Taking pictures as gainful employment.

[FotoBlum]

Hello everyone.
For several years in photography, as a hobby. I wonder if this can be combined with the work and get paid for it. Do you have any experience in this area? Tips? How to sell your photos?

This would be the best job in the world.

Thank you for your helpful answers.

 

[The_Traveler]

Unfortunately hundreds of thousands of new photographers have discovered this idea and the competition is enormous and the resulting pay is very low to break into photography as a business.
I suggest you browse the various sub-forums in Photography Business Forum
and you will a more complete answer.

 

[ronlane]

What Lew said. Oh, and here is one more tip for you. Making money and getting paid are not the same thing.

 

[bratkinson]

What Ron said above.

Getting paid is perhaps the hardest part. In my former days as a mainframe computer consultant, having customers 90 days or more late paying me happened several times. I had to resort to 'Notice of Breach of Contract' to their management to get paid. I let one customer (a former friend), take me for over 6 months no pay. And I was on the road out of my pocket.

 

[FotoBlum]

So, photography may be just a hobby. To be honest, I did not expect such a response. I thought it was easier

 

[mmaria]

I'm a bit surprised this thread went this far....

not trying to be rude or something but, do your search in this forum and you'll get plenty of responses on plenty of similar questions

 

[bratkinson]

Just found an interesting article...
7 Things Photographers Wish They Had Learned in Photography School

 

[FotoBlum]

Just found an interesting article...
7 Things Photographers Wish They Had Learned in Photography School

Very motivating, but I can see already that this industry can earn only really the best. Too cool hobby that was not competitive.

 

[Designer]

OP: A belated welcome!

This forum is blessed with several working and retired professional photographers. Although I am not one, I will venture to say that you will have to do AT LEAST these two things:

1. Become a very good photographer. Become good enough that you can produce the photographs your client wants.

2. Learn how to run a successful business.

 

[ronlane]

What Ron said above.

Getting paid is perhaps the hardest part. In my former days as a mainframe computer consultant, having customers 90 days or more late paying me happened several times. I had to resort to 'Notice of Breach of Contract' to their management to get paid. I let one customer (a former friend), take me for over 6 months no pay. And I was on the road out of my pocket.

That's another thing, but not what I was referring to. Just because you got paid $50 for a photo shoot, doesn't mean that you made money, when you factor all the costs.

 

[astroNikon]

There's so many skills needed to be a real pro photographer and not a "fly by night BestBuy Pro"

You have to master photography and lighting. Not just how it works but how to use it
You have to learn to market yourself and your photography
you have to learn how to actually make money aka profitability, and not just "making money" .. read this latest thread ==> help guys... it's urgent | Photography Forum
versus this ==> Why I Can’t Shoot Your Wedding for Free {Part I of II}
Part II of above ==> Why I Can’t Shoot Your Wedding for Free {Part II: Developing Pricing for Photographers}

I'm probably a pretty good hobbyist. I think I know my limits and I try to increase them over time.
I see alot of people out there that I know they bought a dslr and all of a sudden they are a "pro". I think their pics are bad.
But the normal situation is ... friends/family see a member's interest in a hobby and they support them. The "pro" gets some friends/family business, and some other business. But their quality does not support the cost and over time they don't get any more business or they make little money. Then they wonder what's wrong.

Photography is about making your best effort and always improving in addition to knowing the business side of it.

It's like this really in about any field. Most other fields have way more people trying to make a living at it than true jobs available.
Just don't expect for it to be a primary income producing for you until down the road.
you want a worse job field ... Just ask musicians ....

 

[astroNikon]

oops .. I forgot to add this thread to read first ==> Losing business to amateurs | Photography Forum

 

[bribrius]

I am profitable in photography, like .57 cents minus all the associated costs..

 

[ronlane]

I am profitable in photography, like .57 cents minus all the associated costs..

The closest I've come to a profit is when my wife said she would make me breakfast if I stayed home and didn't go out to shoot that morning. (I stayed warm, didn't spend any money on photography and got a great meal.)

 

[tirediron]

OP: A belated welcome!

This forum is blessed with several working and retired professional photographers. Although I am not one, I will venture to say that you will have to do AT LEAST these two things:

1. Become a very good photographer. Become good enough that you can produce the photographs your client wants.

2. Learn how to run a successful business.

Key points, but I would submit that they're reversed in order of importance!