Your thoughts please

LeeMac13

LeeMac13

Well-Known Member
Since July of this year I have been unemployed due to budget cuts at the school where i worked lately I have been thinking about what I could do to earn money and maybe take a step into a new self employed carer.
When I was at school I have vivid memories of a gentleman coming into school and showing is slides of pictures of various animals he had taken and talking to us about them and then giving us to chance to purchase the photos as prints one of which i still have today incedentaly. I was thinking of possible doing something similar given my background of working in schools and teaching and the fact that im a regular visitor to several wildlife locations and a keen photographer. I just wondered what your thoughts where and whether you think it would be viable.
 
LeeMac13 said:
Since July of this year I have been unemployed due to budget cuts at the school where i worked lately I have been thinking about what I could do to earn money and maybe take a step into a new self employed carer.
When I was at school I have vivid memories of a gentleman coming into school and showing is slides of pictures of various animals he had taken and talking to us about them and then giving us to chance to purchase the photos as prints one of which i still have today incedentaly. I was thinking of possible doing something similar given my background of working in schools and teaching and the fact that im a regular visitor to several wildlife locations and a keen photographer. I just wondered what your thoughts where and whether you think it would be viable.
Click to expand...

The biggest problem would be costs (which would be massive I assume). Obviously there is cameras and equipment (which I'm assuming you've got at least the basics).

However, there is one big problem cost wise: Zoos and safari parks [at least some, I know Chester is one] will not let you commercially sell photos taken at the zoo due to copyright - you have to pay (approx) £500 a day to take photos you'll be allowed to sell. I think that's right, if anybody could confirm :)

As for the rest, the very best of luck to you :)
 
I am surprised that a school would actually let people sell stuff to students in class.

As for making a living in wildlife photography (or any form of nature photography), it is near impossible these days. Of course I am speaking as an American, but I think the situation is the same everywhere. There are too many people taking pictures today compared to years ago, and much higher quality pictures too. The entire stock photo industry has collapsed (in the sense of people actually making a living at it) due to the so-called microstock websites, which sell photos for next to nothing.

Of course the right person with the right marketing skills could probably make a living at anything they put their mind to. I am just being realistic that it would be extremely difficult and there would probably be a period of at least a couple years with no income coming in while you were getting shots and working on your marketing plan.

The issue raised in the previous post about releases from zoos is a somewhat gray area which I could say a lot about in a private message if you are interested.

If you really want to make a living at photography, portrait photography is probably the safest route. Or do what I do and work at a photo lab just to be in the industry (or a camera store).
 
Arizona Docent said:
If you really want to make a living at photography, portrait photography is probably the safest route. Or do what I do and work at a photo lab just to be in the industry (or a camera store).
Click to expand...

Wedding photography seems to be a lucrative business (of course, there is alot of competition, but somebody has to come out on top, and there's no reason it can't be you Adrian: That's the attitude you need :p)

At a wedding I attended this year, the photographer could afford to have a MONTH'S holiday in what is generally a busy month for weddings. He also has two large houses (from what I understand), and at least one very flash car.

Wedding photography is the way I would want to go tbh, with animal/wildlife photography as a side-hobby (if you can get successful in one area like weddings/portraits, you'll be able to afford some very nice lenses as well, which will be great for all photos you take :D)
 
Javan Rhino said:
Wedding photography seems to be a
Wedding photography is the way I would want to go tbh, with animal/wildlife photography as a side-hobby (if you can get successful in one area like weddings/portraits, you'll be able to afford some very nice lenses as well, which will be great for all photos you take :D)
Click to expand...

and all your lenses and equipment would be tax deductible! :)

i got talking to a photographer at a wedding - his passion was wildlife photography but he found it difficult to make a living out of it, so went into wedding photography and did his wildlife photography in his spare time.
 
Javan Rhino said:
Wedding photography seems to be a lucrative business
Click to expand...


I currently run a wedding and portrait photography business with my wife, Yes it can be lucrative but it is becoming extremely competitive due to the the price of decent cameras decreasing. Unfortunately too many people are buying stanard DLSR cameras and undercutting, this year alone we have noticed a decrease in work and we pride ourselves on being affordable.

Its just something to think about before deciding to make the move into it
 
macca said:
i got talking to a photographer at a wedding - his passion was wildlife photography but he found it difficult to make a living out of it, so went into wedding photography and did his wildlife photography in his spare time.
Click to expand...

Thats excatly what i do
 
Javan Rhino said:
Wedding photography seems to be a lucrative business (of course, there is alot of competition, but somebody has to come out on top, and there's no reason it can't be you Adrian: That's the attitude you need :p)

At a wedding I attended this year, the photographer could afford to have a MONTH'S holiday in what is generally a busy month for weddings. He also has two large houses (from what I understand), and at least one very flash car.

Wedding photography is the way I would want to go tbh, with animal/wildlife photography as a side-hobby (if you can get successful in one area like weddings/portraits, you'll be able to afford some very nice lenses as well, which will be great for all photos you take :D)
Click to expand...

Wedding photography is no longer what it was. Since everyone who buys a DSLR thinks they're David Bailey or Lord Litchfield fewer and fewer couples are booking a professional photographer. My ex's parent's were wedding and portrait photographers, they now just do portraits from their studio. In the space of a few years they saw a 80% drop in wedding bookings. They were very competitive on price and have/had one of the best reputations in the area.

Good look with it. Hope it works out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top