Has anyone made money from photography?

[baldrich]

I do art show/fairs all over southern California & the southwest. Pop-up tents, often double, ProPanel walls, print bins and desk.
Someone above called it too much work. I'm almost 66 and still at it and do 15-20 shows a year. I have one this weekend in Thousand Oaks.
Took a lot of perserverence, slow start, but making a living now. I may never be able to retire from that money, but that's a whole other issue.
Start younger than 54 like I did, and stay with it.

Major problem now with digital; it's easier now than with film for people to copy everyone's work they see at shows. There are literally dozens of photogs doing the same Southwest landscapes- Utah, AZ, , canyons, arches, red rock country done to death. Some shows there will be three booths in one aisle or row all looking too much alike. I shoot those too, but just for me. What I 'sell' is totally different than other's work, which is why it's worked for me.

I regularly have show walkers & other photographers trying to steal my images with small cameras & cell phones when they see me distracted with customers. This is in spite of 'no photo' signs posted in my and most every artists booths. Where is the originality in that? Much less the integrity. This is stealing folks.

But I rarely sell images from the net. Usually net sales come only from people who saw me in a show (La Quinta, La Jolla, Southwest, San Diego, Indian Wells, etc) visit my site http://bartaldrich.viewbook.com/ and call back later.

I have to mention the commissions we pay to each show; 5% up to as high as 20%. And the customer's dogs that pee on your tent and panel legs, any over hanging table clothes. Some painters have even had dogs wet the frame, canvases and hard work they have standing on the ground inside their tents. Why dogs are let in to art shows, we'll never know. They never buy art. But don't ever challenge a dog owner on why he would allow his/her 'little darling' to do this. They often see it and just giggle as if you should think it's as cute as they do. As far as show organizers are concerned, the customers are always right. I've seen these situations go badly for artists.

Galleries? Good luck! Too many horror stories there. Sales concealed for months, commissions held up, or never paid, art work lost when galleries fold and disappear with everyone's work. This is actually a scam that is popular now. Open a gallery on one coast, close, move to another State o the far coast and sell the art commission free.

I know artists, much younger artists than I, who travel for months to shows in Florida, Seattle, Michigan, Texas, etc. It's not easy, but it is fun once the set up is done and it can work.
Then there's tear down and the long drives home. As one artists put it, we are firckin' gypsies!

[chasp]

I do make money, but not enough to live on. I do First Communions and Confirmations for my local church, as well as local school functions such as plays and graduations. I have also sold some fine art stuff, but not as much as I would like. Then again, if I got my butt out to local shows, maybe that side of the business would be better. I still have a more than full time job, so I am always short for time. That said, I still clear about $2K-3K per year which puts me into a better lens or body every two years or so. As long as it pays for itself, me bride is happy, and therefore, so am I.

[singhstylestudio]

Hi Pals,
Greetings,
Interesting-n-Interactive Information...

Yes, I do make money in Advertising, Fashion, Travel, Architectural & Fine Art Photography.

Sorry to say, I don't have any story to tell...
I am just Freelance Photographer.

I didn't sell even a single image in stock photography so far...
Now, I am planning to enter soon...

[genghis45]

http://sp45.tripod.com/index31.html