Everyone seems to ask how to make money as a photographer, but what they really want to know is how to get rich as a photographer. It can be done, it just requires you follow the proper steps.
1. Be Famous! If you are famous already and become a photographer, you will have the connections to get you to the high dollar jobs.
2. Have the Best Equipment! How can you expect to make the big money using your $2000 camera and $500 lights. Are you kidding. You need to spend at least $75000+ on your camera and lights need to cost at least $30000. This type of equipment really impresses and let’s you charge more.
3. Talk about yourself in third person! Instead of saying, “We can do that shoot at the beach next Tuesday” say “Orcatek will be shooting on the beach Tuesday.” Only someone of importance would dare to do that, so they must be worth a lot.
4. Have a HUGE ego! Key phrases are “If you need to know how much, you can’t afford me”, “That photographer is a hack compared to me”, “If you are lucky, I may find time to shoot you”, and of course “Do it my way or no way!” Clients know anyone who behaves like that must be good.
5. Buy Photoshop and all the plug-ins you can find! Those plug-ins will take your crappy photos look really cool and trendy. The more effects you apply the better. Use enough and they will know you are a Photoshop master and be ready to fork over those huge fees.
6. Dress Strange! Wear outlandish outfits. The wilder the better. This lets clients know you are creative and a true artist. You don’t follow trends you create them. Clients eat this up and open their checkbooks to just to be seen with you.
7. Offend a Group! Post something in your twitter feed that will get a group mad at you. This will create a buzz. And when people know your name the pay more. Good groups to pick on are ones that are vocal, but people really don’t care about. We all know who they are.
8. Art Galleries! Put your artwork in galleries in high rent districts. Then put stupidly high prices on them like $25,000+ People will buy it because it must be good if it is that expensive. And once one person buys one, then everyone will want one.
9. Publish a Book! People love photography books. They look great on their coffee tables. Key to this is to use really odd photos, poorly exposed, out of focus and every other way you can think of to mess them up. You will sell a million of these as it must be great art, they just don’t understand it.
10. Have talent and work really hard! This is the best way. It takes a long time, but it is a great journey. Still on my way – but maybe someday.
