I often talk to the guys who shoot for WireImage (now owned by Getty Images) since we often work the same events. Since I'm entertaining the possibility of transitioning to stills for a living someday, I asked them about any possible opportunities they could throw my way. All agreed that the rates have dropped, and the market has become very diluted. Since about 2000, everyone has switched to DSLRs, and the technical barriers to entry have been lowered since the film days. When I used to hire photographers for corporate work in the early 1990s, I used to pay between $800-$1,200/day for both medium-format and 4x5 work. I was also talking to a major-studio unit photographer the other day, thinking he made about the same early-90s rate I was familiar with, and he said, "No, it's way less."
Cheap Pay Check + Part-Time Amateur = Death Of Pro Photo Career
(61 posts) (31 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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Studio: in the light of general pro photography apparently being a disappearing profession, maybe you ought to rethink moving heavily into it. Having said that, there does appear to be some guys still making good money in portrait work - for the moment anyway.
Posted 2 years ago # -
spraynpray said:
Studio: in the light of general pro photography apparently being a disappearing profession, maybe you ought to rethink moving heavily into it. Having said that, there does appear to be some guys still making good money in portrait work - for the moment anyway.Well, at this point, I would be happy just to get a few commercial assignments on the weekends, just to help pay for the gear (and, to be able to buy more gear). A friend of mine shoots headshots for agencies for $500/day--I would be happy to do the same. I admit, I have a pretty good day job, and I'm not likely to leave that anytime soon.
Posted 2 years ago # -
studio460 said:
Well, at this point, I would be happy just to get a few commercial assignments on the weekends, just to help pay for the gear (and, to be able to buy more gear). A friend of mine shoots headshots for agencies for $500/day--I would be happy to do the same. I admit, I have a pretty good day job, and I'm not likely to leave that anytime soon.Studio... I'm in the same situation as you regarding having a decent day job, its just that for me 50% of my photo work is related to *THAT* day job!
When I was 40 years old, I never thought that at age 55, I'd be doing this kind of thing... and get paid for it (even if its not $500/day as your friend gets)!
Full salary, benefits, pension etc, means I've got a great gig going on here! Does it make me a "Pro"? I am very unwilling to take on that label as the traditional "Pro" does different kinds of work (formal portraits, hot news etc) than I do (I am very 'event' and feature oriented) and has a different style of operation (from a studio? I work "in the field") to me. I know I am held to the same standards as the other 2 full-timers doing this work too. Perhaps it is just "different"?
Posted 2 years ago # -
This thread was interesting when it popped up a year ago and now it's even more so to me. I went to South America last year (there's a whole post on the Galapagos where the forum offered camera/lens advice) and brought back quite a few images. I work in advertising/marketing (as a writer, not a photographer or designer) and one of my agency friends offered to buy 2 of my shots for use in one of his client's catalogs (a high-end travel company). These were by no means cover shots; in fact they were reproduced at about 2"x3". For the one-time usage I was paid $625 in total. It seemed fair to me (and truth be told, this was a pretty good friend and sometimes client so I wasn't going to negotiate), but I'd like to get the pov of some of you who obviously do this for a living. Good price? Bad price? Am I Uncle Joe/soccer mom? If the situation arises again with a non-friend do I drive a harder bargain? Obviously this isn't going to replace my day job but it's a nice way to justify new gear purchases.
Thoughts?Posted 1 year ago # -
Hi all,
Interesting thread, and I agree that 'digital' has changed things, but I quite agree with aslightdelay, in my fifty years at this, I remember that auto focus and auto exposure was a big change, too (although, admittedly not as revolutionary - but at the time if you used either you were considered a wussy).
It seems to me that the well rounded photographer just has a bigger range of tools to master in order deliver great images, certainly increase one's dimension as an artist.
The darkroom has gone digital.
Quite frankly, my first jobs in photography were in darkroom work. If it wasn't for that background I wouldn't be the shooter I am (for good or bad).
The same is true for anyone wanting to shoot well today. Learning the electronic tools in image processing go hand-in-hand with shooting skills.
Good work always finds a way to success.
My best,
Mike
Posted 1 year ago # -
Two words for those whining professionals. Medium format.
That is an area where amateurs cannot compete in for at least a decade to come.
Go Hasselblad or PhaseOne or whatever and continue your careers. Sure, it is a huge investment in gear. But can you call yourself a pro if you are not making enough dough to cover up for it in a few years? Perhaps another career would suit you better.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Godless said:
Two words for those whining professionals. Medium format.That is an area where amateurs cannot compete in for at least a decade to come.
Go Hasselblad or PhaseOne or whatever and continue your careers. Sure, it is a huge investment in gear. But can you call yourself a pro if you are not making enough dough to cover up for it in a few years? Perhaps another career would suit you better.
Hi,
I don't agree. Buying equipment to make one a professional doesn't make much sense. It's not what's in your hands, but rather what's in your head that counts.
If your logic were true, anyone could just buy into any craft (and many have tried and failed).
Better to invest in one's training and education in the craft, but rather in just the craft of shooting, all aspects to include the digital darkroom, too.
I would certainly consider pointing to those skills.
My best,
Mike
Posted 1 year ago # -
I agree completely with you Mike, well said!
Also, for those of you who say you can't make a living at it, I must disagree. There's plenty of opportunities for self employment taking pictures but it isn't going to come to you, you have to go after it. There was a time when one didn't have to market themselves much to get business, now it's just as important in how hard you market yourself as it is taking the pictures.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I couldn't agree more with Bland. I make enough of a living, but it's only because I spend a huge portion of my time tracking down opportunities.
Crappy amateurs are killing the wedding and event photography side of my business but my product work is growing every year enough to offset what I have lost from the downturn in economy and subsequent loss of wedding photography business.
Posted 1 year ago #
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