Earning Money in Wildlife Photography

[sean13]

Quick question for you all, how do you sell wildlife pictures and who do you sell them to?

[Jim Bryant]

Unless you have the longer fast lenses such as the 300mm f2.8 and 400 f2.8 and above, it's hard to compete with those that do have that equipment. I know, seems as if you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. It's now in the point of your young life that that making money in photography is a good thing to do. however, everyone one out there with a digital camera is thinking the same. Let me tell ya, making money in photography is not the same as it once was. WIth cuts in photographic budgets, it's tough to make a living in editorial photography. There are other ways too, you just have to master the gear you have and find a niche. Maybe you could rent some bigger lenses and give wildlife photography a try. But with the 70-200mm it's gonna be tough getting close enough to get the pictures you need to sell.

[dakwegmo]

What kind of wildlife? If it's your garden variety birds and squirrels and such, you probably won't find much of a market. If you're shooting things a little more exotic, then you should consider contacting photo editors at nature magazines and see about sending them samples of your work. You might also find a market selling stock photos for use in calendars and business publications, but you'll either need to get in with a good agency or spend a lot of time working on marketing your work. You may also be able to make some sales as " fine art" prints, but, again, you'll need to spend a lot of time marketing yourself to make any money.

There are a lot of people out there trying to make money selling nature photos, and not a lot of people buying nature photos. If your work is exceptional, with unique subjects and technically perfect, then you might have a fighting chance of making some money.

[Biomech]

A lot of the photography magazine's accept user submissions. If it's good and they print it, they do pay you - not a massive amount mind you. But I got a shot of lizard in one once and they gave me £80 :P

[tinwhistle]

I have a very good friend that is a wildlife photographer. He owns several hundred acres , left to nature, in central Wisconsin. He knows that property like the back of his hand, has many blinds, and will literally spend days inside those blinds to capture just the exact image he is looking for. He will lay motionless for hours in below (well below) freezing temps., will lay motionless for hours on end in blistering heat. He enters the blind before daylight and doesn't leave 'til after dark. That's the way it's done. If your not willing to make the sacrifice to get the shot you're fooling your self. And this type of photography requires (as Jim said) top of the line equipment. I'll be blunt, forget it.I think I'm a bit hard on an aspiring teen ager, but, son, it is in reality very difficult breaking into the photo business. Go out, have fun, get to know your equipment, have fun, get to know all the nooks and crannies of your neighborhood, and have fun!

tinwhistle

[sean13]

Thank you all for the responses!

[boyomarga]

your work is exceptional, with unique subjects and technically perfect, then you might have a fighting chance of making some money.

[sean13]

oh and dakwegmo it would be like boreal forest wildlife species.