Want to Make Money From Photography?
This E-Book Aims to Show the Way
It's an old habit - whenever I'm in a book store, I gravitate to the photography section to see what's on offer.
Inevitably there are rows of books on technique, plus many on specializations
like fashion, sport, studio, wildlife, and photojournalism. And nowdays there's also a
"digital" version of each.
But what about the person starting out, who is thinking of photography as a
potential career, but has no real idea of the commercial possibilities and applications?
Only a tiny percentage of professional photographers make a living in the "glamour"
fields such as sport, fashion, wildlife, or glossy magazine photography.
Thousands Are Succeeding
Yet there are thousands of people earning a decent income from photography in other, less publicised niches.
There's very little on the shelves that provides general, common-sense guidance for the aspiring photographer
about these "other" fields - about what's involved, and how to get started.
So I was intrigued when I came across an e-book that aims to fill this gap.
The book - "Income from Photography" - only touches briefly on the technical aspects of photography
(although there is a chapter devoted to photo equipment).
The bulk of the content is aimed rather at the budding photographer with
little or no commercial savvy. As the writer says, it's easy for experienced photographers to
let their skills and experience cloud their judgement when offering advice to those just starting out.
A Refreshing Change
So it's refreshing finding a book that takes a different approach, concentrating on photography as a business.
Other than the first chapter - a brief history of photography - the remainder of the book
focuses almost exclusively on how to make a living from photography.
And that, to my mind, is a pretty critical consideration for anyone thinking of photography as a career!
As someone who's been taking photos for about 40 years (on-and-off as a professional),
I found the content rather mundane when I first skimmed through the 10 chapters. (The book is in easy-to-read PDF format).
The writer outlines many of the less glamorous, "bread-and-butter" fields that provide photographers
with an income. So you won't find the secret to instant success as a fashion photographer for
Vogue or a sports snapper for Sports Illustrated.
But you will find valuable information on "going professional" in fields such as
pet or wedding photography, family portraits, local newspapers, trade journals, aerial and commercial photography.
Crucial Business Topics
It was only on the second, more thorough reading that I appreciated why there is such
emphasis on specific business aspects that are crucial for success - the sort of things I wish
I'd followed when working for myself.
I'm talking here about advertising your services, marketing your photographs, legal considerations and,
absolutely critical, what you should charge.
I know from experience how easy it is to under-charge for your services.
A client says he needs a photograph of a machine in his factory - "just postcard size to mail overseas".
So you drive to his premises and find a large, dark, ugly piece of equipment that requires
sophisticated studio lighting. You spend an hour looking for the right angles, setting up the lights,
taking readings, shooting off a roll of film.
Then you have to take the film to the lab for processing and printing, go back to collect,
choose a couple of the best prints for the client. (I'm going back a while, before digital. But today you'll still need to download
the images to your computer, edit them in Photoshop, and have the requisite prints made).
Foolishly, because you're uncomfortable "talking money", you didn't quote beforehand. Now you find it
difficult charging a realistic price for your time and expertise when all you handed to the client was two postcard prints.
Okay, so what I'm trying to say is that it's very, very important you understand what's involved in making a
living as an independent photographer. You'll be running a business and you have to sell yourself and your products.
If you're uncomfortable doing that, then you can always try working for someone else - like a newspaper
or government agency - but the opportunities are limited.
So if you're thinking of photography as a career - even part-time initially -
then "Income from Photography"
is definitely worth reading.
It is fairly basic, but that's the intention - to give a solid overview of the business of photography
and how to get started making a living from something you enjoy.
For anyone faced with career options or decisions, the cost of the book is a small price to pay.
To find out more about "Income from Photography", Click Here
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