Tip: How to stand out from the crowd

I have been thinking about how photographers can make money in an era where everyone has a digital camera and digital cameras have increased in quality to the point that the 'point and click' approach can produce some excellent photographs.

On one hand the new digital-camera quality output allows the average person who has an interest in photography, but who is not necessarily trained in photography, to make money from their digital camera. Certainly, with innovation and dedication it's possible to create a viable business this way.

But let's take this a step further and think about how you can stand out from the crowd:

* Establish your own brand and market that brand.
* Develop your own style so your photographs have an 'edge' that is uniquely you. For example, perhaps you only focus on happy/lighthearted photos, or moody photos full of emotion ... or perhaps there is a photoshop technique or special type of paper that gives your photos a unique quality.
* Once you have identified the products and services that are making you the most money then focus on those things/become known for those things. (see point one)
*Make sure you unite your unique style with the products/services you choose.
*You can also set yourself apart by excelling in customer service and product delivery.

Idea: Photo pencils

This idea comes to us from Photojojo.

Take a cheap packet of ordinary coloured pencils and make them extraordinary by wrapping a photograph around them and presenting them as shown in the accompanying picture.

The tutorial is easy but the end result has a maximum effect.

This product could easily be sold as a generic product, or offer to take customers' photographs and apply them to the pencils. Sell using a mail order form distributed in magazines that are read by parents of young children, or at kindergartens, school fetes/fairs etc.

Two of the extra tips/ideas worth noting from Photojojo are:

1. Choose a photo that will still be recognizable when it’s only a centimeter wide: details of grass or a bunch of M&M’s spring to mind.
2. Use a different photo for each pencil, using colors that match the pencils (roses for red, blue sky for blue…)

Read the tutorial here

Idea: Create a memory book for parents

While we're on the subject of children and making books. You could also use the self-publishing services to collate a collection of photographs for parents.
This could be useful for:
- Photographs of a baby's birth
- Photographs taken over several years of a child's life
- Photographs you take in a special photo shoot. With this idea, try out several locations, and mix action shots with posed photographs (if the child is willing to sit still)

Book creation sites like Lulu.com offer several formats. This book is going to work better as a hardback, but this format is more expensive, so review your pricing and format according to what your clients would be prepared to pay.

For tips on how to take photographs of children, see:
Digital Photos 101
Kodak

Idea: Create a children's coloring book from your photographs

Fototiller has a great tutorial on how to make coloring pages from your photos. Read the tutorial here ...

Once you have mastered the technique, put together a collection that you can make into a book to sell. Try using a theme like toys or children playing, or play equipment, or beach holidays.

Then use a service like CreateSpace.com or Lulu.com to make and sell your coloring book. And/or approach newsagencies or children's toy stores to stock the product.

Idea: Photo products galore

When it comes to creating products from your photographs, the possibilities are endless...

Aprons, beach bags, handbags/purses, mugs, deckchairs, pet-food bowls, cushions, glasses cases, mouse mats, shopping bags, tiles, table mats, t-shirts ... the possibilities are endless (well almost!).

Make your name by becoming a known brand for one product, or branch out and offer everything.

Use your own unique artistic photos, or transform people's own favorite pics.

Learn how to make them yourself, or order from an established manufacturer. Companies like My Bigger Picture have a special trade price for people who want to buy a product then sell to customers. See http://www.mybiggerpicture.com/trade/

Idea x2: Photo Bookmarks and Photo Centerpieces

We have two photo money-making ideas for you today. They both involve using your photographs in innovative products.
Tip: it is useful to think of particular markets for such products and focus on targeted advertising. For example, with the photo centerpieces you could focus on the weddings market and advertise in bridal dress stores or in any of the widely circulated bridal magazines or on online wedding/bridal sites. Mock up an example using your own or a friend's wedding so you have something to show potential clients.

These ideas come courtesy of the Martha Stewart website.

Photo Bookmarks

Cut a piece of 2-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon 3 inches longer than twice the height of the book; snip a point at each end to prevent fraying. Sew a 1 1/2-inch-by-2-inch photograph to the ribbon by hand-stitching each corner.

Read the tutorial and view an example on marthastewart.com

Photo Centerpieces
Create a set of photo frame lanterns -

They consist of three hinged photo frames set around votive candles. The black-and-white photos are printed onto ecru-colored vellum paper, which is translucent enough for the images to be visible by candlelight.

Read the tutorial and view an example on marthastewart.com

Idea: Photo pop outs

It's one thing to take great photographs, but it's easy to do some extra things to create extra value.
This idea (from Photojojo) involves creating novelty pop-up photographs with your shots.
Essentially you give your photograph a 3D effect using two copies of the same photograph, foam core, tape and a knife.
Obviously some photographs are going to be better for this than others. Photos with animals, people, children, action shots can work well. Experiment then branch out!
Selling:
This kind of product can be posted to buyers.
Perhaps your customers can submit their own photos for you to doctor. They could email a high-quality digital photograph, which you can print, for example ...

Here is the tutorial on Photojojo

Idea: Take great photographs of food

Taking photographs of food may be hard, but once you've mastered it, you can use your new skill in various different ways. Take photographs of food for restaurants - they can use the photos in a menu, for advertising, or for in-house display.

Of course it is essential that these photographs make the food look appetizing, so polish your food photography skills before approaching eating places.
See some tips on how to take excellent photographs of food on our special new page on the vrbanner.com site -

Digital Photography Food

Idea: Photo Snow Globes

This is a great idea.
All you need to create your own unique snow globes is a bottle, photo, glitter, and corn syrup.

You could create a brand with thematic photos like sunsets or animals. If you plan to sell to a local store, for instance, take photos of the tourist attractions nearby then you will be making fantastic individual mementos/souvenirs for visitors.
Or just create unusual or odd snow domes using some of your more unique photos.

See the tutorial at Photojojo

Idea: Create your own photo booth

This is a fantastic idea and it comes to us courtesy of Instructables

Create your own photo booth just like the ones you see in your local shopping centre/mall, only this one is digital (ingenious).

Read the tutorial here

Idea and Tip: Photographic Christmas Decorations

Make beautiful ornaments using your photos. These are perfect to sell at a market stall or Christmas fair close to Christmas (and good for gifts too).
Scenic photos work the best here.

See how to make them at Photojojo

And our tip is to sign up for the Photojojo e-newsletter. It's full of fabulous ideas - just adapt them to make products you can sell.

Idea: Make posters with the help of pro shops

Many specialist photo-lab shops now offer extra-large custom prints made on wide-format inkjet printers. (Before inkjet technology, it was a little more difficult and more costly to get a poster print (50 cm by 75 cm). You had to send off a negative to an outside processor to make a silver halide print.)
Make posters of your best prints and sell. Or offer a service where you organise for people's digital photos to be made into posters.

This tip is inspired by an article in The Age newspaper

Idea: Make impressive photo aquariums

This idea is courtesy of Photojojo.

"So why a photo aquarium? Besides giving your scaly pal a beautiful new vista, it’s a great way to freshen up your home or apartment. Or surprise a friend and dress up his fishtank for the holidays! You can make a photo aquarium with everything from the tiniest plastic tank to the very largest glass behemoth."

We suggest buying aquariums and using your best photos to make aquarium vistas then sell these. Try selling through pet stores, on ebay, or place in novelty stores.

Read the tutorial on Photojojo

Idea: Provide photographic assistance to security companies

These days, security is big business. Photographs and virtual tours can provide detail to allow companies, security companies etc. to plan events or manage large venues or buildings.
For example, offer a service to security companies responsible for large events. The idea would be to provide the company with virtual tours of venues and the security hotspots, so the company can plan detailed coverage and instruct staff before the event about exactly where they should situate themselves and what they should be aware of and look out for during security coverage, as well as the exits should an incident occur.

Idea: Create Flash virtual-tour brochures

With new software VRbrochure FX you can create digital brochures featuring panoramas, 3D objects, still photos, plans/maps/floorplans, and sound. Even still digital photos can be linked together with hotspots to create a virtual walkthrough effect.

ChannelVR says the brochure software is being used widely for Internet applications such as real estate sales, tourism and hospitality, retail and e-commerce, education and training, and museums and galleries.

There is a library of templates or make an original with your own (and your client's) branding - this is better of course because it will help build your digital photography business.

The software outputs to Flash as well as java, so if the computer user viewing the brochure doesn't have java (which is increasingly likely as Microsoft doesn't ship its operating systems with java anymore)they can still see it.

Check it out here
View examples

* VRbrochure FX is VRbanner's current featured product

Idea: Create a memory

Ask people at events whether they would like a memory of their attendance at the event. This works well for high-profile or one-off events like concerts or festivals, sporting events (like the soccer World Cup!) or New Year celebrations.

Idea: take photos of people's cars

Contact car clubs and offer to attend their meetings or rallies and take photos for the club and/or individual owners.

Idea: Children's birthday parties

Offer your services as a children's birthday party photographer.

The idea here is to promote your services at the places where parents go. You could put up a poster or drop off some flyers at indoor play centres, kindergartens, or junior schools close to your home. Some supermarkets have community notice boards where you could put up a free advertisement.

You could also advertise in magazines or newsletters that have parents/mothers as readers. Try including a special offer.

Idea: Work out of normal business hours

The idea here is to work when normal staff photographers can't.

For example, approach business-to-business/trade magazines about covering trade show events, conferences, or other out-of-hours events like social gatherings. (These types of magazines will often include a photo section featuring industry people at social events or conferences.)

It is also an idea to offer to attend relevant events that are far away from the magazine's corporate base. If the magazine has no one attending the event you can also offer to collect relevant press releases, business cards etc. that the magazine can use to generate articles.

Idea: download the FREE e-book - it's full of ideas!

Download the free e-book 33 1/3 Ways to Make Money with a Digital Camera.
Every idea has links to a Website page with up-to-date resources, tutorials and ideas.
Click here

The free ebook version is limited to only 33 ways to make money with a digital camera. To try 100 Ways to Make Money with a Digital Camera risk-free for 30 days without limitations, simply order the full version and start making money today.