Photography, as an artistic discipline and as an industry, has undergone a massive change in the last few years. It has transitioned from being the part-time hobby of a select few to becoming an intricate part of the modern digital architecture. Backed by the power of technology, photographers today have begun to experience an immense amount of reach, influence, and visibility. As per the most conservative estimates, about 1.2 trillion photos are being clicked, stored, and chronicled across the globe, every year!
Therefore, if you are a photographer who is wondering how to earn money from photography, here are 10 tried and tested ways to help you transform your creativity into a highly lucrative profession –
Develop a Specialized Clientele
To make money from photos, the first thing you need to do is develop a specialized clientele, which involves purchasing some basic photography equipment, building a strong picture portfolio, and setting up your own photo studio. Once this is done, you can instantly start clicking pictures for a variety of events like weddings and reunions. You can even diversify into areas such as family portraits, maternity photoshoots, real estate advertisement shoots, or pet photoshoots. Doing so will not just help you make money selling photos, but it will also enable you to gather a whole lot of valuable experience.
Sell Through Stock Libraries
In case you already possess a sizeable collection of good-quality photos, you can easily make money with photography by selling them through online stock libraries. Most stock photography sites like ShutterStock or i-Stock purchase photos for both, macro and micro stocking. While macro stocks largely consist of unique and distinctive images for corporate use, micro stocks contain generic, high-volume images for mass consumption. You are only required to sign up as a contributor, upload pictures, and submit them for review. If your photos are selected and hosted by these libraries, you will be able to earn a decent residual income for years and make money selling photos!
Participate in Contests
Although it might appear to be an eclectic suggestion, one of the finest ways to get paid for photos is by participating in different photography contests. These contests, usually run on a regional, national, or international scale, tend to offer grand prizes in cash. Some of them even commission winning photographers for professional gigs. But the best part about participating in such contests is that, as a photographer, you get to compete with numerous experts, gain enormous exposure, and in the process, make money with photography!
Use Social Media
Be it blogs, web pages, YouTube videos, or podcasts; social media has provided a large canvas for photographers to make money from photos. You can use these platforms by starting a blog, launching a YouTube channel, or beginning a podcast that offers innovative and original photography content. This can include tutorials on how to click good photos, reviews of various photography equipment, or tips and tricks to achieve better picture outcomes. Doing so will help you gain a large number of followers, thereby equipping you to monetize your blog/channel/site by hosting ads and publishing sponsored content.
Try Freelance Photojournalism
Most newspapers, magazines, and other print publications look for freelance photojournalists to click relevant pictures. These pictures are then published with an associated story, thus enhancing their reach by millions. As photographers, photojournalism is an opportunity that you just can’t afford to miss. Not only can it provide you with a consistent income stream, but it can also enable you to expand your network and connect with prospective clients frequently. Initially, you might not make money selling photos as a freelancer, but eventually, photojournalism will bring you into the professional mainstream.
Join a Travel Company
Most travel companies across the world are on a lookout for people good at clicking pictures. These photographers are expected to accompany the tours organized by these companies and click pictures for both the travel company and the touring clients. Joining a tour company can easily help you make money with photography while requiring you to work within certain pre-defined criteria. You will have to meet specific targets every day and produce results that can be viewed and evaluated regularly. If you can accommodate your schedule per these demands, you can quickly get paid for photos that you take.
Create a Signature Style
Another great way to make money selling photos is to carefully craft and create a distinct signature style. Let each picture you click speak for itself. Use your images to capture a moment, tell a story, bring out a theme, or give a message. In fact, specialization in unique fields like landscape photography, sports photography, wildlife photography, or architectural photography. Developing such signature styles will immediately grant you better exposure, higher revenue, and, therefore enable you to make money with photography.
Become a Mentor
If you have invested a lot of time and gained insightful experience in clicking pictures, you don’t have to worry about how to earn money from photography. You can become an educator in this field and teach budding photographers what the art of photography truly means. This can be done by joining a reputed institute, starting an online course, or even providing targeted, local education. If the knowledge you offer benefits the photographers under your tutelage, your audience will automatically continue to grow.
Sell Digital Products
There is no better way to make money with photography than selling customized digital products. These products, if offered for download and use with proper copyright, can benefit several corporations and individuals in preparing useful content. More so, selling digital products does not just limit you to make money from photos. It gives you the leverage to diversify into a plethora of income-generating options like photo books, decorative overlays, card templates, software add-ons, marketing templates, etc.
Start Your Own Business
Last but not least, you can try to make money with photography by starting your own photography business. To do this, you will have to begin by setting up an online website where your previous works are clearly displayed. Let this site be the medium using which clients can approach you for clicking pictures in specific niches. Communicate with potential buyers frequently and work for them at affordable rates. This won’t just help you quickly get paid for photos, but it will also build your credibility and reputation for a long time to come.
The Way Forward
As the interest in the field of photography increases, this sector will slowly begin to move beyond the corridors of art. Many people will start using the ways above to make money with photography, thereby recasting their favorite hobby into a competent instrument of revenue generation. This won’t just diversify their income streams, but it would also help them capture the perfect photographic visuals.
If you too are ridden with questions like how to make money with photography or how much money do photographers make – you can register for a course here and find all your answers instantly. Joining this course will empower you to make money with photography while preparing you to realize your full creative potential. So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in this course and get paid for photos now!
