When you embark on a life as a photographer, everyone has an opinion. One of the things you’ll hear most often is the much-dreaded ‘Oh, is it possible to make a steady income from that?’. As with most artistic pursuit, the money-making capabilities of photography often go unnoticed. And, that can make it tough to follow your dreams, especially if you listen to the doubters. Even you may start to question whether it’s possible to make a steady income this way. In truth, though, anything is possible if you’re passionate. It may sound cliche, but it’s true. To prove the point, let’s look at the best ways to keep money coming with your camera.
Get your name known
By far the best way to keep income steady is to get your name out there. When you start out, jobs may be few and far between. But, you could say the same about any freelance pursuit. Once your name starts to circulate, though, there’s more chance of regular work. Make sure this happens by doing everything you can to impress clients you do get. Focus, too, on building an online presence, and using social media to market yourself. Before long, you can expect to see regular enquiries in your inbox.
Consider wedding photography
Even if it isn’t your typical style, it’s worth considering wedding snaps as a sideline. In all honesty, finding work as a wedding photographer is about the best shot you have at large amounts on a regular basis. After all, there are always engaged couples looking for someone to capture their day. What’s more, the rates for such events are so high that even one or two every month could keep you going if you’re frugal. Get into the habit of attending wedding fairs and seeing how many enquiries you get. Don’t think, either, that have to compromise your style here. Stylistic wedding photos are all the rage right now. Think about how you could make your usual methods work in a wedding setting.
Sell stock photos
Admittedly, selling stock photos is often more a case of pocket money than anything. But, when times are hard, this is an easy and fast way to supplement your income. So, it’s well worth setting up on sites like Pixabay and Pexels. You do have to compromise on selling the rights to these photos. But, by only sending snaps you’ve taken for the purpose, you won’t technically lose anything here.
Splash into sidelines
Another fantastic way to keep money coming is to try sidelines. For instance, you could set up a class in your local area once a week which can help supplement you. Even charging $10 a session here will make a difference if five or more people show up. If you don’t fancy that, why not set up an instructional YouTube channel? With advertisements, you could get money for each video. With a lot of subscribers, this could become a fantastic income. And, besides, you’ve already got the camera…
