The Complete List of Ways to Get Paid for Your Photography
Millions of people have photography as a hobby, but only a tiny proportion decide to turn their interest into a full-time job or side gig.
We've put together a comprehensive list of ways to earn money with photography, whether you're just starting or trying to grow your revenue. This list is constantly changing and covers both conventional photographic practices like offering direct portrait photography services to clients.
Even side businesses like YouTube channels and social media sponsorships were made sure to be included. Look below for the full list of topics:
Offer consumers photography as a service (B2C)
Offer commercial photography as a service (B2B)
Teach photography through a workshop or online course
Create a YouTube channel
Social Media Monetization
Write for a Photography Journal Blog Photos Edit (Freelance or For a Company)
Design books (Freelance or For a Company)
Offer stock photos for sale
Offer prints, fine art, and photo books for sale
Obtain Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
Enter photography competitions and contests to win prizes
Get brand sponsorships
Social Media Management for Small Businesses
Pro tip: Ensure that you incorporate as much branding as possible on your channels, such as banners for YouTube and other social media accounts.
Photography as a Service for Consumers (B2C)
The majority of people see earning money as a photographer when they think about direct photography services to the consumer. We won't spend too much time as this is very evident. Choose an area in which to specialize, become an expert in its technical, artistic, and business aspects, and offer top-notch services to your target market. In this category, there are the following types of photography:
Family Portraits
Graduation Pictures
Maternity and Newborn Photography
Birth photography
Senior Portrait Photography in High School
Etc
You can work as the principal photographer or an assistant in any of the above-mentioned disciplines. Some will also offer possibilities for second photographers, such as wedding and event photography.
Business photography as a service (B2B)
B2B (business-to-business) photographic services are one more approach to earning money from photography. Keep in mind that, depending on who is hiring you, some of them can also be considered B2C photography services.
It's crucial to comprehend your target market and address them specifically in your branding and messaging. The following photography styles fall under this category:
Property Photography
Photography of buildings
Marketing Photography
The photo was taken by a drone
Independent photojournalism
Fashion Photography
Product, still-life, or food photography, among other types of photography
You can work as the principal photographer or an assistant in the majority of the aforementioned categories.
Online Workshops Teaching
Online learning is becoming more and more commonplace, and it has few entry requirements. Creators have a marketplace to offer their courses on thanks to platforms like Udemy. You may develop a focused brand, website, and course material with the help of platforms like Kajabi, Teachable, and Thinkific.
Consider starting your online course if you've gained a following and have a distinctive approach to any aspect of photography, including posing, lighting, email marketing, Facebook ads, or anything else people will pay to learn.
Personal Workshop Instruction
A photographer can also earn money by offering live workshops. There are various formats and price points available for in-person workshops. Here are a few typical structures:
Multi-Day, All-Inclusive Programs - these workshops are frequently longer than two days and come with lodging, meals, instruction, and other benefits. These are frequently hosted in stunning, occasionally exotic locations, which raises the workshop's allure. These workshops typically have high costs (and expectations).
Local, one-day seminars — these workshops can last from a few hours to a whole day and are intended for people in the area. Food is frequently offered, but not housing. Depending on the instructor, prices vary.
Teaching at Conferences - these sessions are delivered at conferences like PPA and WPPI. The conventions frequently have a limited budget for paying the teachers, who merely provide instruction for an hour or so.
Create a YouTube channel or use social media to get money
Starting a Youtube channel is another option to monetize your photos. You can review camera equipment, impart knowledge, or offer other types of value, like entertainment, on your Youtube channel. In a niche like photography, it can be challenging to generate enough YouTube revenue to rely only on it. Naturally, this is dependent on your level of accomplishment and your financial requirements. More frequently than not, YouTubers that specialize in photography use this platform to increase their revenue, develop their brand, and monetize in other ways by offering related goods, services, or education.
TikTok and Instagram, two social media platforms, recently added monetization for their creators. Therefore, if you can get enough views and interaction for your material, these platforms may pay you directly. Similar to YouTube revenue, social media money is probably insufficient for the majority of people but it may be a useful supplemental source of income and a useful marketing tool for other services and goods you might offer.
Write for a photography website or blog
Consider making money from your writing skills by starting a blog or contributing to a publication that focuses on photography. It's uncommon to find a skilled photographer who can also write effectively, so if you're out there, you might find yourself in high demand.
Writing for a regional journal could increase your visibility and position you as a local photography authority, possibly bringing in additional clients. If you're a writer, use your skills to the best of your ability.
Consider editing photographs to earn money with photography if you are very skilled with Lightroom and Photoshop. Here are some possibilities to think about in this category:
High-End Retouching - provide photographers in your network with retouching services. Think about promoting your services on freelance marketplaces like Upwork or even Fiverr.
Bulk editing for an editing agency - full-service editing is provided by businesses like ShootDotEdit, Image Salon, and many more to wedding, portrait, and real estate photographers, and these businesses require editing personnel. One thing to think about, though, is how AI photo editing might impact this sector's future.
Earn Money Through Design (Web or Print)
Put your graphic design abilities to use in helping your clients. But keep in mind, that Photoshop proficiency alone does not qualify one as a designer. I would only choose this path if you have a valid design education and the abilities required to provide a high-quality product.
If you have design talents, for instance, you could offer wedding announcement design, personalized guest book design, and undoubtedly wonderful album design, all with your own distinctive flair that is unique from all the template designs now available.
Provide advertisement design services to your clients if you are a commercial photographer. But only if you are exceptionally skilled at it!
Gain Profits from Stock Photography
Selling stock photographs won't make you instantly wealthy, but it can help you supplement your income. Before offering your photos as stock, there are a number of things to take into account. Take a look at a few pointers to help you start selling stock photography. Numerous trustworthy stock photography websites are available, including the following:
Stocksy
Creative Market
Shutterstock
Dreamstime
Etc.
Offer prints, fine art, and photo books for sale
Another option to earn money with photography is by selling prints and other image-related products. Finding a means to sell more is always a smart idea, whether you're selling fine art prints, wedding albums after the wedding, or prints from your portrait sessions that you sell in person. Offering a super-special on gift prints for photos just before the holidays (and making it a big event, something your clients look forward to once a year) could generate some extra sales.
Working with an interior design firm to sell landscape prints of nearby scenes to medical offices, hotels, or eateries is another option. However, this could be time-consuming and challenging to sell, so be sure to match your efforts with your goals.
Earn Income From NFTs
Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are one choice that saw a stratospheric rise (and subsequent decline) in recent years as the realm of digital art has grown in popularity. Unique digital assets known as NFTs can be purchased, sold, or exchanged just like regular commodities. Even though the idea of NFTs is still very new, several platforms enable photographers to sell their work as NFTs, and some of these platforms are helping some photographers make modest sums of money.
A few NFT Marketplaces to check out are listed below:
OpenSea
Rarible
Magic Eden
It's crucial to understand that just a small number of photographers earn well from their NFTs and those who do typically start with a sizable following. But as the NFT industry develops, more and more photographers will probably start to investigate this innovative means of making money from their work and find success.
Get brand sponsorships
Influencer marketing is more popular than ever, and brands in the photo industry require experts with authority to promote their goods and services. You might be able to earn money via sponsorships from corporations in the photography sector if you have the correct appeal and a sizable fan base.
Examine the goods and services you utilize and learn about their marketing strategies. Find strategies to get their attention, and utilize your network to think of ways to get in touch with the decision-makers.
Enter photography competitions and contests to win prizes
Another option to earn a little money with photography is by taking first place in photography competitions. Even though the prize money for each tournament differs, it might start to mount up, especially if you are successful in winning several of them. Winning a competition can result in more than just a cash award; it can also open doors to other possibilities, like showing your work or getting published.
It is crucial to thoroughly investigate each contest and confirm that your work complies with the eligibility rules if you want to improve your chances of winning. A solid portfolio of pictures and strict adherence to the submission requirements are also beneficial. Your love of photography can become a successful business with the appropriate photographs and hard work.
Social Media Management for Small Businesses
Many small businesses find it challenging to maintain social media since it takes a lot of effort and is always changing. Here's YOU, the accomplished social media pro.
This is something you could accomplish for your clients if you have the triple threat of photography, design, and writing abilities. A little warning, this can become a full-time job, so don't commit until you are sure you'll have the time.
Conclusion
Although the first two methods mentioned in this article are probably always going to be the most dependable, tried-and-true ways to earn money with photography, B2B and B2C photography services, evolving technologies, and consumer demands will still present new opportunities to bolster a photographer's income. We hope that this blog has made some of those opportunities more apparent to you. Best luck!