Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
There are quite a few folks on MM - models and photographers - who claim to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who claim to have more work than they can handle, who claim to work non stop, who claim to shoot or model full time, etc, etc.
So if they are so busy and successful, where do they find the time to spend several hours a day, several days a week posting about how busy and successful they are?
Please explain this great mystery to me...
Model
Caitin Bre
Posts: 2687
Apache Junction, Arizona, US
The only time I post is when I am on the puter editing.
Right now I am editing last Saturdays wedding I shot and a corporate law firms portraits I shot on Monday. I have to take my eyes off my editing for moments to make sure I am keeping my vision clear.
Tomorrow I have to finish up editing some homecoming shoots and print them. So I will probably be on then to.
But I have modeling gigs Tomorrow eve, Saturday all day and Sunday half day so I probably wont be on. Unless I get on mobile in route because I am not driving.
At this minute I am going through selecting photos from a paid modeling gig I did Friday to see what I want from it. The photographer has asked if I would like to edit them for him as well. A little more pay so I probably will.
So I can see how people can be on MM that stay busy.
Just paid attention you said hundreds of thousands. I wish. LOL
I 1st read it as hundreds and thousands. LOL
100k to 150k isn't a unreasonable amount to make for the amount of work put in. I know some that can make that from one campaign.
Photographer
WIP
Posts: 15973
Cheltenham, England, United Kingdom
They have their P.A's log in writing forums for them.
Photographer
Jay Edwards
Posts: 18616
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There are quite a few folks on MM - models and photographers - who claim to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who claim to have more work than they can handle, who claim to work non stop, who claim to shoot or model full time, etc, etc.
So if they are so busy and successful, where do they find the time to spend several hours a day, several days a week posting about how busy and successful they are?
Please explain this great mystery to me... Well, I was able to pull in that kind of money for many years but I only worked part-time so I had plenty of time to play... 
Photographer
kickfight
Posts: 35054
Portland, Oregon, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There are quite a few folks on MM - models and photographers - who claim to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who claim to have more work than they can handle, who claim to work non stop, who claim to shoot or model full time, etc, etc.
So if they are so busy and successful, where do they find the time to spend several hours a day, several days a week posting about how busy and successful they are?
Please explain this great mystery to me... Yikes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars from modeling or photography, in 2014? Must be nice, considering I made just over six figure (singular) income while in high tech back in the 90s/early 00s. 
Everything I shoot earns me money. But we're talkin' tens ---not hundreds--- of Ks per year.
I suppose it's possible, but I haz a skept.
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
WIP wrote:
They have their P.A's log in writing forums for them.
Photographer
Wye
Posts: 10811
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Id eat my hat if more than a handful of mm members made anywhere near that amount just on photography/modeling/retouching alone.
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
Wye wrote:
Id eat my hat if more than a handful of mm members made anywhere near that amount just on photography/modeling/retouching alone. You are being generous...
Photographer
Wye
Posts: 10811
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Greg Kolack wrote:
You are being generous... I'm just going on the assumption that out of the hundreds of thousands of members there's gotta be 2 or 3 who are making some sorta coin in advertising or sports or stock. But yeah.. The idea in general seems pretty ridiculous.
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
Jay Edwards wrote:
Well, I was able to pull in that kind of money for many years but I only worked part-time so I had plenty of time to play... Can you teach me your secrets?
Photographer
Cherrystone
Posts: 37171
Columbus, Ohio, US
Well this got ironic right off the fooken bat. 
Photographer
Brooklyn Bridge Images
Posts: 13200
Brooklyn, New York, US
Cherrystone wrote:
Well this got ironic right off the fooken bat. This thread is special
It goes to 11 on the Irony dial
Photographer
kickfight
Posts: 35054
Portland, Oregon, US
Photographer
Chicchowmein
Posts: 14585
Palm Beach, Florida, US
Photographer
MesmerEyes Photography
Posts: 3102
Galveston, Texas, US
There are probably quite a few that take the fake it until you make it approach. I'm not saying all that claim such success do so but I'd bet the farm more do than not that claim that kind of income from shooting. That is if a had a farm.
Photographer
GK photo
Posts: 31025
Laguna Beach, California, US
Photographer
Abbitt Photography
Posts: 13564
Washington, Utah, US
This is how it works for me:
Today, as usual, I was charging $300/hour for my photography services. Three, four-hour shoots per week for 50 weeks equates to 180K/year. This rate clearly demonstrates the value I bring to a shoot as well as my success as a photographer.
However, as often happens, today I shot zero hours at that rate, leaving me a lot of time to post in the forums. I should mention that my rate is negotiable, so on the days I do shoot models, I often discount the above rate by about $300/hour as well as provide images. I find if I discount the rate even further, the demand for my services really starts to increase, and can become overwhelming, so I rarely do that anymore
I feel fortunate to have a full-time job outside of photography which allows me to provide models such a generous discount off my usual $300/hour rate.
Photographer
Daniel
Posts: 5169
Brooklyn, New York, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
Please explain this great mystery to me... You probably spend a lot of time working on whatever it is you do, and still have time to post, right? Maybe it's in there somewhere. Maybe they're honest, or maybe they're full of shit. BFD.
But as a counterpoint to your baffledness, I've spent over $10,000 on photography this year and haven't earned one damn cent from it. Huzzah.
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
I think some people are missing the point that this was a tongue in cheek thread... To quote Shakespeare - "Methinks thou doth protest too much."
Photographer
MerrillMedia
Posts: 8736
New Orleans, Louisiana, US
I don't know. I'll get back to you when I have about 9,340 more posts.
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
MerrillMedia wrote:
I don't know. I'll get back to you when I have about 9,340 more posts. Ah, but I don't claim to work full time in the business, or to make much money at all from it...
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
kickfight wrote:
Yikes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars from modeling or photography, in 2014? Must be nice, considering I made just over six figure (singular) income while in high tech back in the 90s/early 00s. There actually was a photographer here not too long ago that claimed he made almost $900,000 in the last year.
Photographer
Warren Leimbach
Posts: 3223
Tampa, Florida, US
I usually check the forums when I am backstage at my wife's gigs. Or when I am avoiding editing...
But your point is well taken. I for one would do well to spend more time shooting and less time online. I was just listening to an interview with Joel Grimes today. He says he does about 50 test shoots a year!!!
Photographer
GeM Photographic
Posts: 2456
Racine, Wisconsin, US
Q: How do you make a small fortune in model photography?
A: Start with a large fortune
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
GeM Photographic wrote:
Q: How do you make a small fortune in model photography?
A: Start with a large fortune I need to follow that advice...
Photographer
Looknsee Photography
Posts: 26342
Portland, Oregon, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There are quite a few folks on MM - models and photographers - who claim to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who claim to have more work than they can handle, who claim to work non stop, who claim to shoot or model full time, etc, etc.
So if they are so busy and successful, where do they find the time to spend several hours a day, several days a week posting about how busy and successful they are?
Please explain this great mystery to me... 1) Not "quite a few" -- these folks are rare, especially the ones who claim a six figure income.
2) Some do work full time, but many of those have more modest incomes.
3) True professionals appreciate that a photography business is 10% photography and 90% business, and a key business activity is networking. Where better?
4) Some are semi-retired.
Photographer
Schlake
Posts: 2935
Socorro, New Mexico, US
I've known a couple of people that only worked once a year. One did high end landscaping for two months in the summer, and lived the rest of the year off his money. The other worked for the Superbowl, and lived the rest of the year off his money.
In general, I think it is pretty rare to be both successful and a MM fixture. It might even be impossible.
Photographer
Peter House
Posts: 888
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Well, for some of us, a social presence is how we make money. So being out there, chatting, and engaging is all part of the business. That said, I think you'll find most claims blown out of proportion and most posts utterly useless.
Photographer
Giacomo Cirrincioni
Posts: 22232
Stamford, Connecticut, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There are quite a few folks on MM - models and photographers - who claim to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who claim to have more work than they can handle, who claim to work non stop, who claim to shoot or model full time, etc, etc.
So if they are so busy and successful, where do they find the time to spend several hours a day, several days a week posting about how busy and successful they are?
Please explain this great mystery to me... I don't make hundreds of thousands shooting, but I make enough to live well on it alone if I choose to. But it's not by being busy.
My next gig is a four page National FSI (free standing insert that you find in newspapers or delivered in your junk mail). Four double trucked photographs, each containing three national, packaged goods brands. That job pays enough for me to live on for a year (and let me be clear, the work they want done sucks, I would never show it anywhere. Open your junk mail, that's what it is). I shoot catalog for a company that manufacturers specialty batteries once a year and produce video for them as well. In total, that also is enough for me to live on for a year. Combine them in one year, as I do, and I get to not only live for a year, but keep a pretty nice boat - and I work more than two jobs a year. Of course the work makes you want to slit your wrists… Hell, I shot a turkey that went on cardboard inserts on disposable foil pans that is brought out and used every Thanksgiving. That one job bought my boat (a modest one vessel that I rebuilt). The worst part, after all the work I put into it, after you see it printed about 2 inches square on cardboard, looks like crap…
One point to make real clear, especially when it comes to the ad work, it's not like I'm some hot shot commanding a high rate (my rate is incredibly low compared to many) that's just what the gigs pay.
But here's the thing, advertising photographers don't have to work much, nor do they work that much (on actual gigs). If you get six campaigns a year, you're doing AMAZING (financially and otherwise)!
For many in advertising, six campaigns a year would mean they were getting around $300,000 a year. In the 80s and 90s $350,000 was pretty standard for a busy advertising photographer working in a major market. For a lower end guy, it might be $150,000.
That's one of the reasons why I laugh when folks on here say that digital and the glut of amateur hack photographers hasn't effected the "industry" because they're doing amazeballs and bringing in a whopping $40k a year shooting…
I can't think of a single time I was paid a lot of money to shoot a pretty girl. But if you want to shoot crappy products for the wall mart crowd, you can make coin if you do it right.
Hell, even my fine art work. I've sold over $100,000 in prints. And all the ones that have sold over the years, almost none are anything I would hang in my home (people who know me at this point are probably understanding why I use a pseudonym on here, lol). I do hang some of my work, the work that really means something to me, but people wouldn't buy it. But "decorator art"? Again, market it right and you can make money.
Photographer
Giacomo Cirrincioni
Posts: 22232
Stamford, Connecticut, US
Wye wrote:
I'm just going on the assumption that out of the hundreds of thousands of members there's gotta be 2 or 3 who are making some sorta coin in advertising or sports or stock. But yeah.. The idea in general seems pretty ridiculous. I've seen one former, well-known member here make that in a week shooting pharmaceutical advertising...
Photographer
PhillipM
Posts: 8049
Nashville, Tennessee, US
WIP wrote:
They have their P.A's log in writing forums for them. You mean their mom's?
Photographer
Worlds Of Water
Posts: 37732
Rancho Cucamonga, California, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There actually was a photographer here not too long ago that claimed he made almost $900,000 in the last year. Oh yeah... I read that post... he was a 'hedge fund broker' on his day job... ... 
Photographer
Giacomo Cirrincioni
Posts: 22232
Stamford, Connecticut, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There actually was a photographer here not too long ago that claimed he made almost $900,000 in the last year. Select Models wrote:
Oh yeah... I read that post... he was a 'hedge fund broker' on his day job... ... That'll certainly do it...
Photographer
Jerry Nemeth
Posts: 33355
Dearborn, Michigan, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
There are quite a few folks on MM - models and photographers - who claim to make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who claim to have more work than they can handle, who claim to work non stop, who claim to shoot or model full time, etc, etc.
So if they are so busy and successful, where do they find the time to spend several hours a day, several days a week posting about how busy and successful they are?
Please explain this great mystery to me... I have wondered about this myself.
Photographer
r T p
Posts: 3511
Los Angeles, California, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
Please explain this great mystery to me...
the internets ..
where everything is true
and everyones a unicorn
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
r T p wrote:
the internets ..
where everything is true
and everyones a unicorn I like to say "where anyone can be whatever they want to be...even if they aren't..."
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
Select Models wrote:
Oh yeah... I read that post... he was a 'hedge fund broker' on his day job... ... I can't find the post, but i am pretty sure he said he made $900,000 a year from photography.
Either way...
That was the post that actually inspired me to start this thread.
Photographer
DOUGLASFOTOS
Posts: 10604
Los Angeles, California, US
Greg Kolack wrote:
I think some people are missing the point that this was a tongue in cheek thread...
To quote Shakespeare - "Methinks thou doth protest too much."
We can't see your face or hear your tone when you write...HEADS UP...This is Tongue and Cheek heading at the beginning...wow the magic of letting people know..what is what.
Photographer
Greg Kolack
Posts: 18392
Elmhurst, Illinois, US
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