Dive Photos that Sell!?

[Altamira]

I have always felt sorry for the underwater photographers trying, mostly unsuccessfully, to sell their videos of the dives to the boat's dive customers. With the number of underwater cameras I see on dive boats, most of them being GoPros, hardly anyone buys the offered videos/photos. It seems to be a huge waste of time for the dive videographer, other than they get to dive too. There are several reasons I have never bought one of those videos. First, I have a Canon G7X/Fantasea housing and, although I am not a great photographer, I am interested in capturing what I want to photograph, not what the tour videographer thinks is cool. Second, and most important, I have no desire to watch a video of a bunch of other divers waving like idiots and posing for the camera. I don't want to watch other divers doing stupid stuff in real time, much less paying money to watch them doing it over and over on a purchased video.

 

[Jungle Diver]

I've been a photographer and videographer for the last 15 years, worked in Thailand, Egypt, Maldives and Caribbean selling photos and videos. Some places are better than others, stay well away from the backpacker crowd they have zero money for stuff like this and they all carry GoPro's and are more than happy with their crappy greyed out jittery shots.

Find a place that does many DSD's and OW courses and you'll be golden. What's nice with this customer base is that you don't need outrageously expensive equipment (the photographer at my shop uses an Olympus TG-5) he sells 30-40 shots with a few short video clips for 50$ and makes a killing (1k-2k a month) If people want pro shots like uw weddings, proposals, trash the dress or just want better quality then I go with my gazillion dollar equipment but then it's a few hundred $$$.

What I found most important in this business is to present yourself well, be helpful, have a portfolio to show your work, be very friendly and chatty with the divers (especially the ones with GoPros) and you'll find out most of the divers that told you they did not want photos will end up buying them anyway because they had such a great time in your company (or they'll want to pass the pics you took as their own, very common ! ) Hope this helps...

 

[drbill]

Never had any interest in dive photos of me. I shoot my own video of the critters I see and, occasionally, of my dive buddies and other divers but I give them away rather than selling them. As a marine biologist, my focus is on video footage and extracted stills for my cable TV program and weekly newspaper column.

 

[Chris Ross]

I've been a photographer and videographer for the last 15 years, worked in Thailand, Egypt, Maldives and Caribbean selling photos and videos. Some places are better than others, stay well away from the backpacker crowd they have zero money for stuff like this and they all carry GoPro's and are more than happy with their crappy greyed out jittery shots.

Find a place that does many DSD's and OW courses and you'll be golden. What's nice with this customer base is that you don't need outrageously expensive equipment (the photographer at my shop uses an Olympus TG-5) he sells 30-40 shots with a few short video clips for 50$ and makes a killing (1k-2k a month) If people want pro shots like uw weddings, proposals, trash the dress or just want better quality then I go with my gazillion dollar equipment but then it's a few hundred $$$.

What I found most important in this business is to present yourself well, be helpful, have a portfolio to show your work, be very friendly and chatty with the divers (especially the ones with GoPros) and you'll find out most of the divers that told you they did not want photos will end up buying them anyway because they had such a great time in your company (or they'll want to pass the pics you took as their own, very common ! ) Hope this helps...

$1-2K/month = a killing?? I suppose it all depends on what it costs to live there, but it's below the poverty line where I live. I briefly thought about making a living taking photos and you see people dreaming about it all the time on photo forums, the reality is the photo taking is only part of the job, like 10% and the rest is running the business, marketing, selling yourself and you'll see that advice pretty much universally offered. Sure you'll be in the water everyday, but be careful that the grind of running the business and having to do it doesn't get to you. I love getting out and taking taking photos, but would not want to do it for a living, if you want to do it, go in with your eyes wide open.

 

[WS007]

On several boat safaris in Egypt the guide was taking videos and produced a video of the safari to sell for 25$ to the participants. Maybe 10 persons bought the video. Nice additional income (especially in Egypt, where the salary of a guide is approx. 250$ per week and these people belong to the top earners), but questionable how safe it is to be the guide and produce a video at the same time...

Other ways to make an income from UW photography are probably very difficult, but sometimes it is a benefit when a hobby stays a hobby (I do not envy the guides and instructors that live on scubadiving)...

Wolfgang

 

[Jun Lao]

with the advent of digital, anyone can shoot their own photos or videos

been trying to monetize photography and videography for the past 7 years, its very humbling, plus the competition out there, and those with means just do it/ give a way for free (you always meet one on a dive trip) just so they can try to be famous. Plus customers budget for diving, not photos...

Similar to land based tours, there is always a photog on standbybut wil you ever buy a photo from them?

Like restaurants, its all about location location location. More people, better chances to sell... (5%+/- off total traffic applies)

As a freelance photog, not doing full time anymore, but still active when there is demand, this is what works

1. Travel Mags- everyone needs content, develop a database of editors, price per photo, USD50, but this is not a steady stream but getting published is everyone's dream whether they admit it or not.

2. Give the photos videos for free, but organize a photo trip. This works for me best. Make income on commission on dive operator and accomodations..find right partners who are supportive

3. Worst case scenario if you are super good, you get to junkett on trips, ex deal with dive shops/ lob's but you still pay airfares.

4. Conservation work is great, but the competition is tough...plus dealing with conservation personalities can be quite a nightmare (dealing with egos)

and to answer your questions
Will you pay for photos/videos on a trip/how much:

Yes..only if I absolutely love the photographer like a friend...I'd pay USD50 for a nice one. Did that 3 times in my life...But on a regular basis..No. I/we can all shoot selfies

Making money from UW Photography is a chicken and egg thing... for me great models of revenue making practitioners are Clark Little, Zena Hollaway for Advertising, a lot more actually but maintaining that name long term, plus the sheer abundance of millenials getting into the game, it's tough. We do it for the passion of it and fun, but revenue, it's like wanting to make it in hollywood, but few will ever make it to BBC, Discovery of WWF

 

[Jun Lao]

I've been a photographer and videographer for the last 15 years, worked in Thailand, Egypt, Maldives and Caribbean selling photos and videos. Some places are better than others, stay well away from the backpacker crowd they have zero money for stuff like this and they all carry GoPro's and are more than happy with their crappy greyed out jittery shots.

Find a place that does many DSD's and OW courses and you'll be golden. What's nice with this customer base is that you don't need outrageously expensive equipment (the photographer at my shop uses an Olympus TG-5) he sells 30-40 shots with a few short video clips for 50$ and makes a killing (1k-2k a month) If people want pro shots like uw weddings, proposals, trash the dress or just want better quality then I go with my gazillion dollar equipment but then it's a few hundred $$$.

What I found most important in this business is to present yourself well, be helpful, have a portfolio to show your work, be very friendly and chatty with the divers (especially the ones with GoPros) and you'll find out most of the divers that told you they did not want photos will end up buying them anyway because they had such a great time in your company (or they'll want to pass the pics you took as their own, very common ! ) Hope this helps...

this is fact