Many people think about how much a photographer who works on a preliminary order receives. This becomes especially relevant after the newlyweds find out the prices for operator services. It’s not a sin to think about additional earnings yourself. What's so complicated? Buy a good camera and click on it right and left. But is it worth the dressing skin? Will the photographer have enough salaries to cover expenses and ensure a comfortable life?
Job or vocation
The availability of high-quality photographic equipment in combination with the capabilities of computer programs make the work of a photographer in Moscow almost the most common and easily accessible. However, as practice shows, not everything is as simple as it might seem at first glance. In fact, this profession is quite complicated. Despite how much the photographer receives in one photo shoot.
This is especially true for solemn specifics. So, for example, on the wedding day, a professional photographer needs to constantly monitor guests and newlyweds, monitor the necessary angles and focus on significant events. It will not be very good if the master gaps and misses the moment of congratulation of a relative. But this does not end there. Having photographed the material, the photographer must select the most rich and vivid shots, correct them if necessary, and present their work to the customer. Are you still wondering how much the photographer gets? Then read on and you will learn the other subtleties of this profession. For example, how to become a photographer. Or how to get a high-paying position.
Work as a photographer in Moscow
In order to enter the industry of professional activity with lightning speed and gain a firm foothold in it, you must, at a minimum, have at your disposal high-quality equipment and suitable equipment. As a rule, it is at this stage that interest in the salary of the photographer is slightly reduced, because a professional camera and other related equipment require significant investments. In addition, the technique for creating and processing photographs, like everything in this world, tends to become obsolete and lose its relevance. This means that the equipment will have to be regularly updated in order to survive in the conditions of fierce competition. How much a photographer receives in Russia per month depends on many factors, including the willingness to invest in a future profession at the initial stage.
There are plenty of offers in the modern market. For this reason, it can be very difficult to choose the most suitable camera. You can focus on the opinion of experienced photographers. In any case, it is impossible to save on technology of such a plan. Especially if in the future it will help to earn a living.
How much does a decent machine cost?
Not only the skill, but also the technique depends on what pictures the photographer receives. How much does a professional camera cost? To answer this question, first try to select it. Of course, he must be professional. It is best to give preference to a full-frame matrix. Such a camera has more features, the photos are more detailed. In addition, it can work in low light.
On average, a professional camera on Avito costs about 40 thousand rubles. This is a used device without a lens. The lens is the most expensive and most necessary part. A really good camera will cost the photographer about 120 thousand rubles.
As such, a technological breakthrough did not happen, and even the most sophisticated phone can not compete with a professional digital camera. And it’s extremely difficult to extend a wedding photo shoot on an amateur DSLR.
Most photographers shoot with professional digital cameras. True, there are aesthetes who use film. Photos really turn out magnificent, but it is damn expensive pleasure.
Lens
The camera itself is the so-called "carcass", which is useless without a lens. It is he who collects all the light, focuses it in a special way and directs it into the frame. Good lighting is the # 1 problem for every photographer, because its lack of it does not allow you to make really good and high-quality images.
The geometry of the frame depends on the capabilities of the lens. It allows you to create blurry in the distance and clear near the image, to work out the brightness and blur. In fact, it is the lens that “makes” photographs juicy, vibrant and memorable. Needless to say, it costs almost as much as the camera?
As a rule, a camera is sold with a simple lens, which will not be enough for a professional photographer, so you will have to buy something more suitable. On average, a good lens will cost around 100-130 thousand rubles.
Further information on how much the photographer receives taking into account all the costs of materials and equipment can be found below.
What more do you need?
In addition to a good camera and lens, the photographer will need other related accessories. So, for example, it will not be superfluous to purchase a spare camera in case the main one breaks. You will also need specialized equipment to create the necessary lighting: a flashlight and a flash. The built-in flash, as a rule, does not provide the necessary lighting. In some cases, you can do without additional lighting. But if you need to draw clear portraits of people from the darkened corners of the restaurant, you can not do without an additional flash.
To process photos you will need a graphics tablet or computer. It is also important to purchase powerful equipment here, since a weak laptop cannot be pulled out by programs for processing photos. Memory cards, spare batteries, tripods and monopods - all this will allow you to work as a photographer in Moscow and other cities of Russia.
How to find your customers?
The easiest and most effective way is advertising on social networks. You need to start small - you can simply post an ad to a local group, invite friends there, promising a small discount for disseminating information.
Advertising in local newspapers also works, but one must take into account the fact that in the age of information technology, print media are becoming less and less relevant. If you really can’t find clients, you can work for some time at your own expense, that is, take photos for free: offer several friends a free photo session in return for the fact that they will advertise a novice photographer.
Field of activity
To find out how much a photographer receives, you need to list all the possible specializations:
- Photographer of an advertising agency: celebrity hunting, searching for relevant information and reporting from the scene, studio shooting. The difficulty lies in the fact that the photographer must have the skills to create various printing products.
- Wedding photographers. The main difficulty is professionalism. Only those who have sufficient experience and the ability to make really good staff can count on a good salary. In Moscow, the cost of a photographer's work (photo, video shooting, editing, retouching 40-50 photos and about 500-800 unprocessed, but color-corrected) costs an average of 15-20 thousand rubles for 6-8 hours.
- Photographer of a newspaper, magazine or any other print publication.
- Private judge. The business is troublesome and costly, relevant for a big city.
- Work in a photo studio.
- Fashion and Style. The photographer takes everything related to the fashion industry.
Professional photography has a number of unique features. Surely many people thought about how to become a photographer. Someone has been filming all his life (not amateur, it’s worth noting), but he still can’t earn a living. And someone successfully completes photography courses and literally in a few months becomes a master of his craft.
How much do professional photographers in different countries get?
It is worth comparing income levels in Russia, Europe and the United States. So, in the USA, rather strict conditions are presented to photographers. Often require knowledge of SEO and sales. Often, potential employers hire only those who have a bachelor’s degree (it’s not at all necessary to understand 19th-century painting - just a higher humanitarian education is enough).
A wedding photographer in the USA can earn from 6 to 11 thousand dollars, an advertising photographer - from 2 to 5 thousand conventional units, a journalist’s salary is on average 3800-4500 dollars.
In European countries, photographers have no less stringent requirements. So, those who have their own car and a good portfolio, assistant and professional equipment can apply for a good salary.
It is not difficult to find a “professional” photographer in Russia; now he is called everyone who has been using a professional camera for more than a year. The cost of services varies by region. You will probably be interested in how much a photographer receives for one photo shoot, say in St. Petersburg. About 10-15 thousand rubles for one event. In Moscow, it will be necessary to lay out about 15-20 thousand for the photographer to capture the brightest moments of the wedding ceremony. The cheapest way to rent a wedding in Kazan is about 5 thousand rubles.
Profession requirements
First, they think about where to get the profession of a photographer, and then how to find a job in their specialty. Among the many job offers, you can easily find a photographer’s job. It would seem, what may be the requirements for this profession? Take pictures of yourself to health, but process pictures on a computer! But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. There are a number of requirements that potential employers make (some of them have the right to exist, and some are outright nonsense):
- There is a very funny vacancy - “courier photographer”, the name of which eloquently speaks for itself.
- "Skill, and most importantly - the desire to develop in the field of photography." Do you really think this is possible? All the working and even part of the photographer’s free time will be inundated with plans, tasks and requirements that require purely mechanical execution.
- Sociability - one cannot disagree with this.
- Higher education - yes, and European requirements have reached us. Of course, a professional photographer should correctly express his thoughts, as well as be free to use a computer, but this can also be a person who has not graduated from a prestigious university.
Among other requirements, one can find the presence of one's own car, knowledge of a foreign language, attractive appearance (the question arises of why, if he photographs, not his), the absence of a criminal record and bad habits (well, yes, light hops will certainly affect the clarity of the image), a medical book and etc.
Freelance
The best option is your own business. The advantages are obvious: the photographer can independently organize his daily routine, no restrictions on professional growth, as well as a lot of free time and complete freedom of action. There is a flip side to the coin - unstable income in the first months of work.
In order to earn money on your own photos and not depend on anyone, you will have to acquire professional equipment and finish specialized courses.
How to get an order?
First of all, you need to register on several sites. It often happens that the customer places an ad on one resource, and then switches to another.
Then you need to study the archives, that is, to understand which pictures are most popular. Here you can already try to get your first orders (by default it is not customary to greatly lower the cost of your work).
Profile filling. No customer will entrust the work to a photographer who has not presented the results of his previous work.
Tips for beginners
There is nothing surprising in the fact that the person reading this article at the very end will understand how he will earn a living and immediately go to the store for a professional camera. It often happens that young guys buy expensive equipment, and have no idea how to use all its capabilities. As a result, a good digital camera acts as an amateur DSLR or even a soap dish - this is blasphemy!
Only a person who has been trained as a photographer can count on a decent fee, has solid experience in this field of activity, and also takes a responsible approach to studying modern technologies and the capabilities of digital technology. To improve your skills, you should attend photo exhibitions and master classes, read specialized forums and magazines, participate in contests, and post your work on various resources. In the end, healthy criticism has not bothered anyone.