The Cash from Your Camera Illusion- Part I

There are many ways of making money using a digital camera. But, because a digital camera is so easy to use and the resulting photos so easy to process, it does not mean that it is easy to produce images good enough for the photo buyers. The implication is if you have a digital camera, you can make money from it. This is most definitely not true. The only people making money are the professionals and the authors of cash from camera ebook authors. The one author made $720 000 in a single year, not from his photography, but by selling to people who want to make money.

It’s sad to see the associated forums where people beg information as to why their stock photos taken on 4 megapixel point n shoots aren’t selling like the ebooks tell them.

There are two factors that come into play in order to make this happen:

1. The quality of equipment used

It is nigh impossible to make the amounts of money claimed by using a low-res point n shoot digital camera. This is not emphasised in the books. But, unfortunately the bulk of digital camera owners fall into this category. If they did communicate this then the market for their ebooks shrinks dramatically. Of course their are the odd occasions where this works. The right lighting conditions, aperture and shutter speed that produce the one in a thousand shot using budget equipment. In order for any photo sales business to work the equipment needs to meet minimum standards as seen on the large stock photo library sites.

2. Photographic ability

This is absolutely essential for anyone to stand the remotest chance of selling any photo. The idea of scanning through your years of family snapshots and finding shots that will sell is, for most people, pure luck. Again it’s the one in a thousand shot being at the right time and the right place. If you are happy to sell one shot in a thousand then it’ll work for you.

So what’s the answer? If you’re to stand the remotest chance of making any money from your camera you need to be skilled. The wrong impression is created that digital cameras are the answer to the question. It seems that the digital revolution has given the impression that photographic ability is not the key to making money.

Let me make it very clear! The title of any ebook should be, “Make Money from Your Photographic Ability”. This is where the focus should be. When you get the idea that you want to make money from your photography, you have reached the correct point of departure. The key here is learn.

Learning is easy. The underlying key is passion. A real desire to use something that enthuses you to make money. There are many multi millionaires who have made money from their passions. If you are going to get up in the morning and say, “oh no I have to take photos today that are good enough to sell”, then you won’t make money. If you get up and say, “today I going to take more fantastic images and become and even better photographer”, then you’re are path of success in photo sales.

So what route do you take? All the cash from your camera books will tell is how and where to sell your fabulous shots. They have minimal focus on making you a great photographer and maximum focus on money making. If you focus on the results of your craft rather than on the process of refining your craft you’ve lost the race. The route to take is developing your passion to the point of perfection.

Your key to success is a desire to learn to perfect your passion. When you look at an image do you ask the question, “can I improve on it” or “can I sell it”?

In part two we’ll look at how to start this journey of perfecting your passion.

Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: CLICK HERE. You can also learn to take perfect photos in 21 steps by taking a look at my new ebook 21 Steps 2 Perfect Photos. Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.