the average non photographer person.. Add some softening, saturation, etc, in pp, and they think you're worth your weight in gold

 

[AlexColeman]

Or you could sell your photography equipment.

Nah, just try stock photography.

 

[kundalini]

Whats an easy way to earn small quick cash in photography?

I have a canon 40d with the essentials: flash, batteries, tripod, umbrella, stand. What are some gigs or good ways to earn some money? I just want to be able to buy more equipment and upgrade as I go. I don't have a consistent schedule because of school so I can't apply for an hourly wage. I was thinking about weddings... but I never done one before so I would feel uncomfortable.

I'm not saying, but I think it might be a case of [CLICK]

 

[DRoberts]

DO NOT ATTEMPT A WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!
Weddings are very serious and take alot of knowledge and experience to pull off, not to mention alot more equipment than what you have...
One way to really ruin any chances of being taken seriously is to jump in to soon and make a bad impression. Just as word of mouth can be your best friend in photography, it can be your worst enemy. One bad job can screw you for along time. Remember the old saying..."and they told two people, and they told two people..."

Dionysus is right...start by doing some freebies for friends and family to build a portfolio...then start charging minimal amounts and gradually increasing as you get better.

 

[Dionysus]

ya i wouldnt jump into weddings unless you really know what you're doing. it doesnt seem like it, but weddings are a VERY serious job. think about it. if you are the only photographer there, you are capturing the ONLY images of hopefully the couples only wedding they will ever have...and will be stuck with these pictures for a LIFETIME. i dont know about you, but for me, as a noob, that is way too much responsibility. i wouldnt be able to live with myself if i ruin a couples wedding photos, and they have crappy photos to look at for the rest of their life.

 

[Phranquey]

Whats an easy way to earn small quick cash in photography?


I'm not saying, but I think it might be a case of [CLICK]

DO NOT ATTEMPT A WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!
Weddings are very serious and take alot of knowledge and experience to pull off, not to mention alot more equipment than what you have...
One way to really ruin any chances of being taken seriously is to jump in to soon and make a bad impression. Just as word of mouth can be your best friend in photography, it can be your worst enemy. One bad job can screw you for along time. Remember the old saying..."and they told two people, and they told two people..."

Dionysus is right...start by doing some freebies for friends and family to build a portfolio...then start charging minimal amounts and gradually increasing as you get better.

:thumbup:

I've been into photography for 22 years now, and have played second photographer at a couple of weddings. It was enough to make me realize that the responsibility that is place upon the photographer's shoulders is a great deal for what most charge. I am sure enough of myself that I could probably pull off a wedding, but no thank you.

 

[benhasajeep]

Or you could sell your photography equipment.

That would be the only sure fire way!

You need to research your area. Is it touristy? Get alot of artsy tourists? Is there alot of amature sports going on?

I would forget about weddings (just think of bridezilla if your work is not top notch) or getting advertising gigs (connections). Your school have a paper (guessing college)? It will not pay much but getting your little name next to the pictures printed does get noticed. I did basically what you asking about through the school paper. People noticed my pictures and then came looking for me to do pictures of their kids playing college sports. It was not consistant work, but I had useually something to do at least once a week (besides the paper). I bought some pretty good equipment that way. But I did put some due's in doing the mundane photo shoots for the paper. You just dont get to go pick I wanna do sports, or what you want to do. Till they know you and your ability. And not bragging, but I had consistantaly good shots that got printed. If your not good enough to get printed, nobody is going to notice.

Just get in the habbit of carrying a gear bag around with you. People will notice hey, he's into photography. Then eventually they will say hey you got any good pictures. And if you do then show them. Then word gets around. But don't expect to just go out and make a quick $1,000 for a new lens. It's not going to happen. Unless you find some actor or starlet in a comprimising position. Then you can make a few bucks with a tabloid. Other than that, it takes practice, patience, practice, patience, and maybe a little added luck (as in my case).

 

[Clancyz]

I did free portraits for some friends, they told people and within a week I was called by 5 families to do their christmas card picture, i found a decent payment of like 25 bucks per family inwhich only took 30 min per group. twas some easy money

 

[jstuedle]

Whats an easy way to earn small quick cash in photography?

You could always start a bogus photo contest, charge each entrant say $5 to $10 and pocket the money. Just joking. If fact, so many new digital owners ask this question and try there hand at it that there is no sure fire "easy" way to make "quick cash" and be legal. It all takes work, like everything in life. Sorry to sound so negative, but but so many newbies are in the market now and wanting to make money at it that opportunities are diminishing quickly. And easy, quick cash in just not in the cards for today's market.

 

[chrisburke]

You could always start a bogus photo contest, charge each entrant say $5 to $10 and pocket the money. Just joking. If fact, so many new digital owners ask this question and try there hand at it that there is no sure fire "easy" way to make "quick cash" and be legal. It all takes work, like everything in life. Sorry to sound so negative, but but so many newbies are in the market now and wanting to make money at it that opportunities are diminishing quickly. And easy, quick cash in just not in the cards for today's market.

to add to that, many newbies are going out (in an attempt to make quick cash) and (some) are doing a terrible job, and still charging for the work, which then puts a sour taste in peoples mouths for photographers who dont run a studio... there is a guy around here who is a "wedding photographer" who shows up at the weddings with nothing but a fujifilm P&S and his pictures suck, so then what happens, bad pictures, bride and groom say he's bad, which then makes people assume that unless you run a studio (very few in my area) your not good.. so who gets all the jobs? the WAYYY overpriced studio guys who don't always do a great job...

my advice, make money the same way the rest of us do, hard work and sweat

 

[danman281]

wow, everyone's reply was very informative.

I thought of doing weddings because they pay a lot and I have seen some terrible wedding pictures before. I feel like I have the confidence and skill to do better then most amateurs. I'm not trying to brag, there are some people who do wedding photography in with a point and click camera and get paid a lot.

Thats a good point too, these people remember their wedding for a lifetime through the pictures you take. yikes...

I'll start doing portraits and hopefully that catches on. All I got to do is soften skin and know how to use he healing brush tool right? lol

 

[AlexColeman]

Maybe hooking? Just kidding again. Good luck with portraiture.

 

[ShutterSpeed]

I want to mention something about Wedding photography.
My wife and I were married in Brazil (she is brazilian). The photographer who we contracted invited a secondary photographer to help him. The Secondary photographer (we were his second job ever). After the wedding, he brought over a prototype for his product - a wedding book - and it was incredible. We bought 2 of them.

That was 4 years ago. Today, he is the most prestigious photographer in the region of the country and is just now opening his own studio. He visited us in the U.S. a few months ago (he has become a friend of the family, and has offered for my wife and I to work under him - to learn his techniques) and mentioned that no one in their city of 800,000 can charge as much for photography as he can due to all the work he has put in it.

I think its important (when possible) to get into the industry on the heals of a pro. You learn the technique, you work under their brand until you're ready to branch out and then your success is based on the type of work you do rather than starting off as a hit-or-miss photographer.

 

[AlexColeman]

That is a good point, but I think it is beyond the scope of the OP's Q. Something like Stock Photography, no stress no extra gear would be good for him.