Unlens your potential: How to make money with photography in the US

If you’re into photography, it may have crossed your mind to pursue this hobby either as a full-time job or a side hustle. 

However, the business side of things—and all the challenges that come with it—may be preventing you from doing so. As a way to begin the first steps before finally taking the big leap into being a professional photographer, you can read this guide on how to make money with photography.

What to know about the US photography industry

Knowing how the industry works is half the battle if you want to have a successful career as a professional photographer.

Trends in photography

Aerial photography drone in action, controlled via smartphone-integrated remote (Source: iStock)

Social media and content creation

Social media and online content photographers help businesses, influencers, and organisations craft images that align with their branding. They are responsible for taking, editing, and selecting engaging photos to post on their clients’ social media pages and websites.

Drone photography

Drone photography has become popular due to its increasing accessibility. It is typically utilized in TV and film, real estate, tourism, construction and surveying, and events. Skilled drone camera operators can capture aerial photographs of arresting vistas and landscapes, big and intimate celebrations, and residential and commercial properties.

Stock photography

Using Getty Images, Shutterstock, and similar stock photography websites is probably one of the easy ways to make money with photography in terms of the effort involved. When selling photos online to earn a passive income, one can choose multiple niches or focus on just one, such as candid pictures of people doing household chores.

Event photography

There are countless events each year, ranging from birthdays and weddings to holiday celebrations and corporate gatherings. As such, there’s plenty of opportunity for proficient event photographers to book freelance gigs all year round.

E-commerce photography

E-commerce photographers help make products and services marketable online by capturing images of them in ideal scenarios through good lighting, backgrounds, props, and styling.

Seasonal and market trends

Friends sharing a joyful moment as a party photographer captures the scene (Source: iStock)

Wedding season (spring/summer)

To take advantage of the fine weather and vibrant natural backdrops, many engagements and weddings take place during spring and summer—sometimes extending into the autumn. During these seasons, the high demand for event coverage gives photographers the chance to increase their prices and book more gigs.

Holiday and event seasons

During the holiday season, springtime, and the summer months, there are many opportunities to land photography gigs. Meanwhile, based on our proprietary data, there is a tendency for fewer engagements in the first quarter of the year.

Nevertheless, our platform saw a 14% increase in task volume from Q1 of 2025 to the next quarter.

Travel and tourism off-peaks

During off-peak periods, including weekdays and shoulder seasons, there are smaller crowds and lower prices. Travel photographers can take advantage of these opportunities to hold photography tours and capture unpeopled views, empty roads, and unique experiences.

Pricing trends breakdown

From 2023 to 2024, despite the 4.8% increase in task numbers on our platform, the average posted price dwindled by 13%. These numbers indicate that the US economy’s recent slow growth may have affected photography businesses, with client spending tightening and competition becoming more aggressive.

Nevertheless, during the first quarter of 2025, payouts were at their highest in March:

What you need to start making money with photography

Learning how to earn money from photography means equipping yourself with the right set of skills and tools.

Essential skills for quality photography

Photographer showcasing their work through a digital photo portfolio (Source: iStock)

Technical proficiency

A capable photographer doesn’t rely on their camera’s auto settings; they know how to adjust aperture, shutter speed, and other settings based on the situation. Setting up lighting and using post-processing tools are also essential skills for producing images that reflect one’s vision.

To improve your technical proficiency, you can start by serving as an assistant photographer to someone with more industry experience.

Artistic eye

You can develop an eye for good photography by being more observant of your surroundings, constantly practising and reviewing your photos, and immersing yourself in the works of iconic photographers, especially those whose styles you want to emulate.

Portfolio presentation

A good portfolio shouldn’t just showcase your best work; it should also tell a narrative and evoke a response from your prospective clients. To ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward through your portfolio, you can ask for feedback from peers or mentors.

Interpersonal skills

Technical photography skills can help you book clients, but people skills—including understanding what your customers want, being communicative, and working well under pressure—can turn them into regulars and spawn more opportunities through word of mouth.

Time management

Good time management helps you deliver services on time. Using scheduling apps and tools, timing your work, and determining how many projects you can handle at any given period are ways to ensure that you’re managing your time wisely.

Photography tools and equipment to invest in

Essential tools for photographers, including drone and DSLR equipment (Source: iStock)

Camera gear

The following photography gear should always be in a professional photographer’s bag: a camera body (whether DSLR or mirrorless with a full-frame or crop sensor), a backup camera (if necessary), and a range of compatible lenses (e.g., prime, zoom, macro). A sturdy hand or neck strap is also a must to safeguard your camera from accidental falls.

Editing software

Software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, GIMP, and Corel PaintShop Pro can be used to manipulate and enhance images, color-correct, and convert color photos to black and white.

Lighting equipment

Photography is mainly about capturing how light reflects on surfaces. This means strobes, speed lights, reflectors, umbrellas, and other portable lighting equipment can help you control how your photographs will turn out.

Tripod

A tripod enables hands-free photography, makes long-exposure shots possible, and is used to capture low-light scenes. Whether made of aluminium, carbon fibre, or another material, your tripod should be well-built and stable.

Similar accessories, including gimbals and monopods, may also be needed depending on the type of photography you are working on.

Storage solutions

You’ll rarely need to free up space if you are using high-capacity memory cards to shoot RAW photos. To avoid losing precious images if your memory cards become corrupted, use external hard drives as backups.

Drone

If your work requires landscape photography or photos from a bird’s-eye view, investing in and learning to operate a drone can help you up your game.

Certifications or permits

Certifications are typically not necessary to operate as a photographer in the US. Likewise, the law allows one to take photos in public spaces. However, you may need to obtain a permit if you will be operating a drone or conducting a shoot in certain places, such as areas under the care of the National Park Service.

What you can offer as a photographer

If you are an aspiring photographer, one question you may have thought about is, “What type of photography makes the most money?” However, you should also be thinking about the niche—several of which are discussed below—that’s most in line with your interests and strengths as a photographer.

Portrait photography

Smiling family posing for a portrait in a bright living room (Source: iStock)

Being a portrait photographer means helping people celebrate milestones, convey professionalism through corporate headshots, or market themselves online or offline. The clients you will be working with range from big and small families and romantic couples to individuals and businesses. In this type of photography, you should have a solid understanding of how lighting, poses, and facial expressions can affect the final product.

Event photography

Photographer documenting a wedding event in front of a floral-decorated arch (Source: iStock)

With event photography, you can decide to focus on one type of celebration—weddings, for instance—or be a jack-of-all-trades and document different parties and functions, such as birthdays, corporate events, and festivals and concerts.

When taking event photos, don’t just focus on people; capture the vibe, the environment, and candid moments as well.

Product photography

Product photographer working on a food styling shoot in a controlled studio setting (Source: iStock)

This type of commercial photography gives you the opportunity to work with brands and businesses that are promoting their products or services. It also allows you to experiment with layouts, angles, and styling when taking pictures of individual items, product details, and packaging.

Real estate and architecture photography

Real estate photographer taking interior photos of a modern, well-lit bedroom (Source: iStock)

You can help real estate companies, property managers, homesellers, and landlords market their houses, commercial buildings, and rentals through real estate photography. This involves taking flattering pictures of property interiors and exteriors, furnishings, and features from different angles.

Drone photography

If you have a knack for drone photography, you might want to use this skill to take images from the sky of events and celebrations. You can also help clients in the real estate and tourism industries obtain aerial shots of residential and commercial properties, rural and urban landscapes, and natural sceneries.

Stock photography

You can earn money from photography online through stock photography sites like Shutterstock and Unsplash. One of its advantages is that you’re not limited to one single niche once you decide to sell your stock photos; you can focus on pictures of pets, people in professional settings, plants, home interiors, or whatever subject you can think of.

Travel photography

Travel photographer exploring and capturing a remote mountain landscape (Source: iStock)

Travel photography encompasses various subjects, such as natural and manmade attractions, historical and cultural destinations, local food, and people. If you have a penchant for taking trips and exploring new places, you can sell travel photos to tourism boards, airlines, and travel agencies or seek partnerships with them.

Fashion photography

Studio session in progress with a fashion photographer and model on set (Source: iStock)

If you want photography centered on fashion, you can pursue opportunities to produce images for local designers’ catalogues and lookbooks, conduct editorial and high-fashion photo shoots for regional magazines, or document street fashion for influencers, brands, and publications.

How to price your photography services

How much can a photographer make? This depends on the factors that affect the value of their services:

Factors to consider

Experience level

In the US, the typical photographer pay rate for newbies is around $50 to $150 per hour, while experienced ones can charge anywhere from $75 to $500 per hour.

Service type

Drone, event, and wedding photographers usually charge more than those who focus on real estate, portraiture, and stock photos.

Post-production time

In general, you should bill your clients more if a large part of your photography work is spent on post-production and editing, especially if you are doing more complex, time-consuming enhancements and retouching.

Market demand

If you are engaged in seasonal work, such as event photography, you can adjust your rates based on market demand and offer peak and off-peak pricing.

Equipment costs

Always take into account the cost of your tools and equipment, as well as any necessary repairs, replacements, and upgrades, when calculating the total value of your photography services.

Common pricing models

Reviewing expenses and budgeting for photography services (Source: iStock)

Choosing a pricing model is not arbitrary; you must base it on the services you offer your clients.

Hourly rate

This pricing type is commonly utilized by event photographers shooting holiday celebrations, family gatherings, and company parties. This ensures that every minute they spend working—including attending consultations, travelling, and editing—is accounted and paid for.

Flat fee per project

The flat-fee pricing model is typically followed when documenting weddings, doing corporate shoots, and taking portraits. But take note that this will require knowing beforehand how much time, cost, and effort will be involved in the entire process to avoid underselling oneself. In this regard, it is also crucial to have a solid contract with stipulations regarding overtime and additional services.

Packages

You can offer tiered pricing packages for different bundled services. A premium wedding photography package, for instance, can include a prenuptial shoot, coverage of the ceremony and reception, a photo album, and framed prints. Meanwhile, a basic package will likely only cover ceremony and reception photography.

Stock photography royalties

The income stock photographers can earn depends on the number of downloads their images receive from users and the payout they receive per sale (ranging from 10% to 50%, sometimes up to 100%).

Profit margin calculations

You can calculate your photography business’s profit by deducting your expenses (e.g., transportation cost, equipment replacement) from your revenue (a.k.a., how much you charge your clients):

Profit = Revenue - Expenses

This means if you want higher profit but your expenses are too high, you can raise the cost of your services within reason.

How to reach those who need photography services

The best ways to make money with photography involve using digital and traditional marketing strategies to get your business’s name out there and reach potential customers.

Online

Photographer on camera presenting and reviewing lenses and accessories for a video (Source: iStock)

• Build a portfolio website: In addition to showcasing your best photography, it lets you share client feedback and contact information.

• Leverage social media: Use platforms like Instagram and Facebook to build an online following and promote your work to a wider audience.

• Use stock photography platforms: You can upload select images to various stock photo websites to make your work visible to potential clients worldwide.

• Try Google Business Profile: A Google Business Profile allows you to control how your venture appears on Google products like Maps and Search. It also allows you to interact with both old and new customers, use localized ads, and keep your public business details accurate.

• Create a blog or YouTube channel: A photography blog or vlog is a good way to demonstrate your photography expertise and gain an audience.

Offline

Guests exploring a photographer exhibit featuring black and white imagery (Source: iStock)

• Network locally: Consider joining photo contests or collaborating with businesses and professionals in the same industry, including other local photographers, event organizers and planners, and party venues.

• Host photo exhibitions: Submitting art exhibit proposals to local museums, art galleries, and dining establishments can help you sell prints and lead to these establishments’ patrons becoming your new clientele.

• Make flyers and business cards: Display well-designed flyers, brochures, and business cards with your contact details at local libraries, schools, real estate agencies, and community centers.

• Form exclusive partnerships: To boost your offline presence, partner with suppliers such as bakeries, tailoring companies, and catering businesses.

• Aim for word-of-mouth referrals: You’ll find that some satisfied clients will recommend your services with little to no encouragement. But you can also offer referral discounts as an incentive for talking about your work with their family and friends.

Turn your photography skills into an income stream on Airtasker

With Airtasker, making money through photography can be done in a snapshot. The platform lets you connect with individuals across the US who are searching for capable photographers.

After signing up on the website to become a Tasker, you can begin:

1. Browsing photography jobs;

2. Accepting customer offers; and

3. Earning money for completing each task.