Make money as a Photographer

[rjackjames]

I am fairly new into Photography. I got my first DSLR in Nov 2006 and now i have an array of various lens and flash. I have tried istock.com and shutterstocks.com and have not been able to get any of my pics accepted.

Whats a good way to make money as a photographer? I mostly into landscapes and scenery photography.

I would appreciate any advice!!

 

[Overread]

with those sorts of photos you could try stalls at fairgrounds - try to have some cheaper things as well (like postcards and such) as well as large prints. That way you can make up if you don't manage to sell and expensive framed print with more minor sales.
After that a local art house or display might also be a possibility.

 

[rjackjames]

Hmm....I will that....I am currently overseas. when I return maybe I visit few scenic spots in Texas and get some good landscape shot when I get back.

 

[GermanyBert]

Maybe you should join a local art club or group and then try showing your work at local art shows (when you return from deployment). Pick out your best work and have it professionally framed. Start with low prices. After a while you might make a name for yourself and people will come looking for your photos.

 

[rjackjames]

hmm....I like ur ideas.....right now I dont have much images since I am in Afghanistan. When I return I will look for few clubs within my area.

 

[Overread]

One think I have read time and time again from others is never to sell yourself low to start with. The problem comes when you decied to upp your prices and suddenly your existing customer base and target customers are all too cheap for you - they won't pay. So you have to go around and get a whole new set of customers and potential customers - which puts you back at the start again - so aim for the prices you want now -- of course check the current going rates by others first so that you get a feel for how much people are prepared to pay

 

[GermanyBert]

I am in Heidelberg and on one of the Army Kaserns here they have an Art & Crafts center where they give framing classes. You might want to learn framing also. When you sell the photo you also sell the frame. You can make a tidy profit on a nicely made frame.

I am going to assume that you are in the military. When you get back to CONUS I am sure the base you are on will have an Arts and Crafts center. Check them out.

 

[rjackjames]

Thanks for advice GermanyBert....much appreciated.

 

[Bifurcator]

I made some cash by taking time-lapses of moving clouds and running rivers (both in picturesque landscape settings) and putting them into (loopable when I could) QT movies that I sold mostly to the CG & video community. It was fun! If I do it again I'll make virtual sets out of them I think.

 

[rjackjames]

thats cool.....

 

[Village Idiot]

Whats a good way to make money as a photographer?

Provide a service that some one wants.

You photography skill has to be up to their standard and your marketing has to reach the proper target group.

 

[bahandi]

why were your pictures rejected?

 

[Bifurcator]

I was in the park last week and met two men about 25 yo each. One had a clip board, and the other had a nice camera with a long lens on it (probably 70 to 200 or something like that). They were hanging out in the area where everyone gathers with their dogs and chats about their pets. Every time some new person (usually a woman) with a dog approached they would jump up off the bench adjacent mine and run over and act all excited. I watched this for about three rounds and then one girl brought her dog over in front of my bench which overlooked a stretch of nice green grass. The guy with the camera took pictures of the dog for awhile and then they grouped, exchanged info, and split up. When the men retook their seats on the bench next to mine I said "Hey cool camera" though I didn't even know which model it was and then asked them what the heck they were doing. They spent the next 15 minutes laying out their entire business before me. They would get people interested in pet photos, sign them up for free samples and then try to sell prints of higher quality and/or larger size. They showed me a clipboard with 2019 names with contact info for each. This was they said, accomplished in just the last month from 3 or 4 parks around the city. They said the vast majority bought after receiving the samples.

Many centuries ago when I was about 16 years of age I took a summer job as a photographer for a company called The Pony Express. Basically the gig was walking a shetland pony around middle/upper-middle class neighborhoods, give free rides to any kids about 12 or under that wanted to try and then photograph the kid on the pony. Later a salesman would revisit the house of the photographed child and try to sell the prints to the parents. Almost everyone bought the prints. At least I had a good ratio. As it was indeed centuries ago I forget what my numbers were exactly but I think I remember them being in the high 80s.

Watching the doggy-men in the park that day reminded me of when I was 16 that summer with my brand spanking new Nikon M out there giving free rides to kids on that old tired shetland pony.

 

[phototrainer]

It is good to start with a niche, you need to fund a target customer and pitch you product to them. The idea about the pictures in parks of dogs is a great one and one I have used in my spare time. I have even done it whillking my dog. I have used a slightly different technique. Getting names and addresses can be difficult and people can be wary of giving information out. Insteadget some business cards printed with I catch phrase on e.g. "you have been pictured in the park" dct the people to a website where you say the pictures will be displayed for a certain period of time. You will find that you sell photographs and dvertising at the same time. You do not need to photograph animals people are another area. Couples out for a walk, children playing etc. Remember to speak with parents first and check out your local child protection laws.

This isone of many ways of earning an income from your camera.

 

[RainNotebook]

Insteadget some business cards printed with I catch phrase on e.g. "you have been pictured in the park" dct the people to a website where you say the pictures will be displayed for a certain period of time. You will find that you sell photographs and dvertising at the same time. You do not need to photograph animals people are another area. Couples out for a walk, children playing etc. Remember to speak with parents first and check out your local child protection laws.

This isone of many ways of earning an income from your camera.

Now my question with this would be do you have to get a "model release" form signed if you take pictures of couples or families?