Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

Reliant K1000 · 11-18-2013, 11:32 AM

A relative has a part time number selling photography equipment, and photographs models as a sideline through a site called Model Mayhem. He worked and did model portfolios for free for a long time, building up his rep and his skill-set.

Also, he gets a discount on cameras and picture processing because of where he works.

I used to do weddings and it was just at first for my friends, but when people saw my shots as an amateur they contacted me because they liked my shots better than the pro they hired. And, like the old shampoo ad said..."and they told 2 friends, and so on, and so on".

I had a nice sideline for about 10 years. But not enough to make a living, that's for sure.

BrianR · 11-19-2013, 09:58 AM

I've dabbled at selling photo cards and prints at local craft/art shows and farmers markets. It's by no means lucrative, but it's pretty fun selling directly to people who are taking an interest in your work. You're also selling your pictures this way, which has way more appeal to me then taking pictures for someone else.

pdo · 11-19-2013, 10:24 AM

I am a fashion photographer and I make my money by providing contents for magazine. Either makeup or fashion work..

www.pauldophotography.com

NicoleC · 11-19-2013, 12:09 PM

I mostly take pictures of plants. I'm in discussions with an author about using some of my pictures in her upcoming book about, well, plants.

Considering the amount of time and effort I've spent trying to sell notecards and prints online (I've sold one), this is *way* easier. And it's more in my comfort zone anyway.

daacon · 11-20-2013, 04:47 AM

Originally posted by Dr Orloff

To make a small fortune out of photography start off with a large fortune.

Brilliant !

TaoMaas · 11-20-2013, 06:23 AM

Look for a publication that uses the type of things you shoot. Check out their submission policy and send something to them if they accept it. I started out sending things to my state's tourism magazine. People saw my pics on there and started asking for more. Don't overlook video as a means to earning some cash. Local events can often use someone to document their event so they can send that video to other avenues for promotion. Stock agencies is a rough row to hoe. Take whatever this month's theme is for the forum contest (Negative Space), then imagine yourself to be a buyer looking for a pic that says, "Negative Space". Would you choose your pic? If not, then maybe you ought to explore other avenues for revenue. Weddings, portraits, baby pics, pet pics, real estate pics, kids' sports teams...these are all ways to make a little cash. But be forewarned! If you screw up someone's wedding pics, your career may be over in a hurry. lol

OldNoob · 11-21-2013, 03:01 AM

Ive had a couple of friends ask me to do boudoir photos for their husbands. I was a bit too shy to do it for them knowing that im also friends with their husbands. But apparently ,, there is a demand for it.

**Kerrowdown** · 11-21-2013, 03:25 AM

Originally posted by jrcastillo

How to make money with your pictures?

I was hoping this thread was going to be the panacea for where I've been going wrong all these years.

nomadkng · 12-10-2013, 10:24 AM

there's a very good way to tell if a professional photographer is actually in attendance at his own gallery-
look for the 15 year old beat up pick-up truck with dirty dented gear in the bed or cab amongst the Mercedes and BMWs.

I came to a sad realization about 3 years ago - there's a reason for the term "starving artists"

although I had one pro photog tell me, the key to surviving is not in selling photos, but in providing instruction such as seminars or being a photo guide.

i'd love to live near Yellowstone or Yosemite etc and spend my days chauffeuring a shutterbug or two through the park for 100/hr. not too bad a gig if you can get it.

richmondthefish · 12-23-2013, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by pdo

I am a fashion photographer and I make my money by providing contents for magazine. Either makeup or fashion work..

www.pauldophotography.com

How does that work? Do you just hire models yourself out of your own pocket and then make money buy selling the content to magazines or do the magazines actually hire you for specific shoots?

photographyguy74 · 12-25-2013, 06:00 PM

I have never gotten into stock photography but I have heard that you need to sell a lot of images to a stock agency in order to make any decent amount of money. I do know whether that is true or not but I have heard that a couple of different times.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Question How to make pictures look sharp when linked?	crewl1	Site Suggestions and Help	4	12-19-2012 10:45 PM
How to get rid of purple fringing in your pictures	beholder3	Post-Processing Articles	7	02-17-2012 05:09 PM
How you earn money with your photos?	Mike1980	Photographic Technique	17	12-03-2010 05:49 PM
how to make pictures smaler?	Mew	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	4	10-29-2009 04:47 PM
Anyone make money from their pictures?	Buschmaster	General Talk	17	12-08-2007 11:52 AM

11-18-2013, 11:32 AM	#16
Reliant K1000 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: BC - On the 49th parallel Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 235	A relative has a part time number selling photography equipment, and photographs models as a sideline through a site called Model Mayhem. He worked and did model portfolios for free for a long time, building up his rep and his skill-set. Also, he gets a discount on cameras and picture processing because of where he works. I used to do weddings and it was just at first for my friends, but when people saw my shots as an amateur they contacted me because they liked my shots better than the pro they hired. And, like the old shampoo ad said..."and they told 2 friends, and so on, and so on". I had a nice sideline for about 10 years. But not enough to make a living, that's for sure.

11-19-2013, 09:58 AM	#17
BrianR Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,332	I've dabbled at selling photo cards and prints at local craft/art shows and farmers markets. It's by no means lucrative, but it's pretty fun selling directly to people who are taking an interest in your work. You're also selling your pictures this way, which has way more appeal to me then taking pictures for someone else.

11-19-2013, 10:24 AM	#18
pdo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Westminster CA Posts: 264	I am a fashion photographer and I make my money by providing contents for magazine. Either makeup or fashion work.. www.pauldophotography.com

11-19-2013, 12:09 PM	#19
NicoleC Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Madison, AL Posts: 448	I mostly take pictures of plants. I'm in discussions with an author about using some of my pictures in her upcoming book about, well, plants. Considering the amount of time and effort I've spent trying to sell notecards and prints online (I've sold one), this is way easier. And it's more in my comfort zone anyway.

11-20-2013, 04:47 AM	#20
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Originally posted by Dr Orloff To make a small fortune out of photography start off with a large fortune. Brilliant !

11-20-2013, 06:23 AM	#21
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	Look for a publication that uses the type of things you shoot. Check out their submission policy and send something to them if they accept it. I started out sending things to my state's tourism magazine. People saw my pics on there and started asking for more. Don't overlook video as a means to earning some cash. Local events can often use someone to document their event so they can send that video to other avenues for promotion. Stock agencies is a rough row to hoe. Take whatever this month's theme is for the forum contest (Negative Space), then imagine yourself to be a buyer looking for a pic that says, "Negative Space". Would you choose your pic? If not, then maybe you ought to explore other avenues for revenue. Weddings, portraits, baby pics, pet pics, real estate pics, kids' sports teams...these are all ways to make a little cash. But be forewarned! If you screw up someone's wedding pics, your career may be over in a hurry. lol

11-21-2013, 03:01 AM	#22
OldNoob Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 402	Ive had a couple of friends ask me to do boudoir photos for their husbands. I was a bit too shy to do it for them knowing that im also friends with their husbands. But apparently ,, there is a demand for it.

11-21-2013, 03:25 AM	#23
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,867	Originally posted by jrcastillo How to make money with your pictures? I was hoping this thread was going to be the panacea for where I've been going wrong all these years.

12-10-2013, 10:24 AM	#24
nomadkng Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,448	there's a very good way to tell if a professional photographer is actually in attendance at his own gallery- look for the 15 year old beat up pick-up truck with dirty dented gear in the bed or cab amongst the Mercedes and BMWs. I came to a sad realization about 3 years ago - there's a reason for the term "starving artists" although I had one pro photog tell me, the key to surviving is not in selling photos, but in providing instruction such as seminars or being a photo guide. i'd love to live near Yellowstone or Yosemite etc and spend my days chauffeuring a shutterbug or two through the park for 100/hr. not too bad a gig if you can get it.

12-23-2013, 10:07 AM	#25
richmondthefish Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 221	Originally posted by pdo I am a fashion photographer and I make my money by providing contents for magazine. Either makeup or fashion work.. www.pauldophotography.com How does that work? Do you just hire models yourself out of your own pocket and then make money buy selling the content to magazines or do the magazines actually hire you for specific shoots?

12-25-2013, 06:00 PM	#26
photographyguy74 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Davenport, Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 331	I have never gotten into stock photography but I have heard that you need to sell a lot of images to a stock agency in order to make any decent amount of money. I do know whether that is true or not but I have heard that a couple of different times.