Flickr Photostream C&C

joeKel73

OK wasn't sure whether to post this but I'll chance it!

I saw on another thread where someone was looking at options of making money in photography that a few of you had a look through their Flickr. I just finished college last week (as a civil engineer) and the job sector isn't looking the best at the moment. I'd love to earn some money from photography. Not after a fortune, I'd be happy to put in a weeks work and earn the equivalent of the dole.

I'd appreciate it if some of you had a flick through my Flickr photostream and see if the substance is there to be even considering career options in photography. Be constructively honest! I've had my DSLR for about 10months now but was playing around with a Fuji bridge camera before then.

EDIT: On dinneenp's advice here's a rough "best of" set.
My Flickr
View through FlickrRiver
(You'll have to dig a bit through the recent underwater shots!)

I know my main downside in this respect is the serious lack of photos of people. This is an area I want to expand upon now over the Summer, step out of my comfort zone. I think I might actually jump into the deep end and do a theme around people for the SoFoMoBo project...

Thanks, Joe

dinneenp

Hi,
I'd suggest creating a set like this- your 'portfolio/fav' shots.

Show your best work, saves people trawling through your 'everything'.
I'll have a look then.

Good luck,
Patrick.

m_s_nixon

I actually thought you were a pro so I definitely think you can make money from your work

joeKel73

dinneenp wrote: »

I'd suggest creating a set like this- your 'portfolio/fav' shots.

Good idea, I've done that here now: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36224551@N04/sets/72157624052608667/detail/
Putting that together proved harder than expected! I've never prepared a portfolio or the likes, so tried to put a bit of a range in that.

I very often find though that my personal favorites are very different to other peoples.

m_s_nixon wrote: »

I actually thought you were a pro so I definitely think you can make money from your work

Oh. Thanks! No only learning yet!

IamBlip

[QUOTE=foto joe;http://www.flickr.com/photos/36224551@N04/sets/72157624052608667/detail/

Putting that together proved harder than expected![/QUOTE]


I'd say it did, you've really got a great collection of photos there that should appeal to the buying public, however reading a recent thread here (summertime....) suggests that actually the method of making a few quid from them is the hard part.

Ballyman

Hi Joe

It's a very difficult thing to do, make money from your photos. I've found that most jobs are gotten through word of mouth and recommendations rather than experience and portfolios although a portfolio will help in getting the first job!!

Your portfolio is fine for what it is but it's literally impossible to make a cent with the type of photography you have in your portfolio. If someone wants a wedding/pr/sport/news/communion/event/commercial type photographer then your portfolio has no examples of these types of photography so you will be passed over.

What your portfolio does show is that you have a good understanding of light/composition, camera functions and processing. However this is the least thats expected of a competent photographer and without a portfolio of the type of photography that a potential client is looking for then it's a no go I'm afraid.

There is no simple fix for this or easy answer. What I would do (and did a few years ago ) is to take product type shots at home as professionally as you can. This will give you experience with setting up lights and how to make products look interesting by taking shots at different angles and in different situations. You now have a product portfolio!
What you can also do (and I did as well ) is to scour gumtree and the wedding websites and you will find a few ads where brides are looking for a student (what they mean is free!) photographer. Do the gig for free and if they are anyway decent at all they will throw you a few quid anyway. You now have a wedding portfolio!!

So you now have two portfolios that are useful for gaining paid work. Ok, they're not ideal and probably not the best either and you won't get high payi9ng jobs but there is always someone out there who is not willing to pay big bucks and if you can show them that you are competent at doing what they want you to do and ye can come to an agreement on price then you're on your way. It won't make you rich but it might get you on the road there!!

Best of luck.

SinLight

Totally agree with what Ballyman just said - try to get some other shots and vary your portfolio as much as possible so that if the occasion comes you show them what they want to see not all the shots you have there.

On the other side - great shots you have.
Good Luck!

dave66

Joe,

I'm an amateur, so no experience as a professional photographer. As far as your Flickr favourite set is concerned I think you have some great shots there, as you mentioned and was mentioned by others, yes it lacks people photos. Not a problem if you are doing photography as a hobby for you, but guess it could be an issue if you were going after portrait or other people photography.

I guess you need to ask yourself, what type of photography do you want to try make money from? Personally, I would not have the patience (let alone skills) to try wedding photography.

Something to consider, we are coming into the tourist season now, could you get some of you favourites framed and then get them into local shops, restaurants, coffee shops - you might get some sales from that. You could sell unframed either mounted or unmounted prints.

joeKel73

Thanks for the comprehensive response Ballyman! Yeah I have been only taking photos that I enjoy and not with any commercial objective.

I like your idea of doing product photography with random products about the house - I'll definitely give that a go. Nice rainy day and evening project!

I don't think I'm ready to be offering services for a wedding but that would be a good idea for entering into that area after getting more experience photographing people. I have wondered how people got into photographing weddings... a bit like getting into the Olympic Ski Jump...!

joeKel73

dave66 wrote: »

Something to consider, we are coming into the tourist season now, could you get some of you favourites framed and then get them into local shops, restaurants, coffee shops - you might get some sales from that. You could sell unframed either mounted or unmounted prints.

Thanks Dave. Does this work? I have often seen priced photos in cafes before but have never seen anyone enquire about them.

thefly

Hi Joe

I think your stuff is great but in terms of making money I cant see it. Maybe gets some prints done head down to your local tourist hotspot and see if you have any takers. Taking nice shots and making money are completely different. I would suggest that you do a commercial photography course

dave66

foto joe wrote: »

Thanks Dave. Does this work? I have often seen priced photos in cafes before but have never seen anyone enquire about them. I did have a photo on a camera shop window in Galway last Summer actually after an amateur photo comp and it funded all my current gear - so to get into that situation again would be great! Maybe I'll do up a portfolio of local shots and see if the camera shop would be willing to have one in the window....

One of my favourite places in Ireland is Hook Head, they have a coffee shop in the old lighthouse keepers houses, local artists have photographs and paintings displayed there, I have personally bought a painting and I have seen people buying 8x10 prints there.

thefly

Ballyman wrote: »

Hi Joe

It's a very difficult thing to do, make money from your photos. I've found that most jobs are gotten through word of mouth and recommendations rather than experience and portfolios although a portfolio will help in getting the first job!!

Your portfolio is fine for what it is but it's literally impossible to make a cent with the type of photography you have in your portfolio. If someone wants a wedding/pr/sport/news/communion/event/commercial type photographer then your portfolio has no examples of these types of photography so you will be passed over.

What your portfolio does show is that you have a good understanding of light/composition, camera functions and processing. However this is the least thats expected of a competent photographer and without a portfolio of the type of photography that a potential client is looking for then it's a no go I'm afraid.

There is no simple fix for this or easy answer. What I would do (and did a few years ago ) is to take product type shots at home as professionally as you can. This will give you experience with setting up lights and how to make products look interesting by taking shots at different angles and in different situations. You now have a product portfolio!
What you can also do (and I did as well ) is to scour gumtree and the wedding websites and you will find a few ads where brides are looking for a student (what they mean is free!) photographer. Do the gig for free and if they are anyway decent at all they will throw you a few quid anyway. You now have a wedding portfolio!!

So you now have two portfolios that are useful for gaining paid work. Ok, they're not ideal and probably not the best either and you won't get high payi9ng jobs but there is always someone out there who is not willing to pay big bucks and if you can show them that you are competent at doing what they want you to do and ye can come to an agreement on price then you're on your way. It won't make you rich but it might get you on the road there!!

Best of luck.

I agree with most of what you say but you make it sound very easy. Commercial Photographers can charge over 2 grand a day for their services and they didn't learn the trade over night. I mean to shoot a bottle of beer can take up to 8 hours. I know someone who did work for McDonalds to shoot the image of the burger behind the counter. It took 2 days. They had over 1000 burgers and 500 bundys at the shoot. They flew a food make up artist over from London who's specialty was burgers and they had the assistants literally remove one sesame seed at a time and put it back in the same place. It,s really not as simple as you make out. The reason I have gone into such detail is, I wouldn't want Joe to present very ordinary shots in a portfolio.

If you have the time try and get in with a commercial photographer and assist him. You will see first hand the amount of work that goes into a product shot.

Ballyman

thefly wrote: »

I agree with most of what you say but you make it sound very easy. Commercial Photographers can charge over 2 grand a day for their services and they didn't learn the trade over night. I mean to shoot a bottle of beer can take up to 8 hours. I know someone who did work for McDonalds to shoot the image of the burger behind the counter. It took 2 days. They had over 1000 burgers and 500 bundys at the shoot. They flew a food make up artist over from London who's specialty was burgers and they had the assistants literally remove one sesame seed at a time and put it back in the same place. It,s really not as simple as you make out. The reason I have gone into such detail is, I wouldn't want Joe to present very ordinary shots in a portfolio.

If you have the time try and get in with a commercial photographer and assist him. You will see first hand the amount of work that goes into a product shot.

Howdy

I'm well aware of how difficult every kind of photography is, trust me! I've had commercial shoots for both large and small corporations and it was a real eye opener when I started.

I'm not suggesting it is easy. What I meant him to do is build up some kind of portfolio thats of use rather than the types of images he currently has on his portfolio.

Obviously with a portfolio of images made at home around the house is unlikely to get him commissioned by McDonalds for a worldwide launch of some new cardboard burger but it may get Mick's Cafe down the road in Ballyhaunis interested in having a few shots of his cafe for advertising in the local gazette for a few quid.

Mick isn't going to pay a commercial photographers rates as he can't afford them but he just very well might pay Joe's rates as a young beginner photographer. But Mick will still want to see what Joe is capable of before he hands over his hard earned.

Mick gets his images and Joe gets some experience and a few quid. I don't see a loser here.

thefly

Ballyman wrote: »

Howdy

I'm well aware of how difficult every kind of photography is, trust me! I've had commercial shoots for both large and small corporations and it was a real eye opener when I started.

I'm not suggesting it is easy. What I meant him to do is build up some kind of portfolio thats of use rather than the types of images he currently has on his portfolio.

Obviously with a portfolio of images made at home around the house is unlikely to get him commissioned by McDonalds for a worldwide launch of some new cardboard burger but it may get Mick's Cafe down the road in Ballyhaunis interested in having a few shots of his cafe for advertising in the local gazette for a few quid.

Mick isn't going to pay a commercial photographers rates as he can't afford them but he just very well might pay Joe's rates as a young beginner photographer. But Mick will still want to see what Joe is capable of before he hands over his hard earned.

Mick gets his images and Joe gets some experience and a few quid. I don't see a loser here .

Very well said and I can't disagree with any of it.

LionelNashe

I have a couple of this guys prints on my walls that I bought at the Ideal Homes exhibition. (Though I don't think the site has been updated in a good while).

So I'd say it is possible to make money doing non-commercial and non-wedding stuff, but it would take some time and determination in selling and driving people to a website. If I could take landscapes like yours, I'd try to produce and market some calendars, aimed at xmas gift market and tourists.

dave66

LionelNashe wrote: »

I have a couple of this guys prints on my walls that I bought at the Ideal Homes exhibition. (Though I don't think the site has been updated in a good while).

So I'd say it is possible to make money doing non-commercial and non-wedding stuff, but it would take some time and determination in selling and driving people to a website. If I could take landscapes like yours, I'd try to produce and market some calendars, aimed at xmas gift market and tourists.

Lionel,

Philip Pankov is a fairly well know guy, I like his work. I believe he has also taken space at things like the Spring Show or a show in the RDS coming up to Christmas.

I did the calendar thing two years ago and actually gave them as Christmas presents, I didn't really want to as it felt arrogant but my wife insisted - they went down a storm and I reckon we probably save a but of money. Mind you lead to grief last Christmas when I didn't repeat it and people wanted to know where their calendars were.

Joe, if you can print and mount (simply) a few of your shots it would probably be worth visiting a few coffee shops, tourist shops etc.

dinneenp

I've been meaning to approach some cafés and local market.
I'll do so this month (hopefully) and will update as to how I get on.

joeKel73

What's the best way to present them for this? What sort of mounting? Framed?

the_monkey

Indeed as people have been saying allthough your photos are fantastic,
it is hard to make money with them - through stock agenices anyway.
Have a look at istockphoto.com and other stock sites to see what
kind of photos make money (imo its all corporate CRAP - people in suits smiling + shaking hands etc)

maybe try redbubble too , at least with redbubble there is no 'accept or not phase' with your submitted pics

good luck

dave66

foto joe wrote: »

What's the best way to present them for this? What sort of mounting? Framed?

Joe,

I am absolutely no expert and have no experience doing this .... from what I have seen in various places around Wexford and Cork, was framed prints displayed and then smaller (8x10) prints matted and in clear celephone packs andor postcards of the framed prints on sale. Some were displayed in a wire rack, others were in a box that you could flick through.

I'm sure there must be somebody here who has done this type of thing.