Forums > General Industry > Nude or Non-nude

Photographer

W A L K E R

Posts: 78

Los Angeles, California, US

What really makes the most money?

May 13 08 12:28 am Link

Model

Wynd Mulysa

Posts: 8619

Berkeley, California, US

walker wrote:
What really makes the most money?

Do you really have to ask?

May 13 08 12:29 am Link

Photographer

Kas_

Posts: 11110

Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

hmm

May 13 08 12:30 am Link

Model

m_O

Posts: 708

Houston, Texas, US

Wynd Mulysa wrote:

Do you really have to ask?

Seriously.

Gosh just take off your clothes already.

(kidding.)

May 13 08 12:30 am Link

Photographer

Magic Image Photography

Posts: 3606

Temple City, California, US

I think nudes overpower everything else on the book. Unless your a fine ass knock out that couthing is just as hot as you.

May 13 08 12:31 am Link

Photographer

BrettJ

Posts: 154

Seattle, Washington, US

a naked photographer will make very little.
nude models will make more than a clothed models.
and a photographer that sells amazing photos will make the most of all...again tho...I always think the photog should remain non-nude..

May 13 08 12:37 am Link

Photographer

W A L K E R

Posts: 78

Los Angeles, California, US

Wynd Mulysa wrote:

Do you really have to ask?

No there is a reason for trying to make a friend understand some about the industry.

May 13 08 12:37 am Link

Photographer

W A L K E R

Posts: 78

Los Angeles, California, US

thank you all for your input.

May 13 08 12:38 am Link

Photographer

Abbitt Photography

Posts: 13564

Washington, Utah, US

Are you talking about the model or the photographer making money?

Many models charge more for nudes, so I'd say often they make more money with nudes.   

However, I don't think nudes (images), necessarily make any more, so a photographer who is paying models more for nudes may be making less money.    I make money on landscapes, not nudes.

In the end, it's really about the quality of the image and the market for such images.

May 13 08 09:53 am Link

Photographer

American Glamour

Posts: 38813

Detroit, Michigan, US

Let's put this into simple perspective;

1. For Models - A successful agency model in the mainstream will do far better than a glamour model.  A single cover or good assignment can pay more than most Internet models make in a year, but for all others, an Internet nude model will typically make more.  Put another way, if you are with Ford and are getting booked regularly, you will do great.  If you are trying to work as an independent or just off the web, you will need nudity if you want to make a good living.

2.  For Photographers - Most successful photographers shoot at least some nudes.  There is nudity in mainstream fashion, so let's talk about glamour vs non-glamour.  The most money is in mainstream advertising and editorial for the major magazines.  If you shoot spreads for Cosmo every week and pick up an ad campaign twice a month for Revlon, you are driving your Porsche.  Beyond that, it is complicated for everyone.  There is a lot of money in weddings if you are good at it.  There isn't a lot of money shooting nudes and trying to sell the images to magazines, but, if you are good at it, you can make a good living off of the web.

Nudes are just one aspect of the business.  Unless you get hired as a staff photographer by Playboy or build enough websites, you aren't going to make it as a photographer shooting nudes.  But unless you hit the top tier, you are also not going to get rich shooting for Cosmo. 

The same is true for models.

There is a time and place to do nudes and a lot of models make a great living on the web.  In the end there is no right or wrong answer.  It is just one possibility.

May 13 08 11:37 am Link

Photographer

Paul Thomas 3

Posts: 1301

Denver, Colorado, US

Let's see, the better model you are, the more money you will make.

The better photographer you are, the more money you will make.

If you are better at nudes than fashion, you will make more money at nudes (true for models or photographers).

May 13 08 11:43 am Link

Photographer

OmarImages

Posts: 149

Virginia Beach, Virginia, US

walker wrote:
What really makes the most money?

Porn big_smile

May 13 08 11:51 am Link

Photographer

ATMPhotos

Posts: 1565

Brooklyn, New York, US

walker wrote:
What really makes the most money?

Wynd Mulysa wrote:
Do you really have to ask?

lol lol lol

May 13 08 12:44 pm Link

Photographer

FlirtynFun Photography

Posts: 13926

Houston, Texas, US

I USUALLY make better money shooting when I keep my clothes on...models DON'T like to see me naked!

May 13 08 12:47 pm Link

Photographer

ATMPhotos

Posts: 1565

Brooklyn, New York, US

Paul Thomas wrote:
Let's see, the better model you are, the more money you will make.

The better photographer you are, the more money you will make.

If you are better at nudes than fashion, you will make more money at nudes (true for models or photographers).

QFT

May 13 08 12:53 pm Link

Photographer

Colin Talcroft

Posts: 1078

Santa Rosa, California, US

I think this was a gratuitous post aimed at getting attention, not a serious question.

May 13 08 12:55 pm Link

Photographer

Photo Matt

Posts: 759

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, US

if i could make more money shooting naked i would.

May 13 08 04:58 pm Link

Photographer

Cast-in-Pixels

Posts: 10

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US

I guess if I was going for the horrified model look I could take my clothes off. But only if I felt safe and had an escort.

May 13 08 05:03 pm Link

Model

Dana Barry

Posts: 1920

Brooklyn, New York, US

nude nude bo bood banana fana fo food mi my mo mood NUuuuuuuDDDDDE!!!!!

smilesmilesmilesmilesmile

May 13 08 05:05 pm Link

Photographer

Lumigraphics

Posts: 32780

Detroit, Michigan, US

BrettJ wrote:
a naked photographer will make very little.
nude llamas will make more than a clothed llamas.
and a photographer that sells amazing photos will make the most of all...again tho...I always think the photog should remain non-nude..

So commercial agencies get more nude than non-nude work?

Getting booked for a national ad campaign is going to pay a lot more than a random nude shoot...

May 13 08 06:05 pm Link

Model

Anna Catherine

Posts: 573

New York, New York, US

Dana Barry wrote:
nude nude bo bood banana fana fo food mi my mo mood NUuuuuuuDDDDDE!!!!!

smilesmilesmilesmilesmile

you're such a dork.

May 14 08 12:51 am Link