Making a living from Landscapes

Craigus

Craigus

Messages
1,559
Name
Craig
Edit My Images
Yes
I would like to preface this by saying that this is not a thread asking how I can make money or anything like that (I'm under no illusions that I will ever be able to even sell a print) but rather something I have been wondering for a while and thought it might be an interesting discussion. I do understand if people would rather not share this type of info, and there really is nothing behind me asking these questions, purely curiosity.

Does anyone on here make their living primarily from Landscape photography? Is this supplemented by other genres of photography work like weddings, events, product etc? Where does the actual income come from, do print publications 'buy' your work? Do you sell a lot of prints through your website? Do galleries pay to exhibit your work? Do you run courses/workshops?

I imagine it's a combination of all these things. Obviously there are people whose name is very well known, Joe Cornish et al, who are in a slightly different position, but perhaps not?

Sorry if this has been discussed before, just interested if any of the people on here who post consistently good stuff make a living from it.

(y)
 
I make a supplementary amount from selling prints at art fairs, online, and offering one-to-one tuition. I think if I had enough capital to 'bridge the gap' between leaving my full time job and switching completely to the photography I could probably make a go of it, but I doubt I'd be that well off.
 
•


Living exclusively of my trade, landscapes sales are
not the better part of my income. I know some guys
around here that, though the sceneries are fantastic,
have given up on their ambitions… maybe the locals
are blasés or something.
 
I make a small amount each year from print sales, selling directly to magazines and the odd article too. Admittedly I don't try much harder than that but you'd have to work incredibly hard to earn a full time wage as a landscape photographer - there is a good reason not many are doing it.

One to one's and workshops are where alot are making reasonably good money, selling directly to magazines has made me up to £200 a photo. Which is nice for one-off sums of money but you'd have be doing many times over for a living.
 
My guess is you'll not get many photographers making 100% of their income from landscape photography, well a decent income anyway, unless Charlie Waite or Joe Cornish are members of TP.... I know a few full time pros who do a fair bit of landscape but all of them shoot weddings, portrait and commercial...basically anything that brings the cash in. I've toyed with the idea of turning my serious hobby into a full time career but it's really landscapes that drives my passion for photography so having to take up other genres would just take the fun out of it for me, it's not likely to pay the same as the day job either but obviously it's not all about money, there are some lifestyle benefits to landscape photography which certainly keep the notion ticking away

Simon
 
The responses are pretty much as I suspected really. There will always be the odd few people who manage to do it for whatever reason but I can imagine it would be hard work for it to be 100% income.
 
I've made a living from landscapes and in recent years increasingly wildlife for the last 25-ish years. For many years my bread-and-butter income has been from postcards; I have them printed commercially and then sell them on to shops. I have exhibited my work quite widely in Wales, and yes, galleries can pay you to exhibit your work. My photographs are in a number of books under my own name (only available in Wales). I have a tiny niche locally which enables me to carry on just about keeping my head above water. But almost every income stream I've ever developed and exploited is now declining. Fortunately I have very low outgoings these days.

I've had little luck getting my work into UK magazines which is why you'll probably never have heard of me! I imagine the Joe Cornishes of this world make most of their income from teaching these days. I 've dabbled in teaching myself but not had lasting success with it.
 
Like anything key is accessing your market...and don't forget the commission a gallery will take when doing the sums. It's hard. where I am I guess few of the people I know are making more than approx 50% job with it.
 
I did for about two years '13-'15, mainly workshops, a few sales etc, luckily I have very little outgoings....but it's bloody hard work, and totally took the joy out of it for me, so back to the daily grind of being a joiner the back end of 2015 and more importantly, back to enjoying my landscape photography, and now just run the odd workshop here and there.
 
Steelo said:
I did for about two years '13-'15, mainly workshops, a few sales etc, luckily I have very little outgoings....but it's bloody hard work, and totally took the joy out of it for me, so back to the daily grind of being a joiner the back end of 2015 and more importantly, back to enjoying my landscape photography, and now just run the odd workshop here and there.
Click to expand...


It's like almost anything I suppose.. If you do anything for the money for any length of time it becomes a bit of a job . My lifestyle probably still elicits envy from other people, no doubt, and I still get a real buzz from a good trip or a good session in the field - who doesn't! - but I find I constantly need new challenges or it gets stale. And all that driving and all those journeys to arrive somewhere and you find the weather is crap. Aaaaargh!

You're in the lucky position of being able to earn your money from doing something else and enjoy your photography when it suits you. As long as you have the flexibility to drop the day job and go when conditions are right.
 
If I remember correctly Thomas Heaton (YouTube vlogger) has a recent video where he discusses his move from being a jack-of-all trades photographer to a full-time landscape photographer. And another full-time travel/landscape vlogger Brendan van Son does a monthly video where he details his income and expenditure. They might be helpful
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top