Making a living in Bird Photography (1 Viewer)

1

11-hollier-t

New member

• Feb 6, 2016

• #1

Hi there, does anybody know how you would go about making a living in photographing birds. I'm only finishing my GCSE's and would like to do this for a living. I do not yet have a proper camera or lens but I do have a good quality scope, digi-scoping adapter and compact camera. If anybody has any ideas on which camera and lens to get or how to start on making a living out of it I would be very thankful.

Thank you very much, Thomas

 

DMW

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2016

• #2

Sorry to be negative, but I think it's close to impossible to make a living as a bird photographer these days. Too many talented amateurs with professional equipment who are happy to give their work away for free.

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2016

• #3

DMW said:

Sorry to be negative, but I think it's close to impossible to make a living as a bird photographer these days. . . .

Click to expand...

Indeed, certainly as a freelance.

 

stevo

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2016

• #4

As others have said it's pretty much impossible,and take for example some of the pro's that do wedding photography to make ends meet and nature photography as a side line.

Steve.

 

MSA

I may be relaxed but I'm not drunk....

• Feb 6, 2016

• #5

With great technical knowledge and the right personality you could try providing tuition, field courses and the like, but I'm sure you'd struggle to make a good living.

 

Pinewood

New York correspondent

• Feb 7, 2016

• #6

Hello Thomas,

The professional photographers I meet do not digiscope. Adding up their huge lenses, carbon fibre tripods and DSLR cameras, I guessed that they went into the field with $20,000 worth of equipment, if not more. A few head big lenses, probably image stabilzed, but no tripod.
I have to agree with the other negative comments posted here.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

 

M

mart46

Active member

• Feb 17, 2016

• #7

As an ex-professional photographer, the main area to earn money is if people are involved. Weddings and portraits are best - do the bird photography as an escape and keep presenting it to a variety of magazines. You might sell some stuff!

 

cassowary

Well-known member

• Feb 19, 2016

• #8

ditto - I give my stuff away (I'm not really a photographer but somehow around 25 or so of my photos have gotten into field-guides, children's books, brochures etc...) - I've managed to get free signed copies of field-guides etc...but there is no money in it.

 

stuartvine

Well-known member

• Feb 19, 2016

• #9

If you've got a consuming passion for the subject I'd still go for it, but as a hobby where you might, if you are very lucky and get some great pictures, be able to occasionally sell one. The best equipment isn't cheap, but you can still get great pictures with less expensive gear. Indeed, the art is being in the right place, at the right time and having the artistic sensibility of knowing what will make a fantastic picture. Or sometimes just being lucky!

If you look on the photo/camera/gear forums on this site you'll get a good idea of what other people use. I'd be tempted to start relatively cheaply until you've honed your technical and photographic skills and then gradually accumulate what you really want, bank balance permitting.

 

Ratal

Well-known member

• Feb 19, 2016

• #10

Learn to drive, learn to speak Norwegian, home your photography skills to the Nth, and see about becoming an aurora photography guide.
Use this as a way to get some decent Arctic photography of both wild life and Aurora Borealis under your belt.

There are companies out there that have spaces come up as guides and photographers every now and again, the question is how badly do you want to chase that dream?