So here I am, 3-4 years doing photography, but just realized, that I have not yet earned even a single dime out of this passion!
Maybe I do not understand how to do it? Maybe I have not approached anyone to sell my work?
To be frank, I have terabytes of photography data that I have done over these years for friends, their engagements, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, all my trips locally and internationally, dance shows etc etc and the list goes on.
But no money yet !
Looking forward to hear your tips/suggestions/approach on how to get it going
(Apr 11, 2013, 15:11)samyshah Wrote: So here I am, 3-4 years doing photography, but just realized, that I have not yet earned even a single dime out of this passion!
Maybe I do not understand how to do it? Maybe I have not approached anyone to sell my work?
To be frank, I have terabytes of photography data that I have done over these years for friends, their engagements, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, all my trips locally and internationally, dance shows etc etc and the list goes on.
But no money yet !
Looking forward to hear your tips/suggestions/approach on how to get it going
Who does not like a few bucks ;-)
Cheers
Samy
Don't worry i'm in the same boat although i havn't tried to sell anything for 25 years because i didn't have to. However now i'm stuck in one place for 6 months and getting bored, i'm toying with the idea of getting paid, maybe a small amount.
Currently looking to make a website that anyone can access and download anything they want for free. I've plenty of stock.
The files will be low resolution and with my website addr, copyright notice, logo at the base.
So making a place onsite where anyone can order prints or buy hi-res files,
or buy hi-res files with exclusive use.
Mostly people will take pics free for emails, but my advert is at the bottom . So not much money there .. someone might buy prints or an actual photo ... anything is better than nothing .. thats what most photographers get isn't it!
How about going out to gigs and offering to work for nothing and supplying your card with a gig# and email on it. You might sell pictures later especially if you told them they could use your low res ones free.
It would give you practice in the art and get you known.
That's the path i'm heading down soon.
It's hard work which ever way. If i wasn't so keen on photography i wouldn't bother. My thinking is... do a lot of hi quality work for very little to get known..
Thats my 2 bobs worth Samy.. as they say in Australia
hoo roo .. Jim Truscott
(Apr 11, 2013, 15:11)samyshah Wrote: So here I am, 3-4 years doing photography, but just realized, that I have not yet earned even a single dime out of this passion!
Maybe I do not understand how to do it? Maybe I have not approached anyone to sell my work?
To be frank, I have terabytes of photography data that I have done over these years for friends, their engagements, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, all my trips locally and internationally, dance shows etc etc and the list goes on.
But no money yet !
Looking forward to hear your tips/suggestions/approach on how to get it going
Who does not like a few bucks ;-)
Cheers
Samy
I know doing something totaly FREE sounds like a good road to exposure (no photographic pun intended) but there has to be some kind of fee attached to ligitimize you as a photographer. Many times the public relates quality on an item or service to the price tag attached ("You get what you pay for"). So they think If the price is $0 the value must be $0. If you offer a free anything always use it in addition to your photo package or session fee. You can set your fees as high or low as you want but you must relay the message that your time and tallent comes with a price.
If you are the flexible type of photographer and have the required equipment there are many ways to go about trying to get your foot in the door. Sorry to say most come with some kind of a price tag. I used the Pet Portrait field and found it fairly easy to attract customers. People love their pets! A simple backdrop, a few props, maybe a tripod and your started. Call on pet oriented business and try to set up a Photo Shoot day at their business location. There is no cost to them and it would possibly attract business for them as well. Groomers, Vets, Pet stores or Pet specialty shops are all good posibilities. You will find that one thing leads to another and all sorts of new ideas may arise. There are way too many angles and suggestions with pet photography to post here but I may start a thread to go through the blow by blow if anybody is interested. Good luck with any endevor you may try and keep us posted on you results.
Just added a quick shot from my Glamor shot of the week that is part of a Volunteer service for our local County Animal Shelter.
(Apr 11, 2013, 15:11)samyshah Wrote: So here I am, 3-4 years doing photography, but just realized, that I have not yet earned even a single dime out of this passion!
Maybe I do not understand how to do it? Maybe I have not approached anyone to sell my work?
To be frank, I have terabytes of photography data that I have done over these years for friends, their engagements, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, all my trips locally and internationally, dance shows etc etc and the list goes on.
But no money yet !
Looking forward to hear your tips/suggestions/approach on how to get it going
Who does not like a few bucks ;-)
Cheers
Samy
I know doing something totaly FREE sounds like a good road to exposure (no photographic pun intended) but there has to be some kind of fee attached to ligitimize you as a photographer. Many times the public relates quality on an item or service to the price tag attached ("You get what you pay for"). So they think If the price is $0 the value must be $0. If you offer a free anything always use it in addition to your photo package or session fee. You can set your fees as high or low as you want but you must relay the message that your time and tallent comes with a price.
If you are the flexible type of photographer and have the required equipment there are many ways to go about trying to get your foot in the door. Sorry to say most come with some kind of a price tag. I used the Pet Portrait field and found it fairly easy to attract customers. People love their pets! A simple backdrop, a few props, maybe a tripod and your started. Call on pet oriented business and try to set up a Photo Shoot day at their business location. There is no cost to them and it would possibly attract business for them as well. Groomers, Vets, Pet stores or Pet specialty shops are all good posibilities. You will find that one thing leads to another and all sorts of new ideas may arise. There are way too many angles and suggestions with pet photography to post here but I may start a thread to go through the blow by blow if anybody is interested. Good luck with any endevor you may try and keep us posted on you results.
Just added a quick shot from my Glamor shot of the week that is part of a Volunteer service for our local County Animal Shelter.
The pet photography idea is very good. I did meet an artist who only painted horses for clients. He was kept busy but also a wonderful artist.
I can see where you're coming from. I'll definitely think about that one. That doggie is very appealing.
Any tips on getting a dogs attention to sit like that . It looks very placid.
You seem to have used a backdrop. Do you have stands or just hang from a wall?
The Stand is built from PVC Pipe, The backdrops are an Ebay product. I always have a handler to get the dogs to sit in front of the backdrop (Patience Required). Squeaky toys and empty water bottles make great attention getters. Put your camera on loud beep, it gets em' every time LOL. No need for a tripod. PP editing done with free Nikon Software (ViewNX2). Prints can be made at any local Wallgreens. (They use a wet process so quailty is a little better.)
Cost of the shot you see:
Stand $ 17.00
Backdrop $ 20.70
Backdrop Clamps $ 8.25
Flower Necklas $ 1.00 ea at the dollar store
Cost of prints:
4x6 $ 0.32
5x7 $ 1.99
8x10 $ 2.99
This is the budget way about it. All can be improved but the cost goes up quick. you can get much better portraits with expensive equipment but most people do not appreciate the differance and prefer the lower cost product.
Great ideas guys! I appreciate all your inputs. I think the next challenge for me which I have been thinking for a while is to get myself to buy some studio type equipment like backdrops, lights, flashes (not the high end fancy stuff), but just some basic things which I can use to do portrait photography!
I was also thinking, of posting a flyer on my apartment's notice board, offering free services to do baby shoots near the fountain/lake we have in our community on a particular weekend. That way I can get the word out, have people come by with their cute kids, have me photograph them and fulfill my desire to invest more time and increase my portfolio. (Would it be too rude to have them sign waivers, which allows me to use the photographs and place them on my online portfolio?)
(Apr 11, 2013, 15:11)samyshah Wrote: So here I am, 3-4 years doing photography, but just realized, that I have not yet earned even a single dime out of this passion!
Maybe I do not understand how to do it? Maybe I have not approached anyone to sell my work?
To be frank, I have terabytes of photography data that I have done over these years for friends, their engagements, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, all my trips locally and internationally, dance shows etc etc and the list goes on.
But no money yet !
Looking forward to hear your tips/suggestions/approach on how to get it going
Who does not like a few bucks ;-)
Cheers
Samy
I know doing something totaly FREE sounds like a good road to exposure (no photographic pun intended) but there has to be some kind of fee attached to ligitimize you as a photographer. Many times the public relates quality on an item or service to the price tag attached ("You get what you pay for"). So they think If the price is $0 the value must be $0. If you offer a free anything always use it in addition to your photo package or session fee. You can set your fees as high or low as you want but you must relay the message that your time and tallent comes with a price.
If you are the flexible type of photographer and have the required equipment there are many ways to go about trying to get your foot in the door. Sorry to say most come with some kind of a price tag. I used the Pet Portrait field and found it fairly easy to attract customers. People love their pets! A simple backdrop, a few props, maybe a tripod and your started. Call on pet oriented business and try to set up a Photo Shoot day at their business location. There is no cost to them and it would possibly attract business for them as well. Groomers, Vets, Pet stores or Pet specialty shops are all good posibilities. You will find that one thing leads to another and all sorts of new ideas may arise. There are way too many angles and suggestions with pet photography to post here but I may start a thread to go through the blow by blow if anybody is interested. Good luck with any endevor you may try and keep us posted on you results.
Just added a quick shot from my Glamor shot of the week that is part of a Volunteer service for our local County Animal Shelter.
I cannot think of any other 'Hobby' where so many people are wanting to make money out of doing it, instead of leaving it to professionals who have studied their vocation and rely on it to make a living wage.
I cannot think of any other 'Hobby' where so many people are wanting to make money out of doing it, instead of leaving it to professionals who have studied their vocation, and rely on it to make a living wage.
(May 19, 2013, 16:08)Pablo8 Wrote: I cannot think of any other 'Hobby' where so many people are wanting to make money out of doing it, instead of leaving it to professionals who have studied their vocation, and rely on it to make a living wage.
Well said!
There's a a joke saying that the quickest way to earn money as a photographer is to sell your camera.
(May 19, 2013, 16:08)Pablo8 Wrote: I cannot think of any other 'Hobby' where so many people are wanting to make money out of doing it, instead of leaving it to professionals who have studied their vocation, and rely on it to make a living wage.
Well said!
There's a a joke saying that the quickest way to earn money as a photographer is to sell your camera.
I think ... looking at successful photographers i know... income is in proportional to photographic ability and self promotion. You need both... trouble is... most of us
only know one. Including me! jim t
