I got laid off my job on friday. they will probally call me back but probally not til march or april. So I got extra time on my hands. I love photography and I have tons of pictures. I also take alot on a daily basis. SO my question is anyone have any ideas how I could make some extra doe while I am unemployed????
Photography huh? Do you have a picture of your boss fooling around with the help? Maybe that photo can get you some quick cash ! ;-)
Originally posted by electrolost:
I got laid off my job on friday. they will probally call me back but probally not til march or april. So I got extra time on my hands. I love photography and I have tons of pictures. I also take alot on a daily basis. SO my question is anyone have any ideas how I could make some extra doe while I am unemployed????
Search a bit in this forum, there was a listing of the areas where one can make money.
Short of getting a job working for someone else, you'll need to start your own business.
You can start by selling photos you have, to stock agencies or at art shows, online, etc. It takes time though. The best art shows are difficult to get into, and you have to pay, and then have (usually) matted prints to sell - requiring an investment on your part before you make dollar 1.
What do you like to shoot? Sports? Got the fast lenses for it? Seek out your local newspaper and offer to shoot football or basketball. My understanding is you'll get $25 to $40/photo, and not every game will have newsworthy interest, so no photo sale.
I got a pizza shop near me that will let me put up photos on the walls - great, but he wants landscapes, scenics, landmarks, aerial photos - all the stuff I don't shoot, of course. I'm still thinking about doing something as I have some photos. But it will take time (and perhaps luck) for someone to call me to buy something.
Think about what you want to shoot, do some research on what that will sell for, and what gear you need to shoot it successfully. The one really sucessfull landscape shooter I know uses a leaf aptus back on a Hassy body - and he carries backups...a huge investment, and he shoots panoramas and stitched them into really big file - I'm not sure your D50 and consumer grade lenses will compete with him - just as an example that you need the right gear for the job, and that needs to be factored into what you plan to do to make money.
The quickest way to make money is probably portraits. Weddings too, but the require more equipment purchases. However, you can easily charge $75 or more (plus prints) for a portrait session, especially with location shooting.
The easiest way to make money with photography is to sell your camera.
Its true there is no "easy" way to earn money - with any talent.... you have to get out there & work for it. I've heard of people earning a comfortable living selling postcards to gift shops. I've also heard of stock shooters earning 7 figures. Some portrait shooters have staffed offices on both coasts. What they all have in common is 'hustle'. They got out there, found the opportunities and worked hard to earn each dime.
I do portrait work - it started with friends, then they tell friends, then they tell friends & so on.... that takes time. If you want to get a business started in portrait without waiting for reputation to build, you'll need to market like mad.
Stock also takes a lot of time, to get images shot, to get them submitted, to wait for buyers. Also not a quick fix.
You might try some of the mall-type agencies, they often hire shooters during the holiday season. Or how about shooting kids' sports events - come back next game & sell the mommys 4X6s of little Billy hitting a homerun or whatever. You could shoot local landmarks & scenic places around your area & print gift cards, post cards, keychains, etc., to sell in local stores....... many choices. Just find one that works for you and work it till it works! :)
It works, only if you have time in your hands. And you need to do driving a lot. But might it be rewarding.
First thing you should do is spend a hundred dollars (sorry, but think as an investment) and get a "police" scanner from local RadioShack. Now, all you have to do is listening and if there is anything going on, go and take pictures of it. Fire, accident, anything that might interests public. Send smaller copies to local newspapers. Some of them might be interested in buying a few full photos.
The easiest way to make a small fortune in the photography business....................................................................
is to start with a large one.
MattO
I feel your pain with getting laid off. Lots of folks in the area are going through the same thing. Tough time of year to lose your income. In reality is there a good time to lose your job?
It works, only if you have time in your hands. And you need to do driving a lot. But might it be rewarding.
First thing you should do is spend a hundred dollars (sorry, but think as an investment) and get a "police" scanner from local RadioShack. Now, all you have to do is listening and if there is anything going on, go and take pictures of it. Fire, accident, anything that might interests public. Send smaller copies to local newspapers. Some of them might be interested in buying a few full photos.
If you live in a big city and are willing to spend all of your time doing that, it might work. You'd have to get to know the editors and get the pictures in FAST, though. You'd also have to gather some information about what's going on and arrange it into a solid cutline if you expect them to print any of them. This worked a lot better 50-60 years ago if you had a darkroom in the trunk of your car...
//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weegee
I would think the 'easiest' (term used relatively - it'll be more hours a week than a day job if you want to make any money, but it's less of a long term career commitment than the other options) way would be to start spending every morning and afternoon out shooting landscapes all over the place and sell them as stock. Just shoot everything you see and get tons of different images, and some of them are bound to be what graphic artists are looking for.
thanks for all the suggestions...I love how everyone is saying the "easy" way. I not looking for a easy way just trying to get some ideas..
I think you gave us the impression of an emergency, need to start earning money quick; that's why, but of course if you take the long way, there are much more opportunities out there, although none of them easy or free ;)
Well I have one for you. It depends on where you are and also what kind of schedule you are willing to work with. I shoot part time for a specialty company that shoots a ton of different things. The money is partially dependent on how many shots I get. We shoot fraternity and sorority mixers and semi and formals, graduations, proms, corporate picnics/events. Essentially if it is an event we will shoot it. I get an hourly fee and then bonuses based upon numbers of shots. The hours are late at night but lots and lots of areas have such a service and they are almost always looking for shooters.
If you don't know where to begin also check Craigslist. Good luck and sorry to hear about your job.
We shoot fraternity and sorority mixers and semi and formals
That's definitely a good idea, especially in US college towns. I've shot alot of my own fraternity's events (for free, of course), and as a result I've had offers to shoot at nightclubs downtown for clubzone.com (which I turned down), and next semester I'm already booked to shoot at least two sorority formals (one free for my fiance, the other paid).
I obviously have the peer connection going for me there, but if you contact their social chairperson and offer a "student discount" for events, composites, etc will definitely work in your favor. Most college students have never hired a photographer before, so you'll have to be pretty tactful in pricing them out. Some chapters just wont have the budget for an event photog and will balk at "normal" pricing, while others will be hosting events on their private 40 ft yacht and wont really care how much the photog costs.
