Average Salary

[KMG]

This thread is no longer needed...please do not reply.

[446Greg]

I think you will get more accurate answers if you tell us what kind of photography you do. A professional wedding photographer is likely to make more from a salary than someone who shoots landscapes to sell as prints. Then there are the staff photographers at magazines, and freelance photographers.



This is a very difficult business to get into, and how much income you deserve is directly related to the quality of the product.



Here is something to chew on. Keep it as a hobby for now, but try to edge into the market and find your niche. Once you find a customer base, you will have a better understanding of how much your work is worth in the market place and whether or not you can afford a career switch.



Regardless of whether or not you turn professional, never lose the joy that made it a hobby. Too often we (guilty myself) begin to do it for others and not for ourselves. Once that happens, your work will never have the same meaning to you.

[UniQ]

this is a quote taken right from the Bureau of labor Statistics..... bls.gov



they use tax returns and census data to get their info....



Photographers held about 130,000 jobs in 2002. More than

half were self-employed, a much higher proportion than the

average for all occupations. Some self-employed photographers

have contracts with advertising agencies, magazines, or others

to do individual projects at a predetermined fee, while others

operate portrait studios or provide photographs to stock photo

agencies.

Most salaried photographers work in portrait or commercial

photography studios. Newspapers, magazines, television broadcasters,

and advertising agencies employ most of the others.

Most photographers work in metropolitan areas.



Median annual earnings of salaried photographers were $24,040

in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $17,740 and

$34,910. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $14,640, and

the highest 10 percent earned more than $49,920. Median annual

earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers

of salaried photographers were $31,460 for newspapers and periodicals

and $21,860 for other professional or scientific services.

Salaried photographers—more of whom work full time—tend

to earn more than those who are self-employed. Because most

freelance and portrait photographers purchase their own equipment,

they incur considerable expense acquiring and maintaining

cameras and accessories. Unlike news and commercial photographers,

few fine arts photographers are successful enough to

support themselves solely through their art.

[KMG]

Thanks alot for the suggestions.

[Davidw]

"Few fine arts photographers are successful enough to

support themselves solely through their art."



That's why my career plans are as a sports photographer, not a fine art photographer.

[KMG]

Yeah, I figured that. I really will take any sort of photography job as long as it pays decently. I can do the art style photography on my own time. Sports, Photojournalism, Paprazzi, lol whatever pays the bills and lets me use a camera, well except pornography, I won't do that...I don't really believe in it.

[Davidw]

How much does the average stringer make?

[KMG]

I don't even know what you are talking about...



-Matt

[Davidw]

Go take a look at the topic lens for photojournalist.

[KMG]

Sure thing.



-Matt