The Profitmaking (or lack thereof) of Photography (pics) in General Mental Anesthesia

Talk about a return on my investments....

A quick diatribe.

As a photographer I have various photos available on the web for purchase, for stock photography or whatever. Storm chasing photos, Flower photography, Animal photography & Nature photography predominantly.

People always wonder why I’m not wealthy because of my photography. First of all, “thank you, for the compliment”. Let me explain how it generally works.

You upload to various websites, most set the prices based on the quality of the image (image size). They generally won’t allow you to post cell phone taken pics as they don’t have the same image quality of a dslr.

They price out your photo’s and people can buy them based on the image size and use they intend for the image. Images for the web are dirt cheap, but if someone wants to print out a poster (it can only been done for really high resolution shots) and they’re more expensive. Most people use an image for a blog or a story they’re writing (such as journalism).

Now, I’ve sold video footage to many news outlets over the years, and there’s actual money in that, but in both mediums, most websites take 50% of the selling price. You sell video footage of a hurricane for $500 to Yahoo or Associated Press, you get $250.

Going back to photography…

I have around 100 photo’s online (for sale). In the past year, I have earned .50 cents.

THAT’S IT!!!!!!!!!

Two photo’s sold for .20 cents and another sold for .10 cents.

It’s a good thing my Canon 5D Mark III only cost me $1.00 when I bought it in 2015, and all my lenses, I was able to pay for with rotten fruit. Can you imagine how in the red I would be if these things were expensive?!?!?!

If you didn’t pick up on my sarcasm, I feel bad for you.

I’m not the best photographer, I’m not able to travel to get the shots I want, but I have some decent photos, and earning a few pennies is just a slap in the face. I would say, just photography alone, I’ve earned a few hundred dollars in my lifetime.

I made my income with film/video production, directing commercials and things, but photography should have supplemented my income far more than it has.

It’s sad.

“Some of my available photo’s“

Yes, all photos taken by me. I know they’re not all amazing or worth big money or anything, but .10 cents? .20 cents? Really?

What’s the point of even trying?

I’ve won lot’s of contests, but no monetary prizes. I have some photo’s published in books, but again… no monetary compensation. I can just say “I’m an award winning published photographer.” But who cares? When I was 20, it was a big deal, now… I have to pay bills.

It’s not worth putting an image on a mug or a pillow etc… because the costs to you are so high, you’d have to charge a ridiculous amount to make a profit. I wouldn’t pay $30 for a mug, but when your cost is $12 or $15 or $18.00 plus tax and then you have to ship the mug… you break even if you’re lucky. (Unless you buy 10k mugs).

People upload to these sites so they don’t have to do their own marketing because to have a website with a shop and connections to print businesses or using a place online, and then having to do all your own marketing and promoting… it’s a full time job that really sucks for little or no return and a lot of upfront and continual out of pocket expenses. It’s not sustainable if you’re not an already in demand photographer (of which there are very few).

Plus, you have to constantly maintain and upgrade your gear. None of those close up shots I took above were taken with a macro lens, that would have made my life a lot easier. I use to have one, a Sigma Art 135mm lens (I LOVED that lens!!! I had it less than a year before I was forced to sell it for medical reasons. It broke my heart.

I had to sell most of my gear, I’m left with very little. I don’t have c-stands anymore, sold my best tripod, multiple lenses including a lens where I can take good nature shots (fast telephoto lens) to get up close to wildlife. (The gator tail shot above for ex. I was lying on my stomach 3 feet away. It wasn’t an enclosure, it was out in the Everglades. Not exactly “safe”). I don’t have the proper set up anymore for taking decent lightning images. I don’t have any way to post process (edit software) any images. I don’t have a studio anymore… it’s hard trying to make a living as a photographer. It’s hard to make enough money to buy a cup of tea. It’s not all about gear, but it helps (especially if you want to sell online through websites).

Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t take photo’s to make a living, I do it because I love it, but to have photo’s that people say they love or that might be worthy of selling and only making .10 cents on it… that is disheartening to put it mildly.

Last updated November 21, 2023