Welcome to the Reinvent Yourself series! In each of these posts, we will handle a different freelance career: An activity typically performed by professionals who want to work on their own terms, who don’t want a boss but many customers, and who want to choose when and where they work. This post is all about freelance photographers. Let’s get started!
How can a freelance photographer work online?
Photographers are typically freelancers, so in this post, we won’t focus on events where a freelance photograph is needed – like weddings or photo shoots. Instead, we’re going to figure out how a freelance photographer can sell his work online – without having to attend to a specific place at a specific time. Take a pic, publish it online whenever it suits you, and make money online from home or wherever you want.
As a freelance photographer, you’re free to take the pictures that you want. You can – and should – specialize in a photography style, like portraits, nature, product, or travel photography, for instance.
How can I sell my work as a freelance photographer
You can join different photography platforms, where you can sell your images. You’ll have to pay a commission for every pic you sell, but that’s all. You won’t have to take care of marketing or sales strategies. You just have to make beautiful pics and wait for them to be sold. Here you have some of the most important ones:
Adobe Stock – You just have to own the (high-quality) images you upload, and you’re all set!
iStockPhoto– Apply for iStockPhoto, and you’ll be collaborating with Getty images!!
Shutterstock – Global marketplace for artists and creators, which makes it very easy for you to start selling your work!
Become a LonelyPlanet contributor and offer them your images. It requires a bit more work to get to them, but it’s totally doable! You just have to send them an email with a link to your website or Flickr/Instagram account. Easy, right? 😉
Create a profile on SmugMug, a platform specifically created for photographers to share and sell their photos. You’ll have your own beautiful image shop!
Equipment I need as a freelance photographer
- A professional camera
- Adobe photography tools: Photoshop or Lightroom
- A good PC and high-speed Internet connection
- A professional website and email address
- For product photography, you may need to set up your own home studio. Apart from your camera, you may need:
- a tripod
- a table or surface imitating a specific material.
- if you don’t have any windows near your home studio, you’ll need some lights.
- Check out Replica Surfaces and their home studio!
Interested? Questions?
Let me know your thoughts about working as a freelance photographer. Do you have any questions you’d like me to address? Go for it 😉
