There is nothing better than a great hobby to take your mind off of the everyday and fill you with a sense of well being; that is except for a hobby such as photography that actually pays you. Maybe you didn’t know it but there are many different ways that you can make money with your photographs and turn your shutter bugging habit into a small side job.
With the advent of the Internet it is now easier than ever to make money with your photography hobby, though you can make money offline as well. Here are some of the ways that photography can pay:
• Events photographer: You hear the story all the time; someone is asked by their friends to snap a few photos at their wedding and then the shots come out so good that someone else that views the shots ends up hiring that person for their wedding. This type of story is what is known as an accidental money making opportunity. You can either wait for someone to find your talent or if you know that you have it, you can get a few business cards made and starting with friends and family you can photograph their events. As you get better and your portfolio grows so too will your clientele and the prices you can charge.
• Photo contests: A fun and sometimes fruitful way to enjoy photography is through the joy of photo contests. Photo contests are a great way to not only hone your skills as a photographer, but they can also mean a few extra bucks in your pocket if you are to win them. Some photography contest only offer prizes instead of cash but a win is a win and as you get better you can pick and choose the photo contests that you enter.
• Online: These days there are a number of websites in which you can join that will actually let you sell your photographs to anyone who is interested. Most of these sites do cost a bit of money to join, but once you are a member you have the opportunity to upload as many photos as you want and sell them over and over again. People who are looking for photos for websites, blogs, or any other kind of online medium that requires photos will search these sites looking for what they need. If you have what they need then you can realize a little extra money in your bank account. You can even work with websites that will arrange all the billing and bill collecting for you so all you have to do is log on and see how much you have made.
While any hobby that you inevitably choose to do is a worthwhile endeavor, one that can actually pay you like photography can be even more rewarding. Who knows, you may be so good at taking photographs that your on the side hobby will turn into an on the side business and maybe even an eventual full time business.