Struggling to Make Money as a Photographer? 8 Great Methods to Help you out

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Are you a photographer who is looking to switch his or her job? Or maybe you are looking to create a passive source of income that will improve the overall financial situation.

Having photography skills is a big advantage in this day and age. And even if some gigs might have slowed down recently due to pandemic, they are bound to pick up once it is over. Not to mention all the other methods that you can profit from. Here are some ideas that should be of interest.

Method #1 – Weddings

The wedding season is usually in the summer, but there are some couples who prefer to get married at other times as well. It is not always easy to find the time and get everyone together in the summer. The same thing applies to photographers who have more than enough work in the busiest period of summer.

You should look for opportunities to make money off of weddings throughout the year. Getting the first gig is usually the hardest, but if you can get some recommendations from people you know and impress the newlyweds, you can expect word of mouth to travel quite fast.

Method #2 – Ecommerce

Launch Your E-commerce Brand
Illustration by Andrew McKay on Dribbble

Ecommerce continues to expand and grow. Being a photographer gives you a perfect opportunity to make money. You can sell photos online: best ecommerce platforms for photographers provide more than enough opportunities for stock pictures.

Of course, ecommerce does not stop with that. You can also become someone who takes pictures of products. After all, a product in an attractive light will sell more, and most brands hire professional photographers without any hesitation.

Print on demand is another idea that could make you money. Popular custom-made products like t-shirts or mugs are selling great. And your photos could be on these products.

You can either start a store from scratch yourself or join one that is already selling merchandise and offer your pictures.

Method #3 – Editing

Photo editing is a tedious task to some, so not every photographer is willing to spend time on it. Instead, they hire an assistant.

Editing is a perfect opportunity for those who are not looking to change their regular job but have an hour or two to spare every evening and want to make additional income. Photo editing could also be a good learning experience for up-and-coming photographers who want to turn this hobby into a career.

Method #4 – Online Courses

Teaching photography is a bit harder because you need practical knowledge more than anything else. However, there is still some valuable information that an experienced photographer can share with others and profit from it at the same time.

The demand for online education is increasing, especially given the current circumstances. There are also those who are looking to learn new skills, improve what they have right now, or switch careers.

Online education platforms like Skillshare or Udemy are a solid choice, but you can also create a YouTube channel and monetize it. However, keep in mind that YouTube is pretty tough to break into, and the recent algorithm changes make it harder to make money from it.

Method #5 – Social Media

Use Social Media
Illustration by Raj Kumar on Dribbble

Social media has given the opportunity for influencers to rise up and make money from virtually doing nothing. As a photographer, you will have an advantage because regular people are more likely to engage with beautiful nature shots and compositions taken by a professional.

Once you have a sizable number of followers, you can look for ways to monetize your audience. And who knows, it is possible to end up in a situation where you enjoy traveling abroad and sharing your happiness with others while making money at the same time.

Method #6 – Blogging

Being a blogger will take time and lots of work. You will need to dedicate a lot of yourself to build an audience. On the other hand, being a photographer puts you at an advantage because you can include original and quality photographs in your posts. And that is not something that every blogger is able to do.

Method #7 – Local Events

Attend local events and take pictures if you have permission. You can later sell these photos to newspapers and other media outlets. Sure, it is highly likely that there will be someone else at the event, but if you can excel at taking better photos, you can bet that you can make money from this method as well.

Method #8 – Books

Amazon’s self-publishing has made things easier for people who could not get past the agencies. Now, everyone can publish their stuff on Amazon in the form of e-books. And there is money to be made as a photographer.

You can write about your experiences and share them with others. You can also simply publish a photobook. Finally, a lot of authors are looking for eye-catching covers for their e-books. That is something a good photographer can provide, right?

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