How Much Do You Make Shooting Pictures?

bland

I recently "sold" my first photo to a major wakeboard manufacturer for their 2014 catalog. My compensation was a wakesurf board and travel bag (retail value ~$600.) That aside, I've not made a single dime. So I guess I am about $20k in the red.

Pretty good perk, that's why I will take a perk over money any day!

Those wakeboarders are a fun crowd to shoot. Normally they're too far out for me to get a shot of them but I always have a good time.

donaldejose

I don't hate KR and admire his ability to make a living writing about photography gear. Part of his appeal (and irritation) is his oversimplification. Don't take it seriously. He overstates general rules and doesn't go into all the exceptions. If you are an "expert" you won't be reading his comments and will only log on to his site as an easy way to gather product data. For most people who will never print larger than 8x10 a 6mp (or 12mp) sensor is "enough" for their needs and a Nikon D3100 is enough of a camera for their use. They will never even bump up against the upper limits of the D3100.

Yetibuddha

Its good to know my average photography income is also the average of most people's here. But then I get rewarded from the beautiful environments and adventures I seek out in addition to the neat people I encounter, and on this board.

MikeGunter

Hi all,

I've retired from the US Army years ago and the civil service several years ago, too. Concurrent with active duty, and as my civil service job, I was a teacher, journalist and editor, and I'm mostly retired now. ;-)

In the last couple of years, I've slowed down some.

The recent recession slowed down a lot of training (which had been a very lucrative part of my income), and frankly, and we finished a TV series on PBS with a friend, and it seemed like a good time to slow down a bit more.

I still do some things, but just what I want to do, a few video bits for networks or something interesting and photos I want to do, and I think I billed and a few training jobs. Last year it was around $15,000 or so.

One thing I'm seeing is that the income for anyone in the business now is that no one is getting what 'value' the 'job' is.

We did a CNN job a month ago for $800 for 3 hours. Someone would have done it for $50, I'm sure. (And probably done as good as I did - I'm not really arguing that), but I guaranteed that my feed would work. A $50 feed might have left Piers Morgan with dead air.

A lot of people are going to be ok with that. I think that might be the future.

"Sorry about that folks, we're try again tomorrow"...

My best,

Mike

Symphotic

I admit my work is not artistic, I don't have the people skills needed for weddings (heck, I don't have the people skills to be a paparazzi!, I don't travel for the elusive wildlife or landscape shot, I don't bother with lights, I set my camera in P mode more often than not, and I take just as many paid photographs with my V1 as I do with my D800.
I look at the pictures you all post in PAD and am overwhelmed by the beauty and quality of your work. It shames me that I get paid to snap a picture of a diode or a cotter pin but great art goes unappreciated.
I do have other skills, perhaps more developed than my photographic skill, that allow me to make money with cameras, both still and video, and I am usually not the guy behind the camera but part of the team designing and supplying the imaging or video system. Just reading this thread, I don't think I would be very happy if all I had to feed myself with was my camera.

Benji2505

.. Yet, this individual has workshops where presumably folks pay good money to attend.
blockquote>

In a gold rush the money is earned by the folks making the shovels, not by the ones actually digging.

bland

There's good money in shooting kids soccer teams and etc. I only did it once, no money was worth what I had to deal with, not my cup of tea.

TaoTeJared

Not to bash him, but a certain photographer that we all love to hate seems to manage to feed his "growing family" through photography. I've looked at a lot of the stuff on his site and I can think of numerous contributors on NRF whose work is far better. I'd venture to guess that he doesn't make his money selling pictures, but rather from selling advice on how to take pictures.

Making money at photography is rarely about fantastic shots but about marketing and pumping out tons of rather boring stuff. It is rare I get the opportunity to create outstanding work in a way that I would like too. Most clients (families and even businesses) don't have the money, time, nor ability to work with or accept someone else's vision. It is a rare client that is willing to collaborate with you. I have one, she is a good friend from childhood (with good looking kids) and they live very close so I can sell them on an idea and do some fun stuff. Bad thing is, she is a really good friend and I charge peanuts. It helps get me other work though!

Some of the most successful photographers in my area rarely have outstanding shots. They just focus on the stuff that really matters - They can always be counted on, show up on time, get at least one shot of everything the client wants, and meets delivery timelines. Most times that is all that people want.

kyoshinikon

It is all about how you sell yourself. I just shot a wedding for a client yesterday and I have horrid people skills... If you are in it to make money you go from being a photographer to a businessperson with a specialty in photography...

TaoTeJared has it right

Some of the most successful photographers in my area rarely have outstanding shots. They just focus on the stuff that really matters - They can always be counted on, show up on time, get at least one shot of everything the client wants, and meets delivery timelines. Most times that is all that people want.

warprints

I have a seven figure business. $0,000,000

So do I, but unfortunately, it's not in the field of photography.
Luckily, I too, have a job that allows me to support my hobby.
I last made money from photography about thirty years ago. Now I give away my photos just to see people happy.