# How to make money



## someon3 (Aug 10, 2014)

Hi. I really need to earn some money for a trip to Costa Rica. I was wondering how do you make money selling photos? Also, how do you keep consistent earnings selling photos?


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## Designer (Aug 10, 2014)

Welcome!  

I recommend get a job or a second job and save up.

Seriously; selling photos depends a lot on being able to make outstanding photos and getting them in front of as many potential buyers as you can.


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## Trever1t (Aug 10, 2014)

Designer said:


> Welcome!
> 
> I recommend get a job or a second job and save up.
> 
> _*Seriously; selling photos depends a lot on being able to make outstanding photos and getting them in front of as many potential buyers as you can*_.



That. You're first post, we know nothing about you, your workmanship or even your location. 

1) Create AMAZING imagery.
2) Be SEEN.


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## tirediron (Aug 10, 2014)

^^That^^ and the vast majority of imagery today is bought by people  who are in the image.  Pretty landscapes just don't sell well, except for maybe the [literally] dozen or two photographers in North America who are good enough at it, and known enough to sell their work.  You've got a much better chance of "earning" that extra money by winning lotteries.


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## Derrel (Aug 10, 2014)

Sell photos of one person or a family to that one person, or family. Quickest way to sell photos. People will buy photos of themselves. Or their family members--and the images do not need to be outstanding, but they do need to show emotion, and good feelings. Pictures of places do not sell unless the image is extraordinarily compelling. The world is FILLED with shots of every landmark in the world, and you can buy a digital download cheaply. Google search on the string "Horseshoe Bend + photos of", and you will see what I mean. If you want to make some money, approach people you know, or are acquainted with, and ASK THEM if they'd like you to shoot a family photo session for them, for the price of __ dollars. "Regular people" buy wedding photos, family photos,senior pictures, and vanity photos. They do not buy travel snaps or photos of sunsets and cats and stuff like that.


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## Mandolin (Aug 10, 2014)

Derrel said:


> They do not buy ... photos of cats and stuff like that.



Well, sh!#.  There goes my retirement! :lmao:


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## snowbear (Aug 10, 2014)

Try one of the begging, I mean "crowdfunding" sites . . . people with throw money at anything if it's on the web.


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## The_Traveler (Aug 10, 2014)

Let me sum up here.

Unless you are the #one-in-a-thousand who is good enough with low-level *equipment and has a ^market waiting for him/her, you won't make money.

# - photography is both a skill and an art and it takes lots of practice to get even decent at it. Maybe you're a genius at this but only you know that.
* - since you asked this question, I am making the assumption that you have relatively little experience and don't have good lenses and a wide variety of equipment. Someone with skills and knowledge can make decent pictures with entry level equipment but, again, from what you said, I don't think you have that experience.
^ - most people buy pictures of themselves and don't give a crap about flowers, scenics, etc unless they are truly outstanding, match their decor and are the product of a 'name' - and the market for low price pictures of people is flooded with millions of people who have a camera and want to earn some bucks.

Sorry,


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## KmH (Aug 10, 2014)

someon3 said:


> I was wondering how do you make money selling photos? Also, how do you keep consistent earnings selling photos?


You spend money - advertising and marketing your photos.


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## Niner (Aug 10, 2014)

I'm not a professional photographer but I've sold a few photos back once upon a time.  Try thinking about photos as merchandise rather than "art".  I've taken photos of local landmarks that locals would know but don't really think much about...like a statue in the park or the gates to the oldest church, or some particular landmark. The best are of small details of a scene that people will recognize as being the heart of a place that you single out as important.  At different sizes and presented and framed in different ways they sell to restaurants and offices.  I remember selling some to furniture stores and office supply places.  It's not about art so much as about familiar scene history that shows the business, or whomever is buying, is a part of the community. You are helping them project an image with images so to speak.

I've done some other things .....like taking a photo of what the scene would look like if there were a window in an office.  Windows in an office used to be, maybe still are,  a status symbol thing.  I made a poster size print and mounted it on a roughly framed Masonite surface using wallpaper paste.  Guy loved it. All I did  was go outside of his building and point the camera in the direction his window would face and make the exposure.  It was just more buildings and a parking lot. 

Don't think "professional" photographer.  Think marketing photo based product.


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## vintagesnaps (Aug 10, 2014)

I don't think it would be a viable option if you need a specific amount of money by a certain time. To make money consistently photographers usually spend years building up their reputation and their business. You'd probably be better off finding some part time work maybe as a temp.


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## orljustin (Aug 10, 2014)

someon3 said:


> Hi. I really need to earn some money for a trip to Costa Rica. I was wondering how do you make money selling photos? Also, how do you keep consistent earnings selling photos?



I call troll .


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 10, 2014)

Why not just lock or delete this thread, it's complete nonsense.


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## SoulfulRecover (Aug 11, 2014)

Work retail and learn to sell yourself. I know photographers that arent that great but make some series cash because they know how to BS. Sell prints not digital files.


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## astroNikon (Aug 11, 2014)

Get a job at an Art Museum, and see how it's done.  
Of course, in some instances, you may have to be dead first to make some real money ...

Or
Learn the concepts, techniques, lighting, etc .. which may take a large amount of time and funding in it's own.

There's threads on here recently somewhat the same.  Someone wanting to sell photos at fairs, etc.  If you've even seen those booths they have thousands of generic photos .. which requires money to print all of them, time to create them, etc etc .. thus alot of time and money invested before some revenue can be generated.

Then, as mentioned above ad naseum .. you need to have interesting subjects in the photos that people want to buy if even for a few dollars.


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## Warhorse (Aug 11, 2014)

Take the kind of photo's that you can use as "blackmail".


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## imagemaker46 (Aug 11, 2014)

He states he needs to make quick cash for a trip, I'm guessing if this is first of all not a troll, but someone does really own a camera, he won't take the time to learn how to use it past the point of turning it on and pointing it at some random object, expecting to sell everything he shoots instantly.

Short cuts don't get a person very far.  Quick cash, sell the camera, buy a gun, rob a store, quick cash.


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## waday (Aug 11, 2014)

One could literally make money. They have a camera. Invest in a one-hundred dollar bill. Take a picture of said investment. Click print. Cut along dotted lines. Paste front and back together.

It might not look right, or feel right, and that whole jail thing. But, hey, you'd 'make' money.


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## pgriz (Aug 11, 2014)

waday said:


> One could literally make money. They have a camera. Invest in a one-hundred dollar bill. Take a picture of said investment. Click print. Cut along dotted lines. Paste front and back together.
> 
> It might not look right, or feel right, and that whole jail thing. But, hey, you'd 'make' money.



And so we learn that "making" money is not the same as "earning" money.  

Same can be said of photography.  I wonder what the OP's followup post will be?


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## ShaneF (Aug 11, 2014)

Send me $50.00 and i will tell you how to make money


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