4 Tips: How to make money off Photography:
When I went to study Photography as a second option in
Cal State East Bay, I look at myself, how and when do I start making money in
photography? My instructor did not have any good question put just tell me to
be happy with my major and time will tell. 2008-2010, I had two jobs to help me
pay for my gears in Multimedia and Photography. Hours of working at night and
school made my skills in art look very horrible. I quit both jobs and live off my
saving and work part time at school. I started to build my resume in 2010 by
doing free shoot from portraits to any events. One day I got paid $25.00 from a
shot I did as tip, I was like wow I got paid and my skill isn’t professional
yet. I started to charge people a few dollars and added up monthly as my
salary, I consider this as gigs. I remember making only $50.00 each month after
college wish was June 2010. I had a hard time looking for a full-time job as an
artist with a degree. Every company needed 3.5 years of work or portfolio +
resume. I did not understand how can I get a strong portfolio and going against
many other artist before me?
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| Me in Action |
So what I did, ask friends and family to help me build my
name as a photographer, from taken photo of them, use them as a portfolio and
also building my retouch skills. From then a family or a friend tell another
friend to work with me with a low price. I did this for months and notice my
name was getting build in the Oakland community as a photographer. I use every
social site to share people my work by taken a photo of me in action by my
mobile phone. I notice my money was still slow; I build my second website with weddings
and tons of portraits. I use this website as my tool to make better money and
also range out from my own community. I got to make sure to have a portfolio
printed with new clients. I learn how to become more of a business and a better
artist but setting 100% toward my career as a photographer. When I was working
2 jobs before, I made so much money but I told myself, I wanted to be my own
boss one day and also die as legend in my community as an artist.
I notice my portfolios from photographer is getting
better but money still a problem and my family in my house hood- complaining if
I know what I am doing, because I don’t work a 9-5pm job and I got a degree! (
I am the first in my family with a degree) So none of my family member understand
taken a risk and build a strong art portfolio for the bigger pay.
I needed to use more social skills and attend event to
meet future client, I started to do night club and got my name as a “club photographer”
in the east-bay and had a chance to shoot a famous vixen “Justene Jaro”.
Everyone in my community notices my drive and believes I was making tons of
money but my art was the winner. My value as an artist came higher than my
monthly salary for my gigs.
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| Contract work from Photography |
I stated getting my hungry because my image as a
photographer looks like I was making tons of money but deep inside my work I
needed money. I was on craigslist for hours looking for gigs and I realized I
got a degree and started to work as a contractor for photography. I was making
money again! $500.00-$1000.00 per project, then I notice I was making money and
also building my portfolio. But growing in a my community, people that know me
close, remember how much money I was making and how much I never ask for help
each month with money. They was worry because a lot of them don’t understand
the risks of being a business-freelance artist + being building a portfolio.
The day I quit, I needed money again. It has been 3 month
that I did not work and I notice I notice my money in gigs finally catching up.
How this happen? I started to link my work to social-media site such as
Facebook to friends, print business-cards, take photo of upcoming models to
build new zone for clients and try my best. So far from 2010, I made 50 bucks a
month then $500.00 in 2011, now is 2012, I finally make over $2000.00 in gigs.
I notice my zone has built my name as an artist has built. I finally go to
release my new website end of June to show off my portfolio around the world. I
have a business-portfolio and my art portfolio for my fans. I use all my visual
skills as a photographer, I did not just shoot portraits, I shot landscape for
people to buy my work and make a book my first “Nature of Oakland” So at the
moment, I am still chasing my dream, because people believe having a degree,
you be rich after college. In my mind, an empire doesn’t take nights to build
it take passion and time to build the first wall. Right now I am building my
wall and I can’t wait to realized my new website, because I did so much commercial
work in photography that I can use my portfolio for companies around the Eastbay
with a good price. Build gigs to get them contracts, so far I turn down many
interview because I want to finish my website first then finally get back in
track as contractor.
Career as a freelance photographer.
- Gigs: shoot many gigs and make sure to get a price over $80.00 per hour for 1 session)
- Contract: Do tons of contracts to get them commercial work or a skills in retouching)
- Blog: get paid in blogging, update your blog!!! Bring Traffic
- Sell: got nature shots or weddings? Make a book and make money selling it.
This is my 4 tips; so far remember who are you to people?
Need to build your name in your community and zone. Don’t’ be afraid to be a
failure or mistake in this investment + career. Network and network! use business cards + social-,media to find clients. Remember, I am building my clients and
make sure to get a good relationship with them so you can build more clients to
clients. Get a Business permit and a PayPal for your business so is easy for
clients to send you money before or after the gig.
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| Khmer Fashion Project |
I don’t just shoot portraits or weddings, mixing my
photography skills I use my skills to make that money to build my projects. Cameras
are getting cheaper and also so many photographers out there. I need to focus
on all because I need that life I want and I will do anything to get it and
hopefully you will also. I use my money to invest into my projects, because
with my project: I am consider an artist and I can sell my work + also inspire people
to follow my dreams. I went to visit my college yesterday and notice my work is still on the wall in the photography room. My instructor told me that many student that walk
the stage with me told the instructor "Bulli is doing what he need to do", while most of us still working at our regular job or parents paying for our masters". I am lucky that I have this mind and drive, because not just becoming a business-man, but I am also becoming an artist for my Khmer Community. Being this far in my career, everyday I look at it, as a beginning
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