Photo Services

[Matt71]

I'm a photographer and I am hoping that I can make a livable income on the road shooting. What are your experiences making money with photography on the road?

Is there a market in the RV community for family portraits? I will have studio lighting with me on the road and would like to make good use of it. My thinking is that with RVers being on the road and probably not seeing family very often, sending some nice portraits back home would be something people would like. I could be wrong though.

Anyone have experience with selling prints on Etsy? We'll be visiting a lot of national parks and caverns and am anticipating capturing some great shots.

,Matt

 

[akrvbob]

I gotta be honest and say I don't think either are viable options. I know that's harsh and I apologize, but everybody and their uncle has a DSLR and they are taking classes and getting quite good. The market is flooded with great shots. The few pros that take extraordinary shots are still making big bucks but no one else.

I was just at the Festival of the Cranes at Boque Del Apache NWR in New Mexico and I'd look up and down the banks and half those folks were holding $10,000 worth of camera gear and I bet very few were pros who made a living at it. I went to a class in astro photogrpahy at the VLA and I did a quick count in my head and I guessed there was $250,000 of camera gear, half of them had $500-$1000 tripods. I doubt if any of them were pros.

Most pros are making money now in teaching the advanced amateurs with the $10,000 worth of gear. But you already have to have a reputation.
Bob

 

[Matt71]

That's unfortunate. I guess I'll have to go the Craigslist route and pick up jobs through there.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I wanted to make a living at photography many years ago, it was the same then. Anyone that had a camera was trying to make a living with it. I would still try your idea and maybe you can pick up enough money doing photography in your spare time to buy new gear when you want it. Who knows maybe someone will like your style and become famous.

 

[kyonu]

That's unfortunate. I guess I'll have to go the Craigslist route and pick up jobs through there.

To expand on what Bob said, there's a huge reason why this type of living just won't work out: Style. Everyone and their uncle with a DSLR is taking gorgeous shots of landscapes, sunsets and rises, snow, rain, etc. No one is thinking outside of the box anymore.

I remember about 6 years ago when the market was already saturated (when 1080 was really hitting the market), a guy I once knew (long long ago in the youngin' days) decided to think outside the box. He went into a room with about 1500 different items and told me he was "going to find inspiration or never come out".

Turns out he was in there for about 5 minutes... He said "I got it!" and I never heard from him again. Nowadays he's making photos of paint splashed on all sorts of materials, like mesquite trees (red paint, makes it look all bloody and gross... but still a great shot), on unsuspecting people (obviously staged), etc. It's humorous, and sometimes deeply story driven.

But the point of this story, is it's outside the box. It also costs a lot to do outside the box, but if you make it, you make it big. Unfortunately for a vandweller budget something like this just isn't feasible. But then again, that's just a larger box! So if you have the right type of mind you can bypass both boxes and really hit it home.

 

[Seraphim]

Matt

I'm an old fart who grew up with film - everything from 35mm to 8x10, and have shot film on a professional level part time.

It's what Bob said. Digital photography has taken out the time consuming learning curve and most people can now record their own memories in a satisfactory manner. If you don't like the shot, do it again - a luxury a professional could not afford in the old days, and which the average person could not duplicate with one shot.

But I don't see a market for on the road photography. If you are an exceptional photographer and writer maybe you can find a niche somewhere. Perhaps, over time, you can build a name for yourself in a market. But that will take an investment of a lot of time - unpaid time, for the most part.

Even the stock photo market is over saturated. You need to be outstandingly creative and productive.

 

[Terry]

There are two options that might make things a little different. Fantasy photos and event photography. You'll need at least one if not two of the dye-sub photo printers, and a decent computer to process the photos. Fantasy Photo's are just green screen shoots that you could do at fairs of all kinds and some other type shows. The event type is (supposedly) easier at youth sports, dog shows, arena type events that have a lot of "actors" or subjects at. The printer thing is so that you can provide photo quality prints in around a minute or less.

 

[Matt71]

Terry,
I do Cosplay photography right now, which is similar, but there's really no money in it unless the venue is hiring you to shoot for them and even then it's not much.
I do have a high end printer, but it's pretty big and I'm not sure we'll have the room for it in the van.

I've seen people do the quick green screen deal at cons where it's shoot, pick a background, print. They look fake and pretty crappy IMO. If I'm going to do a composite I'm going to take my time with it so it looks good.

I have no fantasies about making money taking the same shots everyone and their brother has taken while on vacation. Most photos bore me, even my own. I'd only sell what I'm proud of and that's a high bar. One of the things I want to try is cavern photography which you don't see as much of as landscapes.

There are usually jobs on craigslist that I can pick up. I can also pick up some graphic design work on Elance though there is a lot of competition there. And if I can quit my job with enough tact I might be able to do some online work for my current job maintaining their web site and SEO.

 

[akrvbob]

I definitely would NOT give up on the idea if I were you!!

First, we all need goals and hobbies and it sound like we are a lot alike, we love photography!! So I'm out there all the time trying with all my might to get that one astounding WOW shot that will knock my socks off (and hopefully your too). I love doing it and I'll be doing it for the rest of my life. I'm going to keep taking classes and shots and I will never, ever regret the time and money I put into it.

So keep doing it for your souls sake, and who knows, maybe you will make it. If it even pays for gas money you are way ahead!!! If all you ever do is please yourself, that's more than enough!!!

Second, if you can combine photography and writing into a blog/website, that can become a source of income. For most it doesn't but if you work hard it really can be a significant income. Your knowledge of websites gives you a head start!! Plus, you can write off that expensive camera gear you just have to have!

I don't intend to discourage you at all, my motto is follow your dreams!! Just have realistic goals.

 

[Matt71]

I do have an english degree too, and plan on having a blog once we hit the road. My life is too boring at the moment.
A big reason we are planning to do this is so I can shoot more places more often.
Here's my web site if anyone is interested in seeing my work.
http://www.errantknightphotography.com

 

[akrvbob]

Very creative work! You're going to love your new life!
Bob

 

[Seraphim]

Looks like you've found a niche you're interested in, but as you pointed out, not great commercially.

Photography has been a love for forty years, but I was never happy doing it at the whim of others. As you indicated, I have high standards for what I consider acceptable work. Also have a degree in communications, certified to teach, and post graduate studies in writing. Sounds like we have a lot in common.

Maybe we'll run into each other on the road someday.

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Wanted to comment on the national parks and caverns - just offering an opinion. They are the most over photographed areas in the world, probably. The question will be, " How can I do it differently, to make it more interesting than the tens of thousands of other photographs of this particular scene."

Great photos exist all around you, wherever you are. One just has to train themselves to see them. Most are photos the vast majority of other photographers would walk right past so they could take the 'scenic' photo. They miss so much....

Sorry, but you touched on one of my favorite topics lol.

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Do it for love of the art, look at every simple thing in a different manner, and you'll find people who appreciate - and possibly pay for - your work.