Which kind of photography makes the most money?
Have you ever wondered which kind of photography makes the most money?
Or how do you increase the amount you can make with any photography?
Well, if so, this Letter is for you.
I'll go through the 13 highest-paying photography jobs - and give insights on how to increase the amount you can make.
But 1st, why should you listen to me?
Yes, I don't do a lot of brand deals, because I don't want to - nor need to.
But I have worked with brands and made up to €16,700-ish by doing so from a single project.
I'll share why I think this one brand or organization paid me more than most brands.
And I have combined information on photographers' income I've found online.
The highest-paying photography jobs
According to many various sources, the highest paying photography jobs are the 13 following (in no particular order):
1) Scientific photography
2) Fine art photography
3) Medical photography
4) Advertising photography
5) Real Estate Photography
6) Fashion photography
7) Nature photography
8) Food photography
9) Photojournalist
10) Portrait & wedding photography
11) Film set photography
12) Photography teacher
13) Photo Editor
But are all good ways to make money?
I'd argue not - this list is a little misleading.
But before diving deeper into each... I want you to understand something crucial...
The key to earning more as a photographer
The answer to this is quite simple.
Provide more value.
The more value you provide to a client, the more they're willing to pay.
Make sense?
It's not just about picking the best way to make money.
It's about picking something, and figuring out, how can you make THE CLIENT more money with YOUR photography.
That's the secret.
Now, let me explain that through the 13 ways of income above.
(I'd recommend not skipping any, as I give value to you in each of them.)
1) Scientific photography
Alright, what is it?
As a Shotkit article puts it well:
Scientific photography is a field of photography that helps scientists document their work, move science forward, and also to visually translate this work for the wider public.
In other words, scientific photographers take photos of scientific data and phenomena.
Does that sound valuable for humanity?
I'd say so.
That's why they can get paid well.
Also, scientific photography is much different from "standard" photography.
They need to use different kinds of gear, which requires different skills.
And that skillset is valuable.
Remember this:
The more valuable skills you have, the better you get paid.
Let me repeat that.
The more valuable skills you have, the better you get paid.
That is why salespeople make good money for example.
They know how to make their bosses more money.
And then, they get paid more.
Learn more skills, and you'll get paid more.
Alright, back to scientific photography.
You can get paid well... if you can find a job.
That's the downside of this.
There's not a ton of demand.
Especially, when we compare this to wedding photography as an example.
The median salary is different depending on the source.
But in the US, it seems to be between $74,371 and $85,470.
(But again, that requires you to find a full-time position.)
In the UK, according to Erieri(dot)com, the average is £33,718.
My opinion: Awesome if you can find a position at this.
It's not my piece of cake. I don't like the idea of that.
But maybe you do.
And then perhaps this is something to consider.
2) Fine art photography
When I saw this on the list, I laughed out loud.
Why?
I love fine art photography, don't get me wrong.
But on a list that can make you the most money??
But then I read further... and I understood what they meant.
You can make an INSANE amount of money with this.
But most people... won't make ANY money.
That's how it is.
Some people have sold their photos for millions to art collectors.
Most people, will not end up selling a photograph to an art collector for a good amount of money ever.
Should you pursue this career?
Well... maybe.
But know it's tough to make money.
And very few succeed at this.
If I went for it, I'd make sure I'd have other sources of income too.
I don't want to put a median here, as I don't think there's a realistic median out there.
The fact is that most people won't make significant money. But there'll be a small % who make up to millions.
3) Medical photography
With Medical Photography, you can make a ton of money.
What is it?
It is possible you'll be asked to take photos or videos of medical-related tasks, such as:
1) Operations
2) Autopsies
3) photomicrography (photography of objects under a microscope)
And so on.
The photos would probably be used in textbooks, brochures, instructional videos and so on.
The challenge with this?
Of course, it takes a lot of time to get into this.
And you might have not a lot of room for creativity.
However, the pay is good.
It is valuable for humanity.
4) Advertising photography
This is probably the easiest to explain.
When you make marketing assets for someone, they can make more money.
E.g. If a hotel has better photos, they'll end up getting more bookings, leading to more money.
So if you can communicate how the client will be able to make more money with your photos, you'll also get paid more.
Let's say they'll make $10,000 more because of you.
It's fair to charge $1,000, no?
But what if they make $100,000?
It's fair to charge $10,000, no?
See what I mean?
And advertising is always in demand.
I'd just find something I want to help promote and take photos for them.
That way, you can be more fulfilled, and make more money.
5) Real Estate Photography
This is also easy to explain.
People are looking to sell their houses.
And if there are no photos, people will be sceptical, no?
But if there are gorgeous photos of the house, the house will look better in the buyer's eye - leading them to be willing to pay more.
So, real estate photography certainly is a good way to make money.
And - there's a ton of demand for this as well.
If I wanted to do this, I'd look up properties that are on sale, but don't have good photos, and start contacting them.
Or, look for Airbnbs or hotels that lack good photos.
6) Fashion photography
This is a challenging field. There's a lot of competition.
But - there's always room for new people if you're good enough.
What is fashion photography?
Fashion photography focuses on showcasing clothing and items, often a model wearing the items.
You'll have lots of creativity, and there's not really a limit to the money you can make.
But - it can be harder to get into.
But if you do, the money can be great.
7) Nature photography
Ooh, I couldn't wait to touch on this.
Look, I love nature photography. And maybe you do too.
But the sad fact is... that it's not easy to make money with.
Why?
The organizations that have the most money, often don't need nature photos.
Or if they do, then they don't need new ones very often.
E.g. Clothing brand releases new clothes all the time. But the photograph of a beautiful sunset is going to be relevant for a long time.
That said, I believe nature photography is extremely valuable for humanity.
It shows the beauty of nature and makes others hopefully appreciate it more.
I think it is one of the most important forms of photography in the environmental crisis we're in.
But, again, many companies don't invest in nature photographs per se.
But when you communicate in a certain way, you can get paid more easily.
Such as if you position nature photographs as advertising assets to a tourism board, an airline, or a resort.
That's how they can see how to make more money with it.
Most people don't make a significant amount with nature photography alone.
Many you see travelling around and taking nature photos, make their money in other ways.
They might have a 9-5 job but also might do product photography - or other types of travel photography as well.
This pays well.
In a nutshell: Just randomly snapping nature photos won't make you a millionaire.
But if you can position your offer into how the client can make more money with your photos, then anything is possible.
(And as context: Currently, I make my money by helping others succeed. And then I fund my trips with that income.)
8) Food photography
People love food. And there's a lot of food out there...
Which means there's demand for food photos.
And as there's huge demand, means there's money as well... as the companies or restaurants selling the food, have the budget for marketing.
The more delicious the food looks in photos, the more sales the company will make.
Think about McDonald's.
Now, I never eat at McDonald's anymore - but I can make a point regarding this.
At least in my hometown, the photos of the hamburgers always look better than the hamburger when I get it.
That's marketing, of course.
Most are still satisfied with the burger, so they'll keep coming back.
But that awesome photo of the burger made the buyer more interested in getting it.
This means you can make A LOT of money with this.
But as with anything, it takes time.
If I wanted to do this, I'd buy some food myself, and take photos of products for free, creating a portfolio.
Then, once I have proof I can do the stuff, I'll start reaching out to companies - perhaps even working for free at the start to get my foot in the door.
9) Photojournalism
Photojournalism means the communication of news through photographs.
Photojournalists often work for newspapers or magazines.
So you'll take photos of the breaking news stories and work with reporters.
Pretty much of anything newsworthy.
Is the salary good?
It can be amazing the more experience you have.
But the median in the US according to PayScale(dot)com was $37,431 in 2019.
That probably has risen from there due to inflation.
But, it's still on the lower end.
But over time, you could be paid well.
Photojournalism can be very rewarding apart from the financial side.
Your work will be featured in many places, and seen by a ton of people, which can be a great feeling.
I don't think I'd go for this for the money. But if you feel you have a passion for this, it could be a career path to consider.
10) Portrait & wedding photography
How much can you make depends, again, on the value the client sees in the photographs.
E.g. If you snap a random photo of your relative vs a LinkedIn profile photo of a CEO, you can imagine the valuation is different.
Why can wedding photographers earn a lot?
Because... they photograph weddings.
They are (hopefully) a once-in-lifetime event.
So, couples often want to memorize one of the most special days of their lives.
And... this leads to people willing to pay a lot for the photographers (and videographers).
If you want to do weddings or other portrait photography, make sure to also enjoy it.
I don't do wedding photography, because I hate the idea of it.
There's a ton of pressure, but I imagine when you nail the shots it can be immensely rewarding as well.
But it's not for me.
But the portrait & wedding photography industry can be easier to get into compared to the other ones.
There's weddings happening, and new portraits are needed. (As people's looks change over time).
I've done some portrait gigs for relatives.
I didn't of course make a lot of money with it.
But I got my foot in the door for more gigs, if a miracle happened and I'd want to do more of these. :D
If some of your relatives know you have a camera, they might ask you to photograph something, often for free.
But if you have no experience at all, it can make sense to do the 1st one (of a few) for free to build your portfolio.
11) Film set photography
What is this?
You'd be on a film set taking photos of celebrities for promotional material for different shows.
And... studios often have a lot of money for marketing reserved.
So, they have the budget to pay you well.
I'm not gonna teach you how to get in... because I've not been on a film set, haha.
But it's probably due to connections.
As Alex Banayan writes in The Third Door, it's good to find an "inside man".
A person who could get you in from another door.
I have made a trailer for my local theatre - and that was due to a connection to one of the actors.
This was my way in, and now have more contacts there I could utilize.
Connections are super important.
And of course, you need to have work that can show you can do your stuff.
12) Photography teacher
This is a little different from the rest.
Here you aren't taking photos per se.
But you're teaching others how to take them.
You could be a professor at a school.
Or... you could be like what I do.
I share my knowledge on social media, through these Letters, and through paid products & coaching.
Now, I don't make a fortune through this (yet).
But I know there's a photographer who makes $10+ million in revenue annually from education products online.
(Yes, you read it right.)
The education economy is booming.
And, I personally love helping others.
So I feel it's a perfect match for me.
I'm taking advantage of this boom.
And I help my 1-1 students too through my social media coaching program.
If you enjoy teaching photography, being a teacher could perhaps be for you too.
Don't think you need to be the best photographer in the world to teach.
If you just know something more than a total beginner, you can start teaching. :)
13) Photo Editor
Enjoy editing photos? Or would you like to learn to do so?
Well, if so, the good news is that photo editing is in demand - as our world is getting more and more visual.
And - it is something you can do in your pyjamas at home - or in any other corner of the planet.
All you need is a computer and skills in how to use editing software.
The median salary seems to be $46,000+ in the US according to various sources.
But, know you can work as a freelancer and work for many different companies.
AND - the bigger companies you can find you can help, the more money you can make.
Do you find photo editing overwhelming, or too much time-taking?
Well, in that case, you could find my Editing Masterclass & Presets helpful. :)
The key thing - and how I made the €16,700
So, as I promised, I wanted to give my opinion on how I got paid that sum.
It was a deal of 50/50.
I took a photograph for a project, and we split the revenue together.
They made the same amount, so it was fair... no?
I made them money, and they helped me make money.
They had a brand and platform to get a lot of traffic, which I lacked.
It was a great deal for both.
This was a "special project" - often it's not 50/50.
But the point stands:
The more money you make for someone else, the more you can get paid.
Whatever photography you do, ask yourself:
How can I provide more value for the client?
Or
How can I make more money for the client?
And that's how you can make more money with anything.
Wrapping it up
I hope you enjoyed reading this, my friend.
This took me quite a while to write and research.
If you did enjoy this Letter, feel free to forward it to a friend.
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Apply to Photos to Profit Launchpad here.
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Till next Saturday, my friend.
Hugo
P.S. When you're ready, these are 3 ways I can help you.
#1: Ready to crush it on social media in 2024? Click here to apply to my 1-1 Social Media Coaching Program.
#2: Have you seen my YouTube channel? I've put stuff out there too. I bet you'd find it valuable. Check out my latest videos and come give me a like and subscribe. :)
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