Whether you own a top of the range Hasselblad, a simple point and press camera or something in between, if you are looking to make money from your camera, this website is for you. It aims to give you a number of practical ideas on making money with your camera and it is based upon my own experience gained over many years.

I must confess that website's primary focus is on my photographic first love, portrait photography. Nevertheless, it does give examples of a number of other aspects of photography which have also proved to be revenue generators for me over the years.

Before you start, there is something important you need to consider. As amateurs, whatever we photograph, be it holiday snaps, our children, landscapes, flowers, hot air balloons, old steam trains etc. etc, we are invariably doing it to please ourselves. When you cross that threshold and start accepting commissions, you are working for someone else and the aim must be to please them first and foremost. For some, this could take the fun out of photography.

This can be particularly true when you may be say reviewing the results of a portrait sitting of little Johnny or Susie with their mother. She quite rightly chooses the shots that she wants but in so doing she may discard others that you consider to be perhaps technically superior.  Learn to live with it – it’s an occupational hazard !

I always reviewed the results of a shoot before allowing the client to see them, removing the obvious warts such as closed or glazed eyes. But I always remember a particular little boy called Ben and how I nearly removed a shot of him slightly poking his tongue out. In the end I didn’t and his mother was delighted as that was the only photograph that had ever caught him doing that. To her it was something personal and special as it had caught one of his little mannerisms. So don’t be too hasty to discard shots that you think are less than perfect.

Remember that the saying “Those who judge us are often those least qualified to do so” is particularly true in photography. But by achieving distinctions from recognised photographic bodies such as the Royal Photographic Society, Master Photographers Association and the British Institute of Professional Photographers you are gaining peer recognition. The MPA and the BIPP are professional bodies and are only open to individuals engaged in full time photography. The RPS, however, is open to amateur and professional alike.

Finally, before a shoot, always make sure that you understand what is required. What medium is needed for the final images – prints or digital images. What will the final images be used for and what size are they likely to be. Do you have the right equipment and necessary experience to undertake the assignment ? Highlight and discuss with the client any potential technical difficulties or constraints that you may see and where possible seek a satisfactory resolution. It is sometimes better to say “I can’t do what you are asking” and be prepared to walk away than try and fail.