I want to make MONEY out of my photography

[chrisgin]

Sure fire way to make a small fortune from photography: start with a large fortune!

Should that be "end up with a small fortune"?

[Desmond]

Keep ideas comming they all get pondered over and thought about.

My idea on making money from photography is a the bottom of this article on my blog , it could involve a few people - just remember
to send me the first million you make

[weka2000]

already have spent a large fortune

[wirehunt]

What's the arena Desmond? Horses? Mates daughter does that now, makes pocket change.

[Adam]

To stand a chance of making good money you have to be selling people pictures of themselves. And even then unless you do weddings, you are going to struggle given the relatively small population densities in NZ and the general attitude to luxury spending in NZ. If you want to make money from landscapes you need to be exceptionally good and get a break with commercial clients and publicity.

[Desmond]

What's the arena Desmond? Horses? Mates daughter does that now, makes pocket change.

Making money in photography is more about being good at business than at photography . I made $130 in an hour when I tried my approach - there's
a lot more to be made if it's done right .

[Jos]

I have a shop. I sell large framed prints quite regularly, I sell my local images for web/print use and take photos of real estate people and the local council, motels for web and Jason's etc etc etc. I have been doing it all for 30 years, now will not do weddings/babies/families anymore (I won't give up my weekends). I am also about the only person here that does commercial work. I make most of my money from picture framing. We get by.

[Jos]

Hire one of these and make money from punters?
http://www.photoboothfun.co.nz/

[mrfinster]

It's funny though, every time I've used a pro photog at work to get images, the cost has been ridiculously high, and I've been very underwhelmed with the results. Could probably have done as good a job myself if I had the time.

And I must have some idea of the work involved in getting the shots, so my assessment of it being too much money can't be too far off the mark.

[duncan]

there was a constant queue of people wanting pictures of their children with Santa at Westfield in St Lukes before Xmas, I'm not suggesting you play Santa but there must be money in it or they wouldn't be in business...

3x 4.5M exif-stripped images on a USB stick for about $30 from memory...

[Desmond]

There was a young girl taking pictures with her super-zoom compact at the jet boat tours apparently - she was just starting out - still she charged $30 for a disc
of the pictures and my workmate and his wife bought a disc off her .

[Jos]

As you know there is no magic Weka, if there was we'd all be doing it.

and not telling anyone...

[duncan]

have you thought of a sensor-cleaning business?

see:

If you're in Auckland, camera & camera on Queens street will do it whilst you wait for $40. Tend to get mine cleaned every 3 months regardless.

[Paul.]

Landscape photography being sold from your own personal studio/gallery must be a real hard life, a lovely idea, but a real hard life.

I was recently down in Hokitika and there was this really really nice guy with a really really nice gallery and some really nice pictures, however, as I walked around I was thinking ..... "I can do better than that." ....... "nice idea, I will look out for that shot and take it myself"... I really felt for this guy, i could feel the anxiety in his voice and his attitude. I pictured myself in his shoes, going home my wife at the end of the day and her asking "did you sell any prints today honey" only to reply "no ..."

As we delve deeper into the realms of phone photography, even moreso, 'everyone is a photographer (with an App) these days', I reckon more and more people will be wandering around excellent galleries thinking, "I have an app that will take a better picture than that" .... only to take a shite photo that all their facebook friends 'like' so the fauxtographer feels great ..... "what do these fauxtographers hang on their walls!?!" I hear you cry, well Ikea and the Warehouse do awesome unlimited edition standard issue crappy canvas prints for about $15 each.

It's all very sad and very frustrating, especially when you see people selling their soul to make pennies on trademe, just to undercut the other guy, on talking to the Pros (the real pros, not the wedding photographers), it is evident that it is becoming tougher and tougher to put meals on the plates of their family.

[jimpollardgoesclick]

n talking to the Pros (the real pros, not the wedding photographers), it is evident that it is becoming tougher and tougher to put meals on the plates of their family.

Yep those wedding photogs are so amateur.

Surely a real 'pro' is someone who actually makes money, as evident from the above posts rarely in landscape but more likely in weddings?

[Tannachy]

Heres a few tips

[jimpollardgoesclick]

Brilliant I feel 3:48mins more educated! Whats that word uh mmm er mmm er uh mmmm? Oh yes Shutter Speed! Good stuff made my sat morning.

[weka2000]

Well said Paul. Thats what I have felt for the last 4 years but I think there is a way, its working that way out.

I got 10 sec into that clip and had enough of her .........

[Tannachy]

Well said Paul. Thats what I have felt for the last 4 years but I think there is a way, its working that way out.

I got 10 sec into that clip and had enough of her .........

I guess you've got to be proactive. You can't just wait for other people to come and buy your work, you've got to get out there and offer it to hotels, cafes, corperate HQs, businesses etc.

[Paul.]

P = Professional mode
P = Photographer mode
P = Paul mode ......

Love it, this is a joke no?

[Jos]

Hey Paul, now there's nothing to stop you from being a real photographer, cameras have your name on them!
I wish mine had a J button!

[weka2000]

I guess you've got to be proactive. You can't just wait for other people to come and buy your work, you've got to get out there and offer it to hotels, cafes, corperate HQs, businesses etc.

Yep agree with that as well. Busy re doing my website, re editing all the good photos and getting rid of rubbish

[wirehunt]

Seen that video a while back.

2000, you know what it takes, there is no shortcut.

[Desmond]

P = Professional mode
P = Photographer mode
P = Paul mode ......

Love it, this is a joke no?

In wedding photography "P" is for "Panic" !!!

[Arthurhh]

It's funny though, every time I've used a pro photog at work to get images, the cost has been ridiculously high, and I've been very underwhelmed with the results. Could probably have done as good a job myself if I had the time.

And I must have some idea of the work involved in getting the shots, so my assessment of it being too much money can't be too far off the mark.

Where I work is a no camera site, except for me In exchange for following certain rules I am allowed to shot what I like and get requested to take a wide variety of commercial stuff for the company. I am not allowd to sell the stuff I shoot for myself, but I can display it myself.
Among the more difficult stuff I have to shoot is accident photos, they are not nice to do some times.

It has taken me ages to finally convince the Corp Exec team that when commisioning stuff from outsiders that the commision includes providing all raw source materials. Puts the price up a bit but it means the company is not locked into that supplier.