Professional photographers tend to have busy seasons and slow seasons, and most pros understand the importance of squirreling money away during the busy season to help get through the slower times of the year. Thankfully there are a fair amount of alternative revenue streams that you can tap into to help get through the typically leaner months of the year. In a new video the folks behind Mango Street share six ways that they bring in money during their slow season.
#1: Instagram Reels
If you have a professional or creator account with Instagram, posting reels can be a great way to bring in a bit of extra revenue every month. To make the most of this you will need to enable bonuses for reels. Bonuses are paid out based on the performance of individual reels, the number of reels you create and the theme of your reels. Embrace the format if you are just getting started. Keep the pacing on your reels quick and try to hook potential viewers in quickly. The payouts can be tough to estimate, but creating reels is also a really great way to reach new people on Instagram.
#2: Shoot Video
It’s not unusual for photographers to also offer video services—and something that more and more clients are asking for. If your client is looking for simple video capture during a shoot, offering this as an additional service can be a great up sale. For more complicated video requests we’d recommend having a dedicated video shooter or at least a second camera to handle the video footage.
#3: Teach a Class
Teaching an online class on a platform like SkillShare is a great way to bring in a bit of passive income overtime. Just make sure you have good quality audio for your recording. Having an established online following will help create interest in whatever unique skills you might be able to teach.
#4: Stock Photography
Long gone are the days of boring stock photography. Many popular photographers upload lifestyle images to high quality stock sites to bring in a bit of extra money every year. Although the stock market is saturated, there are still plenty of people who are paying for stock images, rather than producing original work. Websites like Stocksy and Stills feature highly curated galleries of stock photography. The most important thing when contributing to stock sites is to figure out what types of photos you are interested in making and creating a distinct style to help you stand out from the crowd.
#5: Work For YouTubers
Although starting your own YouTube channel might not be the most lucrative way to bring in money as a photographer in 2023, doing work for more established YouTubers can be a good way to make extra cash. Tons fo YouTubers need thumbnail designers and are willing to pay a price for them. Check out YTJobs.co to see how you might be able to use your Photoshop skills to bring in some extra money every month.
#6: Offer Mentorships
If you’ve had a lot of experience building out a successful career as a photographer, you probably are sitting on a bunch of advice that photographers who are just tarting out would benefit from learning. If this sounds like you, consider sharing that valuable info by offering one-on-one mentorships. Think back to when you were first starting out and what lessons you had to learn the hard way. If you have a knack for teaching and what you’ve learned a long the way in your own career you might be able to help folks who are just starting out.
