# Anyone do photography as a main career?



## TickleMyElmo (Aug 13, 2009)

No, no, no. You will make peanuts. The only hope you have of even making semi-decent money is in weddings, and even then it's rather hard to do successfully, and it has to be the right type of market. In my area (NY/NJ) $5000 for a wedding is common, in anywhere rural you'd be lucky to find someone willing to pay $1500...

Being a successful professional photographer is 95% business skill and 5% photography skill. It has much more to do with your skills at running a business and marketing than it does your skill as a photographer.

Anything not wedding related is completely dismal pay wise. There's no money in stock photography anymore, sports the pay is only marginally better, and then you have the insanely high equipment costs to pay before you can even start (Most sport photogs use 400mm 2.8's which are $9,000) and portraits make slightly more, but honestly, people will more than likely go to the convenient chain location in a Walmart or other department store for their family Christmas card portrait, etc...

The only hope is to do it on the side, part time, and even then, the pay is still dismal unless you become a successful wedding photographer, which, by the way, is not just something you walk into. You cannot just show up to a wedding and expect to get good shots, it takes a special eye to do and is a lot harder than it looks. Not to mention the many hours it requires for post processing, backup equipment,etc. One does not simply walk into Mordoor! You need insurance in case somebody gets hurt while posing, contracts drafted by a lawyer, consultations with clients, etc....

In short, do not walk, RUN away!

lol


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

I know a lot of people (my wife is one of them) who do photography semi professionally. Unless you're a celebrity photographer, or own a studio its tough to make a living only taking pictures. Weddings will be the best money maker, but that is A LOT of pressure. My wife will typically do a wedding once a month or so, and a engagement, pregnancy, family photo shoot every couple months. Gotta work full time though outside of that though. Nursing pays a bit better.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Not much money can be made I am afraid. You have to be either really, really good with good networking to make it in the photography industry. Other than that, it is a nice gig to make some side money for gear and upgrades if you are at least good at it. Here is the state of the affair with the photography industry. People never think about paying for photos since everyone thinks that they too can capture amazing shots with an expensive DSLR or even an Iphone. 

You need to find the right market of clients who appreciate good photography. In these day and age, people would just be happy for facebook quality (snap shots and blurry photos) pictures. If you target these clients, be prepared to be disappointed. They would probably think that paying $500 for a wedding shoot (8 hours+) is outrageously excessive.  Go major in something else.


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

There are some interesting topics here about people doing photography business. I like to read it at least xD

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=23


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

You said it tetra. My wife and i suffer the same fate in that area. I am a musician and she is a photographer by hobby/semipro. Even if you are skilled and creative, EVERYONE nowadays is either a musician or photographer. There will always be someone willing to take a gig for cheaper, and to the untrained eye/ear, its all the same. My wife had clients that went out and just bought the same equipment, now she is competing with those very clients for work. Lame.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I know some photographers who have to give up the business and wait tables.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Well...you guys were supposed to say that photography was a great career and that I could make money by the bucket loads and that people would be knocking down more door because the need for good photographers was so high.

Way to burst my bubble people.

Actually, I pretty much already knew what was going to be said. I just wanted to hear from people that had experience to confirm that while still hoping that it was something that could possibly be done. I hate that the camera industry has made decent cameras affordable for so many people because it has killed the photographer career wise. Stick a DSLR or expensive P&S into people's hands and they think they are Norman Rockwell...lol...oh well...I still know that the camera doesn't make the photographer, it's the person behind the lens. 

Guess I'll keep pluggin' away at school and keep my camera gear around for fun.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Nubster said:


> Well...you guys were supposed to say that photography was a great career and that I could make money by the bucket loads and that people would be knocking down more door because the need for good photographers was so high.
> 
> Way to burst my bubble people.
> 
> ...


Technology would always equalize the masses. It is the same with everything. You can still make it in the photography industry but you need to define your own branding and style. Don't produce photographic works that look like the ones from the other million photogs out there. Shoot stuff that is difficult to capture and in high demand. Commercial photography is where the money is at. Unfortunately, from what I have been told, it is very difficult to get into.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Do it as an art. Get a few awesome photos and try to get a little gallery to exhibit your work. You might sell a few. I wouldn't make a profession out of it.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Yeah...I've had offers to buy some of my stuff in the past when I shot a triathlon as well as some of my macro stuff. Actually some of the shots did sell but I donated the money back since it was a race to benefit a cancer charity. 

I am going to be taking a class in January that is 6 sessions and then at the end of the class there is an exhibit of everyone's work at a local art place so perhaps that can drum up some sales. It is a shame that photography is at this point...I imagine at some point it was a pretty good career. Well, I am sure in some aspects it still if you are in a discipline that is making money.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Nubster said:


> Yeah...I've had offers to buy some of my stuff in the past when I shot a triathlon as well as some of my macro stuff. Actually some of the shots did sell but I donated the money back since it was a race to benefit a cancer charity.
> 
> I am going to be taking a class in January that is 6 sessions and then at the end of the class there is an exhibit of everyone's work at a local art place so perhaps that can drum up some sales. It is a shame that photography is at this point...I imagine at some point it was a pretty good career. Well, I am sure in some aspects it still if you are in a discipline that is making money.



Is more like making sure you are not being taken advantage of. Once your works are good, people would want to use your photos for free in exchange for credits. Photo credits can't buy you food or your next gear. A lot of times, people don't even know who took the photos. That's why it is always better to think about the financial or business side of photography. It is fine if you are shooting for yourself. Once your works are in some sort of demand, you have to set a price.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

No...I knew how it worked as far as the race was concerned. All photos were posted on Smugmug and racers or anyone for that matter could purchase the pictures. The photographers got a percentage of the sales from their photos that sold. The buyers knew who the photographer were but likely didn't care...lol...those of us shot did it for the cause rather than the money, I think everyone ended up donating the money back.


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## Jaguar (Oct 13, 2011)

My sister does wedding photography as her main "career", however now with 3 children she doesn't have much time to do it at all. I used to go with her and her other photography buddies as a "second shooter" for the weddings, and I'd easily make $200-500 (10% roughly) cash taking photos for the day... without having to edit anything afterwards. We did anywhere from 6 to 12 weddings per season. Oh, and we got free food, too. It was fun 

www.chickenlittlephotography.com

Once you're in and acquainted with other local photographers there comes the split between friends and competition... my sister had a lot of hate in the beginning because her prices were cheap, others were upset by it and felt like she was undermining them... so then the price bump came. But once you've settled in with a group of likeminded people they're always willing to be assistants, lend equipment, do group orders/rentals, etc. It's fun but it is business and you have to be competitive and have an edge over others. And it's not as simple as just going to a wedding, taking pics, and being done with it. There's consultations, you have to go to rehearsals, there are contracts, fees and deposits, you have to do all the post processing like photo editing, resizing, touchups, you and you pretty much HAVE to offer Photobook, printing, etc. services... you will have many sleepless nights staying up editing photos lol.


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