Great Home Based Idea #3: Make Money with Your Digital Camera
By Matt Hodkinson
As with many other fields, the Internet has brought with it many opportunities to make money, and in many cases a living, from the use of everyday tools and gadgets. Photography has long been heralded as a great business model for the self-employed entrepreneur, but never has it been easier to exchange your snaps for hard cash. Here, we'll discuss some of the methods you can employ to get yourself on the photography money train.
Equipment
Firstly, consider the equipment that you will need to embark on your photography adventure. There are a great many digital camera products on the market, so consider what you intend to snap, and for what purpose. The size of the image you intend to produce may determine the "power" of the camera you need. For example, a high-resolution digital SLR with 12 million megapixel output would be more suitable for posters and large media, but may be considered overkill (in terms of capability AND budget) for small prints and gift cards. If in doubt, seek advice from sales staff on what camera suits your requirements.
Cameraphones are now a viable option for obtaining good quality images on the move. The capacity and lens quality of modern cameraphones are comparable to standalone cameras of 2 or 3 years ago, yet offer the added functionality of communication. This not only allows you to call contacts and browse the Internet, but also to upload your images to sharing and storage sites in real time.
A PC, loaded with quality photo editing software, such as the industry standard Photoshop, will prove invaluable for formatting your shots for output. For arty effects, cropping, image adjustments, such as brightness and contrast, and removing the ever-dangerous red eye, investing in the right photo editing software will rarely be a false economy.
Photo Journalism
One great option available to would be photo journalists is to use a service called Scoopt. The site provides users with a free account, to which they can upload their shots from current and recent events. The administrators of the site will then try to negotiate the sale of your photo(s) to interested parties (websites, newspapers, periodicals) and split the fee 50/50 with you, the Photographer. There is an element of being in the right place at the right time with this option, as breaking news articles appear to be favored.
Portrait Studio
Setting up and running your own portrait studio can be an easy way into the photography business, and launch you into the lucrative Kids Market. Offering family portraits and photo's of kids in their early years can open you up to a steady stream of work through referrals and repeat business. Many clients like to make a yearly trip to the photo studio, especially around the holidays, to capture their growing families in a good light, and the network of Moms can't fail to give you the word-of-mouth marketing treatment for free.
Greetings Cards & Calendars
Following on from the portrait market, you can offer your snaps on greetings cards and calendars to the same clients. Photoshop will allow you to easily format your images for exactly this purpose, and many products can be printed from your own home, without sacrificing quality.
Corporate & Events
At this point, you can use your growing network to pitch for parties and events. One option is to approach schools and colleges about graduation photography. See if you can get sole access to graduates on their big day and offer them prints in a range of formats. This method can also be applied to the corporate world, where events and expositions form an important part of the calendar.
From photo-journalism to holiday greetings cards, the possibilities are endless in the lucrative business of photography. Do your research, and you could soon be snapping for dollars!
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