Finding your voice as a photographer is an ever-evolving process that starts with deciding what type of photography you want to pursue. There are many different types of professional photographers, each having their own niche or special area of focus.
Some specialties can be very expensive to run like fashion photoshoots or event shooting, but they will need lots of supplies and/or advanced equipment use like lighting or video production.
Other areas can be much cheaper to start, such as capturing beautiful still photos for posting on social media sites or giving presentations using his or her artistic eye.
This article will talk about which types of photography are most likely to earn you money as a professional photographer. The two major types discussed here are taking candid photographs and creating art photographs.
Also mentioned at the end of this article is how to begin practicing your photographic skills if you already have a talent in other areas of the arts.
Erotic photography
As mentioned earlier, erotic photographer is their own genre of professional photoshoots. These photographers typically use very suggestive or nude settings to capture some intimate photos or sexually explicit images of your loved ones or yourself.
These types of photographs are usually paid more as they require longer production times and higher up fees for copyright permissions.
However, don’t assume that every nudist is an artist! Some people feel uncomfortable being naked in front of other people so it may not be them.
Everyone has their personal limits and if you are sure that is no longer comfortable then don’t do it, otherwise, go with our advice and pick another type!
We recommend trying soft porn first before moving onto harder pictures. Soft porn can include things like self-shots, lingerie, swimsuits, etc.
Fashion photography
While still life, nature, architecture, and lifestyle photography are very artistic, they are not necessarily paid well. In fact, most people do not have large budgets to work with so it is quite the challenge for you as a photographer to find the right balance between creating aesthetically pleasing photos while also being compensated for your efforts.
That said, there are some other types of photography that are much more money-focused than others. Two of these are fashion and commercial photo shoots.
Fashion photographers capture beautiful close up shots or full length pictures of clothing, shoes, or hairstyles. Because this material comes from manufacturers or studios who pay professional fashion photogs to promote their products, it is not until later that those pieces get marketed and sold.
Commercial photographers take place during non-sleeping hours and/or require a lot of down time after filming because the business they are shooting for usually has an office or showroom set up for them.
There are many ways to make extra cash as a fashion photographer like me via sites such as Iworkflexiblejobs.com and Fiverr.com.
Commercial photography
While some people consider taking photos for fun as “photography,” that isn’t quite right. Sure, having a good eye is helpful in making pictures look nice, but being able to capture important moments through business settings is what really sets great photographers apart.
Professional wedding or event photographers typically have at least several thousand dollars per week spent on equipment, studio space, and transportation fees to get to events they are hired to photograph.
These costs add up quickly, which is why most professional shooters are paid well beyond the average person who wants to try their hand at it.
However, you don’t need expensive gear or formal training to do commercial photography! In this article, we will talk about how to start earning money as a photographer by doing just that.
Bird photography
While some types of photographs are less expensive to produce, others are much more cost-effective depending on what you want to achieve with your images. A very popular type of photograph is that of birds.
Birds are beautiful to look at, they can be very playful, and there are many different species to choose from. They also do not require too much elaborate preparation or time, making them an easy way to start taking pictures.
Having said that, bird photographers who are able to get their hands on either really bright suns or early in the morning or late in the evening are going to need well-sealed camera equipment due to the intensity of light the birds emit.
Sunsets are another great source of natural light for bird photos as most birds will stay close to the water where they can find shelter.
Macro photography
With macro photography, you can take close-up pictures of anything! This is very popular these days with people taking lots of cool photos of everything from flowers to food to weird shaped objects.
A good way to learn about macros is to experiment. Take some test shots by placing something small like a drop of water or powder next to your favorite go-to camera body. Or try using a plain white surface as your background instead of nature green foliage or other types of backgrounds.
There are many great resources online that teach you how to do this. Many contain free tutorials too! All of these help you learn the basics of doing macro photography.
Street photography
A lot of people consider street shooting to be a form of documentary or lifestyle photoshoots, but that is not quite right. While it does include documenting of your surroundings, what sets this genre apart is its emphasis on creating artistic images that appeal to the viewer.
A good number of professional street photographers make their living exclusively off their craft so there is clearly a market for it.
There are many ways to shoot streets, from stealthy hands-off exposures to capturing eye-catching compositions with active subjects. The style you choose really depends on your personal taste as well as the settings you have access to.
These types of photographs can easily be transferred onto digital mediums such as a smartphone or DSLR, which makes it much more affordable than buying a full size camera just to test out your skills.
Portrait photography
While some people may argue about whether or not shooting landscapes is more lucrative than taking portraits, one thing is for sure – portrait photographers make way more money! This is due to two main reasons: 1) As humans are usually the focus, buying pictures of you costs less per picture, so your fees are lower; and 2) People want their pictures with them!
Landscape photos will always be needed, but most people do not need many portait-only customers. So while it is better paid in the long run, it can take years before you see the rewards of this style of photography.
Not only that, but there are now easy ways to get professional quality portraits anywhere at any time! Technology has made it possible to capture beautiful images effortlessly, which helps contribute to the success of the profession.
Wedding photography
While portraiture, event photogrpahship, and fashion photos are all very popular types of photography, not every photographer is paid to do any one of them. Some have to make shifts between some or even none of these styles depending on their budget and what clients they have.
Wedding photographers are typically paid per wedding they work at least eight hours a day, if not more! This includes taking pre-wedding pictures, bridal party pictures, ceremony photos, reception photos, etc. They may be given time off days or weeks before the wedding to ensure everything goes smoothly, so there’s always something new to do.
Most couples hire both in advance and just minutes before the wedding for engagement pictures and/or portraits of the couple alone. These are usually done outside or in informal settings like parks, museums, or buildings. After the wedding, parents often request additional family group photographs and/or formal bride and groom shots which can cost extra.
Some artists manage budgets better than others, but it’s important to know how much money you should expect to spend as a professional artist.