Who makes a living out of photography

[sarallyn]

JodieO - I want to be you.



Seriously... I'm considering going to an art school for photography. If I could do something I'm utterly passionate about and make enough money to sustain myself, I would be happy beyond belief.

 

[AdrianBetti]

Well, it helps when someone can fully support another person while they get on thier feet wet and the business started. Thats hard to come by nowadays.

 

[jayreilly]

i am new to this forum, but...

i am a full time professional photographer making a living in southern california, supporting a family of 4.

i shoot a mix of photography, commercial assignment, stock, editorial, weddings.

 

[RainNotebook]

All I have to say is Kudos to you JodieO for your talent, business skills and confidence. I've been contemplating taking some business classes and I now know that I will definitely benefit from these.

Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing you around inspiring me and I know others as well!

 

[RainNotebook]

"Failure to plan on your part does not necessitate an emergency on my part."

I've never heard this quote before but I am keeping it! This tends to be a weakness for me but if I can stick to this quote I might stay sane!

 

[dklod]

"Failure to plan on your part does not necessitate an emergency on my part."

This is my favorite saying of all time...just look at my sig..

Im looking at doing something with photography once I upgrade my camera in a few months. Nothing permanent, just something on the side to fund lets face it, an expensive hobby. (though nothing more expensive than owning race horses for a hobby). I've thought about doing calenders with specific themes. I know there is not alot of margin to be made with those, but it will give me a sense of achievement if I do it. Something Im not doing right now. Maybe add some advertising at the bottom of each month to help fund it. Any thoughts on something like that??

Also, I have been asked if someone can use an image of mine for marketing. Not sure what the going rate here in Australia is for something like that. Maybe Garbz in Brissy knows.

 

[myles]

It is difficult. I know I have been at it for 2 years now and I am just hanging on. Get some wins and things are progressing slowly. It usually takes half a lifetime before you make it in the photo biz.

Few things I see... I work 10-20 hours a day. There is always something to do (post process RAW files anyone), to learn, to market and 75% of my time is not spent with a camera.

There is so much to learn and when you learn something new then there is usually something to buy to make that happen. I try to see the whole learning process as a right of passage.

You better be at least half way decent as a business person, period.

You better be more than a halfway decent photographer and artist and communicator and people person.


David Myles Stam

 

[brileyphotog]

There was a thread very similar to this earlier this year and it really irritated me then too. I make a living (as in, I am a college student living completely on my own, off campus, without outside support) from a combination of wedding and sports photography.

I live in Michigan, which as you may know is economically depressed right now (understatement of the century). If you charged $10K for a wedding here you would never book one, with the possible exception (and I mean highly unlikely) of somebody in the Detroit suburbs. One of my employers offers a package for $650, 6 hours of coverage (mileage extra) with the deal being that they only get digital copies (gallery + CD) and we do very limited post-processing. We take some pretty good pictures (IMHO & and nowhere close to Jodie) and guess what? we book tons(!) of weddings and I am eating, sheltered, and can afford new glass every now and then. Granted, I am not the business owner, which is an important distinction.

For me, making anything over $50 an hour is pretty sweet!

I'm fairly frugal and I could probably live off of my sports photography salary (but I supplement it with writing as well). Am I rich? No. Could I support a family? No. Am I doing pretty well for a single guy in his 20's who isn't even out of school yet? I'd like to think so.

I know a lot of pros who make a living off of pictures, and very few who get rich doing it. Most of the pros who are out there are working for AP,Getty, local newspapers, freelancing, etc, etc...not making six figures a year off of studio work.

The fool and his money are soon parted thing was really funny to me for a different reason. My grandfather used to live in New York, and he paid $300+K for a house that would have sold for about $68K around here. Who's the sucker now?

Edit: No wonder this thread looked so familiar, it's an old one that just got dredged up again. I was actually the one who said its a crime to let a sucker keep his money originally (I think) I guess I was in a really bad mood that day

 

[Bifurcator]

I don't understand. That all sounds sensible to me. It all seems in line with what every other sensible person posted. So why did this thread and the one prior irritate you?

 

[Snyder]

Im 21 and I make a good living from doing photojournalism and combat photography. I also do television commerials and videography projects. I would love to do it for the rest of my life but its takes alot out of you and its very diffacult to have a family life (the whole combat photography).

 

[abraxas]

I make a living off of my creative abilities, which includes photography.

I have everything I need- which is all that I want. All I want is to make a living from my creative abilities.

 

[floor6]

A sucky photographer with good business skills will do better (in most cases) than an amazing photographer with no business skills.

absolutely. unless you are well known or well connected, it's a numbers game. you have to make the calls and network as much as possible. if you take your ambition seriously, others will begin to also. there's lots of bread-and-butter photowork out there. not owning a hasselblad 500 or a D3 doesn't prevent anyone from getting on the pitch. just a question of choosing a hunting-ground to match your capabilities. everything we own was photographed sometime to sell it to us. much of it not high-res, glossy or artistic. connect with the people/businesses who need it, and they need to know you exist too. a realistic business-plan and a well-targeted+well defined product/service..if you work 7 days a week with that, you WILL make your own luck..