How To Make Money With Your Camera

Several millions homes nowadays have some kind of photography equipment. Some operators are strictly amateurs but others do a professional job shooting for fun, even with very inexpensive equipment.

If you own a camera and can take some reasonably good pictures, you definitely can make money with your hobby by selling pictures.

The market for pictures is tremendous. It has been estimated that magazines and newspapers buy over 60 millions photos a year. Although most of the pictures are taken by professional photographers, there is a good deal of non professional hobbyists making a good extra income selling their pictures to specialized markets, little known by the majority of people.

This information is intended to help you find a market for your pictures, assuming you already take pictures good enough to be sold. If you feel that your work could be improved, there are a number of courses available, and you can also develop professional touch and technical know-how by simply subscribing to specialized magazines.

There is an incredible market for selling your pictures and it is growing every day.

The beginners should avoid markets already overcrowded by professional competitors, like very well known magazines, which obviously deal only with professionals.

The best markets for a non professionals are

• Trade journals,
• Special interest magazines,
• Real Estate,
• Small local papers.

By using a great number of pictures, maintaining a constant demand for new ones, and paying less than well known magazines, they avoid the competition of professional and industrial photographers, and buy mostly from non professionals like yourself.

Special interest magazines attract very special groups of readers. For example, magazines on hobbies, sports, gardening, etc. They are bought by subscriptions or on newstands. Trade journals are directed towards professional and trades-people. They generally sold only by subscription.

To begin with, it would be advisable for you to get a book on professional photography from your local library. This step will enable you to get acquainted with copyright laws and special tips for selling your pictures.

The starting photographer should concentrate on a subject he is familiar with, for example a special hobby, and what he enjoys shooting the most, whether it is sceneries, children, animals, etc... By finding out what your speciality is, you will be able to select your market and determine what magazines could be interested in your work.

The following guide is just a sample of companies in the market for photos. It is difficult to keep such a directory current as companies constantly change their policies, addresses, editors and so forth. It is up to you to develop your own markets by submitting photos you believe to be appropriate to editor's needs. After the addresses are listed the rates paid more for extraordinary subjects depending of the news value and the quality for the accepted photo.

A simple equipment should produce pictures good enough to sell, but of course, if you own special accessories, use them!

After you have selected the field you want to specialize in and found several magazines related to your speciality, study what kind of pictures the editors are buying. A general description of picture requirements is often listed in the magazines. You can also find out by looking at the pictures used in previous issues. Submit only the pictures you consider as good or better than the ones being used.

Send your pictures to the Picture Editor of the magazine by finding the address in the publication itself or in the Directory of Trade Journals at your local library, if the publication is not sold on newstands.

If you are a beginner, start offering standard black and white prints, which are easier to sell because they actually are the ones having the greatest market.

Here is how your prints should be prepared in order to sell them:

• Glossy paper is preferred. Single weight paper via cheaper and require less postage when mailed. Pictures must be flat.
• Most publication (But not all of them) Prefer 8"x10". Check the specific requirements of the publication before you prepare your photos for sell.
• Number each negative, so each print you make will have a number.
• Order a rubber stamp with your name, address, telephone number and an extra line for the number of the picture and stamp these informations on the back of the print you want to offer.
• Always use stiff cardboard between the prints you are mailing to protect them, and make a neat package.
• Use kraft envelopes and always write "Please don't bend" with a red felt on the envelope to avoid any improper handling of your pictures.
• As you cannot expect to sell all the pictures you submit, include a self-addressed return envelope with enough postage, so the ones rejected can be mailed back to you.
• It is not necessary to send a letter with the pictures as it will not help to sell the pictures.
• Make sure to obtain written consent from anyone whose picture you have taken and intend to sell. You can obtain the standard forms called "Model Release" in many photo shops, and when you send your picture to the editor, enclose a copy of the release with them.

Do not offer the same picture to more than one publication at the same time, but if your pictures are rejected by one magazine send them to other publications.

Many amateurs are making money in this little known field. You will be able to do the same by following the simple advices outlined in this report.