[dopeytree]

I know it's a touchy subject but I really want some realistic figures on what people are earning each year with their photography businesses and a bit of break down, and your costs too if your don't mind.

Even if it's part time.

I'm on 19 so I'm just starting out with paid work. I've done fair bit of work with companies in exchange for things which is always a fun & different approach.

So far I've probably got about £4000 in equipment (£1700 on macbook pro)
I'd say I earned maybe £1000 in odd jobs last year which for a first year part-time isn't too bad.

Band Promos, Portraits, Card Sales etc

I'm hoping this year to maybe get it up 10x that to £10,000

[heliphoto]

You've done better than me (but you've put a lot more work into it I can tell). I've sold a print and a calandar for a total of about $30 US profit and my equip. value is on par with yours, but I'm trying to get into selling landscapes which is a hyper-saturated market around here... I need to start taking pictures of things people need pictures of (like you've done).

Based on what I see around at local galleries etc., I'm pretty sure I can sell some photos, but I need to make the initial outlay of getting some framed prints and then showing them somewhere...

Good luck reaching and exceeding your goal for this year! Looking at your site I'd say you're well on your way (but I bet it's a tough market right now). Very professional looking site by the way.

[dopeytree]

Thanks yeah its professional looking made with bigfolio, I just need some paying clients now, I'm thinking of puting a promotion on at college called best friends where I do a shoot at a low price of best friends and then they buy prints etc and hopefully it'll lead to some more paid work from word of mouth.

I kinda got into band promos and gigs by accident just going to watch then took my camera along...one thing led to another etc

I love landscapes too but all I've managed to shift is cards made on redbubble mainly to family and friends but it's expensive having to put your nek out first!

[George Lama]

Here's the best advice I can give you, and having grown up in a family business, I would like to think it's valid advice.

Don't expect to make any money in the first few years. Be happy if you break even and consider it a job well done.

Now, to break that down some: Needless to say this business is expensive... equipment is one obvious cost, but people don't think about other costs:

Time: the time investment is heavy. The more photos you take/gigs you have, the more work you have. The more you want to get gigs, the more you have to spend time selling yourself, networking, spreading the word.

Advertising: Even if it's posting an advert in the local classifieds, that costs money. I live in the middle of nowhere between Buffalo and Rochester in upstate New York. It's nearly $90 dollars for an ad about the size of a large business card, and that's for it to run once in the bridal section that comes out once a year. A basic classified ad with necessary info can cost you about $20 for a day. And for those that think Craigslist is a good venue - yea, sure, if you don't mind your ads getting bundled up with the ones of photographers "looking for Asian models for private photo shoots" and "I will DJ your love-making session" - I wish I was exagerating too...

Rental: Are you going to rent a place to do portraits? Do you need a window to showcase your work and promote yourself to the local public? Will you have to rent a warehouse to do certain shoots? Do you have to rent storage space to keep all your stuff?

More studio "things": I am not into props - in fact I downright detest them because you can either never have enough or you start falling into the prop-trap (always using the handful of props that "work"). So if you're into props, you will be buying buying buying. Don't forget backdrops, filters, lights, flashes, cabling, extension cords, tripods, stands, booms, reflectors, diffusers, etc.

Professional Organizations: It pays to belong to certain organizations, particularly if it helps you get business. For example, the local pro-photographers organization, the national organization, the local business bureau/chamber of commerce, a business coop, etc.

Insurance: In any business you need it. In this business, you even need a disatisfaction insurance - just in case they hate your work and want to sue... yay.

Business plan: there are books that talk about how to do this. Your local small business office has people that can help you do this and even give you sample forms you can use to build yours. Basically it's a short term and long term plan to grow your business. It helps to know where you're going before you get started.

Obviously, the more time you have to dedicate to this job, the more likely you will make more money. Full time or part-time - it can make a difference.

I do this part-time, mostly because my "day-job" pays me a lot as an IT-guy and it offers us medical insurance. For me to quit my day-job and still make , I would have to book at least 50 big package weddings a year at prices my local area can support.

But I'm OK doing it part-time - it fits my schedule and allows me to do what I love and get paid for it. This past year was nice and busy... had a bit over 40 gigs including weddings, senior shoots, portraits, and some commercial work. And even though I bought a K20, rented lenses, upgraded my computer storage and monitors, still made a tiny profit.

Best part of it all is when the tax man cometh, he will owe me money