So who am I to give you advice on how to make money as a part time photographer?
My name is James Taylor.
I own Outlaw Photography of Bandera, Texas.
I shoot almost entirely portraits; seniors, children, brides, couples, families. My wife shoots maternity and baby photos.
I fell bass ackwards into professional photography over 12 years ago. I landed a job as a photojournalist with my hometown newspaper, and as people saw my photos in the paper, they began asking if I also did family portraits. One good paid photo shoot led to the next, and I continued to do off-and-on professional work until I launched Outlaw Photography ‘officially’ in 2005. Since then, I’ve worked hard to improve my art and my business acumen while learning to balance a full time day job, part time photography job, and life.
Life for me includes my better half Jacklen and three young kiddos, McCayla (7), Canon (4), and the newest addition, Athena Corinna (celebrating one year in November 2011). Yes, Canon, as in my son is named after my preferred camera manufacturer. But that’s a story for another day.
I have been blessed with a great deal of success as a part time professional photographer over the years, and after a decade, I’ve hit a stride which now allows me the chance to share this success with others. Success to me is happy clients, happy family, happy self. A big part of the latter for me is giving back, which is what I hope to do here at PartTimePhoto.com.
After years and years of studying the art, business, and industry of photography online and here in the real world, I’ve learned that the people making the transition from unpaid amateurs to part time professionals is a massive, confused, underserved, underappreciated community.
That’s about to change. Drastically.
You generally have three levels of photographers:
- Amateurs and enthusiasts who shoot for fun and don’t care about making money off their work (Hi Uncle Joe!)
- Amateurs interested in making money with their photography (that’s you!)
- Professionals actively earning good pay for their time
Certainly there are, as the supermodels of ModelMayhem call them, “GWC’s” or “Guys With Cameras”; you have insanely talented amateurs and students all over Flickr; and you have a wide range of professionals from starvings artists to the Vincent Laforets and Anne Geddeses of the world.
This entire web site is targeted squarely at that Middle Category: amateurs, enthusiasts, students, part-timers, stay at home dads, unfulfilled day job moms, teenagers looking for summer work, etc.
I’m living that dream right now, and have been for many years. It is fun, it is stress-free, it is a perfect creative outlet, it’s a great way to meet interesting people, and it pays well. It took a lot of trial and a lot of error to learn how to achieve that sweet-spot balance between art, business, and life.
I hope that through sharing here on PartTimePhoto.com the whole of my experience in this journey, I will help others achieve the same success I have as a part time professional photographer.
Here’s some boring background bio info for you, just to show you how small-town I am and that it’s possible to be successful anywhere:
James Taylor’s “If I can do it…” Profile:
Me: Outlaw Photographer James Taylor.
Born in Tarpley, Texas, population: 30.
Graduated from, got a job in, and started part time photography business in Bandera, Texas, population: 957.
Still working for the same newspaper over a decade down the road.
Still a happy part time photographer.
Won gobs of big fish, small pond journalism awards, for sports photography, feature photography, news writing, page layout and design, etc. Voted “Best Photographer in Bandera County (population < 20,000) in 2007, 2008." Most recently picked up my biggest contest win yet, a first-place sports photography award from the Texas Press Association.
Everything I know about being a successful part time photographer, I look forward to sharing here on PartTimePhoto.com. It will take time and plenty of writing, but I truly believe you have the capability to better your life and the lives of those around you through the art and business of part time photography.
It’s benefited my life, and if you so desire, it can benefit yours.
Next Steps
- Surf over to Flickr and find three photographers whose portraiture work inspires you. Bookmark their photo streams. Contact each one: say by phone, e-mail, or picture comment, “I am an aspiring professional photographer and your work on Flickr is really inspirational. May I contact you once in a while to talk about photography?” You’ll learn that the most successful photographers are often the most open to helping you.
- Brainstorm session: make a list of all the people – famous, celebrity, or otherwise – with whom you would love to do a portrait session. From the President to a favorite comedian to Grandma. Save in your Brainstorms folder.
- If you’re down with the clown until you’re dead in the ground and would like to continue benefiting from the articles posted to this blog, please feel free to click the “Subscribe” button at the top of any page of this site.
- Who inspired you to take up photography, and then take it to the next level by doing paid work? Leave a comment below, e-mail me, or call or text me at 830-688-1564.
Similar Posts:
- Want to make money as a part time photographer?
- How to make money as a part time portrait photographer – Startup Series, Part 1
- Debate: Is longevity the selling point for photography studio prints (and their prices)?
- What does a successful part time photographer look like? – Startup Series, Part 4
- How do I get my first photography client? – Your First Customer Series, Part 4
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Called your phone number, left a message — would sure love to talk about the business with you. I’ve really enjoyed your posts, thus far. I can tell you have lots of practical information/advice to offer.
Thanks so much for the visit on the phone tonight DeWaun! You’ve certainly got the photography chops to do great business, now the trick is just translating that into a portrait photography service. I have no doubt you’ve got the drive and hustle to make it happen with aplomb. We’ll talk again soon!
I’m following your “next steps” as best as I can. It’s already pushing me out of my comfort zones – I’m not really a “hey, here’s who I am… mind if we chat?” type of person. But when YOU ask these open ended questions, it makes perfect sense to respond…
The person who inspired me to take up photography as a source of income? My first wedding client, Michelle. At first, it was a favor for a friend. But after I shot the wedding, it gave me a sense of accomplishment that I hadn’t felt in quite some time. It was sort of a natural adrenaline rush… and I liked it.
-J
Taking action is always hard – it’s what separates the dreamers from the doers, the one-day’s from the right-now’s. You are not alone in facing these challenges – but as always, recognize these challenges as the gifts that they are – they create a ‘barrier of entry’ that gives you the opportunity to rise above and separate yourself from would-be competition. The man or woman who breaks through the most barriers and strives through the greatest challenges to survive and thrive on the other side, they are the ones who reach the highest stratospheric levels of success. They’ve done what so many others were unwilling to do.
Read Seth Godin’s “The Dip,” or better yet, pick up the audiobook and let the author read it to you. The lessons in that book will ingrain upon you a newfound ability to not just overcome but embrace every challenge you face as a small business owner.
Thank you again for your readership!
I’m so excited to have found your site! My sister, Amy Earle ( http://www.simplybphotos.com) sent me your link. She is also the person who encouraged and inspired me to take up photography.
I’m looking forward to reading through all you have to offer! Thanks so much for sharing such helpful, specific advice. It certainly helps a lot to hear from someone who has done what I’m trying to do. It’s especially nice to hear from someone that “gets it” about this not being my full-time job but I still want to be successful.
Thanks again!
Tammy
Thank you so much Tammy! Your sister’s photography is just lovely! Beautiful web site as well, I’m sure her clients are very, very happy working with her.
The grognards love to hate on us part time photographers, many going so far as to say we “can’t” call ourselves professionals if we don’t derive the majority of our income from our photography. Absolutely absurd.
Part time professionals have every bit the same ability to provide professional experiences and art for our clients as full-timers. The latter may enjoy an accelerated growth curve because they can dedicate 40+ hours a week to their business, but that doesn’t devalue the work that we part-timers are capable of producing.
Rock on! Please do keep me posted on your adventures in professional photography, I’d love to hear how your business develops! If there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to let me know!
I really can’t thank you enough. Your website is wonderful! I have had a couple people ask me to take some photos after seeing some that I had taken of my family but I had no idea how to start. This website answered so many questions and made the whole process so much less overwhelmimg. I found the info informative and enjoyable to read. Can’t wait to dig around some more. Thank you.
Well thank you so much for your kind words Lindsay! I’m very blessed to get to work on a project like PTP. Best of luck with your upcoming photo shoots! Have confidence, take deep breaths, and have fun with it. These early shoots are a wonderful mix of excitement and education, soak it all up and you’ll be amazed at how fast you learn things you never knew you needed to know! If there’s any way I can help, please don’t hesitate to let me know. And please do keep me posted on your successes and adventures!
I just stumbled onto your site and I love it! Thanks so much for the helpful posts. I’m definitely bookmarking your site. I’ll look for you on Facebook too!
Thank you so much for your kind words Heather! I visited your blog tonight, and truly enjoyed getting to spend some time there with your art. Your writing and your photos there are just perfect, a great mix of client, personal and family work. Your art is lovely and your clients are blessed to get to work with you!
I only have a personal Facebook at the moment, but do feel free to add me there and say hello! I hope to pop up a PTP-specific Facebook page in the near future.
Thank you again, and please do keep me posted on your successes and adventures in professional photography! I’d love to hear your stories.
I just got my DBA done last week! I am finishing up Photography 2 this semester. I had a piece chosen for the college show last semester in dark room photography and another piece picked for show at Temple College this semester. I have shot for friends for free, nothing paid just yet. I know I have a great eye for composition and I get compliments on my work all of the time. My trouble is fear of failure. I am SLOWLY overcoming it, but I am still unsure of when the right time to start charging is and how much. I hear these ridiculous #’s being thrown around and can’t fathom how they come up with those #’s. (ie. $1000 for pet photography session and you only get 6 of the photos.) Anyhow, I has set up to follow your RSS feed and appreciate you putting this info. out there. I am hoping it will help me get up the gumption to get out there are start making money doing what I LOVE to do.
Congratulations Trish, that’s awesome! Take those first steps – set your prices and policies (what you sell and for how much) and just let your art be seen! People will be impressed, they will ask how much, you can tell them and then breathe a great sigh of relief when they say, “Oh wow! You’re worth so much more than that! What dates do you have open?”
I agree entirely, photographers especially seem to have a talent for coming up with outrageous and convoluted prices and anti-customer policies. But that just shows you the breadth of opportunity in this market – people will pay those prices, and suffer that treatment, under the right circumstances. Maybe I’m just a softie, but I’m really fond of providing a great product at a great price and treating my clients like great people, and I think this is where new-to-the-profession photographers are best able to work their way into the paying market.
Start slowly, earn one client at a time, let your art speak for itself, charge a more-than-fair price to start with as you build your portfolio and your business. You never have to lie, cheat, steal, pretend, or try to game anyone – show off what you can do, then allow folks the blessing of being able to hire you to do it for them and their families. As you gain experience and confidence in your business, you can raise and adjust prices, change your policies if you feel the need, etc. You will grow with your art, with your business, and with your client base.
Don’t fear failure, welcome it when it comes as the required stepping stones you must traverse to earn experience, practice your art, and reach your own definition of success. Failure will come, but failure is neither fatal nor particularly painful if you maintain focus and purpose. A spark of inspiration, of artistic and career passion has lit within you for a reason – trust that if you do the work and invest the heart and time, that you will earn your place in your market as both an artist and businesswoman.
Thank you for your readership! Please do keep me posted on your successes and adventures.
Wow. Thank you so much for this website. I have worked very hard as an amateur to improve my photography and get to a place where I am proud of my work and where others appreciate it. However, as I have joined groups and artistic communities that include professional photographers, I have felt minimized, excluded and discouraged by one too many of them who suggest that the only path to professional (paid) photography is through some convoluted formula that does not sit right by me – or rather, seems incomplete for someone trying to go from “I’m ready now” to actually landing that first gig .. and then the second. I feel like I’ve been standing right outside the door, unsure how to turn the key and step inside. The information on your website and, more importantly, your encouraging and positive attitude is such a breath of fresh air, and comes from a place of true understanding of what it’s like to be at The Beginning. Truly … thank you!
Thank you for your kind words Lisa! I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer the wrath of the grognards online – they are a scared, angry bunch, indeed. I hope to serve as a counterweight to the drag they put on everyone they discourage.
The best time to start your part time photography business was yesterday – the second best is today. Go for it, and enjoy the ride it takes you on. It is nowhere near as scary, risky, convoluted, frustrating, or gargantuan a feat as others make it out to be. Let me be clear: this business is fun, profitable, and a blessing to both photographer and clientele. I love it, and I hope this web site helps others enjoy the same experience I’ve had.
Please do keep in touch and keep me posted on your successes and adventures this year!
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