Insights: How Photographers REALLY Make Money - Part 1
Chris Burkard, Bella Rose Bunce, Hannah Bailey and James Bowden on the realities of life as freelance photographer.
As regulars will know, I’m on a mission to help my Insights paid subscribers find their own answers to two fundamental questions:
How can I spend more time doing the things I’m passionate about?
What does a ‘successful’ creative career really look like?
That was the thinking behind my three-part series on the reality of earning money as a freelance creative.
If you missed this the first time around, catch up below:
As this series was so popular, I’m back with another two-parter: discussing in this first instalment the reality of how freelance photographers make their money with Chris Burkard, Bella Rose Bunce, Hannah Bailey and James Bowden.
Photographers are in a particularly interesting position these days. Gone are those pre-digital days, when analogue syndication meant photographers could establish a niche for themselves while also making some proper cash.
The advent of digital scuppered that business model for all but those at the very top of the food chain.
For the rest of our lens-toting brethren, as my interviewees discuss, the reality of life as a photographer means a constant hustle of endless pitching and brand collabs; and finding a way of parlaying your talent into revenue in an increasing precarious media landscape.
As ever, expect the same intriguing and compelling mix of insight and vulnerability that has made this series such a hit (and look out for part 2, as well as future instalments on how journalists, film-makers, and activists make money, in 2025).
1. Chris Burkard
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