The Internet has opened many money-making opportunities for all creative people. Many of them are freelance photographers. The photography industry is competitive. Many new individuals and companies are entering this field. So, as an individual photographer, you must prepare yourself for competition. There are many freelance photographers from all over the world who make money online and they are all your business competitors. You must be better than them to win customer loyalty. According to a survey, only 40% of photography companies can survive the first year.

For many people, photography is an interesting and exciting hobby. If you are a skilled and talented freelance photographer, you can turn your passion into a booming business. Many photographers work on freelance photography jobs and lead successful lives.

There are many available money-making options for freelance photographers. If you want to start making money online as a freelance photographer consider the following:

1. Establish your online presence

Starting a photography business is not an easy task for many people. This is because the necessary professional equipment is expensive. Thus, if you invest a lot of money, you should be very careful to conduct your business in a professional manner and have a steady supply of clients. This is where the internet can help you. You can use the internet to connect with potential clients much easier.

Because of this, it is important to establish your online presence. The easiest way to get started is to join and offer your services on as many freelance jobs websites as you can. These websites are places where freelancers and potential clients meet. On this kind of website, you can find many freelance photography jobs. Some of the best are Fiverr, SEOClerks, Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Freelancer.com, and others.

The next step is to create a portfolio. You must show your talents to potential clients so they will be convinced you can finish the job. After creating your profile on freelancing websites, your customers will be able to find you online. Since you are a photographer, they will look at your portfolio online to learn about your previous work. So create a portfolio that contains the best photos of weddings, events, or any other subject you work with. Make sure that the photos let customers understand your capabilities. One of the main goals of the online portfolio is to showcase your range of skills and impress the audience with your work. You can showcase your work on social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, etc.

Besides freelance jobs websites, there are other ways to find potential clients online. Chances are, most businesses in your area have Facebook pages, websites, or a combination of both. They may be willing to use your creative vision. Contact them and find out if local businesses in your area are interested in your services. You can also offer your services on classified ads. You can offer services like:

Mini photo session

This is just a shorter, more affordable version of the photoshoot. If you are currently offering full shots to potential clients, consider the value of small shots. You may find a very positive response to this service. This is also a good way to build up your portfolio and develop your skills if you are a beginner.

Get a gig as the second shooter on various events

The benefits for freelancers working as second shooters are twofold. First, you can use money as a secondary source of photos for weddings or other special events. At the same time, you will learn more about wedding photography as a working method and get valuable experience that will help you in the future. If you ever wanted to learn more about wedding photography, then serving as a second photographer is a perfect choice.

Start working on product photography

You don’t have to limit your photography work to living subjects. Many companies are looking for excellent photos of their products. Most product photography requires simple backgrounds, lightboxes, and themes that are not expensive. Most companies even let you keep what they ship to you.

Keep in touch with influential people

Every industry has its own experts, also known as influencers because they can form opinions on people’s topics. There are also experts in the business and photography industries. When people see good solutions, their opinions are important. Every good word about your business can attract even more potential clients to your business. In the field of photography, you can find influential people through blogs, social media sites, etc. Send them a sample of your work and listen to their suggestions about how to improve.

2. Start your own blog about photography

There are other ways to make money online other than freelance photography jobs. If you are an experienced photographer and have some tips and tricks to share with newbies in the early stages of learning the same art, you can start your own blog and update it regularly with fresh and valuable content. To create a blog from scratch is free but there are also websites where you can build a free blog.

Having a successful blog allows you to advertise on your website and monetize your blog. Your own blog is also perfect to create and display your portfolio. Follow some marketing strategies to promote your blog to increase views. You can also use social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to promote blog posts and your online portfolio. Today, people use Instagram accounts as online galleries of their photos and are recognized.

3. Create awesome Adobe Lightroom presets

Most photographers understand what a filter is and how it affects its photographs. Filters are photo presets created by designers or photographers to use some best adjustments with a click of a button. There are still many combinations for you to discover and sell. Adobe Lightroom is one of the most widely used photo editing programs in the world because it is part of the Adobe suite. Combine your presets into a package to maximize your earning potential.

4. Sell Stock photos online

Believe it or not, the demand for stock photography is fairly stable. A with many freelance photographers, you can earn a considerable extra income by selling your photographs online. You can offer your photos on your blog or website if you have or you can sell them through specialized websites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, 500px, Crestock, and others. All you really need is your equipment. Sometimes you need to find a model or you can specialize in certain categories.

5. Start teaching or create a video course

Entering a highly competitive market like freelance photography jobs requires a lot of work and dedication. If you don’t want to keep fighting for customers and work, you can then make money teaching others about photography. Not everyone can learn from the Internet. If you have the ability to teach, get in touch with those people and show them how to do it one by one. A good teacher can make a decent income in group lessons and individual lessons. You can also create a course in photography and sell it on sites like Udemy, Skillshare, and others.

Conclusion

Freelance photography is a profession where you can enjoy creative freedom. But you must follow a strategy to make money from this profession. Make sure you have a blog site and an impressive portfolio to present your skills and talent to the world. You must also learn how to use social media to promote your photography business.