By Oyinlola Pelumi Adewale
Moneymaking is like the number one on the bucket list of almost everybody in Nigeria or probably the world today. There are different ways to make money either online or offline and if you check through Google, photography will be among the list. Photography, as everyone knows, inspires, amuses, tells stories, communicates and entertains. There is an adage that says “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and for you to get the picture that tells that much of a story, then there must be a practice which is called photography.
Photography is a creative outlet and then earning an income from it is fantastic. Photography has also evolved so much today, so it is important that we consider certain things if we want to make a living from it. As a person looking to go into photography for monetary reasons, it is advisable to note that there are several types of photography. You have landscape photography, wildlife photography, aerial photography, sports / action photography, portrait photography, architectural photography, wedding photography/event photography, fashion photography and others. Samson Ezeamaka Benson, CEO of Suave Pixels, a photography agency located in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, explained the various ways in which money can be made through photography. He said: “People should note that photography is not just about taking pictures. It is about creativity with your background, light, style, pattern and the likes.”
Going into photography, there are several ways one can make money. Below are a few steps to take if you want to make money through photography.
One: Build a Blog or YouTube Channel
A good way to start making money in photography is to start your own photography blog. As a blogger or vlogger, you can make tutorials, share tips, or give credible description on the kinds of photography there is and how or why a person should venture into it.
However, you cannot give reviews or details if you don’t understand the concept of photography. So you need to take your time to go through the various kinds of photography, how they operate, their pros and cons and also share the details on your blog or YouTube channel. It is important to note that your blog or YouTube channel needs to gain a good number of audiences visiting or following before you can actually start making money from it. You should also look for sponsorships because bloggers/vloggers make money through ads and sponsored content. Generally, starting a photography blog is a great way to get your photographs seen.
Two: Advertise your content on social media:
There are various social media platforms in which you can advertise your content and also yourself as a photographer. Of all platforms out there, Instagram seems to be the most powerful engine for photographic advertisement. You can easily post pictures for your page and also supply images to businesses you want to sell to. This social media platform seems to be the greatest source of inspiration for good photography, so it is the best place to sell the images you post on your page. After gaining enough followers, you can start thinking about making money from your Instagram account.
Three: Become a freelance photojournalist
Becoming a freelance journalist means taking pictures occasionally for media houses. It is sure not a stable job – that’s why it’s called freelance, but then it is a great way to earn money. Freelance photojournalism is a good place to find your first customers and gradually make them permanent clients. You can freelance in product photography, modelling photography, food presentation, creating collections from wedding photos and so on. Becoming a freelance photojournalist is a great and very simple way to test your skills to see if there’s a demand for your services. It is also a good way to grow your brand. Once you get noticed and develop contacts, you can request a full-time job and also start submitting your work constantly.
Four: Do Photo Shoots
You need to own a studio to be able to do photo shoots. But then, some clients might prefer outdoor or location shoots, so even if you don’t have a studio yet, there are lots of opportunities out there for you. For outdoor services, in case there is no studio available, all you need to do is build a strong portfolio by getting your own website, informing people about your brand, sharing your work on social media, especially Instagram, and advertising your services.
Five: Sell items with your photos
Selling items such as clothes, wall arts, photo albums, pillows, bags, mugs and other souvenirs that looks great with your pictures on it. You can easily sell your brand and photographs online or offline. By online, you can create a business page for your product or brand, invite your contacts to like it and ask them to share your brands link. Selling items with your photos is a pleasant and stress-free way to earn money and it is also a safe way to examine and see if your products are in demand before you invest heavily in your business A person’s charge range can vary from N200,000 to N1 million or more depending on the kind of photography they venture into. In Nigeria, it is advisable to major in photography that sells such as weddings, burials, commercials, modelling and portraits. And to determine your price range, you have to check the cost of everything that will be used from the beginning to the end of production. You should also include your service range, which should be up to your standard as a photographer,” he counselled. Ajayi Oluwaseun DMD is a digital Influencer, photographer and journalist. He added a few tips.
Six: Go into freelance still life photography:
As a photographer looking to make money, it is advisable to go into freelance still life photography. Still life photography is a demanding job; it is one in which the photographer is expected to be able to refine their sense of lighting mixed with additional skills. When you go into still life photography, you can sell to art galleries, museums, shows and even photography companies. Still life photography is a dynamic looking kind of photography that interests everyone in different ways. Example can be a picture of two different colours (deep blue and sky blue, for instance,) of water in their meeting point to depict nature, or an African woman breastfeeding an infant to depict culture. Everyone knows a picture like that will be mesmerizing. These kinds of photography are one of the best ways to earn money through photography.
Seven: Take picture story images
Picture story images are pictures that tell a story about an event or a moment. It is a way a photographer narrates a story with series of photographs. Photo story image is different from a normal picture we take. Unlike our usual pictures, the photographer is presenting series of pictures about an event to communicate what had happened. Pictures like this can be sold to print, television or radio stations, bloggers, vloggers and so on because they tell stories.
Eight: Invest in motion pictures
Motion pictures are taken when a person or an object is moving. It has similarities with GIFs. If you are going into motion pictures, you should be professional about it because you’re taking the pictures as it is happening at the moment. This kind of photography requires a lot of skills and alertness because you can easily miss your chance of taking a really good picture. Photographers that go into motion pictures tend to charge more because this is very different from your usual kinds of photography. Motion pictures are known to communicate moods, feelings, gestures and the like. They happen very fast, and this makes them very taxing.