# Professional Photographer Opportunities on the rise?



## Warhorse (Jun 30, 2014)

This article claims more people are hiring photographers these days.

More people hire professional photographers to document everyday life | Detroit Free Press | freep.com


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## imagemaker46 (Jun 30, 2014)

From $229 for a 2 hour session.  This isn't anything new, this is an article that been written to give the company free advertising.  There are hundreds of web sites devoted to the "follow photography"  It is still a good way of doing things, if you can hit the right market.  I've seen photo packages very similar to wedding shoots, a full day will run into the thousands.  Taking a photojournalists approach to covering the life of a family is different from setting everything up. Running it almost as a paparazzi style, or even as a "photo stalker" covering the client with long lenses in a more casual relaxed has been going on for decades and produces better and more realistic "life" photos.

The opportunities for professional photographers is not on the rise, I believe that quite the opposite is true.


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## runnah (Jun 30, 2014)

I recently hired a professional photographer to mow my lawn and another came in and painted my bathroom.


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## IzzieK (Jun 30, 2014)

I hope this is true but I doubt it...in my husband's world (flying) most magazines do not have their own photographers anymore because they decided to rely on the organizers of the events to provide their own photos and stories. I do not know about other areas. The only people who are paid are the biggish -- editors and their staff and of course the owners of the publications.......the rest are volunteers and yet they put out quite nice presentations, covers, stories...etc. if you get my drip. Two good examples are Sports Aviation and Vintage Airplanes.


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## tirediron (Jun 30, 2014)

IzzieK said:


> I hope this is true but I doubt it...in my husband's world (flying) most magazines do not have their own photographers anymore because they decided to rely on the organizers of the events to provide their own photos and stories. I do not know about other areas. The only people who are paid are the biggish -- editors and their staff and of course the owners of the publications.......the rest are volunteers and yet they put out quite nice presentations, covers, stories...etc. if you get my drip. Two good examples are Sports Aviation and Vintage Airplanes.


Can anyone spell "Chicago Sun-Times"?


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## JoeW (Jun 30, 2014)

imagemaker46 said:


> From $229 for a 2 hour session.  This isn't anything new, this is an article that been written to give the company free advertising.  There are hundreds of web sites devoted to the "follow photography"  It is still a good way of doing things, if you can hit the right market.  I've seen photo packages very similar to wedding shoots, a full day will run into the thousands.  Taking a photojournalists approach to covering the life of a family is different from setting everything up. Running it almost as a paparazzi style, or even as a "photo stalker" covering the client with long lenses in a more casual relaxed has been going on for decades and produces better and more realistic "life" photos.
> 
> The opportunities for professional photographers is not on the rise, I believe that quite the opposite is true.



I think that there are more people/organizations/businesses who use photography.  So in that sense, there are more "opportunities."  But I know it's harder to make a living at it.  There are fewer businesses that have full-time photographers.  B/c the entry barriers to photography are so low, price gouging is common.  Good photography is no longer viewed as magic or wizardry but instead all due to an expensive camera (and everyone has an uncle with an expensive camera).

We're a much more visual age.  But we (as a society) have much less respect for professionals who specialize in this art form.  So although I think opportunities are up, I agree with Imagemaker....the ability to survive and flourish doing this as a full-time job are substantially less.  Instead, it's become something you do on the side for $200.


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## imagemaker46 (Jun 30, 2014)

Without wanting to highjack this thread.

A lot of magazines rely on the agencies like Getty to supply them with photos(cheap) It used to be that magazines wanted a picture unique to the story they were working on, now they don't mind if the photo has already been used before. The people running the magazines all get paid, take a look at the staff directory, all these people are paid. Then see the list of contributing photographers, most do get paid, but not what the photos are worth. But this is the current reality, and professionals have to accept it or they will find someone else.


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## dennybeall (Jul 3, 2014)

Just like anything in a changing world there are in fact areas of the photography business that are on the rise. There are also areas that are declining. In my opinion the areas on the rise are unfortunately outweighed by the areas on the decline.
If a person wants to make a living at this craft then they need to not focus on aspects that involve equipment and focus on aspects that involve doing things that people don't want to, or can't do for themselves. Anybody can buy a nice camera and a great lens but can't follow themselves around or can't put together a great wedding package or set-up and shoot a set of photos that will sell a million dollar house. Some aspects of photography take extensive learning or great creativity and that may be where the new careers will focus.


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