The Business Side of Digital Photography

[Gospelflier]

Hello everyone! I am trying to set up my photography business and would like to ask some questions from some more experienced photographers. If you all could take a few minutes to answer them, I would appreciate it!

1) Do you sell your work?

If you do not, what do you do with your photos?

2) If you do sell your pics, how do you find customers?

3) Do you sell your photos on Stock sites?

4) Do you shoot wedding pics, children, family and pet photos to earn a living?

5) Do you have other ways of earning a living from photography, such as entering contests, writing books or blog pages?

[Colin Southern]

Hello,

You ask very "deep and wide" questions; great questions, but not ones I have time to answer just at the moment (later if I get time), but what I did want to say was (and I say this quite often) "being a great photographer" and "running a successful photography business" are as different as chalk and cheese - and that's something that's lead to the financial ruin of many.

At the end of the day, what you're talking about is running a business - the fact that it's about photography is almost co-incidental. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link - and in the same vein, a business is only as successful as it's weakest area - and those areas include sales, marketing, production, tax & compliance, accounting, business relationships etc. Oh - and in your case, photography too!

Checkout Commercial Photography Handbook: Business Techniques for Professional Digital Photographers on Amazon.com.

[RustBeltRaw]

Disclaimer: I am only occasionally a paid photographer these days. Mostly editorial content, but some more creative portraiture coming down the pipe.

1) Do you sell your work? If you do not, what do you do with your photos?

Yes. I've pitched myself for covering several events, which may have odd requirements for image delivery. Generally, I keep copyright, and upload a specified minimum number of shots to wherever the client specifies (Dropbox, FTP, social media...). Most of my pro-bono work is delivered as editorial content via Facebook or Wordpress.

2) If you do sell your pics, how do you find customers?

Figure out what you like shooting, honestly assess your skills, figure out who needs that kind of work at your kind of skill level, and send them a message. I'm glad you didn't ask about rates, because that's a pretty complicated topic.

It's worth mentioning that editorial work means I have all kinds of image theft problems. Not as much of a problem for a portrait, wedding, or family photos.

3) Do you sell your photos on Stock sites?

No. Not because they don't work, but because I'm not a fan of that business model.

4) Do you shoot wedding pics, children, family and pet photos to earn a living?

Not in general, but if photography was my sole income, I probably would. Fortunately, my day job is stable enough that I can be picky about the assignments for which I pitch myself and volunteer for. I do weddings for friends by request, but rarely, and I don't really like weddings even if I'm not holding a camera.

5) Do you have other ways of earning a living from photography, such as entering contests, writing books or blog pages?

I'm an engineer. So all of this may have been moot if you're looking to do photography as a sole vocation.

[William W]

Hello everyone! I am trying to set up my photography business. . .
1) Do you sell your work? If you do not, what do you do with your photos?
2) If you do sell your pics, how do you find customers?
3) Do you sell your photos on Stock sites?
4) Do you shoot wedding pics, children, family and pet photos to earn a living?
5) Do you have other ways of earning a living from photography, such as entering contests, writing books or blog pages?

1. Yes. I also give some away and I also just keep some for my own satisfaction and enjoyment. It is not and A/B choice “to sell” or “not to sell”.

However, there is a distinctive choice and a required discipline to make Photography: A Business.

When Photography is: ‘A Business’, then it becomes an entity. As such the Business demands the Owner’s support and dedication, or else it will die or limp along. A dead or limping business will not supply satisfaction to the Owner.

2. Presently – I mainly only do Portraiture and also a variety of Events work. All of the Portraiture is commissioned and the majority of the Events work is Pro bono; mainly to Amateur Sporting Clubs or Benefit/Fund Raisers for causes in which I am interested / dedicated.

I sell my Portraiture directly to the Client (obviously, as it is commissioned). Any of the Events work that I do for profit, is by individual contract and usually that is costed on my time and not of the sale of images.

My commissioning Portrait Clients find me, usually. The Events Clients (who pay me) are usually found by my networking: some of my commissioned Portraiture is found by my networking also.

3. No. That does not attract me at all. Also I would question if anyone is making a living out of Stock work, these days.

But I do submit image & editorial packages to editors; some are accepted and some not. I only submit packages on subjects about which I am interested.

4. For my staple business, I used to shoot (in order of major income): Weddings; Family Portraiture; Child Portraiture; Model’s Portfolios; Real Estate Advertising and Small Product and Commercial.

You’ll get a comprehensive answer to you question by reading "About Me" here: https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...bers/m1554.htm

A more in-depth background was written in 2010, by my close colleague and friend here: http://photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00VUoL

5. Yes.

Linked to directly Photography:
> I have already mentioned I write and submit my images with editorial; but Photography is not the Subject for these submissions to editors.
> I teach and tutor Photography.
> I judge competitions. The last competition that I entered would be several years ago: I don’t think that entering competitions is, of itself, a viable business model.
> Similarly writing blogs is not of itself a viable business model: however a blog as one INTEGRATED STREAM of the OVERALL MARKETING STRATEGY is a very good idea to consider, although to be done properly/effectively requires constant attention. I do not entertain a blog, but have been tempted. There are various nuances within the ever changing social media platforms and conduits: it is difficult to ascertain which is best value for money and (more IMPORTANTLY) value for one's time spent.

I also have other business interests.

***

My preliminary very best advice: Define you Business. (in precise, concise written words)
There are many (most) people who start a business and never define it, doing so will eventually wreck the business; wreck the owner; or both.

WW

[Colin Southern]

You’ll get a comprehensive answer to you question by reading "About Me" here: https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...bers/m1554.htm

Jeepers William - a bit of warning would have been nice. I've read flown Astronaut's CVs that were shorter than your qualifications and experience!

[William W]

ha ha ha ha!

Now Colin, you also know that you being here, is one of the many reasons why CiC is a very favourite place to be.

regards,

Bill

[Colin Southern]

ha ha ha ha!

Now Colin, you also know that you being here, is one of the many reasons why CiC is a very favourite place to be.

regards,

Bill

Thanks Bill - a few leave because of me too!

[Gospelflier]

Thank You guys for sounding off! You have been most helpful!