Macro Photography - Any money in them thar critters?

I love nature, and most especially - animals and critters.

 

I work a dead end job, 40 hours a week doing nothing that I love.

 

I love nature and art and computers. I love photography, never got

into it until a couple years ago (I'm 33 now I hope it's not too

late). I feel like a kid all over again when it comes to this

discussion. I started out with the Sony DSC F707 which I sold. That

was my start.

 

I want to get back into things with the 20D, macro lense, printer. I

would love to turn this love and hobby of mine into a job or career,

either publishing or getting hired for jobs, etc.

 

I know there's a lot of money to be made in Weddings, Modelling, all

that portrait photography which doesn't interest me.

 

Is there any money to be made in nature photography, especially

macro photography?

 

How many people actually buy bug prints? I can understand submitting

photos to magazines or books, etc., but if i wanted to sell my

prints myself or get them done profesionally, I'd hate to invest

$3000 into all this equipment to end up knowing I'll never get

anywhere with it.

 

I know i should do it because of my love for it, but i would love to

make a life for myself out of it, just like the next person.

 

I appreciate any advice, experience, stories, ramblings, etc!!!

Thanks!!

>Is there any money to be made in nature photography, especially macro photography?

 

Not in my case, at least :-(

Few things to consider:

 

1. "I love nature and especially macro photography"

 

You need to really check with yourself if this statement/belief will hold good if you were to do this for a living or to make money. It is one thing make satisfying pictures (satisfying to yourself that is) but entirely another if you have to do it for a living. Sorry to say that it will not be very different than your "dead end"job.

 

2. If you want to be technically proficient, it will not only take time and money (a $3000 investment in 20D or something like that will not cut it, I am afraid)but a lot of effort. I am not that slow or not motivated, but it took me >2000 frames (film) and more in digital to recognize what is a technically good shot and how to do it.

 

3. Interest in a topic is good. If profit is the motivation, this does fall in to a different category than "do what I love thing".

 

Age 33 is not "too late"for a career change. I would suggest you do it on the side, work hard on your spare time (spare the time!) and you will find out for yourself if your investment will pay off.

 

All the best!

 

Vivek.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a marine biologist. Took a lot of interest in wildlife/conservation, aquatic creatures etc. Had a few aquariums. My father bought me heaps of books by Captain Causteau, David Attenborough, Heather Angel etc.

 

But ultimately, I somehow (don't ask me how, perhaps I never tried hard enough) ended up as a Computer Science graduate. The childhood dream lives on, but I spend most of my day architecting .NET applications and implementing design patterns. So much for passion.

 

I will be 31 years in 3 months from now. These days I do feel like rekindling my old passion. When I was exploring job opportunities with env. organizations such as WWF a year ago. My brother remarked I was going through midlife crisis -- evaluating my past life and decisions and finding it all to be futile. Perhas I was. Perhaps not. But I could see that without a degree in conservation/environmental sciences or similar -- it is hard to crack a job in that area. I'd rather keep my feet on the ground and enjoy my hobby.

 

Coming back to your question. Is it possible to make some money selling bug photos? Probably yes -- if they are good enough and you are a great salesman as well as a great photographer. Would i rely upon six-legged creatures to help me earn my daily bread/occassional CF cards/upgrades? NO. I'm sure they'll disappear from the field when I need them most. That's too big a gamble for me, trying to make a career and living out of bug photography. That doesn't mean it won't work for you, but what if it doesn't?

 

I hope to be doing something like this after I'm 50 years old, IF I'm still alive and IF I have enough money then and IF there is still some nature left to photograph. The last one is a big if -- I see more naturally crippled insects these days than I used to see 10 years ago. Too much pollution/insecticides? But I digress ...

You have two ways to go with bug photography: 1) the scientific approach in the field of entomology, or 2) great bug pictures that people will buy for their own sake. In either case, you must be good in both the photographic sense and in the business and self-promotion sense. You'll have to go out and really beat the bush, cause the gigs ain't gonna come to you on rollerskates. Either way, you MUST know bugs, where to find them, how to shoot them, and how to sell them. Maybe, in five to ten years of serious application, you can become an overnight success.

Hi Paul.

 

There are lots of good books to check out on this topic, John Shaw has one as do a host of others.

 

I think the only way one is going to realistically make money on such a subject is to 1) Get involved an agency that specializes in the area. From what I understand you'll likely need a minimum of 500 EXCELLENT images and get paid on a per use fee. Don't expect to get more than a minimum return on this investment. If you really have some good images books many use them, especially textbooks. 2) Write articles get them published with your images. And we are not talking about National Geographic, more likely Ranger Rick.

 

Above all things you need to be a really good business person. Being the best artist in the world isn't going to help you if you don't have that talent. I, personally, do not have that talent (or that interest) and for me photography will always be a hobby. Thank goodness.

 

And yes, I too, wanted to be a marine biologist. I'm a Professor of Microbiology and have worked in marine microorganisms, but old Cousteau never came a calling. Personally though, I would never have changed a thing in my career. Best of luck to you in finding yours.

Buy a copy of this year's edition of the Photographer's Marketplace. There should be a list of stock agencies that specialize in nature/macro pictures.

 

Alternatively, take a look at possible outlets, e.g., Natural History Magazine. They print photo credits with the pictures. From the credits, assemble a list of stock agencies that specialize in the kind of pictures you want to sell. This will also give you a good idea of how good your work has to be. You've got to match, if not beat, the competition.

 

Then contact an agency or two. Send 'em a portfolio, ask for advice on what and how many they need, labeling requirements, ... Also for advice on whether they can use what you're producing now at all, and whether your work is good enough to sell.

 

Go for it, but cautiously,

 

Dan

I'd say it's EXTREMELY hard to make any sort of decent living from nature photography. Just do some sums: say you aimed to make $30,000 a year. Each pic sold to a magazine/calendar/framed print, whatever, might net you maybe $100, so you'd have to sell 300 per year, that's nearly 1 a day. Doesn't sound much, but just try it from scratch. It's a numbers game really, and you need a hell of lot of product out there to make it pay. If you can get assignments then great, but until you're established that's nearly impossible.

In fact a great many of the really top-drawer well-known and widely published wildlife photographers have other jobs.

I turned to film and TV wildlife work as there seemed to be greater scope there, and have been pro for over 10 years now.

Best of luck.

 

Steve

THANK YOU ALL, for you in depth and kind answers. A lot of advice, a lot of insight.

 

I'm still going to march forward with this investment. I can't just close the door yet, since i haven't even entered the threshhold. Gotta try it first!

 

If all else fails, well it's only money!

Paul, Do it for the love of it... you can't go wrong. Enjoy! -Greg-

You aren't wasting $3000 unless you buy the stuff and use it for a month then let it collect dust afterwards. Shoot the stuff and worry about selling it later at this point. In a matter of four years I've gone from shooting only a handful of shots to an estimated several tens of thousands while balancing full time undergrad and graduate studies while working simultaneously. Everytime I start thinking I'm good, I realize im getting better the next time out. it is a constant challenge which keeps it interesting. $3000 or any price could never equal the joy which the experiences have brought me over the past few years. I'm not so desperate to try earning a living shooting pictures where i would resort to doing something i don't like such as wedding photography. I'm having fun doing just what im doing now. working on another career for money while plotting out my way to sneak into the pages of outdoor photographer, national geographic, a travel brochure or showing my prints and website to almost every person i meet. making a living at photography is a whole other animal which would probably take the joy out of it for me at this point so im happy just to have had an opportunity to visit as many beautiful places as ive done.

to add more, maybe you should seek out Mark Moffett the bug guy who shoots for national geographic. i believe he is a bio professor at UC Berkeley. he gets to do what he loves for a living, is well-known in his specialty and apparently has a day job as well.

 

also, if you are trying to be a fulltimer, you would probably be so worried about money that would take up most of your time. as is, i shoot whenever I want and go wherever i want now because im not worried about selling to a market place at this time. if i were, then i probably would have less opportunities to shoot and would spend it all in the office trying to butter up the publishers. what i really want to do is find a unique way to contribute to environmental causes, im not in the money business. im in the enjoy nature while it still exists business.

Thanks all, for the input and advice. I will be doing it for the love of it, would just be nice to supplement that love with some money.

 

Especially since it takes a WHOLE LOT just to start enjoying that love! lol