Hey Guys, welcome to the next Make Money article. Meta Earn is your simple guide for earn money online/offline. Today we are going to explain all possible ways to make money as a photographer. Though we are talking about Make money as a photographer in this article besides photographer, some of the options mentions here can try by anyone.
Most of you already know about the ways to make money as a photographer, but some of you are new in this field. And some ways to make money as a photographer that discuss here are new for professional photographers also. So, if you love to capture moments on camera, create live pictures, and design, then this article is for you.
There are thousands of ways to make money as a photographer, either online or offline. Here we try to explore all possible ways to earn money as a photographer; so, please stay connected with this article till the end and feel free to comment for any confusion.
Table of Contents
All Possible Ways to Make Money as a Photographer
All we know photography is one of the creative jobs in the world. If photography is your hobby, you love to capture moments on the frame, and if you love to express feelings and emotions through photos, you can earn money ad a photographer. Here we provide you the information about how to make money by using your hobby and skills. All possible earn money ways for the photographer are summarized in this article with major 12 points, that are listed below:
1. Start your Own Photography business
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: High
Earning Potential: High
Risk Factor: High
Suppose you are a good photographer, having a decent idea of photography fields, and have some initial investment. In that case, the photography business is one of the best career options to make money for you. The photography business is one of the premium options for making money as a Photographer, no all of you afford this option, but those who start this can make a huge profit. In the initial phase, you work as self-employed with minimum resources as possible to optimize your startup costs to set up your photography business. After some time, when you are getting business, order, and contracts, then you can expand your business resources like human resources, tools, equipment, and more.
In your starting phase, it isn’t easy to reach your business to the people; you can start with your locality at that time. But, first, meet the people and businesses in your locality, offer your services, and getting hired. For this, you can use the Local SEO technique also.
Types of Photography Business
Before starting your Photography business, you need to choose the types of photography business you are interested in. There are multiple-choice in the photography business; if you work in any focused category, there is a high chance of success in a short period and become an expert in that sector. But you don’t want to lose any contract and business deal, and then you can focus on multi-niche, which may increase your business running costs. Some major types of photography business are listed and explain below:
- Stock Photography Business
- Pet Photography Business
- Portrait Photography Business
- Real Estate Photography Business
- Wedding Photography Business
- Concerts Photography Business
- Party Photography Business
- Fashion Photography Business
- Corporate Photography Business
- Wildlife Photography Business
- Products Photography Business
- Sports Photography Business
- Food Photography Business
- Travel Photography Business
- Underwater Photography Business
- Aerial Photography Business
- Architectural Photography Business
- Tech Photography Business
- Freelance Photography Business
- Lifestyle or Advertising Photography Business
Steps to Start Photography Business
All Major steps you need to consider while starting a photography business are explained below:
- Do Some Research About Business
- Design Your Business Types
- Develop business Plan
- Decide Business Structure
- Create Business Name and Brand
- Arrange Some Investment
- Gather all required resources
- Officially Launch Your Business
- Create and Implement Marketing Strategy
- Deliver Amazing Work to Your Clients
- Keep Learning
If you need a detailed explain article on steps to start a photography business, please comment.
Advantages of Starting Your Own Photography Business
- Make Money While doing what you love
- Give meaning to your Work
- Flexibility in Working Hour
- Get Financial Freedom
- Hassle-Free Jobs
- Be Your Own Boss
- Opportunity to Visit New Places and more.
Disadvantages of Starting Your Own Photography Business
- Initially, it is a little expensive to set up Photography business equipment
- Initially, it isn’t easy to get projects
- In starting phase, you need to work even on Weekends also
- Inconsistent Income and more.
Needs details about pros and cons please read, Advantages and Disadvantage of Starting Your Own Photography Business.
2. Sell printed or digital copies of your work (Like POD sites)
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Medium
Earning Potential: Medium
Risk Factor: Low
There are various ways to sell your digital or printed copies of work, like sell artwork on Print on demand sites. Here we discuss especially on POD (Print on demand) sites. Work on a Print on demand site is one of the best options to make money as a photographer. POD is the best option for creative people who capture or edit their artwork as a masterpiece. With the help of print-on-demand platforms, you can start your merchandise or online shop without any investment. POD gives you the outlet to sales your digital and printed arts.
We already write an article about the Best POD sites on our website; if you want to read about the best POD sites with their review, then visit “Earn Money Online by Best Print on Demand Sites.”
List of Print on Demand Sites for Photographer
There are hundreds of Print on demand sites and companies, but here we listed some best POD sites for Photographer,
- Redbubble
- Printful
- Teespring
- Spreadshirt
- CafePress
- Zazzle
- Spreadshop
- Displate
- Merch by Amazon
- Gooten
- Fine Art America
- WC Fulfillment
- Merchify
- Sunfrog
- CG Pro Prints
- Design by Humans
- Creative Fabrica
- TeeFury
- Pillow Profits
- Heat Press Fun
- Society6
- Scalable Press
- Printify
- BookBaby
- Custom Cat
- TeePublic
- Kite.ly
- Threadless
- Inkthreadable
- Bonfire
- OGO
- Gear Launch
Among the list of print-on-demand sites, want to read top POD site reviews and explain in detail, then visit Earn Money Online by Best Print on Demand Sites.
Quick Steps to Join Print on Demand Sites
Joining option for all Print on demand sites are almost the same, so here we listed the general quick start guide for joining Print on demand below:
- Make some initial research on the niche, products, and targeted location.
- Forecast the future potential based on the past performance of Print on demand products.
- Now Select your niche and products based on your photo/artwork ability.
- Join any Print on Demand sites listed above.
- Get your design ready to imprint on products.
- Sell on Print-on-demand marketplace or create own dropshipping websites.
- Make your printed products live.
- Promote your products using a different technique like SEO, Social media Marketing, paid ad campaign, etc.
Advantages of joining Print On Demand sites For Photographer
- You don’t need to care about Printing and the shipping process.
- Doesn’t need to buy printing equipment
- You can start your POD sites as an eCommerce or drop shipping without any investing or low Investment. ( Sometime Investment of website setup is needed)
- You don’t need to consider the technical parts of running a demand print business.
- It’s easy to selects verities of products, and you can experiment with your sales pattern.
- Easy customization using POD site tools.
- Almost Unlimited inventory (your Products never got out of stock)
- Higher Profit margin and on some POD sites profit margin is flexible to set by the artist.
Disadvantages of joining Print On Demand sites For Photographer
- The fulfillment process and product quality are not in your control.
- Client list access is denied, which decreases the recurring purchase because you cannot send promotion mail/text to your clients.
- Sometimes quality creates big problems because the printing and fulfillment process is not on your hand.
- Difficult to make sales because there are thousands of artists on POD sites. (It is almost impossible to sell without social media marketing and paid promotion)
- Product availability solely depends on your printing partners.
3. Become a Seller in Stock Websites
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Low
Earning Potential: Medium
Risk Factor: Low
Seller in Stock Websites is one of the most popular options to make money as a photographer. Most of the photographer becomes stock photo seller in their career starting. As a beginner photographer, stock websites are safe platforms to work and make some money. When the end-user likes your photos and buys on the stock website, you get a small commission on them. Here no need to invest and staring earning with your photographer.
List of Stock Websites for Photographer
Stock websites are the best ways to showcase photographer talent. Some of the stock websites paid high commission, and some of the stock sites paid low commission, but you need to join multiple Stock sites for multiplying your earning. Some top stock photographer sites are listed below;
- iStock Photo
- Alamy
- Stocksy
- Dreamstime
- Getty Images
- Wenstend61
- 123RF
- Shutterstock
- EyeEM
- Canvan Images
- BigStock
- Pond5
- Creative Market
- SmugMug Pro
- Picfair
- Can Stock Photo
- ElephantStock
- Foap
- Twenty20
- SIPA USA
- Photcase
- Zenfolio
- Offset
- ageFotoStock
- Scopio
- 500px
- Pixieset
- Yay Images
- Adobe Stock/Fotolia
- Depositphotos
Some Top Niches for Stock Photographer
You can choose any niches for becoming a stock photographer. If you are an individual, it is better to stick with a single niche and improve your image quality. But you can select the multi niche and earn a wide range of revenue, but initially, it isn’t easy to notice by clients. It would be best if you had a friends circle or small team to promote your stock photos. Some Popular niches on stock photographer are listed below;
- Sports Photography
- Fashion Photography
- Beauty Photography
- Landscape Photography
- Architectural and Engineering Photography
- Fine Art Photography
- Travel Photography
- Pet Photography
- Street Photography
- Nature Photography
- Technology Photography
- Food Photography
- Wildlife Photography
- Macro Photography
- Documentary Photography
- Event Photography
- Commercial Photography
Quick Steps to Join Stock Websites for Photographer
Joining option for all stock websites are almost the same, so here we listed the general quick start guide for joining stock website below:
- First, select your niche on Photography fields (Even you can select multiple niches)
- Make some study about the best stock photo website platform for you.
- Select best stock photo sites for your which gives you high revenue on your work
- Arrange minimum photography accessories and camera gears that you need to start your work
- Work as a photographer/contributor on a stock website.
- Maintain your photography quality, concept, and uniqueness.
- You can market your artwork for fast and high revenue.
How to Success as a Stock Photographer
- Try to captured simple, clear, and concept illustrating images.
- Always think like an end-user/customer before capturing a photo.
- Try different perspectives and angles.
- Always gives priority to the technical side of the shot, like background and lighting.
- Use the right keywords to increase the visibility of your photos.
- Work consistently to increase the success rate.
- Work as a professional businessman.
Advantages of joining Stock Website as a Photographer
- You need to consider on capture photos and uploading them to Stock sites. The rest of the work is done by Stock websites for you.
- Decent earning source as part-time and you can also parallelly continue your other jobs.
- Work from your comfort with your schedule.
Disadvantages of joining Stock Website as a Photographer
- Chance of lost in crows because there are thousands of stock photographer contributors.
- They can delete your images for any reason that they are not sharing with you.
- Some stock websites set high requirements for image quality.
4. Start your Own Photography blog or YouTube Channel
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Medium
Earning Potential: High
Risk Factor: Low
Starting your Photography blog or YouTube channel, you can make decent money as a photographer, and this is one of the easy ways to make money as a photographer. The starting process of a photography blog is also similar to other blogs and the same for YouTube. If you want to know how to create a blog, visit how to start a blog article.
Possible Niche or categories for starting Own Photography blog or YouTube channel
- Event Photography like wedding, concert
- Gear and Equipment Reviews
- How to blog or channel using photos
- Blog/YouTube channel using Aerial photography
- A travel blog/YouTube
- Photo quotes blog and channel
- Celebs photos collection blog/Channel
- Paid course blog/YouTube on photography career and more
Quick Steps to start Own Photography blog or YouTube channel
- Make some research on the potential Niche for you
- Select your Niche to start a photography blog/YouTube channel
- Choose a domain name and channel name for your photography blog/YouTube
- Choose your blogging platforms as per your convenient
- Select the name and create a logo for your photoblog/channel
- Setting up your Photography blog/YouTube
- Do some keyword research and maintain on age SEO of your blog/YouTube channel
- getting visitors by doing some off-page SEO and marketing strategy
- Start to Make money from different ways like ads, sponsorship, paid promotion, etc
Advantages of starting Own Photography blog or YouTube channel
- Be your boss
- No cutoff percentage on revenue as stock website
- Fully flexible and in your control
- You can inspire others by your hobbies
- You don’t need to write a lengthy post that saves your working hours
- There is less need for proofreading and editing as compare to article blogs.
- Helps to improve your photography skills over time
- People love to see/read photoblog then text blog
Disadvantages of starting Own Photography blog or YouTube channel
- Running and maintaining is time-consuming
- Difficult to do SEO as compare to text rich blog
- Difficult to reach the potential customer without SEO and marketing team
- Most the ad network prefer textual content
5. Sell photos to Magazines
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Medium
Earning Potential: Medium
Risk Factor: Low
Selling photos to magazines are a little bit similar to sell the image in stock websites, but in the stock website, you will get paid after customer buy, and in the magazine, you will get paid after using your photos. So, selling the photo to magazines also one of the best ways to make money as a photographer.
List of Magazines that accept Photograph Submission
- Monrowe
- SYN
- Dodho
- One
- Atlas
- Promo
- Harper’s
- HUF
- Outdoor Photographer
- Local Wolves
- DRIFT Travel
- F-Stop
- Lucy’s
- Contributor
- Feature Shoot
- Noice
- Dwell
- Local Wolves
- Flanelle
- Jute
- Shots
- Black and White Photography
- Burn and more
How to Sell Photography to Magazines
- Choose your subject and concept
- Select any Photograph Submission magazines from the list above
- Take multiple shot and select the best amount the best for submission
- Take a look at submission guidelines.
- Submit your photography as per magazine submission guideline
Advantages of Selling photos to Magazines
- Give you more exposure and helps to increase the chance of photo selling
- You can send Published photo as your example work to your clients
- Motivated to work forward in your photography career
- High pay rate than stock websites
Disadvantages of Selling photos to Magazines
- It isn’t easy to accept by magazines, which weaken your confidence.
- Need to work as jobs, not as Passion. It would be best if you shot as per their requirement.
6. Teach Photography Online
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Medium
Earning Potential: Medium
Risk Factor: Low
If you have the knowledge and some year of experience in the photography field, you can share your knowledge and experience with newbies. Teach someone, inspiring someone is the best thing globally, and you get paid for this; why not start from today? Teach Photography online is the most trending way to make money as a photographer.
List of Online Tutoring Websites for Photographer
- Skillshare
- Udemy
- TeacherOn
- Wyzant
- SuperProf
- Tutorful
- University Tutor
- heytutor
- Tutorhunt
- Varsity Tutors
- First Tutors
- Tutor Fair
- UK Tutor and more
Quick Steps to join Tutoring Websites as a Photographer
- Make some research on your subjects and niche
- Create your guide or tutorial search on a specific niche, or you can work on multi niche
- Choose any of the online tutoring websites listed above
- Publish your course or lesson and get paid
Advantages of Teach Photography Online
- Good source of passive earning just by sharing the knowledge you have
- Earning potential is unlimited and depends on your course or lesson popularities
- Inspire people life who are beginners in your fields
Disadvantages of Teach Photography Online
- No fixed income
- Difficulty to make popular your tutorial or lesson because of high competition in online tutoring fields
7. Enter Photo Contests
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: High
Earning Potential: High
Risk Factor: Low
Entering to Photo contests program is one of the best ways to make money as a photographer. If you win the contest, you can earn thousands of dollars overnights. But because of high competition, it isn’t easy to win the contest without unique concepts and themes for your photographer.
List of Photo Contests Program 2021
- Istanbul Photo Awards
- ND Awards
- RSH Photographic Competition
- International Photography Awards
- All About Photo Awards
- Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize
- ZEISS Photography Award
- CAP Prize
- Communication Arts Photography Competition
- The Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest
- Moscow International Foto Awards
- BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition
- International Landscape Photographer of the Year
- iPhone Photography Awards
- Life Framer Competitions
- International Travel and Documentary Photography Competition
- LensCulture Awards
- Nikon International Small World Competition
- PHmuseum Photography Grant
- MonoVisions Photography Awards
- World Press Photography Awards
- The Production Paradise Spotlight Awards for Photographic Excellence
- BigPicture Natural World Photography Awards
- The Sony World Photography Awards
- GuruShots Photography Contests
- Monochrome Awards
- Aperture Portfolio Prize
- Chromatic Photography Awards
- BJP International Photography Award
Quick Steps to join Photo Contests Program
- Do some research and select the best contest for you from the list above.
- Read photo contest guidelines carefully and compile your work according to guidelines.
- Edit and retouch your photo before submitting it to contest
Advantages of joining Photo Contests Program
- Earn thousands of dollar overnight, if you win the contest
- Helps to improve and betterment of your photography skills
- It is time-saving; you need to give some hour to capture the image and submit it to contest
- You can take it as a part-time or interest base jobs
Disadvantages of joining Photo Contests Program
- Low chances of wining contest because of high competition
8. Become an Intern photographer under expert Photographer
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Low
Earning Potential: Low
Risk Factor: Low
As an intern photographer, it is not sure that you can earn or not; all this depends on an internship program. There are paid and unpaid internship programs and your main motive as an intern is experience and knowledge, not money. There are thousands of opportunities to make money as a photographer after you gain knowledge and experience. The internship is the first step towards your photography career, so we list here in making money as a photographer list.
Quick Steps to start as an intern photographer
- Find a Photography business near your that needs an intern or contact them for the vacancy.
- Contact photography business and magazine for an online intern photographer
Advantages of working as an intern photographer
- Opportunity to gain knowledge as an intern
- Near Enough to analyze expert photographer strategy
- Helps to build a portfolio
- The first step towards your favorite career
- No need to join expensive tutorial and courses
Disadvantages of working as an intern photographer
- Low or no payment in the initial phase
- You need to manage your expenses by your pocket and give your 100% to gain something
- No or low personal time
9. Selling your Photo Books
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: Medium
Earning Potential: High
Risk Factor: Low
Selling your photo books is also one of the high-earning ways to make money as a photographer. If you have a unique concept, you can frame live photos and informative photos, and then this option is for you. Publish photo books on self-publishing platforms listed below and earn a decent commission. Photo books are mostly used to teach children and disable Childs, so selling photo books are changes someone’s life. If your work changes someone’s life or helps someone’s life simplify, why not try?. Start making your photo books from today.
List of self-publish platforms for publishing photo books.
- Kindle Direct Publishing
- Kobo
- Barnes & Noble Press
- Apple Books
- Reedsy
- Self Publishing School
- Lulu
- Publish Drive
- BookBaby
- IngramSpark
- Smashwords
- Draft2Digital
- Streetlib
- XinXii
- BookBub
- Plan for using Self-publishing Companies
- Blurb and more
Quick Steps to Create and sell your photo books
- Make some research on your concept and niche
- Collect all resources like images and books idea
- Select any of the self-publishing platforms listed above or publish yourself with collaborating local publisher
- Publish your photobook and earn from it.
Advantages of selling Photobooks
- Earn passive earning as a photo book author
Disadvantages of selling photo books
- Not a fixed salary
10. Create Your Own Stock Websites
Quick Notes
Difficulty Level: High
Earning Potential: High
Risk Factor: High
Creating your stock website is the last but not least way to make money as a photographer. You can generate high revenue then working on others stock websites. But at the same time, you need to maintain all technical aspects of your sites, increasing running and maintenance costs. And if you take a peak on time, it is a good decision to start your won stock websites.
Quick Steps to start your stock websites
- Do some initial research before entering the market
- Select your site moto, design themes
- Buy domain name as per your main moto
- Select hosting that suite you best
- Design logo and website
- Design admin, client, and contributor panel along with advance image search option for the end-user
- Use DCMA and Intellectual property copy protection
Advantages of creating own stock website
- No selling and uploading limitation
- Earn 100% profit on your work and a certain percentage as a commission on another contributor
- Thousands of photographer working for you
- Thousands of photographer who contribute to your website also promote their stock photos for generating sales
Disadvantages of creating own stock website
- It is slightly costlier to host a high-quality image website
- Need one team to work on the technical part of your website
- For promotion and marketing, you need to hire a team or outsourcing for such companies.
FAQs about Make Money as a Photographer
Q. How to make money as a photographer?
Ans: The whole article is on Make money as a Photographer. Please scroll through the whole article; here, you find ten ways to make money as a photographer. They are listed below:
- Start your Own Photography business
- Sell printed or digital copies of your work (Like POD sites)
- Become a Seller in Stock Websites
- Start your Photography blog or YouTube Channel
- Sell photos to Magazines
- Teach Photography Online
- Enter Photo Contests
- Become an Intern photographer under expert Photographer
- Selling your Photo Books
- Create Your Own Stock Websites
Q. How to make money as a travel photographer?
Ans: Travel Photographer earn money while traveling to a new place. There are multiple options to make money as a travel photographer, and they are listed below:
- Start Travel YouTube Channel
- Start Travel Blog
- Selling photo to Stock websites
- Selling Photos to Magazine
- Publishing travel guide book and more
Q. How to make money as a freelance photographer?
Ans: Freelance Photographer earn money working with their flexible working hour and with their comfort. There are multiple options to make money as a Freelance photographer, and they are listed below:
- Selling photo to a stock website
- Work on the freelance marketplace like Fiverr, Upwork as a photographer
- Work on Print on Demand sites
Q. How to make money as a noob photographer? Or How to make money as a newbie photographer?
Ans: For earning money, there is no need to be a professional photographer. You can earn money as a noob or newbie. You can work on Print on demand sites; if you are good at customizing, your design can get popular. At the same time, you can start freelancing to gain knowledge and skills with low pay rates on freelance websites.
Q. How to make money making books as a photographer?
Ans: Making books or photo books can make money; you can publish locally or on self publish platform and make money as a photographer. On books, you can cover your live photo, illustrate something knowledgeable and get a chance to make a huge profit by publishing books or photo books.
Conclusion
In Conclusion of making money as a photographer article, we try to cover all possible ways to make money as a photographer. The ten ways to earn money as a photographer are mentioned in this article with some frequently asked questions. Still, if you have any queries and confusion, then feel free to comment to us.
