The amazing thing about photography is, while it’s certainly a fun hobby, it’s also a potentially lucrative profession. We’ve put together some of the best opportunities out there and provide lots of handy tips on how to make money with photography.
Teach photography
With time, you have acquired tons of valuable experience and techniques that other photographers would pay to hear about, so why not make money with photography by teaching it? You can also give beginner classes for people living near you, workshops, and photography tours. Teaching is known to be the best way of learning new stuff, and will also get you to meet new interesting people.
Start a photography blog or YouTube channel.
If you’re an adept writer, another way to make money is to start your own photography blog. You can create tutorials, share helpful tips, or write reviews photography gear and software. It will boost the SEO of your photography website, contribute to establishing you as an expert in your field, and you can generate income from google ads.
Similarly, you can also make money by starting a photography channel on YouTube. It’s essentially the same content (tutorials, reviews, etc.) but in video form. However, your blog or YouTube channel needs to gain a good following before you can actually start making money
from it.
Photograph small businesses
Restaurants, hotels, yoga instructors: they all have an online platform that they need to fill with beautiful images. This is where you come in and offer to photograph their stores, offices or teams.
Offering your photography services to small businesses is a great place to start making some money. These businesses need professional images to help promote themselves online.
Start by looking around your neighborhood for businesses that might be able to benefit from your services. Remember: nowadays, every business needs an online presence, so it doesn’t matter what type of business it is. Introduce yourself to the owner and bring along some samples of your work. Then explain how some great photos could help them promote their business online.
Make sure to include a pricing list on your photography portfolio. That way, prospective clients know up-front if they can afford your services, and will be more likely to get in touch if it’s a fit.
Photo Contests
There are many great photography contests that offer substantial prize money. Winning a contest —or even placing as a runner-up—can offer invaluable exposure and help cement your reputation as a skilled photographer.
Portraits
Specializing in a particular type of shooting can make it easier to establish yourself as a professional—and make money with photography.
Portrait photography is a great option, as people are always looking for beautiful shots of themselves, whether it’s for their Christmas card, business website, or social media.
More important than a studio is making sure you have the proper equipment, including the best portrait cameras, best portrait lenses, and best portrait photography accessories.
Keep in mind there are many different types of portrait photography that you can specialize in. Some examples include:
- Fashion, Family, Maternity, Pet, Musician, School, Sports team.
Sell Prints
If you take amazing photos, then there’s a good chance that people are going to want to buy them. So why not sell them? This can be very easy to do and inexpensive, or slightly more difficult, depending on which you choose.
If you’re interested in making money from your photos by selling prints, building an online store is an essential step. An online store makes it easier for customers to see all the options available and find exactly what they’re looking for.
If you’re using a good portfolio website, it should be easy to add an online store in minutes. You can simply choose some images you think will sell well, and then provide some options for print sizing and quality.
Assistant Gigs
Working as an assistant photographer offers the opportunity to get involved with jobs that normally wouldn’t be available to you. Teaming up with a more experienced photographer is an excellent learning opportunities. They’ll also give you the chance to make important contacts in the industry—which is how you make money with photography in the future.
As you get involved these networks, keep your eye out for photographers whose work you admire. Then, let them know you’d be interested in working as their assistant, and direct them to your site where they can see some of your work.
Also, be open to volunteering at first, as it’s a great way to get your foot in the door. When you’re trying to work with another photographer, they might not have the money to risk on hiring an untested assistant. Once you prove yourself, you may find they’ll be more than willing to pay for your services.
