Making Money as a Wildlife Photographer

It’s an all too common question from budding photographers: How do I actually start making a career out of this?

In this video from The Big Cat People YouTube channel, award-winning wildlife photographer Jonathon Scott sits down to talk about making a living off of photography. Scott was featured in season two of Canon’s “Tales by Light” Netflix series and is currently one of the hosts of Animal Planet’s “Big Cat Tales.” He’s been around the industry longer than most, and he begins by providing context as to how we got to where we are today. As it’s made clear, what worked years ago to support yourself with photography isn’t what works today. There are simply too many talented photographers that want it just as bad as you do, so it gets a little bit more tricky.

All hope is not lost, however, and Scott shares a few avenues left to explore. It’s becoming more critical that you establish a social media audience in which you can eventually leverage for monetization. With an audience, you can start print sales, lecture circuits, safaris, workshops, books, and more. Check out the video above for insights on where you may want to begin.

Ryan Mense's picture

Ryan Mense is a wildlife cameraperson specializing in birds. Alongside gear reviews and news, Ryan heads selection for the Fstoppers Photo of the Day.

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