Freelance photography stats reveal that the average photographer makes around $43000 per year with this side hustle. That means it can become a good income resource to cut down your living expenses.
Photography unlocks your creativity and is a passion beyond just a side hustle. However, you can make good money by offering your services at events like conferences, weddings, and community meetings.
Photography Side Hustle Income Potential
One in there Americans has a side hustle and more people are planning to start this year. The photography side hustle has good income potential as compared to the other available opportunities.
As per the official statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, photographers get paid $24.14 per hour and generate $50,210 per year on average. These 2 year old stats endorse the reasonable income potential of the photography side hustle.
Creative Photography Side Hustle Ideas
Portrait Photography
Give individuals and families portrait photography services with your creative skills. Capture family portraits, business headshots, and engaging images that will attract more clients.
Nature And Landscape Photography
Shoot photos of landscapes, animals, and natural views to inspire people. Grab the attention of nature lovers and travel companies to offer them your photography services.
Stock Photos
Take creative and engaging photos of various categories, places, and people around you. List them on stock image websites like GettyImages, Shutterstock, and DepositPhotos for monetization.
Food And Culinary Photography
Collaborate with food bloggers, restaurant owners, and eateries for capturing food and culinary photos. Entice businesses, culinary brands, and marketing agencies with your creative imagery.
Pet Photography
Connect pet lovers with your stunning shots of animals and their connection with owners. Help pet parents capture unique moments for social media sharing.
Sports Photography
Take the passion, action, and feelings of athletes into imagery. Cover the sports events, leagues, and championships. Get connected with sports organizers and media outlets to capture unique moments. That will be used as a memorial, commercial, and editorial content.
Drone Photography
Becoming a certified drone pilot can be one more creative idea for photographers. Take aerial sights of landscapes, real estate projects, and events in compliance with local regulations.
Fashion Photography
Cover fashion shows and events on behalf of brands, publications, and modeling agencies. Capture the creative work of fashion designers and stylists to present before the world.
12 Best Side Hustles For Photographers
Here are some side hustle ideas for photographers that can generate good money for your financial freedom.
1. Freelance Photography
Become a freelance photographer and offer your services to media outlets for editorial needs. Capture images for their stories, features, and covers.
Get an understanding of different photography genres and develop your communication skills to become successful.
2. Product Photography
Help e-commerce sellers and local commerce merchants in creating catchy visuals of their products. So they can use them in their listings and attract more buyers.
Use freelance marketplaces, social media, and related online communities to find clients related to your product photography services.
3. Photo Restoration
Restore old photos carrying memorial attachments and connect people with their past with your creativity. You should good understanding and hands-on experience with photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
The photo restoration process demands creativity and takes time to meet the client’s demands. They may ask for multiple revisions so you should be mentally prepared. Remain attached to local and online communities for getting frequent clients.
4. Create Photo Book
Create personalized photo books for people who want to capture and store their precious life moments like weddings, having a child, and family gatherings.
Make photo albums focusing on the futuristic preservation of life memories with your camera lens. That will keep them attached to their past and recall those moments later on.
5. Corporate Photography Services
Cover corporate events and business meetings to capture some shots for their social media, websites, and marketing campaigns. Use your creativity to shoot stunning visuals for their PR and advertising needs.
It requires hands-on experience and photography equipment like DSLR or Mirrorless cameras, lenses, stands, and lighting for next-level results.
Best Online Side Jobs For Photographers
Here are some easy online ventures you can start as a photographer to make money.
6. Social Media Content Creation
Help brands, businesses, and individuals create engaging content for their social media like Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and Pinterest.
Use image editing tools like Visme, Canva, and Adobe Photoshop for photos. While video editing tools like Veed.io, Premier Pro, and CapCut to craft stunning visuals for your clients.
7. Start Your Photography Blog
Blogs are the best passive income resource that makes good money while you sleep. Start your photography blog where you can share different photography ideas, practices, and equipment-related information.
You learn basic SEO and WordPress to get organic search visibility. Look for low-competition and low-hanging fruits to get organic traffic faster. Implement the latest content writing practices, content marketing, and SEO strategies to scale your blog.
8. Online Photography Course or Podcast
Educate the aspiring photographers through your expertise and knowledge. Start your photography podcast or online course to make money from it.
Use your YouTube channel and social media pages for podcast sharing. Create an online short course and publish it on Udemy, Coursera, and SkillShare to monetize.
9. Participate In Online Photography Contests
Take part in virtual photography contests and get incentives like cash prizes, shields, and recognition among the community. This way you can enhance your exposure and build a strong portfolio to get the attention of more clients.
Look for online places, communities, and organizations that organize such contests, register yourself, and use your creativity to inspire the judges.
10. Develop And Sell Lightroom Presets
Monetize your unique editing style and creativity by selling the Lightroom presets to other photographers. Such things help them enhance the workflow and add creativity to their work.
This side gig is best for experienced individuals who love to implement new ideas and practices in their photo editing framework.
Free Side Hustles For Photographers
11. Stock Photography Side Hustle
Create stock images in different genres and categories to sell them on stock photography websites like Shutterstock, Getty Images, and Pexels.
Get paid for the sold images in the form of a license and royalty. These websites allow individual photographers to share their exclusive photos and videos with a massive buyer community.
12. Real Estate Photography Side Hustle
Help realtors and insurance companies get exclusive real estate photos and content for their marketing needs. Visit the properties on sale, cover all the aspects for potential buyers, and get paid for your services.
This side hustle may require physical visits to the sites and houses to shoot them for the website or social media listings.
How Can Photographers Make Extra Money?
Photo Booth Rentals
Establish a photo booth and rent it out for events, weddings, and community gatherings. You can make good money from this investment opportunity.
Fine Art Print Sales
Create a portfolio of your fine art prints and market them to interior designers, collectors, and art lovers. Use social media, art galleries, and online platforms to sell your prints.
Photography Tours And Workshops
Plan tours and workshops for aspirants and share your on-site expertise. Hold information and demonstrative sessions to enhance their photography skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Photographers are born with their love for camera and creativity. It is an easy side hustle that requires some practice and guidance to become successful.
The above ideas give you a brief understanding of ideas to monetize your passion for photography. Pick the right prospect to start making money for your living expenses.
