Anyone make money with their cameras?

W

wblanchard

Guest
Just curious if anyone uses the photography for their main job and what's your main camera set up. Three months before my layoff at a computer company I was a second shooter at weddings with my camera. Now with support from friends on this site...I'm throwing all my chips in and starting my own business with my existing portfolio.

I'm a wedding / special event photojournalist who specializes in black and white photos, but will do color. My main set up is my Leica Digilux 2 with a Vivitar 283 stroboframe mounted flash with Wein SSHSHS Safe-Sync Hot Shoe to Hot Shoe.

I've recently shot two events with this set up and have been amazed by the results. I've had the Vivitar for years and the thing never lets me down.

My backup camera is my Conax G2 kit. Soon to be joined with my R3A.
 
Hi Bill, I was going to suggest weddings, with a warning that it's not for everyone, but you already know all about that. Other suggestions would be portraits: baby, child, senior, sports teams, pets (dogs, cats, horses) The idea is to get a good sample of each type of photography and post it in a store catering to that particular custumer. Targeted audience. You could try resturants too, about food photography for menus. With your web design skills you could encorporate product photography for stores/businesses wishing an internet presence and exposure. Church congregation individual and family photos. With your digital setup you are able to do high volume with no film costs. You're going to make it big, buddy!
 
Horses. Lots of money in horses. Contact riding stables to see if they want to offer their clientelle a new service.
 
i work at the local weekly paper as their staff photog. they got me using a nikon d1h with a couple of zooms ... about your setup with the vivitar 283, is the safe sync hot shoe adaptor for regulating voltage so as to not fry the camera with the flash...or for something else....
nevertheless i say go for you you have a good setup and as a part time wedding photographer you have already been through a trial by fire
 
I think you might be surprised to discover just how many "professional" photographers fell into their vocations after being bumped from a 9-5 job. I know that the percentage is quite large.

Look, you have nothing to lose by giving it an earnest go. And the sooner the better, while you have some financial and emotional reserves. As has been suggested already, I recommend that you hunt for a niche. Yes, weddings can be fine in populous areas with frequent nuptials. But they're a real grind physically. Additionally, or alternately, look for overlooked, under-served markets in your area. Equestrian photography was a terrific suggestion (unless you're in New York). Other ideas would be small/medium manufacturers that normally don't shoot their products for brochures and catalogs. Flex your imagination.
 
I guess I have been lucky enough to make a living doing photography for over 30 years now. It wasn't long after I picked up a camera that I was making money with it. I have shot just about everything you can think of. Weddings, portraits, working for newspapers, porn (back in the very early days!), industrial, advertising, and on and on and on. I have made a living the last few years in architectural photography. I have made money with 35mm cameras, medium format, 4x5 and even 8x10 cameras. And you know what? Looking back, I think sometimes I was so busy making money with my cameras that I lost sight of what I got into photography for in the first place- fun! Let there be no mistake, making a living doing what you love is great, but it can have its drawbacks as well.
 
Welcome to the professional fold Bill.

My main money earning rig is my Hasselblad kit and sometimes the Linhof. I still use film 80% of the time (cheaper than digital), but if the client DEMANDS digital, I rent a digital back for my 'blad and on charge the rental costs +30% to the client.
Most of my work is good ol' boring catalogue stuff (mainly jewelry) and B&W printing/restoration. Some corporate editorial work and once in a blue moon my favorite: proper architectural work. Not snap shots for the local real estate agents. Although the real estate snap shots have the biggest profit margin.
My 35mm Rangefinders are yet to make a single cent. My 'blad kit's been paid off 25+ times now.

Frank's right if you're handy with web design and such forth, to en corperate into your photography work will bring in the extra $$$.
For value added work I make enquirers to the clients needs and proposes for the work I'm doing. At the end when I hand over the CD, I have finished full sized photographs and correctly modified, sized and set up identical for the clients instant use.

Other tips-
Learn how photographic licensing works and operates in your part of the world.
A great Lawyer is a professional photographer's best friend, more so than the trusty camera.

I don't know about the US, but here in NZ having some letters behind your name helps, i.e.-
Stuart Todd BSc, DipConPho, CertProPhoto (and soon AIPA).
Mine you the above example is over the top, as that's 6.5 years of full time study. And the BSc is Meteorology, but still makes the client go 'NOW' and helps justify the bill I send.
Diplomas in Photography are pretty well regarded worldwide.

If you become one of those photographers who gives/sells their negs to the married couple at the end of shoot... words not to be whispered here come to mind.

Stu :
 
As for letters behind your name, good point. Join some professional photographers' associations.
 
Bill

Just an hour ago, Sharona and I finalized another wedding shoot. That's another $500.00 in our pockets. We've got three upcoming weddings "in the books" for the upcoming wedding season. It's easy money. And I am always conscious to do a very good job. Every single client has always been very pleased with the price and the results. 95% of it is done with SLR's and a varitey of popper's (flash units). The Vivitar 285 has been my tried and true popper for over twenty five years. However, I give Sharona the Viv 283, set on auto f/8 mode, and she blasts away. Lately I've been using the Viv 285, Sunpak 433D TTL and the Nikon SB-24 popper's, with very good results. I burn Fuji NPH @ 320, then have the negs printed onto 4x6" proof prints and onto photo CD format. The clients love it. I have two upcoming wedding shoots where they want B/W also. The Fuji Neopan 400 and Neopan 400CN, are perfect for this. I burn it @ 250 through a deep yellow (#15) filter for the most amazing flesh tones. A touch of diffusion on the lens for the "Ladies" snaps. They love that too.

I'll call you in a bit. Time for dinner and focusing fluid!

Russ
 
I hate doing weddings! But that's just me. It's good money. I love doing portraits. My money camera has been My Mamiya Universal/Super 23 (two bodies and a film back and a ground glass back.) I use it for product photography for my websites.
 
>>Anyone make money with their cameras?<<

Bwahahahahaha!

Bill, make money with my camera? Not on your life. I spend money on cameras so I can take lots of lousy photos. I have fun doing it, or so I keep telling myself, but make money? No. I don't have the talent. I admire those of you who do and hope the absolute best for you in your new career.

The best I can say is that it has been cheaper for me than buying the Porsche Boxter I would love to have, and no way could I fondle a Boxter in the house (wouldn't be able to fit it through the front, or back, door).

Truly Bill, I do hope the best for you. I think you have the determination and talent to do it! Never give up.

Best regards,

Don
 
I enjoy doing a few weddings a year. Too many would burn you out for sure. I shoot 35mm colour neg on a Nikon F4 and B+W in a mamiya 6. The Konica Hexar AF has been (one of) my backup and photo-journalistic pic camera for the last few weddings.
 
Yipee!! I made $5 for a photo tonight. The Electric Rag Band used one of my photos for a flyer. When I went to the show, Pat (see his feet below) said he'd buy me a few pints.
Just out of curiosity, how much would a professional charge for something like this? I've been taking photos of local/regional bands for a while and just giving them jpegs of the photos. I mainly do it fun, but if I can get free beer out of it, all the better. And if I can get actual money, all the betterer. :)
 
You mentioned you do web design so how about differentiating yourself by offering to also design and host wedding albums, etc. online. If these sites are hosted in sub-folders off your own web site, this could also lead to more clients.
 
Bill, sent you a pm,

Best of luck to you!

cheers,
phil

P.S: My M4-P has nearly paid for itself now, 4 months after I bought it - I am suprised, to tell you the least! :)
 
>>Anyone make money with their cameras?<<

Only when I sell them.

Seriously Bill I wish you all the luck in the world. If you stick with it I am sure you will do fine. Word spreads.

DD
 
I shoot architecture, primarily, with a Canon 1Ds. From time to time, I also photograph for motorcycle magazines. My personal work, for the past twenty years, has almost always been of people in public places. That work normally earns money only through print sales; there are no model releases and it isn't intended for commercial purposes (ie: not intended to sell Coke or furniture, etc.) I'm working on a book of the subway pictures I made in NYC and Budapest from 1992-1994 but it's a slow process.

I've recently started to shoot weddings in the same style that I've always used for my personal work. That fits loosely into what's currently called "wedding photojournalism". For weddings, my kit this year will be the 1Ds and the R-D1. My wife wants to learn how to work as a second shooter and she'll likely be using an Olympus E-1. Eventually, she may branch off into doing weddings on her own. I've realized that wedding photography (as a genre) does not have to be the kind of formulaic, stale work that I've always avoided and so it's gotten a lot more interesting for me. There are certainly clients out there who are looking for alternative kinds of work.

Cheers,

Sean
 
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Make money "with my cameras"? Oh yes. Once i bought a Minolta manual SLR with 50/1.7 Rokkor for euro 15; cleaned it, put a battery in, new light seals, and sold it for euro 50. That's the only win i ever made :D sorry to disappoint you.
 
I work full time for a studio. I make less per job than when I was freelancing but I don't have the headaches from running the business. I get paid every week.

At the studio, we use a variety of digital SLRs. We shoot anything we're asked to. Most of my time there is spent doing post-production (Photoshop) which I enjoy the most.

I was equipped in digital until last Spring when my kit got stolen. I replaced it with a Bessa R2, some lenses, good old 283 and 285HV. I fell in love with film big time! I feel on vacation when I shoot with my R2. I used it for a few very littlle personal contracts for people I know.

Bill, if you're going to shoot weddings, bring a backup for everything. If you plan to shoot digital and have only one digicam and can't get another one right now, bring a film camera with enough rolls to go through the whole day. Murphy is always on duty on wedding days.

If you get a second 283 to serve as backup, you can use it with the first one as a small "studio" kit for portraits and small groups. With a radio slave device (and an optcial one), it's wonderful. I got a small and cheap radio slave kit made by Tristar (from Hong Kong) and distributed by Booth (the reflectors...). It was only 140$CAN and gets the job done nicely.

Good luck!
 
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