How much do you make on photography

[M. Worthington]

I have no idea how much photographers make on a yearly basis. It seems overall like a seasonal occupation, even for the best of them.

Taking a poll would be a good way to gauge about how much photographers tend to make in a year. Please, if you make or have made any money on photography, participate in this poll and let us know approximately how much you earn. Your vote is anonymous.

Feel free to add comments to the thread.

[brian.austin]

Net or gross?

[M. Worthington]

Originally Posted by brian.austin

Net or gross?

Gross.

[Kosherpaparazzi]

Who makes More than 100,000 dollars a year? (someone clicked it.)

[Mark McCall]

I'm afraid I might skew the results your looking for.

Photography can be a great way to make a living, but you have to be a business person first, photographer second.
I was lucky to have studied with some of the worlds finest photographers, who also just happed to be outstanding business people. They were instrumental in getting me to recognize the value of the photographic market, and pricing myself accordingly.

Before subjecting my family to a pipe dream I had, I looked up the addresses of all the photographers in my area, then spent one Sunday afternoon doing drive-bys of their homes.
I wanted to see homes, cars, property....the level they lived on.
I was both surprised and disappointed.
Some of the more "exclusive" photographers lived in the least pricey homes.

The common thread I noticed;
Photography talent didn't necessarily translate into a higher end lifestyle.

The photographers who lived on a better level weren't the more talented photographers. They were the better business people.

Originally Posted by Kosherpaparazzi

Who makes More than 100,000 dollars a year? (someone clicked it.)

That would be me.
As stated, photography can provide a very comfortable living, but you must be a business person first, photographer second.
My level of income is not typical. I had to work for years to get it to that level, but it's something anyone can do.

[cyclohexane]

Less than $500/yr at the moment, but I'm a part time state employee/student so we get "paid", but not really. =)

[photojazz54]

None, Natta, Zlitch...whatever I make on stock photos...feeds my NAS habit!

[Fymoh]

Nothing, just a hobby for me.

[bforrester]

Mark your post is really encouraging. My wife and I just started charging this summer to test the waters. We're in the 500-5000 crowd After treating it as a hobby for most of the year, we're now beginning to approach this as a business. I have to agree that you must be a businessman (or person to be more PC) first and then a photographer. We are finding that is a more challenging piece of the puzzle. Especially since we both work full time. Hopefully we can ramp things up over the next year to replace one of our jobs.

[northlander]

I"ve managed to turn it into a hobby that pays for itself and a little more. I have never envisioned myself as a full time because I think that turning hobbies into work takes the fun out of the hobby.

[Mark McCall]

bforrester,
Good for you. I was very lucky to have fallen with with some great people who helped me understand the business, as well as marketing areas of photography.

I live very comfortably, which is why you work in the first place, right?...to provide a nice home for your family? and to have money to do the things you enjoy?

Keep in mind a good portion of that income is reinvested into my photographic education, which is still ongoing.

[Paul Shields]

Luckily I make close to zero £ (or $) from photography. I would need to take a big pay cut from my 'proper' job for a start, and also wouldn't be able to just take shots of what interests me . I'd like to sell the odd print in the future, but if not then c'est la vie.

I've never felt envious of professional photographers (a lot of them - the likes of Mark excluded - seem to just about make ends meet from what I can see). It makes a great hobby, but turning pro? No way Hosay...

[Unkl Buck]

Originally Posted by Paul Shields

Luckily I make close to zero £ (or $) from photography. I would need to take a big pay cut from my 'proper' job for a start, and also wouldn't be able to just take shots of what interests me . I'd like to sell the odd print in the future, but if not then c'est la vie.

Luckily? Okay. Who says you need to take a pay cut? I know photographers that gross almost a million in a year. There is a common characteristic about them. Along the lines of what Mark said.

BTW, one of those photographers is a golfing buddy of mine.

[digitalzed]

Originally Posted by M. Worthington

Gross.

That is how I would describe my photo income. Come to think of it, you could say the same for outflow of cash! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

[trentchau]

I've spent the last few years only charging a little at most to justify owning my gear. I'll make about $4500 this year, and about $3000 last year. It's nice knowing you have something you can make some good side income with, mostly paired with my current full time job that pays a decent amount.

Eventually I would like to do 1 wedding a month at an average of $1200 and another weekend event, while keeping my other weekends and weekdays available for my new baby girl. So an extra $20k would be nice.