If you’re here to find out how to make money with your photography, then I’m here to tell you that photography is not for you and you are doing it all for the wrong reasons. I’ve been getting pretty annoyed lately with all these blog posts about how to make money doing this and doing that. With the advent of cheaper dSLR’s, people are now thinking that they can make quick money by becoming a photographer…how hard can it be right? Aim, focus, push the button. Bring it into photoshop, touch up here and there, and presto…money in the bank.
Photography is NOT about money. Photography is NOT about prosperity. Photography is NOT about wealth. Photography is NOT about being that famous photographer.
I’ll tell you what photography is…it’s about the passion in capturing life in that fraction of a second on film (Yes, I said film…I’ll get to that in a bit). Life is constantly moving and changing around us and photography captures the art of and within it. It is a medium that expresses joy, pain, excitement, fear, disappointment, love, gratitude, disgust, beauty, flaws, imperfections. It can tell us a story or make a quick statement. It can ask a question. It can answer a question.
If you take a look back at the photographs of the great masters, you’ll see how through their pictures how they were all in love with life. From Henri Cartier Bresson to Ansel Adams to Alfred Stieglitz to Richard Avedon. Look at those pictures…but don’t just look, see. And don’t just see, feel.
Now, I mentioned film because if it wasn’t for film, I don’t think I would have appreciated photography for what it actually is. Taking pictures on film, developing the negative, developing the actual print…the motions you go through to get that one shot turns photography into an artform. This artform is being lost with the advent of inexpensive dSLR’s and software programs like Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture. Sure, you can argue that this is not being lost, but more like it’s evolving. And I agree, but you can’t have it evolving if you don’t have the foundation and/or understanding of what photography actually is. At the very core, it is simple. Photography is light…how we see light and how we record light on film or digitally. Philosophically, photography is life…why we are taking photos and of what. This is what I believe.
Stop looking for the money in photography, and start enjoying photography for what it is and for what it teaches you about life.
Definitely on the money, Marvin. I think its becoming a selling point for cheaper DSLR’s now; to supplement income with photography. As if the camera itself prints money with every shot – good marketing ploy – but otherwise an art-form in it’s own that takes a lot of time to cultivate.
I’m not sure what it takes to deliver results everyone has been hoping for so long; without technology giving it to them in their laps. But would you mind giving us a example of how one would get into profitability with a career in photography? What routines would they need to carry out daliy? How would one network in this current market environment? Is photography something that can only be freelanced, etc.. ?
Thanks again and wonderful blog, Marvin!
Profitability with a career in photography…well, like anything, there is no one secret formula where one can follow the steps and become profitable. Each person has their own path in which to reach their goals.
With that said, I can tell you that a successful career cannot be achieved without perserverance and commitment. As anything, what you know as well as who you know is essential. With photography, knowledge,understanding,experience of the numerouse techniques can only help hone your craft.
I believe that a lot of photographers only concentrate on photography and have nothing to do with the business side of running a business. I think this is a mistake…a photographer needs to understand at least the basics of all aspects of the business (accounting, marketing, employees, taxes). You can’t run a profitable business without knowing where your money is coming from and where your money is going. Sure, you can hire on an accountant, studio manager, etc…however, you can’t just blindly hire anyone off the street and trust 100% that they know what they are doing. You must go over the numbers yourself every once in a while and take control of your assets.
Networking is like any other industries…there’s conferences, photo events, flickr, small community meetings, etc. If you just look around, there’s a lot out there. It doesn’t have to be just freelanced, you can still get fulltime gigs out there, but understand that it may be a little hard getting your foot in the door…usually, it’s done by networking and even then, you may have to wait until their resident photographer quits, gets fired, or dies before you can get an opportunity.
My advice is to keep shooting and keep learning and observing. Look through a whole bunch of magazines and tear out the images that you like. Try to copy the photo and techniques. Research past and present photographers. Critique their photos as well as your own. Have other critique your photos. Be selective. Shoot film, this is the best way to really understand photography.
I mean, success in any industry is possible…the question is, how bad do you want it? If you really want it, you will find a way. Understand it will take hard work and it will not be overnight. As long as you have that thirst for knowledge and determination for action, you’ll be fine.