How easy it to get a job as a photographer?

Question

I'm thinking about going to school for photography but I'm researching first.How much money will I make as a proffessional photographer?

Answer 1

As with any job there are those who make a great deal of money doing cutting edge work . Then there are those who make enough to live comfortably and then there are those who work very hard just to cover the rent.
Photography is a job that requires a certain degree of passion. You really can't look at it as a "certain" money making profession if you are freelancing. Photography is one of the first things cut from a tight budget. They can reuse last years shoot. They can hire cheaper talent or they can use stock art. ($20,000 for you or $20,000 for the higher ups annual bonus....who do you think is going to win?) As a staff photographer there is a certain degree of consistency and benefit. However, with the creation of better and cheaper digital cameras, everyone now thinks they can do my job. I used to do a pretty good little side business from parents wanting photos of their children playing sports at local games. I was covering them for a local paper so it was no problem selling a few 8x10's. Now I have a guy who "likes to take pictures" who bought a top end camera and lens and gives the photos away to who ever asks. Well' I can't work for free so that little "extra" is gone until he figures out that the wear and tear on the camera and the cost of printing or paying for his website will somehow have to be covered.

I can not stress enough how you have to look a photography with a certain degree of business sense. I LOVE what I do but I also have to be pragmatic about what I must make to feed my family. You have got to know what your cost of doing business will be. That covers a lot of ground. Rent, equipment, advertising, health care, travel and insurance to name a few items. Yes, you might be able to skimp by without these but you are taking a risk....what is your tolerance?

I find photography a very liberating exercise. I set my own hours. I can accept or refuse jobs that are below my costs and I get to meet some very interesting people. But then I also have to deal with art editors and clients. This can really be a chore. I would suggest trying to get an internship at a small newspaper if you're interested in editorial shooting or assist with a commercial photographer if you like set work. Be prepared to show a portfolio of work that reflects your style and have it critiqued by someone in the business......and if you really want to work as a photographer....don't give up....hard work will pay off. (PS in my area a newspaper photographer makes about $40,000/yr)

Answer 2

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Answer 3

You can easily get a job as a photographer in something like walmart or sears. Getting the job as high end photographer would not be as easy. If you are really interested in going to school for photography you should do that. Then start building up your clients. When you have a large client base you might be able then to start your own photographer business.

Answer 4

The highest paid pro photographer I know makes about $200,000 a year. However, he's the extreme top end of the pay scale. If you get freelance work for a small national magazine, you'll get $50-100 per photo that they run. This means you'll have to hustle to make a good living and probably end up doing more than one type of photography (portraits, actor head shots, weddings, and so on) to make a good living. If you get steady work and hustle, you can make $35,000-$40,000. If you get set up in a high demand city like LA or NY, network well, work hard (and smart), and do great work, you can get double that but you'll earn every penny of it and be in a very competitive environment.

Part of the answer also depends on what sort of work you want to do as a photographer. If you're looking to do magazine work, a website like mediabistro.com may provide you with some help, as they offer "how to" classes on getting into different types of magazine work and they have a freelancer's marketplace where you can post a resume and work samples. If I were you I'd look at what type of work you want to do. Wedding photos can be good money IF you can get steady work BUT it gets repetitive and boring at times.

I've worked as a freelance magazine photographer for a few years now and it's a feast-or-famine life. You have to be very self-motivated since all of your product comes from what assignments you can hunt down. Also, you're self-employed so you have to take your own taxes out of your pay and pay for your own healthcare.

Answer 5

Its a pretty difficult gig, to be sure. And its probably not the sort of thing you should go into if you want to make a lot of money, especially early on. You probably won't be hired out of art school by National Geographic, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, or Time, just the way it is. Be prepared to work for a small town newspaper or as an assistant to a photographer for a number of years to establish credentials.

Photography is really like any other form of art, whether visual, audio, or performance. It is something that you do because you love it and you couldn't understand your life without it, not because you want to get rich. If that is your goal, go to business school and use your money to shoot photos as a hobby.

Answer 6

I read the UKs leading photographic magazine, Amateur Photographer. This regularly runs a page or so of readers portfolios of pictures and asks those readers a number of questions, including 'what is your dream'. It is amazing how many reply 'to make a living from my photography' It is not surprising that few do. There are many who aspire, few who make the grade.

Answer 7

LOL....age old question....it is harder and harder...I keep it as a 2nd job as the market is not only highly competitive, but also saturated since the digital market has come in...it is harder for a freelance these days....the photographers who get on a paid staff of a magazine, advertising company, etc...may have more stability...go for it but be aware that it is getting harder...I am going to work on my associates degree next year in photography imaging, but still keep it as a second job while I maintain a steady job with benefits. Good luck to you though and shoot for the stars.

Answer 8

True, I guess, cuz u only have to take good pictures with a camera , from different angles or views, and thats it! I don't really know how much u earn though. Hmm....if u did get paid for ur photography, I don't think it would be enough money to live or spend on! Photography is usually a hobby cuz some peeps like to take pics for fun, or others take it seriously and do competions!

Answer 9

That depends on what kind of photos you want to take. As a commercial photographer, a very good one, a campain for a good company can make you earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. But, you have to think of finishing school first. :) You can read Kandisky's book on composition and colour, also Rudolf Arnheim and even Geothe. ;)

Answer 10

Another option is to set up your own studio (assuming portrait photography falls in your idea of "professional photography"). If you prefer to shoot landscapes, you could look into stock photography (taking "stock" photos with lots of space to easily overlay print, as in headlines for magazine covers, or copy for advertisements.) Either of the two options above require you to be self-employed and how much money you make depends on how good a photographer you are and how well you market yourself.