Big Bucks Selling Your Photography [Paperback]

Cliff Hollenbeck (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2008

This updated guide to financial success for aspiring photographers helps them make the leap to earning a living as freelancers. Explaining how to handle the financial complexities of professional photography, this resource provides expert guidance on attracting clients, staying out of legal trouble, navigating the ins and outs of copyright law, and setting and collecting fair but competitive rates. Important advice is also included on how freelancers can handle tax preparation and deal with the threat of audits. New sections feature discussions on how freelance photographers can effectively market their work and how to capitalize on new digital technologies. Forms to help freelancers elevate their careers, such as model release contracts and copyright applications, are also included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A long overdue and well-written ‘business’ guide that will profit any photographer."  —Photo-Seminars.com

"Provides practical advice on the financial and legal aspect of the photography business. . . . A highly informative guide."  —Shutterbug

About the Author

Cliff Hollenbeck is a professional photographer and filmmaker. He is the coauthor of Freelance Photographer’s Handbook, Make-Up Techniques for Photography, and Swimsuit Model Photography. He lives in Seattle.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Amherst Media, Inc.; Fourth edition edition (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584282169
• ISBN-13: 978-1584282167
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BIG BUCKS AND HOW TO GET THEM, March 6, 2001

By 

BILL HALLEY (OGDEN, UTAH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Bucks Selling Your Photography (Paperback)

This book by Cliff Hollenbeck is a real "find " for anyone desiring to make money with a camera. Most of us who go into the photography business sort of slide into it without much of an idea how to go about it. Most of us, when we reach a point where people are willing to pay for our photos, have some pretty abysmal business practices and stagger from crisis to crisis until we learn all lessons the hard way. We arrive at that point just before the evil eye of bankruptcy fixes on us.

Hollenbeck's book covers all bases from writing a business plan to negotiating prices for use of photos. I suspect that anyone who follows his advice from day one "in the business," will achieve far more success than they would by just winging it. Fortunately, all the business advice is served up with a wit and brevity that make learning it an enjoyable exercise. Knowing that he has been exceptionally successful in his own professional life lends weight to his suggestions. Hollenbeck and his wife are one of the most successful teams working in the area of Travel and Editorial photography. Their book "Great Travel Photography" is a great companion volume.

Not to try covering the whole universe of making money with a camera, but there are two additional books I would recommend. Rohn Engh has a couple of books that would, with the Hollenbeck pair, form a great basic library for anyone interested in a photographic career. They are, "How to Sell and Resell Your Photos" and "Sell Photos.Com."

Thanks,

Bill Halley

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Realities of the Photographer's Profession !, January 9, 2001

By 

Laurie C. Dove "photodove" (VA , USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Bucks Selling Your Photography (Paperback)

An absolute necessity for the serious photographer considering the prospect of photography as a financial reward in addition to creative expression. Within the pages of this book, I found an inspiration as well as a reality check. Past the "Glamour & Glitter" visions most associate with the title of "Photographer" lies the realization of the need for good sense business practices & procedures. Too be a success at any business one must learn what it takes to conduct that profession & do it well. That is just what this book will provide you. An arsenol of information from the basic requirements of technical knowlege to sales & marketing yourself & your images. Up-to-Date resources & techniques. This is one of the most practical books on the business of photography I have purchased & studied and recommend anyone interested in starting a career as a professional photographer should include this book within their reference library. Do yourself a favor, READ THIS BOOK IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SUCCEED! Mr. Hollenbeck...THANK YOU for OPENING MY EYES !

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eye catching title, but..., April 18, 2009

By 

Timothy Millea "Photography Rulez" (Fort Walton Beach, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Bucks Selling Your Photography (Paperback)

..."Big Bucks Selling Your Photography" was not at all what I expected from the title. However don't get hung up on that! The subtitle on this fourth edition nails the book contents. "A Complete Photo Business Package for all Photographers" is a more apt title and this book does deliver that.

This book is geared towards anyone who is thinking of getting into photography as a full-time business but knows nothing about this business. If you have been researching photography as a business for some time a lot of this material will be familiar. If you are successful in the photography business you are already applying the contents of this book. For the rest of you contemplating photography as a business this book may change your mind. However, if you seriously want to consider this field of business then read the book.

If you want to go to the meat of "Big Bucks", marketing and selling your photos, start at chapter 9 and finish the book out. More importantly though not as exciting to read (Lawyers, IRS and CPAs! Oh my!), the first part of the book covers the back-end of the business. Cliff Hollenbeck, like most photographers, is not a CPA nor a Lawyer. He's not a Marketing Agent nor a Stock Agent. He's a successful photographer! Therefore you're not going to find much depth on these subjects, but the subjects are covered and Cliff tells you where to find the expertise.

If I were to summarize "Big Bucks" in one line it would be - Familiarize yourself with the whole business, concentrate on producing images and your creativity, and leave the business side to the experts.